Meet the Man Behind Fitler's Famous Corner

Texas transplant Bobby Espinosa transforms his home into a colorful community space, one seasonal decoration at a time.

Austin transplant Bobby Espinosa enjoys breakfast outside his Fitler Square home, where his seasonal decorations and interactive offerings have become neighborhood attractions.

Turn the corner at South 24th and Manning, and you'll immediately notice a whimsical scene: colorful birdhouses dangle from a flowering tree, a mini-library painted bright yellow stands by the front steps, and a cheerful bistro table invites neighbors to sit down and stay awhile. This isn't just another Philadelphia rowhouse—it's Bobby Espinosa's vibrant corner home that has become the talk of Fitler Square.

Bobby, who moved to Philadelphia with his partner in 2021, has transformed their brick corner house into an ever-changing display that shifts with the seasons. The current spring setup with its handcrafted birdhouses is just the latest iteration of what neighbors have come to anticipate as they walk their dogs or head to nearby Fitler Square Park.

From Valentine Hearts to Rainbow Pride

Bobby began by decorating his house for different holidays - Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and eventually more elaborate displays for Pride Month, Halloween, and Christmas. The Cinco de Mayo celebration featured handmade styrofoam cacti, while the Pride Month display included a rainbow carpet and "gay bar" sign that received plenty of positive feedback.

"Pride was the main one that we kind of decided was the coolest thing for us," Bobby explains. "That one got a lot of positive feedback."

Handpainted birdhouses adorn the flowering tree outside Bobby's home, featuring themes ranging from Barbie to the Mexican flag. "I painted, like, eight of them. It was really fun," Espinosa says.

His latest project is more permanent. The flowering tree outside the house now holds a collection of colorful birdhouses - some store-bought, others hand-painted by Bobby in various themes including Barbie, watermelon patterns, the Mexican flag, and rainbow colors for equality.

Bobby has also added a yellow "Hey Little Brother Library" where neighbors can take or leave books, and placed a bright yellow table and chairs outside where people can sit. Neighbors often slip appreciative notes through his mailbox, thanking him for brightening the area.

Finding Family 1,500 Miles from Home

Originally from Austin, Bobby moved to the area when his partner Kristopher Velasco took a position as a sociology professor at Princeton University. After a year in Princeton, they relocated to Philadelphia, where Bobby specifically looked for a corner house.

Lennix, one of Bobby's two Shar-Pei dogs, keeps watch from the front window of the corner house at 256 South 24th Street. They chose the neighborhood for its proximity to the dog park.

"When I saw this on Zillow, I instantly knew that we had to live here because it was the only corner home that we saw in the neighborhood," he says. They chose the neighborhood specifically for their two Shar-Pei dogs, including Lennix, who can often be spotted keeping watch from the front window.

With a large family back in Texas - six brothers, four sisters, and 24 nieces and nephews - Bobby found himself missing those daily connections. The decorations became his way to build community in his new city.

"Since I moved here, a way for me to not feel as alone is to create a bit of space where I can see people gather," Bobby explains. As someone who describes himself as introverted, he finds it easier when neighbors approach him rather than having to initiate conversations himself.

The Man Behind the Magic

When not working on his home, Bobby commutes three days a week to New Brunswick, where he coordinates workshops for the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. These workshops help educators address issues like bullying and bias in schools.

Bobby Espinosa's "Hey Little Brother Library" offers neighbors free books outside his Fitler Square corner home, one of several community-building elements he's added to the property since 2021.

His creativity extends to other projects as well. "I go to Goodwill and buy old art and just paint random cartoons on it," he says. This artistic streak is evident in everything he does around the house.

Bobby handles most of the decorating himself. "It's pretty much like 99% me," he laughs. "If [Kristopher] does help, it's something like 'hold the ladder.'"

The corner house will continue to change with the seasons - Pride Month decorations will return soon - but the birdhouses might become permanent, especially if birds make homes there. As Bobby sits at his yellow table enjoying his breakfast and greeting neighbors, his corner house stands as a colorful reminder of how one resident's creativity has turned a simple brick home into a neighborhood conversation piece.