Mural from Kurt Vile's "Wakin on a Pretty Daze" album cover
What happened here?
The cover of Kurt Vile's 2013 album Wakin on a Pretty Daze features a multi-storey mural painted on the side of the W.M. Mulherin's Sons building at 1344 North Front Street in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighbourhood. The mural was created by legendary street artist Steve "ESPO" Powers, with images and words drawn from the album's eleven tracks sprawling across the brick facade.
Vile — born and raised in Philadelphia — commissioned Powers specifically for the project, and the result turned the album cover into a genuine neighbourhood landmark. For Fishtown locals, it became part of the streetscape; for fans, it became a destination. The mural sits along the Market-Frankford El line, visible from the passing trains, embedding the record into the daily life of the city that shaped Vile's music.
In 2014, the mural was partially whitewashed by a local DJ named Lee Mayjahs, who painted over the lower half of the piece. The act drew widespread attention and outrage. Mayjahs later apologised to both Vile and Powers and offered to pay for the restoration. The mural was repaired and continues to stand on Front Street.
The building itself — W.M. Mulherin's Sons — has since become a restaurant and is a popular spot in Fishtown. Across the street, two bars sit on opposite ends of the spectrum: one a polished cocktail spot, the other a proper neighbourhood dive. If you're visiting the mural, you might as well stay for a drink.
