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Haverford Business Developments
June 2017
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New Fountain Dedicated to
Township Manager Larry Gentile
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The new fountain in the Triangle Garden at the fork on Darby Road has been dedicated to Township Manager, Larry Gentile, in recognition of his extensive contributions to the beautification of Haverford Township.
Mario Oliva, Township Commissioner and board member of the HPED was pleased with the decision to honor Larry Gentile in this way. “Larry has been a big part of the beautification efforts here in Haverford Township. I couldn't think of a more deserving person to dedicate this fountain to.”
Haverford Green Program Director, Chris Kelly, said “Located at the center of the Oakmont business
district--an increasingly popular area of new pubs and shops--the fountain is something visitors and
Township residents alike will enjoy.”
Installation of the seven foot, Italianate fountain was coordinated by the volunteers of the Haverford Green Program of the Haverford Partnership for Economic Development (HPED). The fountain was funded by the Township of Haverford with contributions from the Haverford Township Civic Council, local businesses and individual residents.
Haverford Green’s project manager for the fountain installation was Gina Ranieri of Ranieri & Kerns. The fountain was provided by Home & Garden Culture of Kennett Square, PA.
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Moonlight Dining on the Boulevard Info
HPED, in conjunction with restaurants on Brookline Boulevard in Havertown, is organizing an outdoor dining event on Tuesday, July 11th from 5:00-11:00 pm. Moonlight Dining on the Boulevard, fashioned after Media’s very successful Dining Under the Stars, will be a way to connect local businesses and residents at a fun community event. Participating restaurants will include Kettle, VIDA, Sampan Inn, Janos Pizza, Centrella’s Deli, JD McGillicuddy’s, and the VIDA Food Truck, with Testa’s Bakery and Koffmeyer’s Cookies & Ice Cream offering dessert.
“HPED was exploring the idea of an outdoor dining event, but when the idea popped up on the Havertown Community Group facebook page and over 300 residents voiced their support, we decided to move forward with the idea,” explains Mario Oliva, Township Commissioner and HPED board member. “If it is successful, we hope to organize several Moonlight Dining events next summer.”
Business Development Manager Jeanne Angell explains that this is one of several projects HPED is working on to encourage residents to support local businesses. “There are so many excellent restaurants in Haverford Township. This is a great opportunity for some of them to showcase their talents and for residents to try something new. We expect a good turnout, as reservations have been filling quickly. Last summer, when Springfield hosted their first outdoor dining event, they had 2,000 people attend!”
There will be a variety of dining options at the event, some requiring reservations, some not. Most restaurants will be offering a limited menu to accommodate the anticipated crowd. Most tables will accommodate 6-8 people, and some restaurants may seat smaller groups family-style with other diners. Seatings are time-limited, but guests are welcome to stay on the Boulevard for dessert, drinks, and socializing after their meal.
Tom Thornton, owner of JD McGillicuddy’s and HPED Business District Captain for Brookline, reports that the restaurants and stores are very excited about the event. “In addition to dining, we hope that you will stop into the stores that will be open for the evening, including St. Jude Shop and two brand new stores: Local Home and Gifts and Viscious Vesture.”
Reservations will be required at the following restaurants:
JD McGillucuddy’s – Outdoor seating requires reservation, indoor will not. Seating times are 5:00, 6:15, 7:30, & 8:45. No BYOB. Call 485-454-5289 or email Brookline@jmdcgillicuddys.com for reservations.
VIDA – Fixed price options at $25 & $35. Indoor and outdoor seating requires reservations. Seating times still available are 5:00 & 8:45. BYOB. Call 610-446-8200 for reservations. You may leave a message on the answering machine.
Kettle – Indoor and outdoor seating requires reservations. Seating times still available are 5:00 & 8:45. BYOB. Call 610-446-1234 for a reservation starting Tuesday, June 6th. Please call during business hours and talk to someone personally. Do not leave a message for a reservation. Their business hours are 7am-3pm 7 days a week.
Sampan Inn – Outdoor seating requires reservations. Seating times are 5:00, 6:15, 7:30, & 8:45. No BYOB. Call 610-446-2188 for a reservation.
Reservations will not be required at the following restaurants:
Centrella’s Deli – Offering a full buffet of baked ziti, meatballs, BBQ pulled pork, hot roast beef, chicken parm, sausage & peppers, vegetables, salads, and more $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
Janos Pizza
VIDA Food Truck
Testa’s Bakery
Koffmeyer’s Cookies & Ice Cream
The Brookline Parking lot will be open for parking throughout the event. If you live close enough to walk, the organizers ask that you do so, to allow for others coming from across the Township to use the lot. You might also find available parking at the Skatium or at one of the four schools with a few blocks of the event. Please use a taxi, Lyft, Uber or a designated driver if you plan to drink alcohol.
There is no admission cost to the event. The Haverford Partnership for Economic Development (HPED) will accept donations at the event to cover costs, and will have information about Resident Memberships ($25) to support events like these and beautification efforts around the Township.
For more information about the event, visit the HPED facebook page or the HPED website at www.hped.org.
We hope to see you there!
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Volunteers Needed for Moonlight Dining Event
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In order for our Moonlight Dining on the Boulevard event to be successful, we will need volunteers that day for set-up, break down, and during the event. The shifts during the event are very short (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours), so that you can still enjoy the evening.
Many hands make light work! Please do your part to make the event run smoothly, so that we can make this an ongoing event!
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Welcome to Vicious Vesture!
This month HPED offers a warm welcome to Vicious Vesture on 1225 Darby Road!
Shelby Arata, who also uses the stage name "Shelby Cobra," formally opened her shop on June 11. Inspired by the UK punk band Sid Vicious, Shelby always had a dream of opening her own clothing store to express and display her style and creations.
Shelby grew up on Edgewood Road and attended Haverford High School where she ran track, played field hockey and first took sewing classes. She then earned her Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Philadelphia in 2013. "I've always been conscious about what people wear and I like to stand out from the crowd. Creativity is what gives me my personal sense of style," said Shelby in an interview. Her keen and unique sense of fashion, coupled with a well-balanced educational background in design and entrepreneurship, paved the way for Shelby to finally open her own store close to home.
"My family and friends have been so supportive throughout the process and I can't thank them enough."
Hoping to draw people's attention, Shelby's main fashion style can be described as "gypsy punk." She specializes in creating custom-made leather and denim jackets, unique outfits, and
even custom-made costumes. She also sells
vintage clothing, jewelry made by her mother, and other artist-designed pieces. Every article of clothing will be hand-made right in the store, giving customers the ability to personalize items. She hopes that this new shop will attract locals and fill the demand for clothes that you wouldn't normally find in a large shopping mall.
Vicious Venture is open Tuesday - Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shelby will also be offering sewing lessons for the community and one-week camps for kids. Visit the store or online at www.viciousvesture.storenvy.com to learn more!
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HPED Welcomes New Board President
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After several years as Vice President, Don Kelly has stepped up to be president of the HPED board. Don recently retired as Director of Community and Economic Development with the Urban Affairs Coalition. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of urban sociology at Penn State Brandywine.
In addition to his work with HPED, Don serves on the board of the Haverford Township Civic Council and is co-founder of Haverford Green, the group that created and maintains the Triangle Garden in Oakmont.
The board offers its sincere thanks to former President Brendan Goggin, who was an enthusiastic, dedicated, and charismatic leader of HPED for the past eight years, and will continue to serve as Vice President. "It is great that Brendan will continue to be part of the leadership team, as an involved leader in the business community," notes new President Kelly.
Colette Bannan, a long-time dedicated board member, will serve as secretary, and new board member Bill Gowie, attorney with Steger, Gowie & Company, will serve as Treasurer.
The board also welcomes Christine Faris, recently retired director of the Haverford Township Free Library, and Jon Ondik, who teaches at Wharton's Small Business Development Center.
With a strong board of directors, we are now eager to fill out our committees with interested community members. Stay tuned for ways to get involved with HPED.
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HPED Reports Dramatic Membership Growth
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Thank you to the nearly 120 businesses and residents who are supporting the work of HPED through memberships this year. "This is a testament to the type of business owners and residents that we have in this Township," notes Business Development Manager Jeanne Angell, "People who are willing to work together, make an investment in the future, and create a shared vision for our community." It is with your support that we have been able to accomplish so much this year!
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If you have not done so already, I hope you will join us in our efforts to make Haverford Township the best it can be! To become a member, click on the link below to download our membership form, which outlines the membership benefits.
Resident Membership $25
Business Membership $100
Gold Level Supporter $250
Platinum Sponsor $500
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If you have questions about membership, please contact Business Development Manager Jeanne Angell at
jangell@hped.org.
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Alignable: The "LinkedIn" for Small Business Owners
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Networking is one of the biggest keys to success for all business owners. Having a comprehensive business plan and a storefront are important, but without an established network of potential investors, marketers and consumers, getting that business started might present a challenge. Luckily making new connections today is much faster and easier with the help of online platforms like Facebook or Twitter. But which is best suited for business owners?
LinkedIn, the most popular professional networking site, connects employers to a wide variety of job candidates. Although it is helpful, LinkedIn struggles with filtering out some of its content to its users who don’t necessarily use if for employment purposes. Like LinkedIn, Alignable is a free service that allows you to create a profile containing graphics/pictures, a short description of your company, and the products/services offered. However, the main difference is that you can connect with local small business owners and recommend one another to users on the network. This site seeks to be a place that business owners can find support and unbiased advice to help overcome the isolation that often accompanies running a small business.
Giving other businesses referrals is beneficial to all parties involved, creating overall economic prosperity; and it only takes a few simple clicks. Alignable also allows business owners to post blogs about changes in services/products, upcoming events, or memorable daily interactions with customers. In the Havertown area alone, there are currently 65 businesses using Alignable with over 370 connections made. For more information, visit
www.alignable.com
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Special Thanks to our Platinum
& Gold Level Supporters!
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HPED has been working on behalf of our business districts since its inception in 2010. From business district beautification projects to business networking events, from public information sessions on new development to presentations to the Board of Commissioners to request project funding, our goals have been the same - to foster the development, breadth and growth of our business districts while maintaining and enhancing the inherent charm of our community.
For more information about HPED, visit our website at
www.hped.org.
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