Bonwit Teller & Co., Philadelphia

If you’ve seen Rocky II, you might remember the moment when Rocky, freshly upgraded in both confidence and bank account, pulls up near Philadelphia City Hall and dives headfirst into a shopping spree. He stops outside Bonwit Teller & Company, eyes a display of jackets, and turns into a one-man fashion commentator. “Hey Adrian, check these out! What about this one? Think it would suit me?” he fires off questions to his wife faster than a speed bag—coats, colors, tiger prints—clearly determined to solve style and romance in one go.

Back in the 1970s, Bonwit Teller was no ordinary shop—it was a high-end department store known for quality clothing and well-paid staff, the kind of place where browsing alone felt like an event. The chain didn’t survive the long run, though, closing its doors in 2000, but the building and the surrounding streets still echo that era, looking surprisingly familiar to anyone retracing Rocky’s footsteps.

And Rocky doesn’t just window-shop—he commits. Out goes the modest budget, in comes the now-iconic black leather jacket with a tiger blazing across the back, plus a fur coat for Adrian and a couple of flashy watches, including one for his brother-in-law, Paulie. Indeed, it’s less a shopping trip and more a victory lap—with receipts...