Tag Archives: chester county book and music company

yay!

Posted on by

CCBMIn August I wrote a piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer online about Chester County Books and Music Closing. ( Final Chapter or New Setting For Indie Bookstore) I had discovered the book store when I moved to Chester County and loved it.

At the time, the owner Kathy Simoneaux said to me she wouldn’t close any doors and was looking for an alternate space to move the store.

But as time marched on, it seemed like the plight of this wonderful book store would be to fade away.  As a matter of fact in January, The Daily Local said so:

Chester County Book and Music Co. to close by Feb. 4

 By BRENT GLASGOW bglasgow@dailylocal.com

I was so bummed I did not even blog it.

I love books.

I own way too many for most people, but they are like beloved old friends.  I am not a Kindle person.  I am a person who appreciates a good old-fashioned book experience.

ccbm1

And CCB&M Co always had all these fun events too.  How many times do you get to see a Real Housewife up close LOL?

So I would be remiss if I did not share the fact that I did a little happy dance last week when I read this:

Daily Local: Closed bookstore to reopen near old spot

 By BRENT GLASGOW bglasgow@dailylocal.com

 WEST GOSHEN — Longtime patrons of the recently-closed Chester County Book and Music Co. won’t have to search very hard to find owner Kathy Simoneaux’s new incarnation.

Simoneaux said Saturday that she has signed a lease for a 6,000-square foot storefront two doors down in the West Goshen Shopping Center, in the former home of Famous Footwear.

“It just seems like the perfect size, and of course, it’s the perfect location for us,” Simoneaux said. “It’s where everyone expects to see us. We’re really thrilled.”

The bookstore, which moved into the center in 1987, closed on Feb. 4 after Simoneaux decided the 37,000-square foot operation wasn’t sustainable.

YAY!
Chester County Book & Music Co. will rise again!  Can’t wait to go check out their new digs when they re-open!
ccbm3

smooth and silky

Posted on by

r1I went to Shipley.  My class had some amazingly talented people.  One of those is my friend Rhonda Dorsey who now lives in Switzerland.

Rhonda is a fabulous songstress and her voice is as beautiful as she is.  She is a contemporary R & B singer, and she released a CD a few months ago and I am ashamed to admit it took me until now to hear it all the way through.

As I sat here today editing photos for a new photo book, I popped Rhonda’s “Chocolate Sound” in and listened.

Wow.  The melodiously beautiful voice I remember as a teen is all grown up and full of promise.

With a velvety R & B meets modern jazzy sound with the occasional dose of funk, Rhonda starts off her CD with “Sums of One”  and rolls through “It’s All  Good Day”, sliding into songs like “Giving” (which is probably my favorite), or the sultry “I’ll Be” which is just simply lovely.  A funky beat draws you into “Let it Be Me”, a cautionary tale comprises the lyrics of “Mr. Le Le” , smooth and sexy is “Sense Me”, finishing up with the beautiful “Far from You”.

Rhonda’s voice is rich and playful, and literally as smooth as chocolate.

For those who don’t know me, you wouldn’t know that R&B is not something I listen to every day, and it’s not.  But Rhonda takes it places with her own spin, where I could.

Rhonda has a website and a Facebook page and a sampling of her style on you tube. Check her out and you can buy her sound on iTunes and Amazon as well as her website.

Brava Rhonda, Brava

fun books

Posted on by

Saw these books up at Chester County Book & Music Company yesterday – there are a whole bunch about different Chester County communities, but the ones on East Goshen and Yellow Springs are way cool.  And speaking of CCBM, have you taken their survey yet or joined the Save the Chester County Book and Music Company Facebook page yet?

And oh yeah, I wrote a little something about Chester County Book & Music Co for philly.com.  Hope you all like it!

fifty shades of excellent!

Posted on by

I was up at Chester County Book & Music Company today and found this awesome book (see photo).  Yet one more reason why I love the place!  I am so glad that someone is mocking Fifty Shades of Soft Porn Grey. It is absolutely delightful as a matter of fact!

Yeah, and you all who have bought the book and hate it, well what did you think the book was going to be like if you listened to some of those people?  As my teen nephew wisely said, “consider the source”.   (and if a 14 year old knows better, I rest my case.)

I say recycle Fifty Shades of Grey to the circular file and replace it with Fifty Shames of Earl Grey.

 

 

great ideas!

Posted on by

Karen Toole-Ebbert Photo

Two great ideas.  One I wrote about, one I just found out about.First is a cash mob. (You can read my piece on Philly.com )

Second is a Daily Salvo video below about a Lower Merion Township Commissioner named Lew Gould who wants parking meter use suspended on Saturdays to help small businesses during a bad economy.

Anyway, at bottom check out Daily Salvo video, but right now, check out a little piece I wrote on something called a Cash Mob.  A cash mob would be perfect for Chester County Book and Music Company.  After all, maybe they have an interest in staying open given the survey on their website.  A cash mob descending on Chester County Book and Music would give them cash, and possibly much-needed media and public attention – but Chester County Book and Music Company can’t organize their own cash mobs, a customer would have to do it.  Or a business district authority or chamber of commerce if one exists in  and around West Goshen.

Flash mobs inspire Ardmore cash mob

By Carla J. Zambelli

You heard of flash mobs? Now there are cash mobs.

Flash mobs have gotten a bad name when they’ve turned into riots, but cash  mobs are all about supporting the community. They are a way to give back to a  small business by making purchases of at least $20 during a cash mob event.

“Cash mobs have definitely evolved from flash mobs,” said Suzanne Obzanski,  director of marketing for cashmob.com,  “except   members of a cash mob show up  and mob a store with cash. It  is a grassroots,  community-led movement that inspires community members  to shop in locally-owned  stores instead of big-box retailers.”

One was held Thursday in Ardmore. Karen Toole-Ebbert, a community  volunteerism enthusiast from Belmont Hills, called Sherry Tillman, owner of  Past*Present*Future, a high end craft and hand-made items gift boutique, to see  if she was game.

Tillman was ecstatic to be chosen as the recipient of Lower Merion’s first  cash mob.

“I was mobbed, baby!” Tilman said. “I was thrilled to be the business  selected.  It brought a lot of people in at one time, creating a fun shopping  experience.

Click HERE to check out the cash mob page for LM & Narberth. Learn more about the cash mob movement: http://www.cashmob.com/

Here is The Daily Salvo video: