The old Lord & Taylor in King of Prussia is getting a new lease on life – and it’s a doozy.
None other than the streaming giant, Netflix, plans to turn the entire building into the world’s first Netflix House, a cutting-edge arts, entertainment, dining and shopping venue.
Disney has Worlds, Universal has Resorts, Netflix wants only a House, albeit one that’s more than mansion-sized. At 120,000 square feet, Netflix House will be nearly five times bigger than the area’s first Eataly, the Italian emporium coming to the old Rite Aid/Forever 21 space at the mall next year.
Ground-floor blueprints show two enormous “experience” rooms for immersive, walk-through attractions complete with whiz-bang special effects and live actors. Netflix won’t share specifics, but rotating takeoffs on hit shows like Squid Game, Bridgerton, Stanger Things and The Crown seem likely. Touring Netflix attractions for all but The Crown have had successful runs in New York, London, LA and Vegas in the last few years.
There’s also a sizable theater for screenings, concerts, plays, TED-style talks, comedy shows, book signings, meet-and-greets and livestreamed Netflix cast reunions.
The second floor is anchored by a central dining and retail marketplace with themed food and merch unique to Netflix House.
Smaller experience rooms could house smaller-format attractions. Think virtual reality, arcade and escape games and culinary, craft and personal enrichment classes.
Netflix has identified 10 possible uses for the House’s various rooms. Just about anything fun is fair game, even large-format activities like mini-golf, skating, mazes, a kiddie playground and obstacle courses.
Some attractions will require timed tickets, others will be free. Most will be temporary, replaced when the crowds thin.
KOP would be the prototype; the company plans to roll out Netflix Houses around the world.
Netflix alighted on the King of Prussia Mall because it’s an “established shopping and entertainment destination,” Netflix VP of Experiences Greg Lombardo explained to Upper Merion officials at an April 11 township meeting, adding: “We want to provide our fans with more reasons to see themselves in the stories they love.”
The project sailed through its first zoning hurdle – the company needed the township OK to operate a “performing arts/theater” at the mall. Mere minutes after Netflix presented its case, supervisors voted unanimously to allow the theater.
“I haven’t heard one negative comment from the public,” enthused Tina Garzillo, chair of Upper Merion’s board of supervisors.
As soon as Netflix submits detailed, fully engineered plans, the project moves to the township’s multi-step land development approval process. Assuming no hitches, the new venue should open in late 2025.
The inside will get a complete overhaul and the exterior will be “refreshed with art, paint and signage to provide a contemporary and engaging building,” according to Netflix’s conditional use application.
It expects to draw fans of all ages. If stats from Netflix’s recent touring shows hold, folks will travel 3-plus hours to get here, Lombardo told township officials.
The project will put plenty of locals to work: some 500 will be hired to build the place and another 100 to 150 to staff it, according to testimony from Netflix Senior Program Manager Brent Nicolin, who’s managing the design and construction.
All those out-of-towners should boost nearby King of Prussia merchants, putting more heads in hotel beds.
“We’re beyond excited,” says Mike Bowman, President and CEO of the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board. “The King of Prussia Mall is an icon and to have a world-recognized brand like Netflix select Montgomery County for their prototype, is very, very cool. It’s going to be a game-changer.”
End of an era in Paoli: Mourning the loss of old-school Hardware Center
Longtime proprietors Steve and Greg Scartozzi with their sister, Nancy, who’s helping with the liquidation sale.
When Steve and Greg Scartozzi announced the end of the hardware business their father had opened 73 years ago, they expected sadness.
But outright grief? Tears, tissues and hugs? Now that was a surprise.
For longtime customers, news of the imminent closure of The Hardware Center, known around town as Paoli Hardware, felt like a death in the family – and they acted accordingly. More than a few penned heartfelt cards and letters. Cookies were baked, donuts were delivered. Some even brought in lunch for the staff. A few told the Scartozzis they were intentionally shopping before the storewide 20 percent-off sale. They insisted on paying full price “out of respect.”
Steve recalls an elderly woman approaching him, her face slick with tears. “Don’t go. Don’t go,” she begged. “No pressure, right?” Steve jokes.
Adds Greg: “They’re happy for us to retire but they’re really, really sorry to see us go.”
Indeed, not since the 2012 death of Waterloo Gardens has the western Main Line so mourned the passing of a store.
Local hardware stores are a dying breed on the Main Line.
In the last two decades, Bryn Mawr Hardware, Suburban Hardware, Ricklin’s in Narberth and True Value in Newtown Square have all bit the sawdust.
When Paoli goes dark later this spring, only two will be left standing: Old Gladwyne Hardware and Do it Best in Wayne, whose owner started as a salesman at Paoli Hardware.
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Ask the Scartozzi brothers – lifelong locals and Conestoga ’69 and ’74 alums – why they’re pulling the plug and they answer in unison: “It’s time.”
They started sweeping floors and hauling merchandise for their dad when they were 12 and, except for school, never left. Although they’ve “slowed down in the last few years” – Steve even managed a full month in Arizona last March – they rarely turn it off. “When you’re in this business, you’re pretty much working 6 or 7 days, 10 or 12 hours a day,” he says.
And there’s no one waiting in the wings – though their combined four kids have all worked in the store – “It’s a rite of passage in our family” says Greg, only half-kidding.
“I told my daughter if you want this business, get rid of the shore house because you’re not gonna see it again until you’re 50,” Steve cracks. Both brothers think it’s easier for the second generation to stick with a family business. Third generations often have other plans, they say.
The Scartozzis spent the last three years quietly seeking a buyer – for the building and the business. No dice.
(Although it’s part of the Brandolini-owned Paoli Shopping Center, the Scartozzis own the hardware store building. The only thing they rent from Brandolini is warehouse space beneath adjoining shops. Corzine Scartozzi smartly insisted on buying the land in the mid-1950s – once part of Tredyffrin Country Club – and building his own store, adding a second story for toys in 1967. He worked alongside his sons until his death seven years ago at age 93.)
Last month, Steve and Greg told employees that they were retiring and would close later this spring.
“We’re too big for a small business person and too small for a big guy to take us over,” explains Greg. “It’s hard to find someone who knows hardware and housewares who also knows the toy business, the Christmas business, the custom patio business and the produce business.”
Both believe a restaurant could work well in the tri-level space. They also say a sale to Brandolini remains “a possibility.”
Despite the competition, Paoli Hardware has remained profitable. They weren’t killed by online shopping or swallowed up by big boys like Home Depot and Lowe’s. “They never bothered us,” says Greg “We always differentiated ourselves. You always tried to be original. You don’t try to compete head-on.”
Over the years, The Hardware Center morphed into a general store, albeit one heavy on hardware, toys and seasonal goods. You could find almost anything on its three levels: a space heater, elegant hostess napkins, games for your grands, Christmas lights, gas grills, placemats, patio furniture. And on the front sidewalk, seasonal fruits, veggies and flowers.
Among the store’s improbable hits: customized home mailboxes and $5 tomatoes.
For years, Greg bought only Number One, blemish-free beauties at weekly auctions in Lancaster. Paoli Hardware was regularly selling 20,000 pounds of tomatoes a year.
One customer told the Scartozzis his enterprising son planned to buy from the same Lancaster County farms and set up a produce stand on Route 252. Good thinking, kid.
But it wasn’t just the unusual mix of merchandise that separated Paoli Hardware from Home Depot; it was the service.
“We solve problems. People would come to us with their problems and our guys would solve them,” says Steve. “If you go to the big boxes, they’ll say, ‘Go over to aisle 5A.’”
Steve says they’ve always followed their father’s philosophy: “If customers come in the front door and they reach the back before they’re approached, something’s wrong.”
Employees have been on the job 30 years on average – though Dick Snyder has stuck around nearly 60 years and Phil Ghaner, 50. When they told a recent hire that he was one of their “young guys,” the newbie protested: “Hey, I’m 59!”
Most core employees will retire. Of the five who need jobs, “we’ve hooked up at least three,” Steve says. “Nobody’s going to get hurt. That’s important to us. Employees are our second family. I told them we’re still gonna meet somewhere every few weeks.”
On the first days of the hardware center’s liquidation sale, parking was scarce, lines were long, and aisles were jammed.
Still, the atmosphere was strangely subdued – as if folks avoided chatting for fear their voices would break.
“It was my home away from home,” said a bereft Jody Guerin, a 24-year customer and 8-time grandmother from Berwyn. “I came for everything in the home but my heart was in Big Smile Toys and everything Christmas. It’s just so sad; we’re going to miss them.”
Second-generation customer Susie DeRafelo of Malvern raved about the wide-ranging inventory. “Kitchen goods, toys, tomatoes – you never knew what you’d find when you walked in … we’re certainly going to miss their expertise in everything. It was amazing to have a small business compete with all the big chain stores and do it successfully.”
Twelve-year customer Megan Patterson said she’s relied on Paoli Hardware “for anything: lamp repair, screen repair, a question on how to do something. They’re so knowledgeable: It’s devastating that we’re not going to have them.”
Lifelong Paoli resident Barbara Bowers Bigford said she, her children and grandchildren have all enjoyed trips to the second- floor toy shop. “As a girl, a trip with dad to get a new doorknob meant I could run upstairs with the biggest smile on my face.” And when Bigford told Steve Scartozzi about the product she’d invented and just brought to market – sand anchors for beach umbrellas –he responded “like a family member. He was excited to help me promote and sell my new product. I was forever grateful because it helped launch broader distribution to other stores.”
A few weeks after the sale started, the store is quieter now. The early deluge that became a stream is now a trickle.
The Scartozzis say they’ll stay open until early June, tops.
Customers who don’t get a chance to say good-bye at the store may get other chances. Greg lives in Paoli, Steve is in Malvern and neither plans to move.
“I couldn’t imagine people would be coming up and hugging us,” says Steve. “So, hell yeah, we’re gonna miss that.”
Hear that, folks? If you see the Scartozzis around town, go ahead and tell them you miss them, maybe even give them a hug.
They won’t mind a bit.
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On the move again: Surrey Services expands to Bryn Mawr
Denise Ligget leads a SilverSneakers chair yoga class at Surrey’s new Bryn Mawr center. Most members are on fixed incomes; many are active and spry, others are frail. The average member age is around 75.
Life just got better for some older adults in Lower Merion.
Devon-based Surrey Services has opened a fourth center a stone’s throw from Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church and the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr.
“We’re very excited,” says Surrey CEO Jill Whitcomb. “This came together very fast.”
Surrey had studied the demographics and found a real need in the community.
“Up and down this three-mile stretch of Montgomery Ave, there are all these older adults living alone in apartments who don’t want to live in or can’t afford a Beaumont or Dunwoody,” Whitcomb explains. “There are some senior centers around here but they’re very different from what Surrey offers. After due diligence, we realized we could make an impact here.”
If you’re unfamiliar, Surrey is a nonprofit provider of myriad services that allow thousands of area seniors to live safely in their own homes.
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Membership is just $50/year and comes with a whole host of goodies: chef-made lunches to enjoy with friends on-site or take home, exercise classes, social clubs, health screenings and special events. Surrey also offers help at home: rides to medical appointments and grocery stores, check-in phone calls and assistance with technology, home finances, yard work, small home repairs, personal care, errands and more.
A recent lunch at the new Surrey Center for Active Aging in Bryn Mawr. Three-course, $7 lunches ($9 for guests) are prepared by Chef Pedro at Surrey Devon and transported to Surrey. Lunches are often the main meal of the day for Surrey members. Many take their leftovers home for dinner.
Less than half the size of Surrey’s 18,000 sq. ft. Devon flagship, Surrey Bryn Mawr will offer programs tailored to local needs, Whitcomb tells SAVVY. The facility has dedicated space for SilverSneakers sessions, clubs, classes and Surrey Academy, which offers free training to home caregivers. In warm weather, members will be able to enjoy the spacious front porch and side patio.
Surrey is renting the Foerderer House on the campus of Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church (below) for $1/year. Ethel Foerderer gave the property to the church with the proviso that it be used to help area seniors. It’s been vacant since Main Line Adult Daycare folded three years ago.
Foerderer House has been spiffed up with new flooring and fresh paint. Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church has offered its gym and larger gathering spaces should Surrey need space for special events.
This is Surrey’s first expansion into Montgomery County and comes just a year after the nonprofit opened a comprehensive 8,000 sq. ft. center in Broomall. The opportunity to partner with such a vibrant, flourishing church – along with $1 rent – helped seal the deal for Surrey, Whitcomb shares. “It’s a very community-minded, mission-driven church.”
Surrey friends and supporters enjoyed an art show and open house at the new Bryn Mawr center.
Relationships are being forged with Eldernet and other local service agencies. Topping Surrey’s wish list for Byn Mawr: a van to transport members. “We could pick up 10 people at Tedwyn Apartments alone,” Whitcomb says.
Most of Surrey’s $5M annual budget is funded with grants, donations, proceeds from the Surrey Consignment Shop in Devon, and twice-yearly fundraisers: a garden party in June and a holiday house tour in December. Surrey also relies on more than 400 community volunteers to do everything from lead book clubs to bus tables.
Want to help the cause? Surrey is seeking volunteers, donations of outdoor furniture for Bryn’s Mawr’s porch and patio, and corporate and individual financial support for its June 12 Parisian Garden Party.
The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting at the Bryn Mawr Surrey Thursday, May 2 at 1 p.m.
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Surrey Center for Active Aging in Bryn Mawr, 119 Radnor Street Rd., 484-222-4930, is open Tues. thru Thurs. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but will open all five weekdays in September. Call 610-647-6404 to reserve a spot for lunch and programs.
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District will open its first new school since 1965
The concept design for the new elementary school in a Tredyffrin office park.
It’s a done deal.
After 60 days of due diligence, Tredyffrin-Easttown School District made it official. It will convert a Berwyn office building into a sixth elementary school.
The district closed on the $16 million purchase of Southpoint II at 1200 Swedesford Rd. on April 2. It expects to spend another $54M – possibly more – to “adaptively reuse” the 15-acre property. Barring snags in the township approval process and construction, the new school will open in September of 2027.
What does this mean for T/E families?
- A possible change in assigned schools for your neighborhood. The entire population will be redistricted to balance enrollment among six schools instead of five. No timetable for redistricting has been announced.
- Full-day kindergarten at last. Radnor has had full-day K since 2011, Great Valley since 2019 and Lower Merion begins it next year.
- An end to the on-again, off-again space crunch at different TESD elementary schools for the foreseeable future. There should be ample space for T/E’s ever-increasing special ed population, expanded programming and any new initiatives TBD.
- Additional rental income from Paoli Wildcats basketball and other community groups. The site plan shows a middle-school sized “Gymnatorium” addition off the lobby. The Wildcats have struggled to find gym space to accommodate all the kids who want to play and have had to run waitlists. About 540 kids, or a quarter of kids enrolled grades 4 to 7 in T/E played for the Wildcats, according to Wildcats’ official Aubrey Dirkes.
A rendering of the new school shows a new bus loop and canopy and a “Gymnatorium” addition at far right.
Built in 1994 and renovated in 2007, 1200 Swedesford Rd. will be the district’s largest elementary school.
“It will be bigger but it won’t be better,” vows Gusick. The district aims for parity among the schools, he says, but admits that’s “always a challenge.”
The 86,622 sq. ft. building is actually larger than what T/E currently needs. The third floor will house 4th grade classrooms and 9,000 square feet of “shell space.” T/E School Superintendent Rich Gusick calls it an “expansion bay” for a new program or an extra classroom.
Current plans for instructional space include 30 classrooms, two science rooms, a music room and an art room.
A before-and-after schematic (below) shows soccer and baseball fields, asphalt and turf play areas, a kindergarten playground and a playground for grades 1 – 4 replacing the parking lot and stormwater basin in back of the building.
Next steps include refining the design, securing zoning, land-use and development approvals, putting the project out to bid, awarding contracts and finally, construction.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, a world-class Swiss chocolatier arrives in Wayne
Owners Andrée and Bryan Goldberg at the new Teuscher’s at 240 E. Lancaster Ave. in Wayne.
With apologies to Hershey, there’s chocolate and then there’s Teuscher’s.
The luxury Swiss confectioner – routinely atop short lists of the world’s best chocolates – now has a sweet little home in Wayne, its only outpost in PA.
Owners Andrée and Bryan Goldberg have transformed the ho-hum auto tag store next to Capri Water Ice into a charming Old World chocolate boutique.
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Displayed under gleaming glass or enclosed in tasteful gift boxes are some of life’s most delectable edibles: assorted varieties of truffles, pralines, bars, hazelnuts and Marzipans, dipped fruits and liquor balls.
Each is made without the preservatives, fillers and binders found in mass-produced chocolates.
Ingredients are primo: fair-trade cocoa beans, almonds from Spain, French Champagne, oranges and lemons from Sicily, macadamia nuts from Costa Rica.
The result is a richer, more satisfying confection. “That’s why you can feel satiated after one piece but you can easily eat a whole bag of Hershey kisses,” explains Andrée Goldberg.
For the diet restricted, there are dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free options with a diabetic-friendly choice coming soon.
There are even fiber- and antioxidant- rich ultra-dark chocolate bars – a sampler box lets you try a range of cocoa concentrations.
Everything is made in small batches in a suburb of Zurich and flown weekly to shops around the world.
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Teuscher’s top seller by far: Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles – the world’s first truffles made with Dom Perignon.
We sampled one – OK, more than one. Let’s just say we know why Oprah named it one of her “favorite things” of 2002.
Gift boxes come in all sizes and shapes. We’re especially partial to the charming square boxes topped with quality silk flowers, sweet little somethings for Mom or a graduate on her special day.
Service is customized and concierge. Bring in your own platter or box and the Goldberg’s will fill and wrap it.
Want a chocolate charcuterie board for your next party? Elegant party favor or corporate gift? Stop on by.
So how did a high-end chocolatier with lux locations in Beverly Hills and on Madison Avenue find its way to Wayne?
Circuitously.
Bryan Goldberg fell for the brand on Boston’s famed Newbury Street and sweet-talked Dolf Tuescher, Jr., into a first Philadelphia outpost in the Bellevue Hotel. (The chocolatier was founded by Dolf Sr. in the Swiss Alps 90 years ago.)
After a successful 13-year run, the Goldbergs lost their lease at the Bellevue, then spent two-and-a-half years searching for just the right spot closer to their Blue Bell home. They looked seriously at Ardmore but hit pay dirt in Wayne with a century-old storefront with original tin ceilings, leaded glass windows and parking in front.
“We wanted a place with character,” says Andrée. “We kept the old-school European vibe but added modern touches.”
The Goldbergs plan to partner with local restaurants, beverage brands and charities for intimate tasting events. With sidewalk café tables in warmer weather, the 500 sq. ft. shop can host up 20.
“Our business philosophy is to immerse ourselves in the community,” says Andrée Goldberg. “We’re loving it here in Wayne.”
Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland, 240 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne, 215-546-7600, is open Tues. – Sat. 10 to 6, Sundays 10 to 4 and Mondays by appointment.
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Parker’s Place: Pristine playground for little tykes in Berwyn
Johnny and Vyvy McCartin with their son, Parker, 2, at his namesake indoor play place in Berwyn.
First came Lolo Leo in Paoli, then Le Mignon Cake & Playroom in Devon. Now, say hello to Parker’s Place in Berwyn, the third indoor playroom to open on the western Main Line in the last 18 months.
Immaculate and well-furnished, Parker’s Place is owned and operated by Parker’s parents, Johnny and Vyvy McCartin, who just moved to a Berwyn apartment that’s a short stroll to their new business on Swedesford Road.
“We didn’t spare any expense with equipment and playsets,” Johnny McCartin tells SAVVY. Most of the toys and play equipment are wooden and made in the U.S., some in nearby Lancaster County. Everything is designed for Montessori-style, open-ended exploration and imaginative play.
The playroom can be reserved for birthday parties and private events.
The color scheme is soothing, lighting is soft, and everyone – kids and their caregivers – must wear socks and no shoes.
The play area is open to ages six months to five years.
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“A lot of play spaces are 0 to 8 but that’s such a wide gap and kids aren’t really playing together,” explains Vyvy McCartin. “Coming here promotes socialization at an early age.”
Parents are socializing, too. “We’ve seen a lot of friendships blooms,” says Johnny. “It’s cozy in here and makes for a social environment.”
When we visited, crafts were offered on Monday mornings and Miss Emily was leading music most Fridays. A storytime collaboration with nearby Barnes & Noble was in the works. The McCartins were also talking about adding Friday night drop-offs.
Worried about germs? Don’t be. There’s a H13 HEPA Air purifier, toys are made from anti-microbial woods, and Vyvy McCartin wipes everything down with plant-based, non-toxic cleaners. An anti-bacterial steamer is used after every morning and afternoon play session.
“I’m very picky about cleaning,” she says.
Plus, she has a vested interest: Parker’s Place is two-year-old Parker’s home away from home.
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Parker’s Place, 414 Swedesford Rd., Berwyn, is open weekdays 9 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Weekends 9 to noon. $25 all-day passes for kids ages 6 mos. to 5. Playpacks, memberships, special events and birthday party packages available.
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Devon Horse Show & Country Fair 2024: What you need to know
All Devon Horse Show & Country Fair photos by Brenda Carpenter.
The Greatest Show on (Main Line) Turf gallops back for the 128th time May 22. Time to plan your visit.
Only a few new wrinkles to report this year but that’s the beauty of the Devon. From lemon sticks to Ladies Day, the oldest outdoor multi-breed horse show in the U.S. is steeped in tradition. Why mess with success?
We locals might take Devon’s charms for granted. But trust us, the nations’ best riders are PUMPED to qualify to ride here.
Sure, the plaudits and prizes are great – from $25,000 for the top junior hunter to $226,000 for the best Grand Prix jumper. But it’s more than the money. It’s the experience.
Like us, riders stock up on Devon sweatshirts and souvenirs, browse the cottage shops, play games on the Midway, knock back cold ones at Clydesdale’s and cheer on fellow competitors in Devon’s uniquely intimate Dixon Oval.
Unlike other prestigious shows, Devon spectators are unusually close to the action – we feel the hooves pounding the turf.
2024’s biggest change: an extra day. Instead of starting on the Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend, Devon opens on Wednesday.
With entries and classes growing every year, the show was running later and later.
“I remember one night last year sitting there watching the show literally by myself at midnight,” Devon Horse Show CEO Wayne Grafton tells SAVVY. “It was getting to a point where people had to leave to go to work the next day. We’re a volunteer organization – people need to get home. The goal is to try to finish by 10:30.”
Other changes: New wooden benches around the Oval, new roofing and assorted repairs totaling $1 million.
Here are the special days and ways to enjoy Devon in 2024:
Best day for gal pals: Ladies Day, Wed., May 29.
Arrive at the show grounds until noon wearing a hat and your admission is free. But if you want a real hoot and a holler, pay $60 to enter the world-famous Ladies Day Hat Contest and reception.
J’Adore Devon is the 2024 theme. So find – or decorate – a très chic chapeau and ensemble and join a few hundred hopefuls in the Pavilion for bubbly, bites, schmoozing and selfies.
A panel of judges will crown Best in Show, Best Hat to Toe, Best Parisian theme, Most Fascinating and Best Group – all come with splashy prizes.
Confirmed judges include Yours Truly (SAVVY editor Caroline O’Halloran), celebrity stylist/QVC personality George Brescia, Main Line Fashionista Ashley Myers, TV carpenter/Sycamore & Stone proprietor Jeff Devlin, Land Rover Main Line owner Michael Smythe and Philadelphia Style editor Marni Manko.
Gals with $150 tickets can adjourn to the Devon Club for lunch, a fashion show and a chance to win an Hermès scarf, a Veuve Clicquot gift set and a Lagos Derby bracelet. C’est fantastique, n’est- pas?
Another sellout is expected so don’t dawdle. Buy tickets here.
Best days to bring the kids:
- The Dog Show at Devon (above), Thurs. May 23. Parade your costumed pooch around the Dixon Oval at 7 p.m. Entries are $5. What a Good Dog’s Mary Remer will again award assorted novelty prizes. Curliest Tail, anyone?
- Family Days, Thurs. May 23, Tues. May 28. Discounted concessions and wristbands for Midway rides. Free guided back barn tours 5/28.
- Lead Line for ages 5 and under, Sat. May 25 from 1 p.m.
- Itty Bitty Tea Party, Sun. May 26. Ticketed Itty Bitty Tea Party ($35/pp) in the Devon Club. so popular there are three seating. Reserve here.
- Budweiser Clydesdales, Thurs. May 30th, Sat. June 1, evening. Special seating packages available to watch these majestic, high-stepping steeds pull the iconic red beer wagon around the Oval.
- Kids Hat Parade, Sun. June 2. Hat decorating, crafts and hat parade ($12/participating child).
- Kiddie crafts booth: Thurs. May 23, Mon. May 27 from 11 to 3; Fri. May 24 – Sun. May 26 and Fri. May 31 and Sat. June 1, 11 to 6. For $3 – $8, kids can paint river rocks, make horseshoe wind chimes and more.
Most “Main Line” traditions:
- First Night at Devon, Wed. May 22 (above). The show’s traditional kick-off cocktail party in the art gallery. 200 of Devon’s most ardent local supporters rub elbows with artists and get first dibs on their work. Tickets are a tick higher this year – $150.
- Radnor Hunt Fox Hounds, Sat., May 25. An exhibition by the oldest continuously active foxhunt in the U.S.
- Carriage Pleasure Drive, Sun., May 26, 11 a.m. Local driving clubs parade through neighborhoods from St. David’s Church to the show grounds.
- The Plant Sale on Sunday, June 2 after the last class. Area green thumbs snatch up discounted plants and florals that adorned the show.
- The locally supported Devon Derby. Buy chances for a lease on a Land Rover Defender (donated by Land Rover of the Main Line), a night at the Phillies, $1000 gift card to Walter J. Cook Jeweler, $500 to The Little House Shop, a gift card to Fearless Restaurants and more.
Best days for patriots and music lovers:
- Valley Forge Military Academy Color Guard, May 26, 7 p.m.
- Tribute to Heroes, Memorial Day, 6 p.m. Salute to first responders and local military in the Dixon Oval. Free admission for all active or retired police, fire, military and EMTs and their families.
- Orpheus Club of Philadelphia performs the National Anthem on Memorial Day and Grand Prix night.
Best nights for thrills and chills in the show rings:
- Arena Eventing, Sunday May 26, a combination cross-country and show jumping track with a 3- jump obstacle course.
- Jet Run Welcome Stake May 28, Sapphire Grand Prix May 30, Speed Derby May 31, Idle Dice Open Jumper June 1. 7 p.m. Grand Prix night isn’t your only chance to see the nation’s top show jumpers turn and burn.
No big changes to Devon’s Restaurant Row: Burgers, chicken and fries at the 1896 Grille, tea sandwiches from the Tea Cart, salads, soups and entrees at the Garden Café (again catered by Heartland Hospitality Group), wine and beer at The Gazebo, DiBruno Bros. sandwiches, salads, charcuterie boards, hand-rolled eggrolls by Madi’s On a Roll, espresso drinks, mocktails and chicken nuggets at Sips & Bits.
New for 2024: Online ordering for boxholders through the Sips & Bits booth. DiBruno Bros. and Hearthland Hospitality spreads for boxholders and those who like to plan ahead.
The shopping looks as enticing as always. Browse the usual local favorites: Polka Dots, Valley Forge Flowers, MLW, GBF gifts, 12 West Boutiques, Tuyet and Heigh Ho jewelry, J McLaughlin, Blue Beret, Christine Shirley Designs, et. al.
The Devon Souvenir shop has new lines including locally-based athleisure by Addison Bay and preppy UPF 50+ dresses and separates from Cabana Life.
Other newcomers of note:
- Chloe Johnston Experiences: Main Line-based curator of one-of-a-kind trips based on personal interests.
- Blazing Bella Balsamic & Olive Oil: gourmet sauces, oils and vinegars made in West Chester.
- Reimagined Style: jewelry made from heirloom china, vintage and antique finds, hand-painted equestrian scenes.
- Stylish in the Saddle: upscale women’s athleisure, gifts, accessories and home décor.
Now, the fine print:
The walk-up box office and telephone ticket lines are now open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 610-688-2554.
Want a reserved seat? Hop online pronto. Choose single night or day tickets in the grandstands, 3 nights on ringside benches. Or spring for a seat in the Devon Club on Arena Eventing and Grand Prix nights. $200/pp for buffet and open bar.
As for parking, get a guaranteed spot in the main Dorset Ave. lot for the entire show for $325 (limited availability). Single daytime passes are sometimes available for $20 to $50. Other options: pay a neighbor to park on their lawn, take the train or Uber.
The 128th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, 23 Dorset Ave., Devon, runs May 22 to June 2. Giddayup!
Ardmore’s first board-game restaurant, Twenty One Pips, changes things up
If at first you don’t succeed… figure out what’s wrong and fix it.
When Twenty One Pips – Ardmore’s first game café – opened in downtown Ardmore in July of ’22, it tried to do too much: appeal to families and to couples, offer lite bites as well as full meals, sell morning coffees and nighttime cocktails.
Unsupervised kids were skipping off to play noisy Skee Ball and flashy electronic games instead of playing Boggle with mom and dad.
Post-pandemic staffing shortages and an off-target menu caused spotty service and inconsistent food.
The coffee bar never caught on and there was nowhere to kick back and relax with a drink.
Word on the street was that Twenty One Pips – an ambitious two-story, 5,000 sq. ft. undertaking and the first retail tenant in One Ardmore – had taken a big swing and … whiffed.
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In late 2023, owner Matt Hendricks decided on a do-over. Twenty One Pips would be more like his first game café, Thirsty Dice in Fairmount.
Out went the arcade games. In came 400 new board game titles.
“The video games, electronics and Skee Ball were overstimulating kids and distracting from our core mission: to put down our phones and connect with each other,” Hendricks tells SAVVY.
The underused coffee bar became a retail shop that stocks Pips’ most popular games – ones you won’t find on Amazon.
Awkward high-top tables near the front windows are gone, replaced by a comfy lounge strewn with cozy couches and vintage pieces – vaguely reminiscent of quirky Central Perk in TV’s “Friends.”
The bar looks less like an afterthought and more like a traditional bar.
A new chef focuses on globally-inspired comfort foods easily eaten as you play.
Prices remain reasonable: Starters, sides, sliders, salads, flatbreads are $7 – $17.
There are nine new craft cocktails ($12 – $15) and a handful of mocktails ($8 – $14). Wines by the glass are an affordable $9 – $10 or $36/bottle.
New-and-improved, Twenty One Pips has become a place for grownups – on Hinge dates or out with friends. Kids are certainly welcome but with no arcade to run off to, they stay seated.
Wait, are they really playing Scrabble and not staring at screens?
Amazing.
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Twenty One Pips, 24 Cricket Ave in One Ardmore, is open from 4 p.m. (Closed Mondays.) $7/pp to access board-game library for two hours. (A gametender helps you choose games and learn rules.) Private and corporate parties and full-buyouts available. Must be 18 or older to visit alone.
Two new ‘facial bars’ have the Main Line glowing – and the price is right
Glowbar is the latest women-focused business in Bryn Mawr Village.
Need a beauty service? Belly up to the bar.
The beauty “bar” trend started with blowout salons like Drybar in Ardmore and KOP, expanded to haircolor with Madison Reed Color Bars, also in Ardmore and KOP, and now, the Main Line has two new facial bars – Glowbar and Face Foundrié – that specialize in short-and-sweet facials at easy-to-swallow prices.
Open since March 22 in Bryn Mawr Village, Glowbar charges a flat rate: $60 for members (no initiation fee), $75 for everyone else – for 30-minute, clinical-grade facials. No menu of services, no add-ons or surprise upcharges. You and your esthetician simply decide what your skin needs that day.
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Typical facials include seven or more steps: a light chemical peel for exfoliation; an ultrasonic vibrating tool that cleanses pores; manual extractions; high frequency wand that kills bacteria, fights inflammation and increases circulation; and red light therapy to boost collagen in mature skin or blue light therapy for acne-prone skin.
To save time, you visit Glowbar’s communal cleansing station (below) before stepping into your private treatment room.
“We welcome everyone: from busy young professionals to multitasking moms and even college students navigating skincare for the first time,“ Glowbar CEO and Founder Rachel Liverman tells SAVVY. “I started Glowbar because I struggled to find an effective, affordable and trustworthy source for consistent facials.”
Started in New York City just five years ago, Bryn Mawr and Rittenhouse in Center City are the chain’s 11th and 12th outposts.
“Philly has consistently been our most requested city over the past year and Bryn Mawr is a strategic choice,” says Liverman. “We’re in fantastic company here in Bryn Mawr, right alongside Athleta, solidcore, Bluemercury and other great brands.”
The business model at Face Foundrié at King of Prussia Mall is different.
Assistant Manager Julia Gleason and Lead Esthetician Ashley Gonzalez at Face Foundrie, open since late summer in the King of Prussia Mall.
You choose from menu of minis ($45 – $55), 45-minute “focused facials ($75) and add-on services like oil-planing exfoliation, Gua sha and Hungarian facial massage. Face Foundrie also waxes, tints and laminate brows ($25- $75) and tints and lifts lashes ($80).
Instead of a private room, treatment areas are semiprivate spaces with curtain dividers.
We tried Face Foundrié’s $95 Firm AF facial which uses Hungarian massage, a peptide mask, red light therapy and a medical-grade serum to tighten and hydrate skin. A comparable facial might cost upwards of $200 at a local day spa.
Popular with brides: The $199 Royal Treatment, which uses hydra-dermabrasion, oxygen infusion and CO2 buffing.
Face Foundrié has grown quickly since its launch in Minneapolis in 2018. Fourteen stores, including KOP, debuted last year alone, with another 25 franchise locations planned this year.
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Glowbar, 925 W. Lancaster Ave Bryn Mawr Village. Book online at glowbar.com. Face Foundrié King of Prussia Mall, near California Pizza Kitchen, is open during mall hours. Book online at facefoundrie.com.
SAVVY Picks***
Hey ladies, if you’re reluctant to join a gym because you’re out of shape, befuddled by the equipment or don’t like big, impersonal classes, there’s a cozy studio in Ardmore just for you: Train and Nourish on Cricket Ave. near McCloskey’s. “Our mission is to build a community where women of all ages, body types and fitness levels feel empowered and welcomed on their fitness and nutrition journeys,” says owner Jenna Fisher. So awesome are T & N’s four boutique studios at making women feel supported and encouraged, they won Best of Philly for “Best Way to Beat Gymtimidation.” Certified women trainers help clients lift weights for the first time, rehab injuries, bounce back after childbirth, deal with eating issues, diabetes, hormonal problems and more. You’ll get one-on-one personal or small-group training and nutrition coaching to build a healthier body for the long haul. Visit trainandnourish.com.
News flash: LASIK isn’t for everyone. SMILE is a newer surgical vision fix that’s less invasive and has a shorter recovery time. Only two practices in the Philly area offer it and, lucky us, Corsini Laser Eye Center in Wayne is one of them. Military-trained, board-certified ophthalmologist Jonathan Corsini, MD performs SMILE, LASIK and PRK and will recommend the one that’s right for you. He’s performed SMILE on military pilots during his eight years of service and says it became their go-to option. At Corsini Laser Eye Center, care is personalized and visits are never rushed. Patients even get Dr. Corsini’s cell number. They also get easy online self-scheduling, virtual visits, free consults, same-day surgery, one simple price, and interest-free payment plans. Truly, ditching your glasses and contacts forever has never been easier.
Having a loved one with a chronic mental health condition can mean a lifetime of worry. Will he take his meds? Will she slip into a psychiatric crisis? Will he find joy in life? Can she live safely on her own? An innovative residential program in the Media area is changing the game for area families. Named for its first resident, Stoga ’02 soccer star Clark Widger, Clark’s Manor in Media offers a safe, healing environment for adults with chronic mental health challenges. While they live together like a family, residents also receive on-site psychiatric and therapeutic services along with holistic supports like music and art therapy. They’re also following their interests – whether that’s working out at the local Y, doing community service or taking classes at community college. Since its creation in 2020 there have been zero psychiatric crises. Families are happier knowing their loved ones are receiving compassionate and competent care. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 610-875-6750.
If you’re looking for gracious and spacious – not to mention, sumptuous – have we got a new listing for you: a six-bedroom, 8-bath beauty on 1.66 acres on Thornbrook Ave. in the Lower Merion section of Bryn Mawr. Built in 2006 in the tradition of noted architect Robert M. Stern and updated in 2016 by the current owners,this bespoke estate home – clad in Hamptons-style cedar siding – features a three-car garage, slate pool with waterfall, stone fireplace and outdoor kitchen amid lushly landscaped grounds. The inside is equipped with every amenity including a separate stairway to a private library and au pair suite with full bath, two third-floor bedrooms and bath for visitors, and an entertainment wing with a stunning Art Deco-style tiered theater and gym. Stunning woodwork, handcrafted archways and coffered ceilings and state-of-the-art appointments and appliances exude timeless elegance amid modern comforts. Offered at $3,495,000. Full listing here. Contact [email protected].
***SAVVY Picks are shoutouts & promos on behalf of our sponsors. To learn more about becoming a SAVVY Pick, email [email protected].
Supporting a nonprofit that serves people in addiction – including many from the Main Line – in Kensington
Sarah Laurel, Radnor High School ’04, is tackling Kensington’s opioid crisis with compassion and trauma-informed care and services.
In a few weeks, scores of Main Line women will gather for a lovely evening at Life’s Patina, the charming barn and garden in Malvern, but their hearts will be directed to a place far less pretty: Kensington.
The suburban soirée will benefit Savage Sisters, a remarkable nonprofit – started by a remarkable Radnor ’04 alum, Sarah Laurel who’s advocating for the forgotten and saving lives in Kensington every day. In the last year, Savage Sisters has reversed 324 overdoses and offered countless hot showers, changes of clothes, harm reduction kits, “tranq” wound care and food to people in addiction. Her team has also connected folks to services, treatment and Savage Sisters’ own recovery homes, including one in Haverford Township.
We asked Sarah to share some of her story. Our hope is that you’ll consider supporting her organization and/or buying a ticket to the June 6 fundraiser at Life’s Patina. (SAVVY is the event’s media sponsor. We’ll see you there.)
How does a girl from Radnor High School end up homeless on the streets of Kensington, get her life back together, then return to start a nonprofit there?
I was working for a well-known hotel chain in Philly when I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel and given prescription opioids. This led to a devastating IV drug habit compounded by homelessness. After a physical assault in Kensington, I ended up in the ICU and began my recovery journey in a wheelchair. It was a humble start and I wanted to create safety for myself and a couple of friends. As I stayed sober and focused on creating safe spaces, I realized just how much change and authentic advocacy were needed. The mission developed organically, rooted in lived experiences and love.
How often do you minister to young people from the Main Line?
Our housing and outreach serve Main Line residents daily. More than half of our unhoused friends in Kensington are from the surrounding counties. We meet everyone in a nonjudgmental way and offer different resources depending on their needs. One thing we want their parents to know is that they are not alone, there is nothing to be ashamed of and we are a safe space to talk about the range of emotions they are experiencing.
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Your recovery house in Havertown has faced vocal neighborhood NIMBY opposition, including a packed zoning hearing last month. Did that surprise you? What do some people who live in the suburbs get wrong about people in addiction and recovery? Any particular reason you chose a recovery house in Haverford Township?
I was saddened more than surprised. The leading cause of death in Americans aged 18 to 45 is overdose. This isn’t a foreign problem; this disease cozies up to your family quietly and quickly – regardless of wealth, status, race or religion. The streets of Kensington are lined with Main Line kids in active addiction needing public health support. Why not provide a safe space for them to recover near their hometowns?
Philadelphia’s new mayor plans to get the drug trade out of Kensington with police sweeps and arrests for drug possession and prostitution, low-level crimes that haven’t been prosecuted in several years. You’re as close to the issue as anyone. How do you feel about Mayor Parker’s plan? Are you seeing an increased police presence in Kensington?
Yes, we’re already seeing the increased enforcement strategy in Kensington. I am deeply concerned about the people we serve. The city has attempted similar aggressive tactics to this public health crisis many times in the past with major failures. Each time, crime, death, incarceration, HIV, and other costs to the city increased significantly. We need to address substance use with proper resources like medical and mental healthcare, nonjudgmental shelter and housing, and other harm reduction resources. I always hold hope that real solutions are offered, rather than just a migration of individuals and issues to the next area. That is pushing the problem down the road, not a viable solution.
It’s been a rough several months for Savage Sisters. The Mayor has also vowed to end all funding for harm reduction measures in Philadelphia – strategies that Savage Sisters employs every day that keep drug users alive until they’re ready to seek treatment. You’re also losing your lease on your Kensington Avenue storefront.
We’ve renovated two vans and will take our outreaches mobile. The most concerning issue is removing individuals specifically trained in saving lives and providing public health service from the most concentrated area of drug use in the state. The strong push against syringe programs will absolutely see an increase in HIV and Hep C which will be a public health crisis. We are hoping that the leaders will pause and revisit certain plans to ensure they don’t intensify this crisis. Kensington certainly needs change and resources but those need to be inclusive and evidence-based.
Does all of this mean you need to rely more on proceeds from events like the June 6 fundraiser in Malvern?
Savage Sisters has always relied heavily on community contributions for our life-saving work on the streets and for our uniquely operated recovery homes. Our outreach expenses will certainly increase with the need to go mobile and we always are in need of support for our recovery homes, which provide trauma therapy and exposure to meditation, exercise and other therapeutic strategies that help our residents transition back to life without substances. The “Summer Night” fundraiser is an exciting way to raise much-needed funding for our mission.
How do you fight the out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality? What’s your best argument for getting the Main Line to care about people with substance use disorder?
This is not a remote issue or a Philly issue. More than 70% of our participants at outreaches and housing are from the surrounding counties, not Philly. We offer training across the state and always point out that eight out of 10 overdoses happen at home. It starts in the home and unfortunately, ends there quite often. Substance use happens everywhere and speaking openly about it helps decrease the stigma and discrimination that forces people to suffer silently. We want to reach out to their parents and have the conversation about how to be helpful, provide resources, and love them unconditionally while setting boundaries. Mainly, we want people to know they are not alone and everyone is worth saving.
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Savage Sisters founder Sarah Laurel, Jessica Kartalijia and Jane Winchester Paradisat a 2023 fundraiser for Savage Sisters at Rosalie at the Wayne Hotel.
A Summer Night for Savage Sisters will be held Thursday, June 6 at Life’s Patina at Willowbrook Farm in Malvern. Tickets are $150 to $200. Sponsorships available.
All aboard the Buttery Café, newly opened in the Malvern train station
Malvern Buttery on King Street in Malvern borough.
By Anne E. Hill
When Malvern Buttery opened in 2015, the western Main Line flocked to a new neighborhood spot for coffee, conversation and buttery, house-made croissants.
Owned by locals John and Silenia Rhoads, the 3,400 sq. ft. space soon filled with stay-at-home moms socializing with kids in tow, remote workers enjoying a change of scenery, and friends catching up over coffee and fresh-made fare. The action shifted mostly outside during COVID and today, even on chilly days, outdoor tables fill fast.
With a proven track record, the couple jumped at the chance to open a satellite location in nearby Malvern train station in mid-March, replacing Valentine Chocolate Co. after its owner retired.
Buttery Café manager Jared Winn uses an Eversys espresso machine that makes coffee drinks faster than a speeding bullet …train.
Coffee drinks are made on site but pastries are prepared down the road at the flagship. Bestsellers include blueberry millet muffins ($5) and granola bars ($5), says King Street Buttery GM Joli Ridenour. Salads ($13-16), fresh fruit ($8) and yogurt parfaits ($8) are also available. Drip coffees and espresso drinks are also popular with the commuting crowd.
The Buttery Café Malvern Station, 13 W. King Street, Malvern, is open Mon. -Fri. 5:30 a.m. to 11a.m. Contact [email protected] or 610-296-2534
Broaden your kids’ worlds as a Fresh Air family
Drew and RJ Wheeler of Radnor with their “summer brothers” Jahkemo Williams and Yarayah Evans at Shipley School in 2016.
Instead of enrolling your kids in yet another week of camp, why not give them an educational experience closer to home this summer?
Actually, not closer to home. At your home.
For one week, you can host a Fresh Air Fund child – ages 8 to 18 – from an underserved part of New York City. You’ll give that child or teen experiences they might never have otherwise – maybe a trip to the shore, a hike in Valley Forge Park, a bike ride around the neighborhood, family dinners.
And in return, your own kids will learn generosity, kindness, gratitude and an openness to new perspectives – intangibles not normally instilled at, say, robotics camp.
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Fresh Air Fund can also defray some expenses. Kids arrive and depart King of Prussia on free buses. Community partners like Conestoga Swim Club in Villanova give visiting children free swim lessons. Shipley has offered camp scholarships.
Established in 1997, the nonprofit Main Line Fresh Air Fund once enrolled about 70 local families annually. In recent years, though, that number fell to 40 or 50. The program was paused during COVID and wants to get back to pre-pandemic levels.
Certainly, there’s never a shortage of NYC kids who could use a change of scenery and a chance to see new possibilities for themselves.
Drew and RJ Wheeler “learned to share their home, their toys, their parents and their summers and learned to appreciate their lives through the eyes of their ‘summer brothers,’” enthuses Maura Wheeler of Radnor, a longtime host mom. “This program has changed our lives and blessed us with lifelong friends who have become family … The world is better when we exit our bubbles and find that love exists everywhere.”
The Wheeler brothers and their Fresh Air brothers Jahkemo Williams and Yarayah Evans pose with Villanova hoops star Daniel Ochefu (second from left). The four boys were on campus for a 2016 basketball camp.
Visit dates this summer are July 15 – July 22 and August 12 – 19. Deadline for the July visit is June 1; the deadline for August is July 1.
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Learn more at freshair.org or follow on Facebook.
Koren’s Kitchen dishes up healthy goodness in Wayne
Chef Koren Draper outside Koren’s Kitchen on Louella Court. Her scratch-made meals focus on “family meals and fresh food with a healthier twist.
By Anne E. Hill
“You can’t fake fresh,” says culinary queen Koren Draper, who’s now bringing fresh to the Main Line. The private chef and caterer just opened Koren’s Kitchen, a cozy lunch café, catering and prepared-meal hub in the former At the Table space on Louella Court in downtown Wayne.
Draper and her team do it all: cater your backyard graduation party, make dinners for pickup or delivery for your busy family, teach favorite recipes at evening cooking classes. And if you’re in the neighborhood at lunchtime, stop in for a freshly prepared salad or sandwich. When the weather warms, she’ll dress up her front sidewalk with tables and floral planters.
“My clients want homemade food cooked with love that is clean but still tasty,” Draper explains. Koren’s Kitchen doesn’t own a deep fryer and uses only healthy olive and avocado oils. Menus are a mix of affordably priced comfort-food classics and globally-inspired dishes that change regularly to highlight local, organic produce and all-natural proteins.
Koren Draper in her new kitchen at the old At The Table space in downtown Wayne.
Most loyal meal service customers subscribe to three dinners a week but meals can be scheduled on an as-needed basis. Order online with as little as a day’s notice. Meals can be picked up or delivered within 15 miles.
Want to learn Chef Koren’s secrets? She’ll divulge them at regular Thursday night BYOB cooking classes. First up on May 2 is “Perfect Steak Dinner” where for $99, you’ll learn how to sear and season a perfect NY Strip steak, whip up truffle mashed potatoes, and grill fresh asparagus. She also offers in-home cooking-class parties for $350.
Draper attended Walnut Hill College (formerly The Restaurant School) but says she received most of her training during extended travels through Italy and Mexico. She continues to seek inspiration at other restaurants, cookbooks, blogs and from her own staff.
***SAVINGS FOR SAVVY READERS: USE CODE SAVVY (OR MENTION SAVVY AT THE COUNTER) FOR TEN PERCENT OFF THRU JUNE 30***
Koren’s Kitchen, 11 Louella Court, Wayne, 610-214-3588, is open for lunch Mon. – Fri. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Order prepared meals online for pick-up and delivery. On- and off-site BYOB cooking classes and catering.
This and That
Get used to the gravel graveyard in the center of Paoli: it’s sticking around a while. The area around Darby Road was bulldozed a few months ago – the first step in shifting traffic over the train tracks from North Valley to Darby Road. A new bridge at Darby Road is the centerpiece of Phase II of the giant overhaul of Paoli station, its parking and surrounding roadways that PennDot/Amtrak began eight years ago. Last month, Amtrak informed Tredyffrin officials that it has two only crews qualified to build the bridges over operating tracks and neither crew will be available for more than a year, possibly as late as 2026. “This was a surprise,” Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors Chair David Miller tells SAVVY. “We’re trying to get someone to put some pressure on them to tell them this is not acceptable. I mean, it’s a blight in the middle of our township.”
Wonder what happened to Devereux’s outmoded campus on Highland Ave. in Devon, the one the behavioral health nonprofit had hoped to convert into a shelter for migrant children? So did we. Well, Devereux reverted to its first plan: it sold to a housing developer. Veteran Main Line homebuilder Tom Bentley paid $3.2 million cash for the 7.8-acre property in late 2022 and tells us demolition should begin any day now, paving the way for “Rose Glenn,” an enclave of ten, luxury single-family homes with a pocket park. Homes will be 4,400 square feet on half-acre lots and priced in the low- to mid-$2 millions. Target market is families with kids. Homes will be slightly smaller but have the same cottage-colonial look as Bentley’s other Easttown development, Tiberon. Bentley is perhaps best known for making new homes look like they’ve been standing for years. He’ll celebrate 50 years in business on the Main Line in early May.
Attention, big-hearted SAVVY readers! Remember our recent story about Patrick Hoey, Conestoga Class of ’21, paralyzed in a diving accident in upstate New York last summer? Friends of the family, aka Hope4Hoey, are planning a comedy night on Saturday, May 4, at a party barn in Newtown Square and we hope to see some of you there. The always hilarious Joe Conklin will emcee and three local comedians will perform: Stoga alum Chris Coccia, Norm Klar and Bob Marsdale. Tickets are $125 and include drinks and light fare.
Diane and Ed Hoey report that Patrick is making steady progress in PT and OT and is enrolled in two online classes at Penn State with more to come. Patrick and his parents recently returned from a first trip back to Happy Valley to visit college buddies. Comedy Night proceeds will help the Hoeys pay for Patrick’s ongoing therapy and equipment needs not covered by insurance. Topping Patrick’s wish list: a Lokomat robotic walking system for the family’s Devon home.
Devon’s Patrick Hoey using the Lokomat, his favorite therapeutic device at Magee Riverfront Outpatient Rehab Center. Hope4Hoey funds have helped pay for his sessions.
Looks like Margaret Kuo’s in Wayne won’t be dark for long. Win Restaurant Group – the family behind Blue Elephant on North Wayne Ave. and Azie on Main in Villanova – has already bought the building. We’ll have details next time but Win’s Pearl Somboonsong Murphy tells us French-Vietnamese fare is heading our way. Yum. Margaret Kuo’s closed in March after a 22-year run.
A boutique switcheroo in Wayne. Twelve West Boutiques has parted ways with accessories retailer Chilcote & Richards and now has its own outpost in the former Eaves building at 105 N. Aberdeen Ave. Meanwhile, Chilcote is still operating at 120 E. Lancaster Ave. but under the new name, Chosen.
Wayne favorite Capri Homemade Water Ice is in new hands. After 18 years, Sue Davis just passed the torch to new owners, Kyle and Tim Hennessey.
Warms the heart to report that the GoFundMe for the family of the T/E dad who drowned in Bermuda over spring break has smashed its fundraising goal of $50K, collecting more than $134,000 to date. Duk Shin, 49, heroically rushed in the water to rescue a child – not his own – and was swept under. A mechanical engineer, Shin leaves behind wife Ashley Gong and sons Mason, 9, and Colton, 7, both students at New Eagle. Funds raised will pay for the boys’ future education needs.
The former HipCityVeg spot in Radnor will soon become Federal Donuts & Chicken, reports the Inquirer’s Mike Klein. The Radnor location – near Estia – will be one of the popular eatery’s first franchise locations in the Philly burbs.
Wayne’s La Maison Health & Fitness is now an ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center, one of 14 Atlantic Coast Athletic Clubs in the mid-Atlantic region. The Sposato family operated La Maison, formerly Club La Maison, for 41 years. In a letter to members announcing the sale, Stephanie, Vince and Rich Sposato said “significant shifts in the fitness industry compounded by challenges brought about by the COVID pandemic” spurred their decision to sell. ACAC plans to upgrade equipment and systems and spruce up the place.
In other fitness news, the area’s first SPENGA (Spin Strength Yoga) studio in Gateway Shopping Center has called it quits only a year after it opened. And F45 in Paoli pulled the plug a few months ago. Industry folks believe too many boutique studios have rushed to fill empty storefronts. Plus, more people are exercising online post-COVID. Sadly, it seems only the fittest of the fitness franchises will survive.
Jason and Travis aren’t the only Kelces enjoying their days in the sun. Virtually unknown two years ago, Jason’s wife, Kylie, was a guest on the TODAY Show in early April and will speak to the last graduating class at Cabrini on May 19. A Narberth native, Kylie McDevitt, Class of ‘17, was a standout hockey player at Cabrini. She met her husband (online!) when she was coaching at her other alma mater, Lower Merion High School. Kylie raises awareness and funds for the Eagles Autism Foundation and works to promote body positivity through Dove’s Body Confident sports program. Nice.
Gladwyne and Villanova folks (arguably) have something to crow about: they live in million-dollar zip codes. The two towns made Zillow’s list of places where the average home is worth $1 million or more. Surprisingly, not one PA community made the cut a year ago. The typical home value in Gladwyne was $1.37M in February while Villanova homes were a tick lower: $1.3M. The usual suspects at the Jersey shore – Longport, Stone Harbor, Strathmere, Sea Isle and Cape May Point – are all on the list with Avalon on top at $2.5M.
Will’s and Bill’s Brewery on Swedesford Rd. in Berwyn is now serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. every day but Monday.
Another ambitious restaurant concept is coming to Ellis Preserve in Newtown Square. Napa Kitchen and Wine will open in a standalone building near Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in 2025. The original outpost in Virginia offers wine pairing dinners, tastings and a wine academy. Food is inspired by California wine country. Operators will be the folks behind Sedona Taphouses in Phoenixville, West Chester and coming soon, Ellis Preserve.
While we’re on Ellis Preserve, Fire Point Grill flamed out after eight years and was replaced by La Scala’s Fire in early March. The fast-growing and affordable pizza/pasta chain opened a popular outpost in Villanova in nearly four years ago. We hear they’re already killing it in Newtown Square.
Ready, set, paint! If it’s spring, it’s time for the Wayne Art Center’s signature Plein Air Festival, one of the most popular outdoor painting events in the U.S. More than 150 nationally ranked artists applied for 32 spots and $25K in cash prizes in this year’s competition. The artists have six days to paint landscapes and iconic buildings within 35 miles of Wayne. Awards will be presented at a Collector’s Preview & Sale on Friday, May 10 at Wayne Art Center where the paintings will remain on exhibit through June 22. Register for the festival’s special events here.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Piazza Project, the mammoth development approved for central Ardmore several years ago. Toll Brothers has pulled out of its partnership with Piazza Auto Group. The homebuilder was slated to demolish the Piazza Acura and VW dealerships and the old IHOP and build two apartment buildings with ground-floor retail in their place. The project – which would stretch from Ardmore to Greenfield Aves. – isn’t dead and will move forward with another construction partner, according to the Piazza Group’s attorney. Lower Merion Township approved the five- and six-story apartment buildings before changing Ardmore’s zoning code to outlaw such heights. Piazza has until 2026 to show “substantial progress” on the project or it will have to go back to the drawing board.
Kudos to Central Nursery School! The downtown Wayne preschool is celebrating 60 years this week.
Former Harriton English teacher Jeremy Schobel pleaded guilty last month to child pornography charges and will be sentenced in June. Schobel admitted in federal court to using fake social media accounts to trick hundreds of teenage girls – including at least one Harriton student – to share nude images with him. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison. Schobel taught at Harriton from 2021 to 2023.
KT & Co. Antiques is clearing out of downtown Bryn Mawr. The owner is reportedly selling both buildings. One KT & Co. storefront has been closed since COVID; the other shop hasn’t been open in a decade.
Bella Donna Gifts in central Wayne remains closed after an HVAC unit caught fire and thick smoke and soot filled the shop in early April. Owner Donna Martelli tells us it’ll be another month or two before she can replace ruined inventory and ceiling tiles, repair and repaint walls, fix flooring and get the whole place professionally deep-cleaned. She invites folks to shop at her two locations at the Lancaster County Farmer’s Market in Wayne: The Blue Rooster and Monogram It. Good idea.
Insomnia Cookies just welcomed Haverford students and area night owls to its second Main Line bakery at 18 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore. Naturally, the store keeps late hours: it’s open until 3 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and until 1 a.m. other nights.
Mazel tov to Rabbi Michelle Pearlman for leading Beth Chaim Reform Synagogue in Malvern with courage and commitment for the last 10 years. While many faith communities have lost members, Rabbi Michelle actually grew BCRS membership and energized the community with new efforts to build awareness of civil rights, racism and social justice issues. Not to mention, how many rabbis bring goat yoga to their congregations? Rabbi Michelle will be serenaded by her favorite bluegrass band, Nefesh Mountain, on May 4 at a special 10th anniversary shindig at the Sheraton Great Valley. Tickets for adults, students and kids here. Proceeds benefit the BCRS’s Terry L. Jacobs Youth Scholarship Fund.
The adult education nonprofit, Main Line School Night, is seeking a new leader. Executive Director Wendy Greenfield is scaling back her responsibilities after managing MLSN with vision, heart and smarts for the last eight years. The full job posting is here.
Time to kick fancy tires in Wayne. Wheels of Wayne Car Show returns to North Wayne and West Avenues for the 10th time Sunday, April 28, 12:30 to 3. Enjoy an old-fashioned street fair while you check out classic, custom and modern cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Returning to Willows Park in Radnor this Saturday, April 27, Wellness at the Willows gets more interesting each year. Among the freebie lineup: The “70 is the New 5o” a talk by Dr. Andrew Rosner of Haverford’s LSR Wellness; a “Built to Move” class and posture/movement screening by Wayne’s Restore Movement; A nutrition talk by macrobiotic guru Sheri Demaris; a Mindfulness and Mediation workshop; a family fitness session; and especially intriguing: “Know Thyself,” an Enneagram tutorial. Full schedule here.
And finally, two yummy newcomers at the Lancaster County Farmer’s Market in Wayne. Lancaster County Juice is fresh-squeezing fruits and veggies near the front door. The stall also sells acai bowls, yogurt parfaits, organic dairy products and A2A2 raw milk. And right next door, a popular Philly food truck is now peddling Slurp This Ramen Kits to suburbanites. Simply nuke five minutes and slurp away.
Owner Dru Scheidell (right) and team at the new Slurp This Ramen Kits stall at the Lancaster County Farmer’s Market in Wayne.
SO MUCH GREAT information Caroline! Thank you!!
Great stuff as always! Any updates on Hung Vuong market? It feels like it’s just sitting there with nothing going on. Is it dead?
Thank you for all this information! You do a beautiful job. Yes, we will sorely miss Paoli Hardware. It was a family thing – to go see the Christmas display and each pick out our own special ornaments. And always important in the summer to drive over and buy fresh tomatoes. The staff were always eager and ready to help us pick out screws and nails, no matter how few we needed. This store was precious, and will be missed by our family.
Thanks for sharing that. Same experience here. I told the Scartozzis when I interviewed them that what I loved most about their store – besides the tomatoes! – is that their employees would take as much time helping you find a $2 screw as they did helping you finding patio furniture. The best!
Good “scoop” as usual!! Thank you
Tredyffrin Country Club? Where was that?
The whole Paoli Shopping Center area was once a big golf course! Local street names even reflect that, e.g. Fairway…
Was this your most comprehensive, action pack, creation of journalism to date? Probably not, but each time we receive your stories and announcements, it sure seems like it! Well done Caroline/Savvy Mainline! There are so many changes, announcements and remarkable folks in our area that my head is still spinning. Thank you for keeping us informed.
WOW! Thank you for all the excellent updates and pertinent details. I think this was one of your personal bests.
I’m sure I’m not the only who has to hold back the tears thinking about Paoli Hardware disappearing from my life. Christmas won’t be quite as bright this year. Many thanks to the family for being there for so many for so long.
Thank you! Agreed – Paoli Hardware Store is a HUGE loss to the community. I wish someone with deep pockets would just pony up and keep it going!
Always love to catch up with all the Main Line news!!!
Thank you always!
You are welcome always! (Were your ears burning this week? I stopped in Merritt Gallery in Haverford Square and I talked about ther dearly departed Linda Golden boutique with one of the salespeople. I think she was a personal friend.)
What would we do without you, Caroline? All of this is news to us! Thank you for uncovering/covering the news in our area!
Thank you for all of the great info! I have a question about Aubrey Dirkes’ statement “The Wildcats have struggled to find gym space to accommodate all the kids who want to play and have had to run waitlists. About 540 kids, or half of all kids who live in T/E, played for the Wildcats last season, according to Wildcats’ official Aubrey Dirkes.”
How is 540 kids = half of all kids who live in T/E? Is that a typo?
Thanks for your comment. And good catch – We just received clarification from Aubrey Dirkes and amended our story. 540 kids – a quarter of all kids in grades 4 to 7 in T/E – play Wildcats basketball. And there are waitlists because there isn’t enough suitable gym space. The Main Line is lucky to have a well-organized, no-cut league!