Philadelphia Boutique's Window Tribute To Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Drawing Crowds Of Admirers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the window of Rittenhouse Square's Sophy Curson boutique is drawing crowds of admirers. The nearly century-old shop has a special connection to the justice as well.
The installation features RBG's signature white collar on several of the black and white looks, along with photos and some of her most well-known and inspirational quotes.
"I love that she was a short, tough, brilliant Jewish woman. We can all aspire to be that because she left the planet a better place than when she found it," said Drexel Law Professor Julie Werner-Simon, as she stopped by the window with her mother, Beverly.
Had to wear my white collar for this story on @sophycurson's moving window tribute to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her special connection to the iconic Rittenhouse Square boutique. The story on @cbsphilly @ 5:30 & 6pm #RBG pic.twitter.com/XoRuNkFhYG
— Trang Do (@TrangKDo) September 23, 2020
David Schwartz and his mother co-own the nearly century-old boutique named after his late aunt. Schwartz said longtime sales associate Dana Morelli wanted to honor Ginsburg, not only for her work as a tireless champion for women's rights, but also because of a serendipitous connection.
Schwartz made the discovery way back in 1993 when he was going through the customer mailing list.
"I came across the name and I said to my mother, 'I think this is the lady that just got on the Supreme Court,'" Schwartz said.
He was right. Some 20 years later, Justice Ginsburg returned to the shop during a visit to Philadelphia and told Schwartz's mother a fun story about a dress she purchased there.
"It was colorful and it really wasn't what she's known for, so she would only wear it to private parties where she knew there would be no media at the parties, but she still wore it after all these years," Schwartz said.
The shop's simple but powerful love letter to RBG brings smiles and even tears for a woman whose achievements inspired her peers and countless generations to follow.
"I'm going to miss her because I looked up to her because she was really what I wished I could have been," said Beverly Werner Freeman of Rittenhouse Square, her eyes teary.
The installation has gotten thousands of more views on the boutique's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Since installing the tribute on Saturday, Schwartz said people have rung the shop's doorbell to thank him and he has also received phone calls from people thanking him for the moving tribute.