CASE STUDY
Magnet Effect:
Historic St. George’s United
Methodist Church
Old St. George’s United Methodist Church,
located in the Old City neighborhood of
Philadelphia, is home to both an active
congregation and museum. The church, itself a
historic landmark, is surrounded by heavily
visited sites such as Independence Hall,
Elfreth’s Alley, and the Betsy Ross House.
Because St. George’s boasts a history that is on
par with these sites—it is a “mother church” in
the denomination—it attracts several
thousand visitors a year who spend tens of
thousands of dollars locally. It attracts a
diverse group of event attendees,
museumgoers, and researchers.
In an average year, St. George’s United
Methodist Church hosts roughly 1,000 wedding
guests, 900 museumgoers/researchers, and
500 arts patrons from outside the city. These
visitors spend locally at restaurants such as
DiNardo’s Famous Crabs, Radicchio Café, Kisso
Sushi Bar, Campo’s Deli, and Sassafras Market
as well as on souvenirs at the local boutiques
and gift shops. Many stay overnight in Center
City hotels.
In fact, the Philadelphia Convention and
Visitors Bureau found that on average, a day
visitor to the Philadelphia region spends
$49.50 a day while an overnight visitor spends
$214.67 a day. This means that on average, St.
George’s United Methodist Church catalyzes
over $60,000 in visitor spending a year. This
does not include spending by congregants or
those who meet there regularly.
St. George’s United Methodist Church is
atypical in that it maintains a museum and
archives in one of the most vibrant sections of
Philadelphia; but it is typical of congregations
in that it hosts a spectrum of activities that
catalyze visitor spending and strengthen local
economies.
Visiting children search the museum and archives at Old St. George’s United Methodist
Church, the oldest continually occupied Methodist church in the country. Courtesy of
Old St. George’s United Methodist Church.
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