@themodernrepublic offers some of the most eclectic furniture and home wares in Philadelphia—but New York played a key role in its success. For founders Kenya Abdul-Hadi and Steve Brown, the story began 15 years ago when they were collaborating on a fashion show at the mall where Abdul-Hadi’s first store, focused on street wear, was located. After closing that space in 2008 and starting a new, vintage-focused project in 2018, they struggled to make sales. “The people in this area weren’t as s…
