Wow. They dressed up the area and now they’re going. I’m always sad when a small business doesn’t make it.
I will not say I was a customer of this business because I wasn’t, but they put a lot of work and their whole heart into it and it’s a bummer.
Vanner House is sadly, toast.
I literally just had never had the time to make it down there. And one reason why I was glad they were there is I love that location. I love those old buildings. Years ago when there was a rent sign up there for residential living I went and looked at the property and it was just so cool even if it’s sat smack on Conestoga Road.
I don’t know if everyone remembers but Savvy Main Line did a big article on them. Here is the link:
Again, I’m sad to see a small business close. Retail for the independent individual person is tough. If you’re a big box store, it can be tough, but it’s not this kind of tough.
So another one bites the dust. Maybe if Pennsylvania and these various municipalities made it more attractive for small businesses to stay they would be able to. 
I am guessing that this event tonight is the Swan song for the store as far as things like that⬇️
The gallery is quite literally art in an unexpected place and it’s fun! It’s a big well-lit space on the second floor of the auto spa.
As a matter of fact an amazing artist I know named Leah Macdonald who is an encaustic artist has a show there on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 4 PM – 6 PM.
Anyway, discovering Leah was doing a show was the cherry on top of the delightful surprise of discovering this new gallery. There were a few different galleries that were in Malvern Borough over the past few years which are now sadly gone.
Art is one of those things that makes the world a happier place, so I hope you check it out. Again the gallery space is on the second floor of the Franklin Auto Spa in their lounge area.
I make no secret of the fact that FarmBoy BBQ is one of my favorite local businesses or that I know the owner. I think they have the best barbecue around and their brisket is like a religious experience.
However, I wrote a post here in August about how difficult it is getting in there because of PennDot and their endless sink hole remediation project. The project has been forever and seems to be way behind schedule.
Farm Boy is located at 625 N. Morehall Road (AKA Route 29) in Malvern.
But guess what I discovered completely by accident today? Farm Boy is on Instacart under the restaurant tab for our area!
So if you would like to help out this restaurant so that they survive PennDot hell part two (they already had to live through this sink hole remediation once with PennDot ), place an order on Instacart and Uber Eats if you don’t want to deal with the aggravation and delays created by PennDot!
Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. And if you’ve never tried Farm Boy, this is as good an excuse as any.
And if you have an extra few minutes, please contact our state Senator Katie Muth, and tell her that PennDot is strangling small businesses with their delays on Route 29.
I actually have to say I think this is a shame and it was one of those places you could always enjoy. And I’m not even a beer drinker at all.
The first Iron Hill I went to was years ago in Media when they first opened there. Then I used to go to Ardmore when they opened there, and West Chester and Phoenixville.
The best out of all of the locations was always Media in my opinion.
When I lived on the Main Line and was working on events like First Friday Main Line, I can tell you that Iron Hill was very generous with nonprofits all the time. When I first moved to Chester County, I went to a couple small nonprofit things at the location in West Chester Borough. And as opposed to a lot of businesses they were always invested and involved in communities where they had locations.
Iron Hill closed Ardmore in 2024. At that time Phoenixville closed as well. And today, all remaining locations went dark. Under heavy circulation, of course, is the email that was leaked by an anonymous employee. Here is a copy and paste of what’s all over the Internet and social media:
“ Reach out to HR with questions.”
Ouch. So I’m guessing there’s no severance for anyone? And what about people who depend on an hourly wage job? Are there companies that have announced they are willing to look at terminated Iron Hill employees?
I don’t know what the inner workings of this are, but I’m a little disappointed. I mean, I don’t know how you completely shutter how many locations at once, but is this like the restaurant equivalent of when Carrie Bradshaw got broken up on a post it note by Berger on Sex in the City?
Anyway, I don’t think this economy is as splendid as people would have you think, or according to propaganda coming out of Washington, DC. and again I sadly think that Iron Hill just expanded too much. I’m sure the expansion game is tempting when you’re rising in the local business scene, but there is something to be said for less is more. Also, how many breweries and micro breweries and brew pubs are there at this point and could over-saturation in the marketplace also have contributed.?
So I got to do something totally FUN the other day and exciting for me. I got to preview Frazer Antiques new store in their new location further east from where they were on Route 30/Lancaster Avenue in Malvern/Frazer.
It’s a lot of familiar faces that we all love from the original store plus some new faces, some which are already familiar to me. It was just the most positive wonderful thing to see. For example, Daisy Cottage Antiques from Morgantown is coming!
I was very sad, as were so many, when we heard after decades in one location, they literally lost their lease and were getting the heave ho. Well everything happens for a reason and this is a much better space with wonderful flow.
They are loaded with all sorts of interesting things and I think the store is going to be fabulous and it’s a good location because the parking is much easier, among other things.
(If you need an artisanal chocolate gift that will knock your socks off, they will be carrying some of the Ben Wollenberg Chocolates from Canton, OH.)
The soft opening is Monday, September 8 as far as I know.
179 Lancaster Avenue is the address and down the same driveway as Tague Lumber and Malvern Collision.
I hope you love it as much as I do. #shoplocal #vintage #antiques #lovelocal
These photos were like yesterday or last night in front of Jaco Taco and Juice Bar in West Chester Borough. 8 West Gay Street, right ? So does this business have a security cameras? If so, they need to turn the footage over to police.
At first given all the online chatter people were rather frustrated with West Chester Borough Police.
Whoever this person is needs to have his ass thrown in jail for putting puppies in a cage in freaking August and trying to sell them on the streets of West Chester Borough.
This is horrible, it is actually illegal, and it’s animal cruelty. I’m going show you all the screenshots I have collected and a little video. if you see this person selling dogs on the street do not approach. Just call the police and record them. Clear photos would be helpful here.
I will note, based upon what I have seen online, it seems like West Chester Borough was a little slow to act here.
Police need to catch this guy because otherwise we all know what will probably happen, right? Dead puppies somewhere right?
Whoever this is, they’re just as bad as a puppy mill, and who knows maybe they’re from a puppy mill?
And just out of curiosity when this fighting was going on in the middle of the street, where were West Chester Police?
This is ridiculous that this is even happening.
File under law and disorder and illegal puppy sales in West Chester Borough.
My friend and I had been trying to get into Matine’s Café in Devon for months. There were either lines out the door to get in, or you simply could not get a space in the parking lot.
The parking lot is an odd configuration, which is not the fault of the café, but I imagine the owner is making a tidy rent off of these people, and they could do better with the parking lot.
This place was so worth the wait to get in . We both couldn’t remember the last time we had so enjoyed lunch out. We were there for quite a while and just took our time and because it was the last week in August it was a steady but not impossible flow of people in and out.
We ate inside, which was less crowded than outside. They have a lovely outside dining area and that was completely full.
Among other things, we had an actual French woman wait on us. And that made the experience even more fun.
When you walk in the building is deceptively small compared to when you go inside. I think it would be a marvelous place to reserve seating for a luncheon if they did that. This café is spotlessly clean, including the ladies room.
When you are inside, it reminds you of an actual French or European Café. It is light and airy and old style marble top café tables. The tables are so authentic, that I have to wonder if they were purchased in France and shipped over.
They have a wonderful café menu that I imagine might have seasonal adjustments. One of the things I love best is the coffee and tea and the tea, when you are ordering an iced tea, is a pour over so the tea is super fresh and that makes all the difference in iced tea in my opinion. They use loose tea, which is also my preference at home. My friend had I think it was a mango peach iced tea, and I had the Ceylon gold. Ceylon gold is a loose tea I enjoy at home. It is flavorful, but not too acidic nor does it get too dark.
My friend had an artichoke quiche that was beautiful looking. I had the smoked salmon tartine. she loved her quiche and one thing I loved about my cartoon other than how fresh it was and how good quality of smoked salmon it was that they used, was the Tzaziki sauce they used on it. And it also had baby fresh arugula on top. I adore arugula.
Tzaziki is something you think of in Greek cuisine which is Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. On the Tartine that I had, it was perfect.
Both of us opted for gazpacho on the side. I am picky about gazpacho, and quite frankly, I rarely order it out because I make my late mother-in-law’s Andalusian version of gazpacho and it’s just pretty much my favorite. Their gazpacho is the best I’ve had outside of my own kitchen, ever. To me there’s also is reminiscent of an Andalusian gazpacho, and interestingly like me, they serve it with crumpled feta on top. I never knew this was a thing. I literally tried it one time with my own gazpacho because I just happened to have some in the refrigerator and I thought the tastes would go well together. Also, a lot of restaurants think they can get away with gazpacho made from canned tomatoes, and the taste is just not the same. Matine’s is fresh and there is a slight citrus accent as well.
We also sampled their cheese plate, which they described as being enough for two people, it could have fed more. It was a great selection of cheeses, including a magnificent brie, and we took leftovers home. What I liked about the cheese plate as it was simple and pretty to look at. It wasn’t fussy.
The plates they use for our lunch were a pretty matte blue ceramic disc.
Because it was a belated birthday lunch, we split a dessert crêpe made with Nutella. And although Nutella is an Italian product, ironically the first time I ever had it was in France when I was a teenager.
While we were there, I ran into a friend who was also enjoying a belated birthday lunch with one of her friends!
After we finished eating, we shopped in their little market inside the store. I brought home croissants and a little bread boule, along with some French pantry items like Marie-Antoinette Tea and a fabulous Dijon mustard, as well as Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuer Eau Parfumée.
Oh, and they have a Little Free French library outside!
We are very excited to have been able to get in and have the time to appreciate this place properly. We look forward to going back again, and I have a feeling it will become a new spot for us. They list the address is Wayne, but it’s really Devon to me because it is just before the Whole Foods if you are headed west and just after the Whole Foods if you are headed east on Lancaster Avenue.
Matine’s is located at 757 Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA and they are open seven days a week 8 AM to 5 PM.
You can now book a table via a reservation at resy (Click here.)
I will note because it’s important, I was not compensated for this post in any way, shape, or form. I did not seek compensation for this post in any way shape or form. I was simply a normal customer, and I loved the experience and the food and will be back again.
Yeah I wonder how I got on the Join Us…..For The Last Supper mailing list.
I cannot tell a lie, my friend thought up the Join Us…..For The Last Supper of it all. It’s brilliant and apropos. I see a Saturday Night Skit…
Anyway, my new friends are from Logan Funeral Home and are in Broomall, Malvern, Philadelphia & Exton. Their website says they have an onsite crematorium too. They must be super fun at Halloween.
But the whole idea of breaking bread over funeral arrangements for the future is well…creepy.
I also got one in the past couple of months from Calvary Cemetery in Villanova/West Conshohocken now run by some company named Everstory Partners who keeps the cemetery like crap. Oh and I know that because my father is buried there. Twice in recent years when I’ve stopped by to visit his grave, there has been dirt from other graves being dug on his grave. And what was really offensive about their solicitation as it was a Dear Occupant letter. One would think they would cross reference their mailing list with families who have family interred there.
I get that businesses have to solicit, but soliciting about death is just really bizarre to get in your mailbox.
If anyone knows who’s mailing list, Logan Funeral Home gets their addresses from, let me know. Drop me a comment.
Earlier this morning in Lincoln Court Shopping Center Chester County. Apparently that was the second time today?
Yes. ICE. I did NOT take the photos. Others who work there in the shopping center did.
Yes police know they are around. They are here on things based on active warrants. That hypothetically means it could be a more traditional criminal type of warrant or a warrant for expired visas, or someone who was previously deported and came back illegally.
Since this surfaced today, I will admit that it is a very odd feeling when it’s a place you specifically know. There are small businesses here, the driver’s license center, a Giant supermarket, state liquor store, oh and a Mexican restaurant that is a community favorite.
I get that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers AKA ICE have a job to do but seeing it in our home communities? It strikes a sad, odd, uncomfortable, horrible chord.
This combined with Washington DC seeming to morph into a police state the past few days? What is our country becoming ironically as we prepare for the Semiquincentennial?
Purportedly, 2026 marks a time to celebrate the birth of American independence and democracy, but who and what are we now?
This is Route 29 in East Whiteland Township Chester County.
Forget about the fact for a moment that we’ve lost track of how many times they’ve remediated this sinkhole already, and concentrate on every single time PennDot comes to do work, they almost put businesses out of business and who knows how many businesses actually failed over time because of their construction?
They can’t just tell State Senator Katie Muth’s office and other elected officials that they have put in a lane so people can turn it’s not as simple as that and the traffic is horrendous.
And once again with PennDot, the project started late and it won’t finish anywhere near on time. FarmBoy BBQ and the other businesses around here need our support. And complaining to Penndot about their projects and how long they take and how the roads are also doesn’t hurt.
Seriously it’s bad. I took this video as a passenger in a car today on a weekend day because I would not be on the stretch of highway Monday through Friday. It’s horrendous.
I’m not saying this project didn’t need to happen, I want to be clear about that again. Of course it had to happen. There’s a sink hole again. But PennDOT announces these projects, tells you when they’re going to start, then they don’t start on thatdate like they are supposed to, and then they never finish on time…. and it’s endless.
These businesses and their employees are struggling. Actually people in developments I don’t like right around here are also struggling. Anybody who has to use this stretch of road for whatever reason is struggling, and that I am told it even includes the tow truck people who have to respond to accidents. Since they are being held up because of this construction. and since they help first responders at accident scenes, that’s kind of bad news, right?
PennDOT has a job to do, but they need to do it better and they need to care about the residents, commuters, and the small businesses they are affecting over on Route 29 a.k.a. Moorhall Road.
I’m hoping that when people see this, they will actually complain to Penndot as well as supporting the businesses along here who are affected. We got firsthand experience as to what this was all about today when we went to FarmBoy barbecue for a delicious lunch.
