Businesses

Brazen Christmas Day Burglary in Haverford

carla — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:17:52 +0000

As if our small businesses don't have enough problems in this economy, a brazen thief has broken into a local Haverford (Lower Merion) business on Lancaster Avenue for the second time in exactly one week. Yes, once again the salon at 566 West Lancaster Avenue was robbed as per the owner, once again on Christmas day!

Aha...Coldstone Mystery..Where'd they all go? And Why?

carla — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:32:16 +0000

Just like in Wayne, the midnight move and close, eh? Found this in the Merionite on the closing of another local store (I guess Suburban Square?): Cold Stone Mystery November 14, 2008

Local Newspapers in Trouble? Will Journal Register Save Them or Slay Them?

carla — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:06:45 +0000

We love our local papers. Personally, every week I read Main Line Life, Main Line Times and Suburban. As in I buy all three papers every week, not just read online. But now, when literally, the former Chairman Robert M. Jelenic, is not cold in his grave, having recently died, from the Philadelphia Daily News to The New York Times and every news outlet in between, we all have to wonder the following: Some morning soon will we wake up and find our beloved local papers gone? Some morning will we wake up to find the editors who champion all us local little folk and the dedicated reporters gone? Will the people who give us our much needed voices cease to exist? Who knows, but what I DO know is this company appears to be in serious peril. Keep the website of Jurnal Register Company handy, as we might have to fight to keep our beloved local papers alive, given what has gone on as reported by larger media outlets of late. Click here for a complete listing of JRC local papers. Now read all about the saddest news not quite fit to print about local papers under this corporate umbrella: Posted on Sat, Dec. 13, 2008 3 community newspapers close By DAVID GAMBACORTA Philadelphia Daily News gambacd@phillynews.com 215-854-5994

Amtrak, Septa, You Whooooo? Are You Out There?

carla — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:04:25 +0000

Stormwater "Management" at Wayne Train Station onto Pennsylvania Avenue? Now I have tried to be both polite and cooperative with both Amtrak and Septa since the Transit Summit. I jumped through hoops to give that Mr. Peter Cohen from Amtrak all he wanted after I showed my little slide show. I answered all telephone calls and e-mails I received. Wish I could say the same for them.

LMPC Gives Bad Citizenship Award to Citizens Bank

carla — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:13:49 +0000

Bad Citizenship to Citizens Bank? They want to go into the old Dunkin Donuts site in Bryn Mawr at made up street Town Lane or whatever and Lancaster Ave:

SAC Says Discover MORE in Ardmore!

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:14:27 +0000

We love our crafty word ability here at SAC, which is why we had SO much fun creating our new tag line for our holiday ad to support Ardmore merchants which is currently running in Main Line Life. Anyway, imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, much to our delight we discovered when some of us received our Philly.com e-mail deals that an ad for Ardmore featured our tag line for 2008!!!! Is that cool or what? AI has a famous ad man on it's board, yet it's our super cool line "Discover MORE in Ardmore" tag line that makes the grade?! We are so excited we could help! So in order to celebrate the fabulous Ardmoreness of it all, we are posting BOTH ads to remind ALL OF YOU OUT THERE to discover Main Street in your OWN backyard! You really don't need the mall because in Ardmore, we have it all!!! (say now there is yet ANOTHER catchy phrase!!!)

Fellini Cafe And the Case of The Illegal Awning

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:04:54 +0000

Ah yes, Fellini Cafe, home of civil docket entries frequent flyer miles, bad heath department reports, sidewalk obstacles masquerading as sidewalk dining, and illegal awnings? Why is it exactly that Fellini Cafe can't play by the rules and they are still in business? Is this a case of being a supreme bunch of arse hats pays? Fellini Cafe gives small businesses and Ardmore a bad name.... Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) Date: 12/2/2008 8:00 AM

What Does "No" Mean To This Property Owner and Citizen's Bank?

carla — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:34:11 +0000

Ok, so what is this? Flood the Lower Merion Township Planning Commission with multiple applications of virtually the same application until they say "uncle"? Serously? It's not like this is a new topic. It's a we have discussed this too much in this township topic. This Dunkin' Donuts site, abandoned by Dunkin' Donuts a year ago has been sitting like a big freakin' wart just off the center of Bryn Mawr for a year. The piggy developer and Citizens Bank wanted at first to add on to the existing building and add two drive thru lanes. Then they wanted to demolish and build new with two drive thru lanes...and then I remember an article written by I believe Cheryl Allison in Main Line Life and Main Line Times that it was denied, yet here we are, yet again? they are in front of the Planning Commission on December 1st with THREE applications of the the SAME bad idea?

AMTRAK CEO Derailed

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:35:25 +0000

Choo, choo! All aboard! Well...maybe not ALL since Amtrak's CEO Alex Kummant quit on Friday...Amtrak is having CEO issues, David Gunn, the last fantabulous one got fired in 2005. Chooo, chooo! The trains smell and the tickets are tooo expensive for yoooouuuu! Choooo, choo, Amtrak will spin this just like they always doooo! Chooo, choo, Amtrak is a bad neighbor toooooooooo! Posted on Fri, Nov. 14, 2008 Amtrak CEO resigns By Brett Zongker ASSOCIATED PRESS

But no, you CAN'T be laid to rest in the home fireplace or BBQ....

carla — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:47:06 +0000

I am all about being green and eco friendly, but man, this article is just ghoulish :<} Sigh...Kermit will tell you "It's not easy being green" Main Liners can now be eco-friendly even in death By Richard Ilgenfritz

AQUA Never Learns

carla — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:25:13 +0000

Even when they are doing a job - an infrastructure upgrade in the Haverford Township section of Bryn Mawr - Penn Street, Martin Ave,Railroad, etc. - they can't get it right. Even when the job site is literally around the corner from AQUA's corporate offices.

Could the Credit Crunch Affect Amtrak and Septa?

MainLineThoughts — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:48:10 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me what is NOT covered in Philadelphia that is REAL news. Maybe someone out there can get the answer - if this situation applies to SEPTA and/or AMTRAK? (See article) It is of import in connection with not only Ardmore - but also TRID in Bryn Mawr, isn't it? Or will we get a "don't worry your precious little heads about it from township staff on this?

Is Wayne the New Conshohocken?

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:30:11 +0000

A friend sent me a link to a spiffy new website called Around Main Line. Seems rather pretty, and one little thing caught my eye - an article about The Wooden Iron closing. But not really since it's partially owned or owned by the Flanigan's Boathouse family? Anyway, it's now going to become another "Boathouse". So that makes downtown Wayne samey-same as downtown Conshohocken: Boathouse followed by Great American Pub.

Transit Summit Recap

carla — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:43:19 +0000

Cheryl Allison wrote a great summary of the recent transit summit and it can be found here: Posted on Tue, Oct 14, 2008 Main Liners are all aboard when it comes to transit issues By Cheryl Allison

New Financial Terminology We All Should Learn!

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:39:06 +0000

New Stock Market Definitions CEO --Chief Embezzlement Officer. CFO-- Corporate Fraud Officer. BULL MARKET -- A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius. BEAR MARKET -- A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex. VALUE INVESTING -- The art of buying low and selling lower.

What is it?

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:09:13 +0000

So, is a rental house in North Wayne grown ups or students? The house has been a rental for a while, and last year was reportedly definitely students, so this year, what is it? What say you all? What say the property owners? Residents say there are approved rentals on the street, but not student housing...but then again, guess things are different there, even if this house isn't on the "approved" list Villanova puts out?

Oh The Political Headache That is Suburban Square!

carla — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:24:54 +0000

Should they re-zone? Should they NOT re-zone? Should it be one meeting? Should it be two meetings? For answers to SOME of these burning questions, check out what Cheryl Allison is saying in this week's Main Line Life....and please, if you love Ardmore, turn out for November's public hearing. Posted on Thu, Oct 9, 2008

Breaking SEPTA News: Up To $10 Million Pledged Towards Ardmore!

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:42:40 +0000

Excellent News! We have learned just a moment ago that in addition to the approximately $6 million we are getting from the Federal Government (thru Gerlach/Omnibus) and the $6 million from Harrisburg (from Rendell through Dranoff) for Ardmore, SEPTA today announced that they were pledging up to $10 Million towards Ardmore! Way to go SEPTA!

Dirty Fellini?

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:26:41 +0000

Ok, so it is no joke that when you go past Fellini Cafe the windows look grimy and slimy. If you park in that little parking lot near where the rear of their property is, well, it is dirty. Check out these reports from Montgomery County Health Department...and be grossed out: Facility Name: Fellini Café, Inc. License Number: A13407 Address: 31 E. Lancaster Avenue City: Ardmore Municipality: Lower Merion Inspection Dates: 8/27/2008 8/8/2008 Total Inspections: 2

Free Market Profit, Socialized Debt?

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:31:37 +0000

We've had Federal bailouts announced on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and this morning we are waking up to the news that Merrill Lynch has a new owner and Lehman is going under? Add to the fact that Big Oil has treated all of us to "hurricane pricing" - yep Main Line gas stations have jumped their prices by 20 cents or more per gallon.

Real Estate Booming on the Main Line?

lmwatcher — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:47:43 +0000

Despite Philadelphia Magazine, the Inquirer and Daily News touting how great the real estate market is in the Philly area to make their advertisers and owners happy, I think this article on Allen Iverson trying to sell his Villanova home says a lot.

According to the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties column, Iverson has dropped the price to a "desperation deal" of $3.999 million — a million less than he paid for it in 2003. (/crunches numbers on calculator watch.) Yep. That's not good business.

Ardmore Exxon DENIED!

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:52:25 +0000

We LOVE sharing good news, no AWESOME news on a Friday!:) :-) :smile: The citizens of North Ardmore have prevailed, and Exxon was told NO to their proposal of a car wash and mini market at Woodside and Montgomery. Way to go Lower Merion! By the way, this Exxon still sports among the higest prices for gasoline.

O R D E R AND NOW, this 4th day of September, 2008, it is hereby ORDERED that the application of 200 West Montgomery Ave. Ardmore, LLC for a special exception to expand the nonconforming gasoline service station at 116 W. Montgomery Avenue to include a convenience store and car wash is DENIED for the reasons set forth in the foregoing opinion. Applicant's alternative request for a use variance and its request for dimensional variances from the front yard and buffer requirements are DENIED. Chairman Aaron and Members Fox and Brier participating, all voting "aye."

You may read the order in it's entirety (and it is an opinion worth reading down to the last bon mot)...check it out HERE! Take THAT franchise of Big Oil!

Check this out - they are giving away gas cards as prizes

MainLineThoughts — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:49:51 +0000

So I was noodling around on the www.mainlinelife.com website and they had a survey in the top right corner of the website - I loved the weekly surveys they had on the OLD website (along with the search feature to hunt through archives) - anyway, it's a survey about what you want to see more of, less of, etc in Main Line Life. It's short and if you give your name and e-mail you could win a $100 gas card. I don't know about you, but that's a decent amount of gas for me... follow this LINK or hunt it down on wwww.mainlinelife.com (upper right corner)

Look At Amtrak Now...And Mark Your Calendars For October 2nd in Ardmore

carla — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:32:08 +0000

On October 2nd, 2008, unless it changes, Congressman Jim Gerlach is planning a transit summit at which Amtrak and Septa will be present and accountable to US the public - this meeting will be in Lower Merion Township - at the Township Building, probably around 7 p.m. And in my mind it can't happen soon enough. (You can call Jim Gerlach's Montgoemry County Office for more information: 610-409-2780 ) So, anyway, much to my surprise as I was dozing off last night, and there was LuAnn Cahn on NBC10 talking about Amtrak and how they sprayed systemic herbicides all over the place, including in my neighborhood. Well, Cheryl Allison tackled it last week in her article Rail neighbors are not all aboard with Amtrak's spraying By Cheryl Allison. Well this week the plot thickens: Posted on Tue, Sep 2, 2008 Transit agency to rail neighbors: No trespassing By Cheryl Allison

Amtrak, Amtrak, Amtrak...Poisoning Plants,Killing Trees, and Making Friends...

SaveArdmoreCoalition — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:54:49 +0000

Yep, Amtrak is out along the Main Line for it's annual rape and pillage of the landscape. This is yet another great reason to attend the TRANSIT SUMMIT Congressman Gerlach's office is getting together in Lower Merion in October...October 2, is the date we're hearing, but we'll keep you faithful apprised....Imagine, having Septa and Amtrak in the same room and having to answer questions? Posted on Tue, Aug 26, 2008 Rail neighbors are not all aboard with Amtrak's spraying By Cheryl Allison

Amtrak is a Bad Neighbor. What a Shocker.

Haverford19041 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:10:29 +0000

Oh what to do with AMTRAK. The railroad that is our neighbor. They do not maintain their properties and when they do, it is always a study in bad extremes. Their tree maintenance comes to mind. Like PECO they seem to employee Asplundth the tree murderers. And they have done so recently. You see, one neighbor complained to Amtrak about Amtrak's trees falling on their property, specifically their garage. Well Amtrak came out and not only stripped the trees out from behind this one neighbor's yard, but behind other neighbors' yards as well. Too bad no one else wanted the protective screening of trees clear cut, eh?

BREAKING NEWS!!!! O'Neill's Conshohocken Empire is Up In Flames!!!

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:57:37 +0000

Dante's Inferno is how one reporter is describing the HUGE blaze in Conshohocken that represents Brian O'Neill's Conshy Empire! One building flattened, another apparently on the way. The news reports are frantic - it's 203 Washington St off Elm in Conshy - a huge complex - something like 375 units "upscale" in downtown Conshy - like 5 or 7 alarms right now - $51 Million dollars and black smoke "billowing for miles". Remember a couple of years ago when his brother's building went up in flames on Elm Street?

Uh ohhh...Our Philadelphia Area Newspapers are in Trouble....

MainLineThoughts — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:10:57 +0000

So there I was surfing PA Watercooler, and BAM! this item hits me: Inky & Daily News In Trouble August 5 2008 . I tried to follow they hyperlink to a Bulletin article, but once on the Bulletin's website got lost...so I did a little search and lookee below at all I found: whispers of financial issues and a consolidation of newspaper newsrooms (Daily News and Inquirer)? Wow, are our newspapers on life support? Then I found something about Journal Register too...Journal Register is the parent company of our beloved weeklies..... Editor and Publisher: Philly Newspapers Face New Debt Troubles By Joe Strupp Published: August 06, 2008 12:50 PM ET

NEW YORK The owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News is facing more debt troubles, according to a Standard & Poors report that says the company has received a forbearance agreement from creditors through Sept. 10.

Baldwin, Baldwin, Baldwin?!

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:44:47 +0000

Baldwin, Baldwin, Baldwin...you haven't completed your pedestrian "green bench" that I can see (unless those roots I tripped on the other day while avoiding becoming road pizza ARE the green bench?), and there you are on page 24 of the Thursday July 31st, 2008 edition of Main Line Times advertising a new swim club? Ahh yes:

Bryn Mawr- Originally known as the Polar Bear Swim Club (circa 2006),the Baldwin Swim Club will be open to the community, and plans to continue the tradition, in it's home at the new Athletic Center on the Baldwin Campus....the Baldwin Swim Club's first practice will be Sept. 15. For more information....call 610-527-2700, extension 601 or e-mail dhart@baldwinschool.org

Wow...yet another institution trying to get their facilities to pay for themselves, eh? Now, that's not being mean, just check out artificial turf field at another private school with parking issues - it is in constant use, and not just school functions, right?

What Does Everyone Think of The Inquirer Right Now?

MainLineThoughts — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:51:39 +0000

I am deciding whether or not I think it is worth it to continue to subscribe to The Philadelphia Inquirer any longer or not. They recently decided to stop production of favorite sections like Image and Neighbors on Sundays, and yesterday my Sunday paper was woefully thin - even the car ads that used to be so plentiful were but a couple of pages.