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Tag: Havertown

  • Home-buying mistakes | Real Estate Newsletter

    Home-buying mistakes | Real Estate Newsletter

    You probably know Abigail Covington, my colleague who regularly helms the How I Bought This House column. In the year since she joined the team, she’s become one of The Inquirer’s home-buying experts.

    So I couldn’t believe it when she told me that she’d opted for an information-only inspection when she bought her first home a few weeks ago.

    I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and say: Haven’t you learned anything from all the real estate stories you’ve written?!

    But in a new essay, Abigail explains why. Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:

    — Erica Palan

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Real estate reporter bought a house. Here’s what she got wrong.

    Buying a home is a huge financial decision — and an emotional one. Balancing the two can be tricky when your head knows what to do but your heart is pulling you in the opposite direction.

    After a year writing about real estate, my colleague Abigail Covington felt prepared to stand up to sellers and get a great deal. But when her dream house came along, she ditched her careful plans to make sure she got it.

    See what she got wrong (and right!) as a first-time homebuyer.

    Airbnb tension in Jenkintown

    In Jenkintown, neighbors are disagreeing over Airbnbs. The town’s zoning board denied its first short-term rental request last week after residents complained about noise and unexpected visitors.

    It made me wonder how I’d feel if my next-door neighbor was a rotating cast of visitors. On the one hand, I’ve stayed in dozens of Airbnbs and had memorable, comfortable travel experiences. On the other, I understand being worried about safety.

    Read more about how Jenkintown is dealing with these issues.

    📮 Would you be comfortable living next to an Airbnb? For a chance to be featured in next week’s newsletter, email me.

    The latest news to pay attention to

    Home tour: A haven in Havertown

    There is just something about a Tudor-style home that feels so cozy — the steeply pitched roofs, the storybook arches, the tall windows. Talk about curb appeal.

    The interior of this Havertown home is just as warm and comfy with unexpected color combinations, a grandfather clock, and a lot of floral wall paper.

    The Finnegan family moved in five years ago and have spent that time redesigning their home to be a haven. Take a peek inside.

    📷 Photo quiz

    Do you know the location this photo shows?

    📮 If you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured next week.

    Shout out to Don L. who correctly guessed that last week’s image depicted workers cleaning the glass pavilions over the subway stairs at Dilworth Park.

    ++

    Have a great week. Michaelle will be back next Thursday.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

  • The businesses residents most want | Inquirer Haverford

    The businesses residents most want | Inquirer Haverford

    Hello, Haverford!

    Residents recently tallied a list of the businesses they’d most like to see open in the township. Here’s what those include. Also this week, a township native is gearing up to open a nearby general store, the county’s former emergency services director stands trial, plus students and alumni are urging Haverford College to protect free speech after it settled a recent lawsuit.

    In other news: Handel’s is finally opening and the township day is nearly here.

    — Lisa Dukart (haverford@inquirer.com)

    P.S. We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us back here.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Residents want more communal spaces and safer streetscapes

    An indoor farmers market, a multi-vendor marketplace, a movie theater, and a bakery are among the businesses residents most want to see open in the township, according to the latest consumer survey conducted by Discover Haverford.

    The biannual survey also shows that residents want more family-friendly businesses, communal spaces, and revitalized streetscapes to make shopping more accessible.

    Discover Haverford uses the data to help recruit businesses and inform potential small business owners about what’s most in demand. That was the case with Moore Books, which opened two years ago on West Eagle Road.

    The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner digs into the data and what respondents said they most want right now.

    💡 Community news

    Jennifer Kurland is opening a general store nearby. Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer

    🗺️ Other nearby news

    • A Penn Wynne man has been charged with securities and wire fraud after allegedly defrauding investors of $8.8 million through his cannabis start-up, KindManage, LLC, over the course of nearly a decade. Prosecutors say David Dinenberg, 54, allegedly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of company funds for personal use such as his sons’ college tuition, social club memberships, and a luxury home rental in California.
    • Longtime Delaware County resident Anthony “Tony” Oriente made it to the bonus round on an episode of Wheel of Fortune last week, ultimately winning over $25,000, as well as a trip to Vancouver Island. Oriente, who lives in Media, has previously appeared on The Price is Right and Deal or No Deal. Catch the episode here.

    🏫 Schools briefing

    • Haverford High School lands at No. 33 in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of the best public high schools in the state. Nationwide, the school ranks No. 926.

    🍽️ On our plate

    • The long-awaited Handel’s outpost at 13 W. Benedict Ave. is opening today at 11 a.m. The popular ice cream spot took over the former Al Pastor location, which shuttered early this year.
    • Village Cafe opened at 1422 Manoa Rd. last week. The new Wynnewood spot serves a selection of coffees and pastries.
    • Vintner’s Table opened its Ardmore outpost on Monday. Located at 24 Cricket Ave., the Italian-inspired wine bar has a salumeria and lifestyle boutique.
    • Bryn Mawr’s The Bakery House opened its second location over the weekend at 35 W. Lancaster Ave. in Paoli. It sells treats such as custom cakes, pastries, and pies, as well as the viral dot cakes.

    🎳 Things to do

    🗓️ Haverford Township Day: Now in its 31st year, the annual community celebration features a parade, vendors, multiple musical performances, food, and kids activities. There’s also a 5K Saturday morning. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (rain date: Oct. 4) 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Along Darby Road

    🎨 Delco Arts Week: The annual countywide event pays homage to the region’s varied art scene. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 3-Sunday, Oct. 11, times vary 💵 Prices vary 📍 Throughout Delaware County

    🛍️ Clover Market: Browse a curated selection of over 90 vendors, hear live music, and grab a bite to eat from a food truck. ⏰ Sunday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 7 N. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr

    🍷 Wine and Wander: Explore Stoneleigh after hours while sampling four types of wines. ⏰ Thursday, Oct. 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 💵 $65-$75 📍 Stoneleigh

    🏡 On the market

    A fully updated Ardmore Colonial

    This 1945 stone Colonial has undergone a full renovation as well as a two-story expansion to bring it into the 21st century. The first floor features a living room, kitchen with stainless steel appliances and honed granite countertops, a dining area with a bay window, and the newly added family room. All four bedrooms are upstairs, including a new primary suite with a walk-in closet. The home also has a finished basement and a patio out back.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $824,900 | Size: 2,192 SF | Acreage: 0.37

    Each week we feature an interesting local listing in or around the township. Have one we should consider? Email us at haverford@inquirer.com.

    🗞️ What other Haverford residents are reading this week:

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • They moved to Havertown for the community. The house was a bonus.

    They moved to Havertown for the community. The house was a bonus.

    Caroline and Kevin Finnegan needed a larger home for their growing family and had specific goals: a community feel, lots of neighborhood kids, and walkability to a park, shopping, and restaurants.

    Though house hunting during the pandemic was difficult, they found the perfect place in Havertown nearly five years ago, a 2,300-square-foot Tudor-style home built in 1920.

    “We had always loved Havertown as a community,” said Caroline, owner and principal designer of Hendren House Interior Design in Havertown. “The house was an extra bonus when we saw its character and history.”

    She also saw signs that this was her forever home. Caroline had been very close with her grandfather, Francis “Frank” Grandizio. She and Kevin bought the house in 2021, 100 years after her grandfather was born and the same year he died.

    The outside of Caroline and Kevin Finnegan’s Tudor-style home in Havertown.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer

    “A family who lived here previously had written all their names in the cement in the foundation of the garage,” she recalled. “There are so many stories to this house that I don’t even know and I find that so wonderful.”

    And, she added, “I love that we get to create our own stories here.”

    Prior to moving in, the Finnegans removed the carpet and refinished the floors on the second level of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house. They also gave the bathroom a facelift. In 2024 they embarked on a larger renovation, swapping the locations of the kitchen and dining room and outfitting those new rooms.

    A designer for more than 10 years, Caroline enjoyed the process of creating a home for her family, including sons James, 7, and Hudson, 5, and daughter Charlotte, 1.

    The living room features a wall of leaded glass windows that cast a grid of light and shadows.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer
    Caroline Finnegan’s grandfather’s blue plaid chair is a favorite item of hers.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer

    “I’m inspired by classic, timeless, traditional design that has a bit of a modern twist, that entails layering, patterns, texture, and color,” said Caroline. “I like unexpected color combinations.”

    She often chooses wallpaper instead of paint, particularly nature-inspired designs. A blue-and-white botanical print, a contemporary interpretation of toile, greets visitors in the foyer, while a lush mural transforms the dining room.

    The powder room is wrapped in a paper featuring oversized blue blooms and delicate foliage, a hand block print from Michael S. Smith’s Jasper line — Smith is one of her favorite designers. A sweet pink and gray pastel paper sets the tone for Charlotte’s room.

    “I love florals,” said Caroline. “My aunt, Kathleen Gallagher Standeven, was a big inspiration for me. She put floral prints on everything. If I’m allowed to pick a floral wallpaper, I always will.”

    The foyer is wallpapered with a blue and white toile-like print. Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer
    The bedroom of the Finnegans’ daughter, their youngest child. The wallpaper and shades both feature a colorful pattern.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer

    The living room, bathed in light from a wall of leaded glass windows, is home to Caroline’s favorite chair that once belonged to her beloved grandfather. Now reupholstered in blue plaid, it has become a favorite resting spot for Kevin.

    “I like sitting there in the morning with a cup of coffee, looking out through the glass windows in the front,” he said.

    Nearby sits the grandfather clock that originally belonged to Caroline’s maternal grandfather.

    “My husband and sons crank it every Saturday, which has become a special, fun tradition,” said Caroline.

    A grandfather clock is another heirloom, which the family enjoys cranking each week to keep it running.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer

    Though Kevin has little say in the design of the home, he is thrilled with his wife’s choices.

    “I don’t have much taste, and Caroline obviously knows what she is doing,” joked Kevin, a detective in Upper Darby. “I trust her, and just let her do her thing.”

    Though admittedly not an avid cook, Caroline especially appreciates her kitchen, where soft off-white and green hues create a connection to nature. The perimeter cabinets are painted Old White by Farrow & Ball, the island is Benjamin Moore Colonial Verdigris in the Williamsburg Paint Color Collection, and the pantry is a custom stain.

    The Carrara marble island is surrounded by stools where the children sit to enjoy weekend lunches and snacks. Well-organized drawers and shelves store food and kitchen gear. The custom-built cabinet, made by woodworker Nate Wagner, owner of Wagner’s Wood Specialties in Chalfont, does double duty as a coffee bar and storage unit, and is easy to close for an uncluttered look.

    The children enjoy snacks and lunches at the kitchen island.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer
    A custom kitchen cabinet serves as a coffee bar and storage solution.Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer

    The dining room is the venue for the family’s important shared mealtime, when they catch up on the highlights of each member’s day.

    Grassy yards make up the front and back of the house, where the kids play with their neighborhood buddies while their parents watch from the side porch.

    “This neighborhood has been wonderful for our family,” said Caroline. “Havertown has such a deep sense of community.”

    Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.

  • Inside the township’s composting program | Inquirer Haverford

    Inside the township’s composting program | Inquirer Haverford

    Hello, Haverford!

    Welcome to the first edition of The Inquirer’s weekly newsletter bringing you the most pertinent news from in and around Haverford Township. Each week, you can expect a mix of the biggest community stories, school district and municipal government updates, restaurant and retail comings and goings, as well as local events you won’t want to miss.

    Here’s what’s going on this week: The township’s new compost program is helping turn food waste into compost. We look at how it’s feeding area crops. Also noteworthy, a local gallery owner has been accused of being part of a scheme to sell fraudulent artwork, township resident and Super Bowl champion Brandon Graham has his eye on the future, plus, where to go leaf peeping this fall.

    As we get started, tell us what you think of our newsletter by emailing us back here or taking our survey. And feel free to drop us a line any time, whether it’s with tips, coverage ideas, or just to say hello.

    See you back here next week!

    — Lisa Dukart (haverford@inquirer.com)

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    The township’s organic waste is being repurposed as part of a circular food system

    Chris Pieretti’s Kitchen Harvest turns organic waste into compost at Linvilla Orchards.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Earlier this year, Haverford Township launched a curbside composting program, becoming the latest local municipality to seek ways to divert organic materials from landfills.

    But what happens to those banana peels, eggshells, and coffee grounds after they’re taken away? Thanks to the initiative, they’re being repurposed at Linvilla Orchards, where composting company Kitchen Harvest is converting food scraps into nutrient-rich, soil-like compost. In turn, the compost feeds Linvilla’s crops and enriches local gardens, creating a circular system.

    In July, 162 tons of organic material was collected, township manager Dave Burman said, adding that the amount of trash collected was down 141 fewer tons this July compared to last July.

    The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner digs into the township’s free program and how residents are diverting waste.

    💡 Community news

    🗺️ Other nearby news

    🏫 Schools briefing

    • Residents can meet with Superintendent Matthew C. Hayes at tomorrow morning’s community connection event at the administration building. The discussion will focus on school year updates.
    • The Haverford School is looking to demolish several buildings on Panmure Road and Buck Lane to make way for two artificial turf fields, a move that some area residents oppose, citing traffic concerns. The township’s planning commission earlier this month said it would not make a decision until a traffic study had been completed.
    • Manoa Nursery School at 153 N. Eagle Rd. has been shut down after operating without a license, but expects to open under new management shortly, the Daily Times reports.

    🍽️ On our plate

    • A La Mousse owner Anna Chen is working to improve mooncakes’ reputation by giving the intricate but otherwise unimpressive treats a twist, The Inquirer’s Kiki Aranita writes, including stuffing them with a range of fillings and flavors. Find Chen’s take on mooncakes at A La Mousse’s Narberth outpost ahead of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow.
    • Nanu’s Hot Chicken reopened last week at 59 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore after being forced to close at the end of July when a vehicle damaged the store.
    • Former Sixers icon Julius “Dr. J” Erving will be at the Fine Wine and Good Spirits on Greenfield Avenue in Ardmore Saturday at 2 p.m. to sign pre-purchased bottles of American Harvest Organic Vodka.

    🎳 Things to do

    🐑 The Farmstead Fair: Harriton House’s annual celebration includes tours, cooking demonstrations, a beer garden, vendors, games, and pumpkin decorating. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Harriton House

    🎸 Haverford Music Festival: Now in its 14th year, the festival includes performances by Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Shannon McNally, blues artist Buffalo Nichols, and bluegrass outfit Demolition String Band. There will also be food trucks, kids activities, and a beer and wine garden. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, noon-9 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Intersection of Eagle and Darby Roads

    🎵 Imagine Lennon Live: Scot Arch and the Instant Karma Horns will perform a mix of Beatles tunes and John Lennon’s solo hits. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30-10 p.m. 💵 $26.50-$36.70 📍 Kelly Center

    🌻 Eco-Printing with Wildflowers Workshop: Summer may officially be over, but that doesn’t mean its remnants can’t still make beautiful art. ⏰ Sunday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 💵 $85-$95 📍 Stoneleigh

    🎶 Matchbox 30: The Tim William Bands will pay tribute to Matchbox 20 for the 30th anniversary of its iconic album Yourself or Someone Like You. ⏰ Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. 💵 $29.50-$71.42 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

    🏡 On the market

    An Ardmore home with a chic, updated interior

    Built in 1945, this three-bedroom Ardmore home has gotten a modern interior makeover to give the first floor an open-concept layout. The space connects a living room with an electric fireplace to a dining area and the kitchen, which has an island, stainless steel appliances, and quartz countertops. All three bedrooms are upstairs, and there’s a finished basement with a half bathroom downstairs. There’s an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $499,900 | Size: 1,260 SF | Acreage: 0.06

    Each week we feature an interesting listing in or around the township. Have one we should consider? Email us at haverford@inquirer.com.

    📈 Haverford market report

    • Median listing price: $595,000 (up $2,500 from July) 📈
    • Median sold price: $582,500 (down $7,500 from July) 📉
    • Days on the market: 32 (up three days from July) 📈

    This Haverford market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for August from realtor.com.

    🗞️ What other Haverford residents are reading this week:

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • What do Haverford Township residents want out of their local economy? A new survey says multi-vendor markets and walkability.

    What do Haverford Township residents want out of their local economy? A new survey says multi-vendor markets and walkability.

    Lorianne Moore always wanted to run her own business.

    Two years ago, after decades in the corporate world, Moore began to think about opening a storefront in her home community of Havertown. She and her husband, Joe Singer, kicked around the idea of a coffee shop or gift store, something people were really “looking for,” Singer said.

    When Moore brought her small-business dreams to Jeanne Angell, executive director of Discover Haverford, Haverford Township’s economic development organization, Angell said she knew exactly what Havertown needed.

    Consumer data collected by Discover Haverford at the time had found that residents’ number one desire for the community was a local bookstore.

    Moore, a “voracious reader,” figured her “love of reading and her passion for that would align awesomely with what the town was looking for,” Singer said. Moore Books opened in September 2024 and has since become a hub for readers, writers, and shoppers in one of Havertown’s core commercial neighborhoods.

    “I don’t know if we would have landed on bookstore without Discover Haverford, but once [Moore] started talking with them, it just made sense,” said Singer, who’s now the bookstore’s manager and events coordinator.

    The data that guided the opening of Moore Books was part of Discover Haverford’s biannual consumer surveys, which poll residents on the state of the local economy and help provide a framework for recruiting businesses to town, a partnership Angell said is exemplified in Moore Books’ story. Understanding what consumers want, Angell said, gives proprietors important information as they consider opening a brick-and-mortar business, a venture that can be economically risky, especially for small-business owners.

    Discover Haverford’s newest survey, published in July, has given officials a fresh round of data regarding consumers’ vision for the community’s future. So what do Haverford Township residents want most? Recent data points toward a desire for family-friendly businesses, communal spaces, and a revitalized streetscape.

    What do Haverford residents want?

    Discover Haverford conducted its biannual consumer survey in July, gathering data from 601 respondents about what types of businesses they’d like to see and how they feel Haverford Township’s commercial experience can be improved.

    When it came to grocery and retail options, nearly 60% of respondents expressed a desire for a multi-vendor marketplace, and nearly 80% said they’d like to see an indoor farmers market.

    On restaurants, 71% were interested in a bakery, 67% in a family restaurant, 63% in a Greek restaurant, and 57% in a BYOB restaurant.

    When it comes to non-retail businesses, respondents also showed an interest in movie theaters, concert venues, and day spas.

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    Angell said she’s long heard residents ask for a multi-vendor market, a desire that falls in line with the growing appetite for “third spaces,” or communal places to socialize that aren’t work or home.

    “I think people do need that, a place to feel that community,” Angell said.

    She noted, however, that a multi-vendor market is “a very difficult thing to recruit for,” requiring a large space and considerable funding. A local movie theater is another feat Angell said is difficult to pull off due to space constraints.

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    How else should Haverford Township create a more vibrant business community?

    Numerous respondents raised concerns over traffic safety. Some said the township needs more walkable town centers, safe bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings.

    Some said parking inconveniences and costs deter them from shopping in Haverford Township, while others said older storefront facades need to be revitalized to beautify the township’s commercial strips.

    The full Community Survey Report, designed to help guide future business decisions, can be read here.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

    Clarification: The story has been updated to clarify the survey’s location.
  • A Havertown couple’s Ocean City beach cottage was decades in the making

    A Havertown couple’s Ocean City beach cottage was decades in the making

    Tucked away on an alley in the north end of Ocean City, Steve and Regina Pannepacker’s three-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage is their perfect peaceful haven.

    The cozy home is filled with a dozen or so surfboards for Steve’s passion and shelves packed with books for Regina’s passion. Then there are the bowls and bowls of sea glass, which they both love collecting.

    Shortly after the pair married in 1986, Steve contacted several Ocean City Realtors, asking them to be on the lookout for a detached garage space they could convert into a small cottage. Finally, in 2015, one of them called.

    “He said I found your name in my Rolodex,” recalled Regina, a registered nurse. “I hadn’t heard that word in a really long time.”

    They loved the home’s location, the bright light that pours in from windows in all directions and the neighbors who ultimately became friends.

    Surfboards abound in the secondary bedroom.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
    The primary bedroom is small, decorated with light colors.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer

    Built in the early 1900s, the home was originally a three-car garage for the main house that sits in front of it. It was later converted to include a two-bedroom property above the garage. It is believed the front property was owned and lived in by a seafaring ship’s captain, Steve said.

    Around 2013, the main house and garage were divided into separate properties.

    The Pannepackers converted the garage space into three distinct rooms — a guest bedroom, a storage area with a washer and dryer, and a space for Steve’s workbench that also houses surfboards and bicycles.

    Steve Pannepacker is an avid collector of surfboards, like this Plastic Fantastic board. He keeps them in the garage.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer

    With their five children, three grandchildren plus two more on the way, and lots of siblings, nieces, and nephews, the home is usually bustling with activity. Regina has eight brothers and sisters, and Steve has one sibling. The couple also invite friends and family to use the cottage when their jobs keep them at home in Havertown.

    Steve, who works in television and film as an art director and prop coordinator, did most of the decorating. His deep love for Hawaii, where he and Regina made a pilgrimage in 2008, was a huge influence on the home’s decor.

    “It’s a combination of Ralph Lauren and a Hawaiian style,” Steve said. “Ralph Lauren’s look included leather, which inspired the leather chairs, and that is also an older Hawaiian look.”

    The kitchen is small but workable for the couple, who like to cook. They eat at the drop table in the living room that has an extendable leaf. Closed, it’s large enough for Steve and Regina, but it can accommodate six when open. When a larger crowd is visiting, they set up a table in the front yard or alley.

    A wall of oceanscapes, some professionally done, some reproductions, and some by family members.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
    Below the oceanscapes is an old Bulletin newspaper bench, a nod to Regina’s family association delivering the now defunct Philadelphia paper.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer

    The living room is also where they relax and entertain. When it’s just the two of them, they are often reading — Steve in his comfortable brown leather chair and Regina curled up on the nearby couch. When guests visit, the room is where they talk and laugh and share each other’s company.

    “This is our everything room,” Regina said. “We don’t have a TV or Wi-Fi so there’s lots of conversation.”

    Surfboards are a part of the decor in almost every room. The wooden board that hangs over the living room sofa was made by local surf historian Bill Simon about 30 years ago and is a reproduction of a 1930s surfboard by Pacific System Homes.

    A collection of old photos, postcards, and memorabilia in the living room.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
    A collection of Hawaiian memorabilia in the living room.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer

    Hidden behind other houses off a main road, the home’s orange front and garage doors help friends and pizza delivery drivers find them.

    An avid surfer since high school, Steve spent summers working and surfing in Ocean City while Regina grew up day-tripping to the beach town with her family. It was an important part of both their childhoods.

    A painting by the couple’s daughter is hung in the home’s compact kitchen.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer

    “My parents spent two summers as the house parents for the waitresses at the Flanders,” recalled Regina. “Having had nine kids of their own, they got the job pretty easily. Our family’s love for the beach is deep-rooted.”

    Regina’s parents’ love of sea glass trickled down to Regina and Steve. Most days, the couple take walks and usually find a sea glass treasure.

    The beach town is woven into the fabric of their lives. They spend time at both the beach and the bay, and often head to the Second Street pier to take in the sunset.

    “This home is a retreat where we decompress,” Regina said. “You come over that bridge and smell the air, and something comes over you.”

    Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.

  • Havertown man charged with sending racist, threatening voicemails to Delco sheriff

    Havertown man charged with sending racist, threatening voicemails to Delco sheriff

    A Havertown man was charged Tuesday with terroristic threats, ethnic intimidation, and related crimes after prosecutors said he left racist, threatening voicemails for the Delaware County sheriff.

    Sean Keenan, 40, made 15 calls earlier this month to the sheriff’s office in a 24-hour period, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. Keenan left two voicemails, during which he used a racial slur to refer to Sheriff Siddiq Kamara, who is Black, threatened to hunt him down, and called for “death to Islam.” Kamara is a Muslim whose family came to Delaware County from their native Liberia.

    Keenan was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. There was no indication he had hired an attorney. Keenan did not return a request for comment.

    In announcing the charges, Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said Keenan’s words were “vile, disgusting, and completely unacceptable.”

    “There is a time when language crosses the line into criminal behavior, and that is exactly what we have here,” Rouse said. “Threats of violence, most especially racially motivated violence, have no place in Delaware County, regardless of who the intended victim may be.”

    Kamara, in a statement last week, said that he welcomes criticism as a public official, but that threats of violence cross the line.

    Investigators said they used phone records to trace the numbers that made the call to two phones registered to Keenan, according to the affidavit. One of those numbers called 911 in February to report a car crash, and a recording of the caller’s voice matched Keenan’s.

    After serving a search warrant on Keenan’s personal and work-issued cell phones, detectives found evidence that he had left the voicemails on July 18 and July 19, the affidavit said. In an interview with police, Keenan admitted to leaving the voicemails, the document said.

    He is scheduled to appear before a district judge for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 7.

  • Never-opened Amazon Fresh in Havertown set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market

    Never-opened Amazon Fresh in Havertown set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market

    A long-empty retail space in Havertown is set to become a Sprouts Farmers Market.

    The organic grocery chain has signed a lease for a 29,500-square-foot store in the Llanerch Shopping Center on the 400 block of West Chester Pike, according to Fred Snow, president of Brandolini Cos., which owns the complex.

    David McGlinchey, chief development officer of Sprouts, confirmed in a statement that the chain signed a lease at the site and is planning for an early 2027 opening.

    Sprouts is taking over a parcel that Amazon Fresh had rented for the past six years but never opened as a grocery store, Snow said. In February, the tech conglomerate abruptly closed all its physical Amazon Fresh locations, providing an opportunity for the landlord to terminate its lease in Havertown, Snow said.

    What makes someone love their grocery store? Ask the Philadelphians who are already missing their Amazon Fresh.

    “It’s never really been vacant very long, but it’s looked vacant,” Snow said of the space, which was previously occupied by an LA Fitness that relocated before the pandemic.

    Once the property became available earlier this year, Snow said, Sprouts was “very aggressive,” and showed great interest in moving into such a densely populated, well-to-do area of Delaware County.

    In 10 square miles, Haverford Township has nearly 51,000 residents, with a median household income of more than $130,000, according to U.S. Census data. The township is surrounded by other populous, affluent suburbs, including Lower Merion and Radnor.

    The Havertown store is primed to be Sprouts’ first location in Philadelphia’s Western suburbs.

    A view inside the Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018.STAFF / GRACE DICKINSON

    “We’re just excited that they are going to provide offerings that aren’t in the area right now,” Snow said.

    Sprouts markets sell organic, gluten-free, and plant-based products, including private-label items, as well as vitamins, supplements, natural toiletries, and bulk nuts, coffee, and baking ingredients.

    Based in Phoenix, Sprouts opened its first Pennsylvania location in South Philadelphia in 2018, and has been expanding in the region.

    Sprouts now operates two Montgomery County stores in Upper Dublin and Montgomeryville; three South Jersey outposts in Haddon Township, Marlton, and West Deptford; and four city locations, including Roosevelt Mall in the Northeast and the new Rivermark complex in Northern Liberties.

    Sprouts has more local spots in the works, too, with stores under construction in Limerick and Washington Township.

    The extensive supplement section at Sprouts in South Philadelphia, as seen in 2018STAFF / GRACE DICKINSON

    Sprouts reported $163.7 million in net income in the first quarter of 2026, beating analysts expectations. While profits were down year-over-year, sales increased slightly, and the company opened six new stores.

    Sprouts plans to open at least 40 stores by the end of 2026, for a total of more than 500 markets nationwide, according to the report.

    “We’re seeing a great reaction as we enter new communities,” CEO Jack Sinclair said on the recent earnings call. “We’re sharpening site selection as we scale, expanding access to healthy foods.”

    We used a new AI app to grocery shop at Sprouts in South Philly. This is what happened.

    Sprouts’ expansion comes amid uncertainty in the larger grocery industry. The market has appeared relatively resilient despite tariff pressure, continued inflation, and more competition.

    Yet some stores have struggled. After the Amazon Fresh shutdown in February, Grocery Outlet bargain market closed dozens of stores, including eight in the Philadelphia area.

    Sprouts executives said on the earnings call that they’re aware of customers’ financial pressures and are taking steps to make their products more affordable. They mentioned store promotions like $5 Sushi Wednesday, and said they recently reduced prices on some basics like coffee, which has become exorbitantly expensive amid extreme weather and global conflict.

    “We take the responsibility for affordability really seriously,” Sinclair said. “There’s a real opportunity for us to help people live and eat better.”

  • Danny’s Guitar Shop, a destination for Main Line musicians, has closed after 17 years

    Danny’s Guitar Shop, a destination for Main Line musicians, has closed after 17 years

    Danny’s Guitar Shop, an independent guitar store and lesson center run by musician Dan Gold, closed its doors after 17 years in downtown Narberth.

    Over nearly two decades, Gold forged connections along the Main Line, sold guitars to celebrities, brought outdoor music to Narberth’s streets, and, briefly, starred in a TV show that drew on his talents as a self-proclaimed “kibitzer.”

    Gold, 72, said retirement was already on his mind when his landlord raised the rent beyond what Gold could pay. Danny’s officially closed at the end of May. As Gold prepares for the next chapter, which will be filled with swimming, traveling, and playing bass in Broken Arrow, his Neil Young cover band, he said his time in Narberth was “just perfect.”

    The former storefront of Danny’s Guitar Shop in Narberth. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Gold opened Danny’s Guitar Shop in June 2009, right as the country had begun to dig itself out of the Great Recession. Guitar store Medley Music of Bryn Mawr had closed the year prior, and Center City’s 8th Street Music had moved across the bridge to New Jersey, leaving a vacuum for guitar lovers in Philly’s western suburbs.

    Gold, a Newtown Square resident, grew up in Havertown and graduated from Haverford High School and Temple University. He started his career as a schoolteacher before taking a gig as a district sales manager for Fender Guitars, traveling across the region, from rural Pennsylvania to North Jersey, selling instruments and accoutrements.

    Though it was risky to open a brick-and-mortar store at the heels of the financial crisis, Gold was bullish on the prospect. His mentors told him that as long as he ran guitar lessons, he’d be able to pay the rent. Gold had always loved Narberth’s “very distinct, charming personality” and was smitten with the Forrest Avenue storefront right away, with its ample natural light and welcoming front porch.

    When Danny’s opened in 2009, the Main Line Times described it as having promptly “established itself as that rare kind of clubhouse — the kind where everybody’s allowed in.”

    Over the years, the storefront’s shaded porch became the site of dozens of guitar recitals and summer evening jam sessions. Narberth residents gathered outside of Danny’s to talk about the news and the neighborhood gossip, and Gold always had treats for local dogs. Gold helped bring live music to Narberth during First Fridays and the annual July Fourth celebration. Ahead of a recital last fall, Gold posted on Facebook: “Students playin’ on the porch this Sunday 3:00! Bring a chair and come hang out!”

    “Danny is loved around here and for good reason,” said Ed Ridgway, president of the Narberth Business Association, who took guitar lessons at Danny’s.

    Ridgway described Danny’s as resembling an “old-timey barbershop.” If you asked Ridgway to make a list of 10 things that define Narberth’s downtown, he said Danny‘s would be on the list.

    “He was just such a good presence in Narberth,” said Tracy Tumolo, owner of Narberth art and gift shop Sweet Mabel Store.

    “This place,” Gold said. “It just fit me like a glove.”

    Danny Gold (center) pictured at Danny’s Guitar Shop in Narberth in 2018 with partners Larry Freedman (left) and Ron Stanford. LAURENCE KESTERSON / Staff Photographer

    Every once in a while, a star or two would stop into Danny’s Guitar Shop while visiting the area or prepping for a show at Ardmore Music Hall. The Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit bought a few guitars and gave Gold backstage passes when the band played Atlantic City. Wilco’s John Stirratt stopped by, as did Dweezil Zappa, Frank Zappa’s son. Tumolo said Gold always encouraged them to shop at Narberth’s other businesses.

    In 2014, Gold starred in a 13-episode series on WHYY-TV’s YArts cable channel, which aimed “to do for guitars what Anthony Bourdain has done” for international cuisine or ”Mike Rowe for the art of cleaning septic tanks,” according to an Inquirer story from the time. In the series, Gold explored the origins of Klezmer music, interviewed the scholar who wrote the definitive book on the history of the accordion, and spent quality time with electric guitar giant Paul Reed Smith.

    Lessons were the biggest part of Gold’s business model at Danny’s, as his mentors predicted. He did a large consignment and secondhand business, as well, as he was mostly selling to first-time and beginner players.

    “The lessons made me a destination store. It’s never like I carried away wheelbarrows full of money, but we were able to make a modest living and enjoy doing what we were doing,” Gold said.

    Like many brick-and-mortar merchants, Gold said it became more difficult over time to keep up with the ubiquitous online marketplace. Consumers can now buy any model of guitar, in any color, at any time. Music stores across the country have shuttered in recent years, pointing to online shopping as a factor in their decline.

    On one hand, Gold feels somewhat liberated from the day-to-day responsibilities of running his namesake storefront. On the other hand, there’s a lot he’ll miss — the people, the borough, watching the neighborhood kids grow up.

    At the end of the day, Gold said, “It’s been a great run.”

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • A Havertown native is giving historic $112.6 million to Drexel, months after his record gift to St. Joe’s Prep

    A Havertown native is giving historic $112.6 million to Drexel, months after his record gift to St. Joe’s Prep

    Drexel University has received a $112.6 million gift — the largest in its history by more than double — to establish its new college of engineering and computing, renovate space in two buildings to foster programs within it, and provide more scholarships.

    The gift comes from the Howley Foundation, a Cleveland-based philanthropic group whose mission, according to its website, is “to create social and economic mobility and improve lives” through “quality educational opportunities.”

    The foundation is headed by billionaire W. Nicholas “Nick” Howley, a 1975 Drexel graduate, his wife, Lorie, and their daughter Meg Howley, a 2010 Drexel graduate. Nick Howley, who got his degree in mechanical engineering, is the cofounder and board chairman of TransDigm Group Inc., a Cleveland-based aerospace parts manufacturer.

    St. Joseph’s Prep will receive $74 million — the biggest gift ever given to a U.S. Catholic high school

    The same foundation in April gave a $74 million gift to St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, also Howley’s alma mater, which school officials believe was the biggest donation ever given to a U.S. Catholic high school.

    W. Nicholas “Nick” Howley and his wife Lorie have given $112.6 million to Drexel University through their foundation.Courtesy of Drexel University

    The new school, which will be Drexel’s largest, will be named for the Howley family. It will be made up of the School of Engineering, School of Computer and Information Sciences, and School of Biomedical Engineering and Science, which merged earlier this year as part of a consolidation and academic overhaul.

    Drexel University is consolidating schools and asking several deans to step down

    Drexel made the announcement Thursday morning, with commencement scheduled for later in the day at the West Philadelphia university. It was the first major gift to come to the university under president Antonio Merlo, who took over last July.

    Drexel’s previous largest gift, $50 million, came from Thomas R. Kline in 2014 to name its law school.

    “This investment is a powerful affirmation of Drexel’s strength and leadership in fields where innovation and impact are deeply intertwined,” Merlo said in a news release. “It will not only bring excitement and a new look to our campus, but it will also provide generations of students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, as well as set them on course for a transformational educational experience at Drexel.”

    Drexel’s new president must tackle a deficit and declining enrollment. He sees it as a ‘moment of reinvention.’

    The gift also comes as the university has been aiming to reduce a deficit, making some operational changes, and considering changing its relationship with the Academy of Natural Sciences. The school said in April it would end the year with a $20 million deficit. Drexel is projected to continue to run deficits through fiscal year 2028, according to a report from Moody’s, which downgraded the school’s rating earlier this year. And last fall, Drexel experienced a 19% drop in the size of its freshman class.

    But Merlo in a message to campus last week said the university has seen a 16% increase in students indicating they will attend next fall. And the university is preparing to launch its “renewed curriculum” and change to semester calendar.

    A rendering the exterior of the Howley Family Immersive Learning Center at Drexel UniversityCourtesy of Drexel University

    “I am filled with optimism about what lies ahead for our students and our institution,” Merlo wrote.

    About $76 million of the Howleys’ gift will fund programs and scholarships for talented students from certain schools, primarily in Philadelphia and Cleveland, who enroll at Drexel, regardless of their financial circumstances.

    Roughy $36 million will fund about 55,000 square feet of classroom, lab, and other learning spaces in Drexel buildings along Market Street and JFK Boulevard. That includes more than 45,000 square feet in Drexel’s 3101 Market St. facility that will become the Howley Family Immersive Learning Center and include a robotics facility, a flight simulator, a jet engine lab, a soil and concrete analysis lab, and wet labs for chemical engineering, materials science, and cell and gene therapy education.

    The remaining 10,000 square feet will become the Walter N. Howley Jr. Innovation garage, named after Nick Howley’s father, who got his bachelor’s degree in commerce and engineering from Drexel in 1951. The space at 32nd and Market Streets will feature work in bays by engineering and computing student organizations, the school said. Students, the university said, will be able to build race cars, electric vehicles, and scale airplanes, as well as rockets, steel bridges, and concrete canoes to enter in national competitions.

    Construction will begin on both spaces in spring 2027, the school said.

    “I am proud to support Drexel’s mission as a global leader in experiential education,” Howley said in a news release. “The university’s model provides a true return on investment for all students who earn a Drexel degree and I believe it is the best way to encourage upward social and economic mobility.

    “The combination of its academic rigor and co-op program make Drexel’s a unique educational experience that goes farther than any other university in propelling its graduates toward their career objectives.”

    In addition to his role at TransDigm Group Inc., Howley, who grew up in Havertown and now lives in Ohio, is a founder and cochair of Perimeter Solutions, which provides industrial products and services in areas including firefighting materials, lubricant additives, electronic components, and medical devices. Howley, who also has an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a member of Drexel’s board of trustees, previously donated $15 million to Drexel for scholarships.

    Lorie Howley, who got her degrees in ornamental horticulture and communication arts from Cornell University, worked as an educator at Longwood Gardens for 15 years. She is cofounder of the Howley Foundation and is on its board of directors.

    The Howleys’ daughter Meg, who got a master’s degree in psychology from Drexel, is executive director for the foundation’s Philadelphia operations. She got her undergraduate degree in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and a master’s in school psychology and educational specialist certification from Rowan University.

    Part of the gift will be used to create an endowment for the new college to help it attract students and faculty. The college will enroll about 5,000 students in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including its new undergraduate degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning.