Tag Archives: East Whiteland

back to demolition by neglect at 310 lancaster avenue malvern, pa (the rotting clews and strawbridge house)

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I took this photo in March, 2025. It continues to rot.

Let’s go back to East Whiteland. To 310 Lancaster Avenue in Malvern, you know where Clews & Strawbridge Boats is?

Once upon a time that farmhouse looked normal. It is part of 3 separate parcels of land totaling about 5 acres. Main Line Watercraft Realty is the name, but looking into the deeds and mortgage, a name emerged. I will post those documents and you can look for yourselves. But hey, this man sits in a very nice house on pricey real estate in the region (not Chester County), while one of Chester County’s historic assets just ROTS and that is so truly terrible isn’t it? And if this property owner cared about the house and historic barn, wouldn’t they be better looked after? Now I am not writing this man’s name, although he has appeared in many public facing media things, especially for his day job so to speak right? No he’s not a real estate developer is he?

All I know is this historic house was once owned by artist Margaret Strawbridge Clews, who died at 91 in 2010. She must be turning over in her grave at the condition of that house, right?

I found her obituary. Here is a link and allow me to share from it:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seacoastonline/name/margaret-clews-obituary?id=24425566

HANOVER – Margaret Strawbridge Clews died August 6th at the age of 91 – just six days after she warmly welcomed each of her children, grandchildren, and all eleven great grandchildren as well as nearly 100 friends to the opening of her one-woman art show at the Howe Library in Hanover, NH. Born into the postwar debutante world of Philadelphia in 1919, the year women got the right to vote, she was a life-long activist and artist – devoting much of her art to her favorite causes of women’s rights and peace.

Mrs. Clews was the granddaughter of the founder of Philadelphia’s landmark department stores, Strawbridge & Clothier. With Mancha Madison Clews, her husband of 66 years, she was the proprietor of their family boat business, which thrives to this day in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Their company, Clews and Strawbridge, was the only combination marine & Saab automobile dealership in the USA.

She was a graduate of The Shipley School and of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Exhibiting her first work at the age of 16

Do we think Margaret would love this decay? The decay of a once lovely 18th century farmhouse? She came up in a post I wrote in 2019:

chester county memories

Here is Margaret’s engagement announcement from the New York Times in 1940:

Here are some more clippings including Margaret’s husband’s death in 2006:

Here’s a post about Margaret’s in-laws and their French Chateau:

The Weird World of Henry and Marie Clews

Another bunch of posts written by one of her children, and Mr. Clews’ obituary:

https://www.snodoglog.com/Margaret-S-Clews.html

https://www.snodoglog.com/10-Family-Photo.html

https://www.fosters.com/story/news/local/2006/12/19/mancha-clews/52554614007

https://www.snodoglog.com/M-Madison-Clews.html

Now Lincoln Highway/Lancaster Pike/Lancaster Ave was laid out in 1732 according to the Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society. This farmhouse I was told years ago was built in 1734. And the current property owner just lets it sit and rot? And the rest of the property looks pretty shabby too, doesn’t it? I remember how nice it once looked because years and years ago when the Saab dealership was there, I had friends who got their Saabs there.

310 lancaster ave for sale brochureDownload

I found a brochure advertising the property from a realtor. Don’t know if this is still being marketed by this person or not. So who else is concerned about this property? It narrowly escaped being a very dense residential development a few years ago correct? So now what?

demolition by neglect, east whiteland township, chester county

The house COULD be saved, but not unless the owner sees the light right? He lives far enough away he doesn’t drive by it every day so it’s just something in an investment portfolio, correct?

Is there anyone who can encourage him to see it as the valuable historic asset that it is? Maybe he can make an old house call? Do the right thing?

To follow are the deed and some other things found on public records. Perhaps some reporter somewhere will be inspired to write a real story about the history of this house and the current ownership?

If not, tick tock East Whiteland. It’s time for this guy to respect Chester County’s historic architecture, right? And yes I can have that opinion.

10325928 deed 2Download
10325930 another part to deedDownload
deed p480Download
2007Download
2018- 19 mortgageDownload
Clews and Strawbridge tenant estoppel thingDownload

have you been to this cute art gallery in frazer?

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OK, I bet you’re asking where is this art gallery have we driven past it the answer is yes or it’s there and you don’t realize it.

It’s on the second floor of the Franklin Auto Spa in Frazer PA at 535 Lancaster Avenue!

They are just starting to build a social media presence and you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

https://franklinartgallery.com/

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.

kevin krebs now guest of the feds…..

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West Chester PD mug shot

The case of Kevin Krebs continues to evolve. As of a couple of days ago he is now in Federal custody. Deanna Durante from NBC10 broke the story initially, or at least that’s where I heard it first.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/us/no-kings-protester-kevin-krebs

Here is the original “No Kings” video that circulate this summer:

Of course this all makes you wonder about timing given the Daily Local article that preceded the feds taking over:

Gunman held for trial in Chester County rally incident

WEST CHESTER — Kevin Krebs, the Chester County man who carried a loaded firearm to a “No Kings” protest last spring and whose home was later found with explosive devices and other dangerous material, made a brief court appearance here Tuesday, four months after his case made national headlines…..Krebs, 31, of East Whiteland, was dressed in a blue hooded sweatshirt and cargo pants. Flanked by defense attorneys Christian Hoey of Tredyffrin and Thomas Bellwoar of West Chester, Krebs did not say anything to the court during the 10-minute-long proceeding….Although Hoey told Vito that he was uncertain where the case would ultimately wind up — “Who knows where we are going next,” the veteran defense attorney told her after the hearing concluded — he indicated that at least the gun case would be kept at the Common Pleas trial level.

“We are going to aggressively address his defense in state court,” Hoey told the sole reporter attending the hearing in Vito’s court at the Chester County Historic Courthouse. “State court is where this case will be prosecuted, and we intend to defend him vigorously.”

Then the news the other day…. and now Kevin Krebs is in federal custody.

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/westchester/new-charges-filed-against-chester-co-no-kings-protester-who-had-pipe-bombs

Media reports indicate what most of wondered all along, and that was he someone who had challenges and perhaps dealt with mental illness or was on the spectrum of a couple of things and so on? Lots of people, myself included wondered that given how he was on the no kings social media video and the way his expression was in the West Chester PD mugshot. A TV reporter who had been in court relays that he had been adopted from another country, and was on the spectrum. The Inquirer reporters (Vinny Vella and Robert Moran) wrote about that in their article which you can Google and find.

Apparently his dad and brother were in court with him as well? I have to ask, now that his challenges have been confirmed, now what? Is he receiving mental health help while incarcerated?

My other questions are if he does have issues, serious issues, how did his parents ever let him start owning firearms? And no this is not an anti-right to bear arms conversation, it’s a legitimate question. It also once again points out the validity of mental health evaluations and awareness when it comes to owning firearms. Krebs is 31 years old. So did his parents have any freaking idea of all he owned? And what of his brother? Did he know living under the same roof? I mean how could they not know? Will they have some sort of culpability here?

https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2025/10/man-arrested-for-bringing-weapons-to-june-no-kings-protest-now-in-federal-custody.html

https://www.buildzoom.com/contractor/kevin-krebs-electrical-llc

So what happens now? A deal or a trial? Time will tell. To follow please find some stuff found relating to Federal case. This guy needs serious help, but will he ever be safe to live outside of a structured safely behind walls existence of some sort? You really have to wonder about that, and if I’m honest and being selfish, I hope he doesn’t come back to this area. I have to wonder if the feds took this over because he’s going to be institutionalized somewhere for the rest of or majority of his days?

People also want to label him as a political terrorist, and I have never thought that to be the case. Do I think perhaps that was an impetus for his actions in as far as a reaction to the political climate in this country? Yes, but to label a man with obviously this many mental issues per media reports now as a political terrorist I feel is inaccurate and unfair. And I’m not saying that as some sort of bleeding heart, I am saying it because I believe it to be true, and Democrats around here need to remember this guy was one of them at that point as far as political registration, and what nobody seems to be talking about is this once again points to the glaring holes in our healthcare and mental healthcare systems in this country.

This is scary and sad all at the same time. We owe all of the law enforcement agencies from West Chester PD to East Whiteland PD to all of the other federal, county, and other folks in law enforcement a debt of gratitude. I am thankful how on top of this they were. They did their jobs so impressively from No Kings to his bomb and weapon filled house in East Whiteland; they kept us all safe. This could have been a disaster.

krebs fedDownload
44208e75-59cc-424a-a502-2ce500b9d94fDownload
bailDownload

another easy way to support farm boy bbq while penndot holds small businesses hostage in east whiteland.

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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.

yo penndot, stop messing with our bbq and other businesses’ access.

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.

weston is back on october 14 in west whiteland.

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Freaking Weston is back. I knew it would be and development is inevitable here but West Whiteland’s planning guy talks in circles, and I have always wondered if he was really there for residents?

I haven’t had a chance to read through it, but I am distinctly unsure how many houses they’re talking about. And are they all single-family home or are we talking twins and townhouses?

I don’t trust anything and I certainly don’t trust this township planning employee and I’m sorry not sorry on that regard. I can have these opinions.

And they NEED a traffic signal at Weston Way and King because residents will never be able to get out of driveways and roads in East or West Whiteland.

This photo is several years old.

People can participate on Zoom and I strongly encourage everyone to do so.

This plan is right on W. King Rd. right in West Whiteland over the East Whiteland boundary. It is across the street from the land that Eli Kahn bought from Johnson Matthey for warehouses. that land in particular needs definite careful environmental testing. And I hope that parcel is not big enough for a data center or a mega warehouse.

But first things first and what we’re seeing now is Weston. If you don’t participate where you live, you can’t complain about the outcome.

Tuesday, October 14, 7PM

https://www.westwhiteland.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10142025-1520

hey liz sabo? we see you and you are quite the nasty gal in great valley, aren’t you?

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Oh Liz Sabo what a true gem you are! She’s having a “day of service” so my contribution is pointing out a lovely post she wasn’t quick enough to delete.

This ugly woman wants to run for Great Valley School board yet by this post she is doxxing someone’s underage child?

A woman who targets another woman’s child is not anyone you want elected to anything.

FYI her husband George Sabo is running for supervisor in East Whiteland so sadly I think these folks need to stay in their own basement where they are more comfortable.

I don’t think that the East Whiteland GOP or the Chester County GOP will do anything about this, but if you live in Great Valley and this woman shows up on your ballot in November, you all out there DO have a choice to do something. You have a choice to say no to a woman who targets another woman’s child for harassment at a minimum.

And then she doubles down on the post she removed by lying in a comment? Doxxing a minor child of her opponent and compounding it with lies? You see I happen to know Liz Stabbo’s opponent, and I have for years so I asked her if anything was on her LinkedIn like this because I looked and couldn’t find anything and she said no .

Great Valley’s incredibly double talking and hiding school superintendent Dan Goffredo should say something about this, but considering how he never really protected his staff from the middle school TikTok of it all, I am not holding my breath.

If people wonder why some people‘s children aren’t very nice, this is where you look no further.

However, I truly feel very sorry for Liz Sabo’s daughters. Even if they support their mom, at what cost are they supporting a completely phobic adult spreading hate and vitriol within our community? And can it be said that perhaps her phobias are based on issues with her own sexuality and sexual identity?

Stay in your basement, Liz, where you belong. Targeting an underage kid as a school board campaign tactic is unacceptable. No matter how we feel as adults about politics on any level, you leave people’s children alone, especially the underage variety.

Lady you are a see you next Tuesday.

pssst….frazer antiques is back (and down the road from original location!)

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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

“cold” feds in lincoln court in east whiteland township chester county this morning.

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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?

I just don’t know. It makes me sad.

police back at krebs house in east whiteland this afternoon

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So we still don’t know really why, but law-enforcement had a play date at the Kreb’s house in East Whiteland again today on Conestoga Road. I have been told that today’s visit were the Chester County Detectives.

We first noticed earlier this afternoon this notice on East Whiteland‘s Facebook page:

Then this showed up as an update:

6ABC was out at the scene and I caught it on the 5 PM news. I don’t know if anyone else is covering this or not so I know residents are grateful for 6 ABC being there. more importantly residents are very grateful in East Whiteland for law enforcement and their handling of this. It has been a little unsettling for residents near that house, which is understandable.

Kevin Krebs has TWO separate court dates coming up.

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/MdjDocketSheet?docketNumber=MJ-15401-CR-0000163-2025&dnh=V9anssomRR3EPv2Ei3Sddg%3D%3D

https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/MdjDocketSheet?docketNumber=MJ-15104-CR-0000125-2025&dnh=8noIvGulk6ZZlDUl5i5umA%3D%3D

I still haven’t seen anything posted to state whether or not Mr. Krebs will be facing Federal charges as well since the media reports also report the involvement of Federal law-enforcement agencies.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more media on this. And when I listened to the 6ABC reporter, I was somewhat gob smacked at the number of guns that the family turned in to law-enforcement that belonged to this man.

Also a related issue is I am sure we would all like to know why West Chester Borough Councilmen Bernie Flynn and Brian McGinnis allowed the Mayor of Downingtown to speak at a June meeting, but did not allow West Goshen Sunshine to ask a couple of simple questions?

West Goshen Sunshine attended this public meeting and got up and tried to speak at public comment to inquire as to the timeline of events at the No Kings Rally. She was interested in when Mr. Krebs was detained and arrested, and where that was in the whole scheme of the event that day. She also wondered when elected officials and event organizers were told about this?

Allow me to quote her:

The irony is hard to ignore: in the same town that held a “No Kings” rally, I was silenced at the Borough of West Chester meeting last night. Councilmen Bernie Flynn and Brian McGinnis have clearly crowned themselves gatekeepers of free speech–deciding who gets to speak and who doesn’t. That’s not leadership. That’s arrogance.

Fortunately, not every official in West Chester in as bombastic as Flynn and McGinnis.

https://www.dailylocal.com/2025/06/18/mayor-council-thank-police-for-response-at-no-kings-rally/ West Chester Borough Police Department

Edit Council member Nicole Scimone tried to let me speak but was drowned out by Flynn and McGinnis even though she was presiding over the meeting. Thanks for trying Nicole Scimone!

West Goshen Sunshine is well spoken and polite. I am appalled, but not necessarily surprised by the behavior of these two gentlemen in West Chester Borough.

I am not some Luddite, and I understand there are certain things the public are not going to be privy to at this stage of an investigation, and the same goes for West Goshen Sunshine. However, lots of people want to know what the timeline is for notification concerning this incident. Let’s face it if someone hadn’t blown up the original social media video so that we all saw it , how long would it have been before we knew this incident even happened?

I have felt since this happened that politics, not necessarily law enforcement tried to keep a lid on this.

Now to me, it would’ve made sense that the event organizers wanted everything to remain calm that day, because face it if lots and lots of people there on that day had known they just arrested a man with weapons it might have been chaos. And law enforcement did a tremendous job in a huge crowd.

However, I also wonder if politics kept this from getting out until that social media video from TikTok or whatever was released everywhere so we all saw it? And along those lines until people like myself and others started publicly thanking law enforcement, it seems like a lot of politicians weren’t.

Law enforcement has been amazing through this.

Anyway, if you listen to the media reports, it looks like there was at least one more weapon seized today and computers and who knows what else. People are still asking questions like was Krebs egged on by some group or something like that or did he always act alone on his own?

This has been a sad and scary situation. I hope that as Krebs has been a guest of the county that he has perhaps been getting mental health treatment? Because anyway you slice it, what almost happened that day and what they found in his house after that is not the act of a rational human being.

more doing the open space thing in east whiteland?

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Soooo….last year I had posted about this odd triangle parcel off Old Swedesford/Swedesford Road in East Whiteland. It looks like it was sold at some point in 2024 and I got a note today from someone that says:

Keeping you updated. Looks the property sold in October. We just noticed some people out there holding what looks like site plans. We really hope they aren’t planning on putting some commercial property in there in such a small residential community.

Coincidentally, it seemed to have shown up on an East Whiteland agenda for this week. Last evening‘s meeting as a matter of fact. 3a.

If anyone has any answers as to what is happening with this property, people are all ears. What seems to be happening on the video snippet that I am about to share, is a potential acquisition by East Whiteland Township to keep it as open space, which would be great because there are residential neighborhoods back there. So I don’t know if that would mean passive open space leaving it wooded or creating a more park like setting in part of it maybe throwing in a small playground? If what said on the video is true I would say that some township residents over there have possibly dodged a bullet, right?

Before properties were sold last October is above – and note technically there are two parcels. I only had the bigger parcel information from before it was sold in 2024.

Below are both parcels, large and small. I have also included a little screenshot of the bare bones schematic of ChescoPin, so people can visualize the area better.

Where the new property owners potentially selling to East Whiteland have correspondence sent is 120 Pennsylvania Ave Malvern PA 19355. Now that address is in the Borough of Malvern that’s tucked out of the way. But it’s whose address that is that I found potentially interesting and will anyone else?

That area is back on the other side of the train tracks from what you know is King Street or the main drag of Malvern Borough. It’s back off Bridge Street and that Old Lancaster Road area. Of course that address comes up on Malvern Borough’s website.

Life is so interestingly connected, isn’t it?

Anyway, good on East Whiteland if they’re stopping development there by a land purchase. If this is what has happened this of course means the open space referendum is working some more, doesn’t it? I guess now the East Whiteland Open Space Committee or someone review things?

Click to access pa_ave_woods_lp_malvern_boro_sketch_plan_submission_2023-02-17.pdf