Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce Magazine supporting the Oxford Area and Surrounding Community Businesses
INSIDE
The Connective Festival set for Aug. 4
Notable anniversaries coming in 2018
Women taking over leadership roles in Oxford
8 ....The Connective Festival
20 ....Oxford Borough making new strides
26 ....Milestone anniversaries
33 ....The Oxford Area Historical Association
52 ....Five generations of the Ringler family
62 .... Christmas in July at Ware Presbyterian Village
Meet Our Members
24 ....The Maroon Hornet
38 ....Millstone Jewelers
50 ....Amazing Trails, LLC
60 ....Toot Sweets
78 ....Limelife Planners
82 ....Bog Turtle Brewery In Every Issue
6 ....Letter from the President
16 ....The Oxford Library
33 ....Oxford Historical Association
48 ....Chamber Directory
72 ....Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI)
80 ....Oxford Arts Alliance (OxAA)
Oxfordian Committee
Angie Thompson Lobb – Cameron’s Hardware
Helen Warren – Chester County Press
Doug Fasick – Chiropractic Services
Crystal Messaros – Herr Foods
Chris Grove – OACC Executive Director
Kim Jarvis – Citadel Credit Union
Eric Maholmes – Flowers Baking Co. of Oxford, Inc.
Cover photo by Catharine Patellis
Letter from the President
During this past year, Oxford has experienced change, and 2018 doesn’t appear to be any different. I feel excited as we continue to push forward with several projects and goals for the borough. We have a new Mayor, a new interim Police Chief and many new faces on the Borough Council. Congratulations to Lorraine Bell, Scott Brown and all the newly elected officials to the Borough Council.
One of our goals this year is to help get the parking garage construction under way. The challenge to our parking garage, for many people, is that they don’t see the bigger picture for Oxford. All they can see is the past, in what happened with the Sewer Authority. Certainly, no
one wants a repeat of that. But the two are completely different, and we are in so much better shape with this venture than then. We just need to help everyone see the same vision.
For starters, we have significantly more than half of the money needed for the garage in grants and gifts. Of the projected $7.5 million needed for the entire project, we only need about $1.5 million to be fully funded for the entire project. And for what it would cost to borrow the additional money, we can cover the cost already with current income.
At this point, all it takes is just a little faith that we, as a borough, can do this. To make Oxford more attractive, we really need this garage. If we had 100 people come to town on a regular basis, where would they park? We don’t have the capacity.
When I first came to Oxford five years ago, there were vacant storefronts everywhere. Today, there is only a limited selection and they are disappearing quickly because our economy is strong, and the wise are willing to make an early investment in our community. Based on my
Eric F. Maholmes
knowledge of the local businesses, there is between $10 million and $20 million that will be spent over the next 12 to 18 months, and that does not include the $7.5 million for the parking garage. Conceptually, there are even more ideas and plans that have not yet come to fruition, but there is talk.
We have a citywide festival, The Connective, planned for August that will hopefully bring new customers and visitors from far and wide. The Connective Festival team, along with the borough, OMI and The Oxford Arts Alliance, are working hard to bring together this event. There are plans to have an open-air stage/theatre built this year near the Oxford Memorial Park where we will be able to hold concerts in the park or have theatrical productions. Did you know that the Chamber has put on the Halloween Parade for over 40 years?
Here is a sample list of the businesses that were not in operation just five years ago when I landed in Oxford: The Sawmill Grill, Toot Sweet, Lola’s, The Soap Bucket, The Salt Hut, Wholly Grounds, Avocados from Mexico, The Art Annex, Daisy Mae Printing, Bog Turtle Brewery, Hollow
Earth, Studio Blush, Signs for Success, and an expanded LaSicilia, to name a few.
How many vacant storefronts do you see on Third Street? I can count only one that is not under construction or development. There is one closing, but that is just opportunity for new growth. Oxford is growing!
When organizations work together with a common purpose, many wonderful things can come out of that collaboration. Businesses getting together to share ideas, pooling resources to develop growth for the entire town, is what it’s all about. We are an organization that wants to provide community activities for families. We are an advocate for local businesses and want to do whatever we can to help them succeed. People shouldn’t have to drive 45 minutes to get great food and have fun activities. Let’s do that right here in our own town.
There are big plans for Oxford and great things are going to happen here. Just you wait and see!
Eric F. Maholmes President
Operates a full bar with our main focus, to give your family a place to go for great food and good times at a fantastic price. By maintaining these objectives we shall be assured of a fair profit that will allow us to contribute to the community we serve.
Check our menus on Facebook: sawmillgrill
Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce
Mark your calendars for August 4
The Connective Festival: Oxford’s celebration of art and music
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
On August 4, beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding at about 10 p.m., the first annual Connective Festival will transform downtown Oxford into a stunning version of what many in the community hope it will someday become. Culture Town.
Presented by Landhope Farms, and projected to be the largest art and music festival of its kind in the Southern Chester County region, the Connective Festival is being produced through a collaboration between Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., the Oxford Arts Alliance and dozens of businesses in order to showcase Oxford’s burgeoning creative and artistic community and introduce it to the entire region.
Throughout the entire day-long festival, Third Street will be alive with pop-up art installations, more than 20 vendor tents along a gallery row of artists, artist’s demonstrations, street busking by local musicians and outdoor dining tables. The Children’s Tent will create opportunities for children to make their own art and music and listen to young musicians.
The festival will celebrate the best in music as well, with three stages of continuous music, with the main performance area at the bottom of Market Street near 4th Street; a permanent
Art and photos courtesy of Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.
stage in Oxford Memorial Park; and a stage that will feature local musicians, located on Broad Street between 3rd Street and Niblock Alley.
“There’s always been talk of having such a festival, and last year, I attended the Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.’s First Friday Committee, and the question was raised, ‘Can we get a group together to create an arts and music festival?’” said Judy Petersen, executive director of the Oxford Arts Alliance.
“From there on, we began to decide how to do it.”
In order to best begin the steps needed to bring a festival of this shape to Oxford, the festival’s organizing committee
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The Connective Festival Team
• Melissa Pacella, Chair
• David Ogino, Co-chair
• Allie King, Marketing & Promotions
• Mary Lou Baily, Operations
• Kathy Book, Event Organizer
• John McGlothlin, Event Organizer
• Brian Wenzka, Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.
• Tony Derrico, Content Producer
• Jim Price, Event Organizer
• Crpl. Scott Brown, Event Organizer
• Judy Petersen, Oxford Arts Alliance
The Connective Festival
discussed the many large-scale cultural events they had visited.
“We’ve all been to similar events throughout our lives and we brought them all to the table,” said Brian Wenzka, executive director of Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. “There are pieces from those other events that we’re pulling from other events and adding them to the uniqueness of this event, because of the physical make-up of Oxford.”
What began as an idea is now a fully-formed consortium of sub committees, emergency service planning and a team of more than 200 volunteers, who are involved in both the planning of the event or will serve on event day.
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Back row (L to R): Sharon Brooks, Kim Smyth, Elaine Pinno, Blaire Arnold Deb Eshelman, Savannah McGee, Judy Hastings Front row (L to R):
The Connective Festival
“As the initiative rolls down the hill, it gets bigger and bigger, and we need to continually pull more people in to manage that,” said Wenzka, who estimated that the August 4 festival could draw as many as 10,000 throughout the entire day. “The volunteers who are stepping up are fully engaged. The challenge on the operational side is to continue to manage that.
“We have also reached out to neighboring urban centers like Kennett Square who have a history of large events, and we’re learning from their experiences. We’re going to do the best we can to be prepared.”
Throughout the United States, the names of many of the country’s top festivals seem plucked randomly, with no other purpose than that they are catchy. In contrast, The Connective Festival was a name that was intentionally chosen – a perfect word to dovetail with Oxford’s mission to connect its different cultures, its growing arts scene, its business community and its downtown district to its outer regions.
“Establishing a connection between the arts and its influence on the local economy is huge, both directly and
indirectly,” Wenzka said. “Obviously, there will be a huge upside to Oxford on August 4, but long term, it’s about the people who come for the event. Some may not have visited here before, but then they discover a new place, and they return.
“Oxford has established a strong foundation for its future, and what is unique about us is that we are an urban center that gives everyone a sense of place.”
To learn more about the Connective Festival on August 4, visit www.connectivefestival.org.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
Eve 6 to headline Connective Festival
On March 20, Eve 6, a Southern California-based rock trio that has made several recordings during its more than 20 years in concert and the studio, was named as the headline performers at the Connective Festival on August 4.
Formed in 1995 as Yakoo, then Eleventeen, Eve 6 issued the self-titled Eve 6 in 1998, attaining platinum success with hit singles “Inside Out” and “Leech,” the former capturing the #1 spot on the Modern Rock charts and crossing over successfully to pop/Top 40 radio. More widespread recognition came with gold-selling sophomore effort Horrorscope in 2000, which spawned radio gems “Promise,” “On the Roof Again” and Top 40 smash “Here’s to the Night.”
The band made appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Late Night with Conan
O’Brien,” and “TRL with Carson Daly.” The band then released the more experimental It’s All in Your Head in 2003. Eve 6 disbanded in 2004, returned for numerous tours in 2007 with a new lineup, and finally reunited with all three original members in early 2011. They signed to Fearless Records in the spring of that year, and released their longawaited fourth album Speak in Code, containing the singles “Victoria” and “Curtain,” in April 2012.
Now made up of bassist and lead singer Max Collins, guitarist Jon Siebels and drummer Tony Fagenson, the band toured throughout much of 2012 in support of Speak In Code, including stints with the All American Rejects and Everclear, and a headlining tour throughout the U.S. The song “Lost & Found” was released as an advance single three months prior to the album’s release.
In 2014, the band was featured on the Summerland tour with Everclear, Soul Asylum, and Spacehog, and then in 2015 on the Under the Sun tour with Sugar Ray, Better Than Ezra, and Uncle Kracker.
Courtesy photo
Recording artists Eve 6 will be the headliner at the first Connective Festival on August 4.
The Oxford Library
By Carey Bresler
Happy spring! Now is a great time to hop into the Oxford Library to attend programs and check out new books and movies.
The Oxford Library offers half-price rentals all day on Thursdays, so it is a great time to stop in and pick up some DVDs or Blu-Rays for a weekend movie night. Some of the programs we have planned for this Spring include “Parent and Child Meditation Classes,” “Tuesday Talks with Dick Winchester,” “Raise a Reader” and much more.
In addition to books and movies, the Oxford Library has STEM Kits available for families to borrow, thanks to a
generous grant from the Dansko Foundation. The kits help families explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts through play. Each kit contains suggested activities and instructions that encourage learning through hands-on projects. The kits contain items like a programmable bee robot, a telescope, microscope, and real-world STEM challenges. There are a total of 13 kits available to borrow. All you need to take one to your home is time to play, an interest in exploration and learning, and a valid library card.
While we have a lot going on this spring, we are also planning for summer in the Oxford Library. The Summer Reading Club’s theme is “Libraries Rock!” and we are
planning to rock the Oxford Library. The Oxford Library Friends are sponsoring two weeks of free Oxford Library Rock Camp. Campers will begin by bringing a book to life by composing and then performing a musical score over a reading of the book. Throughout the week, the musicians will be exploring how to play the xylophone, the piano, handbells, and even have a chance to try their singing voices. Whether it is a blues jam or a drum circle, the library will be alive with the sounds of instruments and music!
Campers are invited to take part in two live performances, one on the last day of camp at 5:30 p.m. in the Oxford Library, and a second performance at the Connective Festival on Aug. 4.. There are limited spaces for campers, so please register early. For more information about the camp or any upcoming events, please visit www.oxfordpubliclibrary.org or give us a call at 610-932-9625.
As leaders, women are making unprecedented strides
Oxford Borough now has its first woman mayor and woman council president. But local government is just one area where women are making unprecedented strides by taking on leadership roles
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Oxford Borough residents made history last November when they elected Lorraine Durnan Bell as the first woman mayor in the history of the borough.
More history was made at the start of this year when the members of Oxford Borough Council selected Sue Lombardi to serve as council president—the first time that a woman has ever held that position in Oxford Borough. For good measure, borough council members selected Peggy Ann Russell to serve as vice president. Having women occupy the offices of mayor, council president, and council vice president simultaneously represents an unprecedented moment for Oxford Borough. Some wondered whether this might be a first in Chester County. Borough resident Etha McDowell, was in attendance at the meeting where Lombardi and Russell were chosen to
lead borough council. She expressed her pride in seeing the leadership positions all held by women.
“I am thrilled at this historic first,” she said. “It happened here in my little town of Oxford, and I love that.”
Women have been involved in local, county, state, and federal government for decades—but now they are getting involved in growing numbers, and taking on leadership roles.
Many people agree that it’s long overdue for women to be in charge.
Bell said that she thinks it’s amazing that more women are getting involved in government positions—and a sign of positive change.
“Women have been working for decades for such a time to occur, and to see it finally coming to fruition is empowering as well as heartwarming,” Bell said. “I feel honored to be one of the women recently elected, but I know that it was many generations of women before me who made this possible.”
In Oxford, women have made very important contributions to the local government. Betsy Brantner devotedly worked as borough manager for 15 years before retiring in 2016. A number of different women have served on borough council and as school board members and as supervisors in the neighboring townships that surround Oxford. Lombardi is in her 11th year as a borough
council member. But it seems like women are on the verge of making even greater strides when it comes to serving in elected positions.
Bell noted that four women, all Democrats, defied the odds and scored upset victories for county row offices last November.
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Peggy Ann Russell, Sue Lombardi, and Lorraine Durnan Bell at the first Oxford Borough Council meeting of the year, when Lombardi and Russell were selected as the council president and vice president, respectively, and Bell began her duties as mayor.
Leadership
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The strides that women are making extend far beyond government. Women have also increasingly become leaders in the corporate world. Education has long been a field where women have held important positions.
Dr. Brenda A. Allen officially became Lincoln University’s president on July 1, 2017. She is not the first woman to serve as the president of the historically black college near Oxford—that was Dr. Niara Sudarkasa in 1986—but she is the first Lincoln University alumna president. Allen was a member of Lincoln’s Class of 1981, and served as a provost at Winston-Salem State University for eight years before taking on the challenge of leading Lincoln University as it educates students to become regional and global leaders, innovators, and educators in the highly technological and social culture.
“I was pleased and honored to have been selected to serve as president of my Alma Mater,” Allen said. “The strong liberal arts education, and support and encouragement I received at Lincoln University prepared me to take on increasingly challenging positions at both majority and minority serving institutions of higher education prior to becoming President of this historic institution. In addition, the advice and counsel of many exceptional women leaders who themselves have had very successful careers has been instrumental in achieving the goals I have set for myself.”
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Courtesy photo Lincoln University president Dr. Brenda A. Allen.
Since becoming the Lincoln University president, Allen has begun a collaborative strategic planning process designed to identify areas of concerns and to define a strategic direction for the university to expand its reach and serve both traditional and non-traditional students.
Said Allen, “Having first-hand experience of the benefits of a liberal arts education, I am looking forward to strengthening the liberal arts based education provided to our students at Lincoln. With the guidance of a defined strategic direction, I am confident that a Lincoln University education will equip our graduates with writing, communication and critical thinking skills that will prepare them to compete and succeed in their chosen careers as well as assume positions of leadership in their communities, the nation and the world.”
Russell observed that women taking over these leadership roles is a sign that the very culture is changing in significant ways.
“Women have always had the gifts and talents
necessary for leadership, but our culture was such that these efforts were focused primarily on the needs of family and home,” she said. “We have reached a point in our growth as people that roles have broadened. We rely on shared responsibilities which bring together the brains of both men and women to improve our communities and our world, just as we do with our families. This allows the gifts and talents of all to be used in the home and in the community. It has simply taken some time for women to be accepted in different roles but it may be that women were created for a time like this.”
There are a lot of reasons to believe that this is only the early stages of women taking over leadership roles in government, education, and in the corporate world.
“We are strong and capable, and now the world is at a point that we are also trusted to be leaders,” Bell said.
Meet Our Member:
The Maroon Hornet
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
Comic books aren’t just for kids. The fun and games stretch across generations, bringing shoppers of all ages and interests into Oxford’s comics, collectibles, and gaming showplace, The Maroon Hornet.
The creation of Lori and Randy Grace, the store opened in October of 2016.
“I always wanted to have my own shop. We were trying to think of something different,”
Lori Grace said. “We really wanted something family oriented. We live locally and there’s not many things for families to do together.”
Randy’s children live in Reading, and he would frequently take his son to the comic book store there. “After researching the idea of a comic book shop, we felt it would be a fun addition to Oxford. Schools are close by, the library is close by, and people are looking for different entertainment,” he said.
As for the name of the business, it combines a well-known comic hero with local flavor.
“We were kicking around names. You go through this myriad of things to find what’s really cool,” Randy Grace said. “For some reason, the Green Hornet popped into my head. I knew the high school is the Oxford Hornets, the high school colors are maroon and white, so why don’t we call it the Maroon Hornet? We have yellow in there to honor the Golden Bears as well, so we really tried to embrace the town.”
The logo for the Maroon Hornet is reminiscent of classic comic art, but once you are inside, time is relative. Vintage comics take you back to your past, while science fiction titles explore the future.
“We listened and learned from our customers – what they like and what they’re looking for,” Lori said.
Wednesdays are usually busy days at the
Maroon Hornet, because that’s when the newest releases of comic books arrive. The comic lover can find the latest titles, look over an ever-changing selection of older books, and even arrange to be notified when the next issue in a favorite series is released and available.
“If a customer is interested in a certain series, they set up a subscription. It automatically gets added to our order. When it comes in, we pull it, and let them know. That works really well,” Lori said. “The customer doesn’t need to worry whether they missed an issue or not.”
The shop offers something for all ages and interests, beginning with board books to read to the very young. Comics range from Disney characters for the young, to older interests such as “Star Wars.”
“A lot of parents like to bring their kids in because it’s a good start to get them reading,” Lori said.
“Our first customer was a young man who came in with his grandmother. To me that’s one of the best parts about it, seeing the kids come in with their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and doing something different than video games,” Randy said.
Mature audience titles like “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead” are also available, but are not sold to minors without making parents aware of the type of content. “It’s ultimately up to the parent, but we want to make sure they are informed.” Randy said.
The Graces’ knowledge of the material they sell is a great help to
people looking for something new who do not have a specific item in mind. “If you have a question, I can steer you in a direction. I try to be as educated on everything here as possible,” Randy said.
Customer service is key to the business. The Graces will go out of their way to help shoppers find what they are looking for, plus they can draw from their own experience to suggest titles.
“We carry a bit of everything for everyone,” Randy said. “Comic books and games can be cool. They really are fun. You can escape reality by diving into one of these books. You don’t have to always sit on your phone and Instagram. It’s always nice to be able to go back as an adult and relive your childhood a little bit, but for me, being able to experience it with my son at the same time has made it doubly fun.”
The supply of vintage comics in the store is always changing, as customers come in the store with collections to sell.
“When people come in with their collections, if it’s something I believe we can sell, I absolutely would be happy to purchase it from them. If someone comes in with something that is very valuable and doesn’t know what to do with it, we have contacts that can get them top value,” Randy said.
While comic books are the mainstay of the store, the Maroon Hornet is also a prime spot for collectibles, works by local artists, action figures and games. Role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, popular card games, board games, and miniatures are all available, and if your favorite is not in stock, just ask and in most cases, it can be ordered for you.
For gamers, the shop offers game play space in its storefront, and in other sites around town.
“We have Magic the Gathering here every other week. We partnered with Flickerwood to play the Warhammer game on Sundays. Even if we don’t have the room here, I’ve got other places in town that are ready. The whole thing for me is encouraging people to come into town,” Randy said.
The Graces make an effort to be a part of the community. They will be very active at the superhero-themed First Friday in May. The next day, May 5, the shop will be participating in National Free Comic Book Day.
The Maroon Hornet is at 45 S. Third St., Oxford. Store hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Call 610-745-7640 or look for the Maroon Hornet on Facebook under The Maroon Hornet Comics & Collectibles.
Numerous Notable Anniversaries in 2018
The Lighthouse Youth Center, Oxford Arts Alliance, Cecil College and East and West Nottingham Township all marking milestone anniversaries this year
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
The similarities between the Oxford Arts Alliance and the Lighthouse Youth Center forms a long list of connections, people, activities, opportunities and collaborations in the Oxford community, so it comes as no surprise that the two well-respected institutions also share something else: Anniversaries.
The Lighthouse Youth Center celebrates 30 years
On the occasion of the Lighthouse Youth Center’s 30th birthday on Jan. 31, State Rep. John Lawrence stopped by to read a proclamation that was approved by the State House honoring the Lighthouse and declaring Lighthouse Youth Center Day in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It was an honor that recognized what generations of children and families in the community have already known, and what began 30 years ago is still working today.
Led by Buzz Tyson, now in his 23rd year as an executive director, the Center hums with activity as children play basketball, enjoy a snack, or work on homework or take part in one of the many other activities that are available. The Center now regularly serves 333 children with afterschool and summer programming that includes everything from homework assistance and educational programming to recreational activities and college preparation assistance.
Each day, the Lighthouse also provides a free afternoon snack and a free nutritious meal to youngsters in Oxford. The meals and programming are essential to the well-being of the low-income, at-risk youth that the Lighthouse serves. The Lighthouse is a parachurch organization that strives to have a positive Christian impact on each person’s life.
Tyson is supported by a staff that includes Amy Perkins, the program and volunteer coordinator; Brent Hazelwood, Jeanie Hall, and Angel Torres, who are part-time program assistants; and Tonya Stoltzfus, who is a part-time administrative assistant.
The Lighthouse staff is continually evaluating and updating its programs and offerings to meet the needs of young people in the area. The Lighthouse focuses a lot more on educational initiatives. They have a learning hour throughout the week designed to help students complete their
homework. They have an incentive program that encourages youngsters to do well in school. Another important educational initiative is providing tablets for students to use instead of laptops because the schools in Oxford are utilizing tablets, and it helps the children to do their schoolwork.
Cristal Zaragoza has been coming to the Lighthouse for about the last three years. She credited Amy Perkins with helping her to return to school and to find a job after the birth of a child. Perkins also helped Zaragoza find a program for young moms. Now, Zaragoza is giving back by helping others—she works with younger students who need help with homework, and she also assists Perkins with various activities.
“It means a lot when I go around the community and see our alumni, and see that they are working locally and making a difference,” Tyson said. “Our time and energy has produced a lot of good fruit in the community.”
Having relocated to its current home on Commerce Street three years ago, the Lighthouse is poised to provide guidance to future generations of Oxfordians. It is looking to expand, from three to twelve, the number of scholarships that it can offer to students as they graduate from high school and look to find a job or follow a career path.
Tyson said that the Lighthouse has always been blessed by supporters who have been willing to support their efforts.
“The community has always been a blessing to us,” Tyson said.
Photo by Steven Hoffman
State Rep. John Lawrence (right) presented Lighthouse Youth Center executive director Buzz Tyson and board member Chris Neville with a proclamation honoring the Lighthouse on its 30th anniversary.
Tyson said that the time feels like it has gone by very quickly. It has been nearly three years since the Lighthouse moved into its new home on Commerce Street. Tyson said that one of the most rewarding parts of the job for him is seeing the youngsters grow up to be productive adults and knowing that the Lighthouse played a part in helping them along the way.
The Oxford Arts Alliance celebrates 10 years
Judy Petersen, the executive director of the Oxford Arts Alliance, recalled a recent moment that seems to crystallize what the Alliance – which celebrated its 10th anniversary on Feb. 9 – has come to mean for the residents of Oxford.
“There was a group of boys who came in – 10 to 12 years old – looked around, talked with one of our volunteers who showed them around,” she said. “They left, and about half an hour later, one of the boys came back and said, ‘Do you mind if I come in and look around? My friends aren’t that interested in art, but I am,’” Petersen said. “He has come back for every First Friday to look at what we have.”
The regular visitor is just a small component of what Petersen senses is a surging momentum of energy in downtown Oxford, whose revitalization is due in part to the success of the Alliance. In collaboration with Oxford Mainstreet,
Inc., schools and organizations, and small armies of volunteers and artists, the Alliance has become the cultural hub of the downtown district.
“I think the Oxford Arts Alliance is a part of the community that’s been growing in it,” Petersen said.
“I believe from a financial standpoint, we run a very tight budget as a nonprofit, but the building of the support in the community has made it so that it the Alliance will always be here.”
Much like the water, arts and culture will continue to flow to the contours and bends that influence it, and for the Oxford Arts Alliance, it now flows across Third Street to its Annex where, during any given week, its second and third floors are filled with nearly 150 students who attend classes and lessons in music and art. Under the direction of Caitlin Daugherty, the Alliance’s new director of art education, the
Courtesy photo
Earlier this year, State Sen. Andy Dinniman cut the ribbon to celebrate the Oxford Arts Alliance’s 10-year anniversary.
Anniversaries
Continued from Page 27
Annex has become an incubator hub for emerging talent.
“Caitlin is building the classes and collaborations,” Petersen said. “All of our camps will be held at the Annex, we’re collaborating with the library to do music camps this summer, and we’ve also hired a special education art teacher to teach children and adults in the spring.
While the Annex continues to hum with activity, the Alliance’s monthly First Friday events remain a showcase for both talent and community connection, but for Petersen, they’re part of a foundation that has been built in order to create a larger one. The preliminary sketches of what may form the future of the arts in Oxford are there: an old theater in town, partially renovated, could someday serve as the home of a performing arts center for dance and theater. There are plans to eventually create a culinary institute in Oxford, as well as a smaller gallery to house the work of emerging artists, and classrooms for individuals and artists to work in.
“We need to expand,” Petersen said. “We need to totally create a space in town that is dedicated to being a campus for art and music and the fine arts. When we look at this big picture, we ask, ‘Is it possible?’ We think it’s possible, but it’s a matter of time, it’s a matter of getting the right people
doing the right things and getting them in the right places, and of course, the financial commitment.”
With the arts as a draw for businesses and visitors, Petersen said the Arts Alliance needs to continue to open its doors of creative opportunity to families and young people. In June, art by school students will be shown in the main gallery, and in July, children from the Lighthouse Youth Center will exhibit the results of art projects that are being done in conjunction with the Arts Alliance.
“To me, it’s more about children than anything,” Petersen said, “because if you bring in children, you bring in the parents.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
Cecil College:
50 years of excellence in higher education
Cecil College was recognized for 50 years of delivering excellence in higher education with citations from the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce and the Maryland General Assembly on Monday, Feb. 26, during a ceremony in the Boardroom on the North East Campus.
Cecil College President, Mary Way Bolt, Ed.D., was
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Anniversaries
Continued from Page 28
presented with a citation by Bill Sorenson, Director of Business Retention, Expansion & Rural Strategic Development, in recognition for its commitment to education, workforce training, and enrichment of Cecil County.
“Fifty years is more impactful now than ever in our fastpaced world. Thanks to institutions like Cecil College, it has enabled our workforce training to grow with the everchanging needs,” said Sorenson.
The citation from the Maryland General Assembly was presented by Delegate Kevin B. Hornberger, of the Maryland House of Delegates, honoring Cecil College for 50 years of service to the community and delivering excellence in higher education.
“As a graduate of Cecil College, it is an honor to represent this area and Cecil College. The College is an immense asset to the region,” said Hornberger.
“On behalf of Cecil College, thank you for recognizing the work the entire team does on a daily basis to support our students. Whether it is at our Elkton facility, the North East Campus or at Bainbridge, we touch lives in many ways,” said Dr. Bolt.
Also, present for these presentations were Cecil County Executive Dr. Alan McCarthy, Cecil County Council
President Joyce Bowlsbey, Cecil County Council VicePresident Dan Schneckenburger, and Sharon Markley, Director of Education and Innovation for the Office of Strategic Industries and Entrepreneurship.
“Fifty years, for any institution, is significant and should be honored. Cecil College has made a tremendous amount of contributions to the community. One of the things that never gets stressed enough are these 2+2 programs with multiple universities around the state and the University of Delaware. You were leaders in this from the get-go,” said Schneckenburger.
Townships celebrating 300th anniversary
East and West Nottingham: Tracing its history back to 1718
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
In 2005, members of the East Nottingham Township Historical Commission prepared a written documentation about the history of the township. On May 10 of that year, they presented their findings to the township’s board of supervisors.
Under the direction of Ralph Denlinger, who has
served as the Chairman of the East Nottingham Township’s Historic Commission since 2002, the work began by uncovering the contents of the records of the Quarter Session of Chester County. It led research to a list of constables, who were appointed in the years leading up to the formation of East Nottingham Township, from 1714-1723.
The following is a slightly modified excerpt from the history of the townships:
While it is true that East and West Nottingham Townships trace their origins back to the “Nottingham Lotts” of late 1701, these “Lotts” were never recognized as such as a legal entity.
The earliest extant tax record for Chester County is that of 1715, and New Garden was identified as the nearest township. It is unclear where, or if, the Nottingham residents paid their taxes that year. The next extant tax list does not occur until 1718. It was not until February 28, 1715/16
(1715 old calendar,1716 new calendar) that the area from the Nottingham Lots north to New Garden Township was recognized as Nottingham Township.
On this date, at the Quarter Session of Chester County (held February, May, August and November each year), Mercer Brown was designated the first constable of “Notingham,”
Continued on Page 32
Courtesy photos
The East Nottingham Township Historical Commission located these quarter session records that helped them locate the origins of the history of East and West Nottingham townships.
Anniversaries
Continued from Page 31
which appears for the first time. Brown served continued as constable until August 27, 1717, when he was replaced by John Bayls (Beals, Bales), who continued until the Quarter Session meeting of May 27, 1718.
Quarter Session records of May 27, 1718 clearly indicate that John Bayls was expected to continue as constable of “Notingham” Township, but the records indicate that his name was crossed out, and the name Samuel Littler was written above it, followed by the word “East.” Written below is the name Hugh Sidwell, followed by the word “West.”
It appears that at this meeting, some sort of request was brought forth calling for separate constables and recognition for the Townships of East and West Nottingham to assume separate identities, although nothing in the records indicates a reason for the separate designation.
In the same year, the two townships were separated in the tax lists and have continued as such to this date. Historical records indicate a possible division in the Nottingham Quaker Meeting during 1718 with recognition of West Nottingham Meeting in early 1719 (History of Chester County by Cope and Futhey).
Throughout at least the next five years, the constables were drawn from the Calvert (East Nottingham) and Rising Sun (West Nottingham) regions.
Chester County currently identifies the date of origin for East and West Nottingham Townships as 1718, based solely on their first appearance in the tax lists (County archivist). It appears that something occurred at the May 27, 1718 meeting of the Quarter Session of Chester County, calling for Nottingham Township to be divided in East and West.
Note: It was based on this evidence that the members of the East Nottingham Township Historical Commission proposed to the Supervisors of East Nottingham Township that they officially adopt the date of May 27, 1718 as East Nottingham Township’s date of establishment, and on May 10, 2005, the East Nottingham Township Board of Supervisors adopted May 27, 1718 as the date of establishment for the township.
The Chester County Press wishes to thank Ralph Denlinger for his permission to reprint portions of this document, as is published on the East Nottingham Township’s website.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
The Oxford Area Historial Association:
The Masonic Building
The photograph on the front cover of this issue of the Oxfordian features a corbel bracket and decorative trim on the
front of what is known as the Masonic Building.
This three-story brick building at 11 N. Third St. was built circa 1895 and has several characteristics of the Italianate style which was popular in the 1800s. Some of these characteristics are a flat roof, highly decorated cornice, tall and narrow paired windows, ornamental brackets, and the fact that it’s a commercial building with some cast iron on its façade.
A corbel is a bracket, or block, projecting from the face of a wall that generally supports a cornice, beam or arch. Corbel brackets can also be primarily decorative instead of actually providing support. The photo also shows pressed metal on the bracket and decorative trim. Technological developments in the mid-1800s made mass production of cast iron and pressed metal brackets and moldings possible and allowed for the use of them in commercial buildings. The metal trim on the Masonic Building was painted gold in 2007 when the building got a facelift.
The property on which this building stands was originally owned by Samuel Hood. It was purchased by the Rutherford family, and then by Rev. Samuel Dickey IV, in 1848. The property remained in the hands of the Dickey family for years. The first commercial building to occupy this lot was a farmers’ market house built by Rev. Dickey
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OAHA
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in 1869. Jennie Rutherford Dickey, the second wife of Samuel Dickey IV, tore down the old farmers’ market in 1895. She replaced it with the current Masonic Building. It contained stores, professional offices and the Oxford Masonic Lodge meeting room.
A newspaper article written in May of 1896 and quoted by local historian Frank Peters states, “Mrs. Dickey’s fine new store block on North Third Street will be known as the Masonic Building. Oxford Lodge F. and A.M. will occupy their handsome headquarters on the third floor next month.” Previously, Oxford Lodge No. 353 had met in the Oxford Hall. They held their meetings in the Masonic Building from 1896 until their new building was constructed in 1965.
For years, the Masons shared the building with the Post Office. The Oxford Post Office was established in 1805. In the late 1800s, it occupied the structure adjacent to the Masonic Building, but in the 1890s it moved to the Masonic Building, where it was located for more than 60 years until it moved to its present location on Locust Street.
The Bell Telephone Company switchboard occupied the second floor of the Masonic Building from 1897 until 1961, when an office was built to house the new dial system. Interestingly, the Bell Telephone Company also occupied the same building adjacent to the Masonic Building where the Post Office was before moving to the Masonic Building after a robbery which occurred just prior to the move in 1897.
The Oxford Public Library also rented space on the first floor of the Masonic Building. The library, which was first formed in 1784, disbanded in 1810 after a fire, was reorganized in 1868 and became a free library in 1939, rented space in a number of buildings in town. It actually occupied the Masonic Building twice. The library moved into its first self-owned building at 4th and Lincoln in 1955, and then moved to the present library on Second Street, which was built in 1970.
Over the years, the Masonic Building has housed many businesses. Frank Peters recorded an article in the Oxford Press in April of 1925 which described the Oxford Café owned by Mr. F.H. Woodworth. At the time,
Mr. Woodworth was remodeling the kitchen and upgrading its equipment. He had a “nicely appointed fountain” which was “generously patronized” for its “refreshing and satisfying drinks.” Marrows Ice Cream sold by the café was popular. This ice cream was “finely flavored, always pure and even, an ice cream that suits particular people.”
Snippets in time give us an indication of the variety of businesses which have occupied the Masonic Building. In 1916, the building housed the Post Office, Mrs. W.H. Ferguson’s Millinery, and Oxford Lunch. In the early 1930s, Horace and Clarence Samples operated the Greyhound Bus Station out of the Masonic Building. Ringler’s Appliance store was located there from 1951 to 1957. In 1955, records show the building was occupied by Clothes Line, Sears Roebuck and law offices. In 1992, Clothes Line, Sears, Purcell’s Beauty Shop and the offices of the Oxford Athletic Association could be found at 11 N. Third St. A fire broke out in the building on Sept. 5, 1995. At that time, the businesses here were O&K Enterprises, a beauty shop, a karate studio and the Taco Shells Mexican
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OAHA
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Restaurant. In 2001, Med Choice, Oxford Rental and Wiley Insurance Agency were on the first floor. In 2007, when the building got a facelift, Liberty Tax Services and Texture Salon occupied the building.
The 1995 fire severely damaged the Masonic Building. The cause of the fire was believed to be electrical, and it started in one of the residential apartments in the building. The top two floors suffered severe damage, but the first floor was not safe to occupy, and the business located there had to close. Close to 150 firefighters from the Union Fire Company and five other nearby companies responded and were able to contain the fire to one building. Third Street was closed for about three hours. Damages to the building were estimated at $175,000.
At the time of the fire, the Masonic Building was owned by Sunkwei and Chimiao Huang, who had purchased the property from Donald and Linda Chew in 1987. The Chews had bought the building from Joe and Gladys Chamberlain in 1984. The Chamberlains had originally acquired the building in 1966. After the fire, Joe Chamberlain bought the property for the second time. He refurbished the structure.
A 2001 article in the Oxford Tribune states, “The 1897 structure was purchased by local general contractor, Joseph G. Chamberlain, who has
transformed the 22,000-square-foot building into one of the most beautiful apartment/business buildings in Oxford.”
The Masonic Building got another facelift in 2007. The building was repainted green and the trim was done in gold.
This article was submitted by the Oxford Area Historical Association
Sources used include:
• Files from the Oxford Area Historical Association Archives (including newspaper articles)
• Frank Peter’s papers in the Oxford Public Library
• Oxford Historic Commission files
• The Dickey Family and the Growth of Oxford and Hopewell by John Bradley
• Around the Oak
• Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture edited by Cyril M. Harris
• What Style is it? Published by the Historic American Buildings Survey National Trust for Historic Preservation
Meet Our Member:
Millstone Jewelers
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
From traditional to modern, the jewelry you’re looking for is at Millstone Jewelers (3 S. Third St., Oxford).
The team of owner Alesia Mills, and her daughter and store manager Kaitlyn Chase, combine their individual talents to make Millstone Jewelers a thriving business in downtown Oxford.
Mills is a familiar face to local jewelry shoppers, having worked in the same storefront for 27 years when it was Ediene’s Jewelry. When Ediene Ringler retired nearly five years ago, Mills took over the location and began her own business with its own distinctive identity.
At Millstone Jewelers, you will find everything you would expect from a jewelry store, as well as individual designs that display the hand craftsmanship of a jewelry artist’s studio.
Mills, who trained at Tyler School of Art, produces her own line of Millstone Jewelry. The distinctive favorite is the millstone shape as a pendant, earrings, and more, sometimes with a touch of color or a central stone.
“I do a little bit of everything in gold and silver. I do the millstone line and the sea glass, that’s very popular,” she said. “Right now, I do a lot more custom work, but I do make my own. I make time for it.”
That personal design skill is in demand. “We have customers that come in and say, ‘I want something that Alesia made.’ They want something handmade that’s different,” Chase said.
“I usually try to do quite a few one-of-a-kinds for Christmas and throughout the year,” Mills said. Custom pieces, changing stones to new settings, and revitalizing tired designs are all well within her talents.
A popular feature is the annual heart design Mills produces for the Valentine’s Day holiday.
“Every year, we do a different heart. For 2018 it was two tone rose gold and sterling silver,” Mills said. The limited edition will be available only until sold out, with a new
design next year. “Rose gold is coming back. that was really popular over Christmas. I think that’s going to be big for us this year,” she added.
In addition to the Millstone line, the shop carries items from Eldreth Designs. There are offerings in every price range, from “Gingersnaps” costume jewelry with interchangeable snap in pieces, to fine jewelry with semi-precious and precious stones and a full line of engagement rings.
Mills makes an effort to offer better quality items than you would typically find in a discount or department store. Yet she does not mark up items artificially high just so that they can be reduced for sales promotions. Instead, she gives good value at a reasonable price every day of the year.
Working with people and helping them find the perfect piece of jewelry for a special occasion or gift is Chase’s specialty. This especially applies when it is a husband purchasing a surprise for his wife.
“I always start our with three questions – ‘What’s your price point? Are you looking for gold or silver? Is there a favorite color, or what does your wife wear most?’” she said. “From that, I can get a general idea.”
One of the busiest facets of the business is repairs.
“Jewelry repairs bring the most people in. Mom does jewelry repairs here on premises so your things are always here, and always safe,” Chase said. “That’s really a big point for us.”
Millstone is a full-service jewelry store. Mills has the GIA training and certifications to do appraisals. The shop also can help with replacing watch batteries, watch bands and watch band adjustments on site, and watches are sent out to a specialist for cleaning and repairs.
“We are your hometown jewelry store,” Mills said. “If we don’t have it in the store, we can get it or make it. We can pretty much make anything.”
While the familiar storefront is the best way to experience the wide selection of jewelry offered by Millstone Jewelers, Millstone is also building an online presence. Chase, who maintains the website at www.millstonejewelers.com, is hoping to
offer more online shopping for the Millstone line as time goes on. “I’m trying to do a lot more online advertising,” she said. Shop at Millstone Jewelers Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
OXFORD CHAMBER MEMBER DIRECTORY Spring/Summer 2018
Accounting / Financial
ABCPA Accounting Services
610-322-2424
www.ABCPAservices.com
Diamond State Financial Group
– David Tate484-885-0682
www.dsfg.com
Edward Jones Investments
610-998-9046
www.EdwardJones.com
See ad pg. 67
Fenstermacher and Company, LLP
610-444-1215
www.fandco.com
See ad pg. 68
Innovative Financial Results, LLC
484-680-0745
www.InnovativeFinancialResults. com
Nawn & Co, CPA’s Ltd.
610-268-5501
www.longcpas.com
See ad pg. 74
PRIMERICA – Charlie Delp
610-388-2573
Marilyn Har tman Sullivan, Bookkeeper 206-941-2606
TBRE Consulting Company 484-365-5570
www.tbreconsulting.com
TM Business Solutions
717-203-4425
Wells Fargo Advisors/ Christine S. Gordon
610-310-2846
www.wfadvisors.com/ Christine.S.Gordon
Woolard, Krajnik, Masciangelo, LLP
610-932-4225
www.wkco.com
Advertising / Newspaper/ Printing
Ad Pro, Inc./Chester County Press
610-869-5553
www. chestercounty.com
Daisy Mae Printing and Design 484-362-7116
www.DaisyMaePrinting.com
Signs for Success
484-584-5607
www. SignsforSuccesspa.com
See ad pg. 83
Agriculture
Atlantic Tractor
610-932-8858
www. atjd.net
See ad pg. 12
Hostetter Grain, Inc.
610-932-4484
www. HostetterGrain.com
See ad pg. 59
Oxshire Farm
610-932-2982
Architecture / Engineering/ Land Planning
Concord Land Planners
610-932-5119
Government Specialists, Inc.
610-932-5563
Ragan Engineering Associates, Inc.
610-255-3400
Appliance Repair
Pro-Tec Service Inc.
610-932-7878
www.pro-tecservice.com
See ad pg. 83
Artist/ Art Gallery / Art Instruction
Artwork by Melinda 610-299-6634
www.ArtworkbyMelinda.com
See ad pg. 10
Oxford Arts Alliance, Inc.
610-467-0301
www. OxfordArt.org
See ad pg. 52
Automotive
Collision Zone, Inc.
610-932-8330
www.CollisionZoneinc.com
See ad pg. 16
Country Chrysler Dodge - Jeep 610-932-0500
www.countrydodge.com
See ad pg. 45
Dumas Sapp & Son
610-932-8564
www.SappQualityCars.com
See ad pg. 17
Harry Tillman Automotive 610-467-1330
www.htauto.net
Jeff D’Ambrosio Chevrolet 610-932-9090
www.jeffschevy.com
See ad pg. 44
Jennings Auto Repair, Inc. 610-932-3288
www.jennings-auto.com
McComsey Automotive LLC 484-368-6503
Oxford Goodyear
610-932-0988
www.OxfordGoodyear.com
See ad pg. 56
Oxford Sunoco
610-932-5686
www.OxfordSunoco.com
Banking
BB&T Bank 610-998-1540 www.bbt.com
Citadel 610-466-6608
www.CitadelBanking.com
See ad pg. 30
Coatesville Savings Bank 610-932-7756
www.CoatesvilleSavings.com
Fulton Bank, N.A. 610-932-2100
www.FultonBank.com
See ad pg. 22
Meridan Bank 484-568-5000
www.MeridanBank.com
Sun East Federal Credit Union
610-485-2960 www.SunEast.org
WSFS Bank
610-998-0414
www.wsfsbank.com
Chiropractic
Chiropractic Services
610-932-9061
www.ChiropracticCenterOxfordpa.com
See ad pg. 18
Fitchett Chiropractic 610-869-3222
www.FitchettChiropractic.com
Churches
Avondale Presbyterian Church 610-268-2919
www.AvondalePC..org
Community of Love Lutheran Church
610-998-0282
www.CoLLutheranChurch.org
Oxford Church of the Nazarene 610-932-2584
www.OxfordNazarene.com
Oxford Presbyterian Church 610-932-9640
www.OxfordPresbyterian.org
Oxford United Methodist Church 610-932-9698
www.oxford1851.org
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church
610-932-8134
www.StChrisOxford.org
Cleaning Services/ Restoration
A Helping Hand
484-756-1674
www.cleaning4me.com
Bobs Window and Cleaning Service
610-932-4418
Fiber Brite Carpet and Upholster y Cleaning 610-932-8886
www.FiberBriteLLC.com
See ad pg. 23
ServPro of Kennett Square/ Oxford 610-268-8620
www.ServProKennettSquareOxford.com
See ad pg. 85
Rainbow International of Chester County 610-910-4077
www.ChesterCountyRestoration. com
See ad pg. 66
Oxford Cleaners
610-932-9666
www.OxfordCleanersUSA.com
Computers / Consulting
digiTEK Computer Services
610-467-1200
www.digitekcomputerservices. com
Grater Solutions, LLC
484-423-4245
www.gratersolutions.com
Lemmtec
931-224-8502
www.lemmtec.com
Construction / Contractors
Cedar Knoll Builders
610-932-5719
www.CedarKnollBuilders.com
See ad pg. 5
DiPilla Brothers, Inc.
610-932-2630
www.dipillabros.com
See ad pg. 3
Dr. Concrete Surgery & Design 610-345-0855
www.drconcreteusa.com
See ad pg. 49
E Squires Paving
610-932-8810
www.SquiresPaving.com
See ad pg. 54
JFR Contracting
610-255-1471
www.jfrcontracting.com
See ad pg. 37
Nowland Associates
302-731-1333
www.NowlandAssociates.com
Dental / Orthodontics
Hendrix Orthodontics
610-869-5850
www.SuperiorSmiles.com
McCormick Orthodontics
610-932-2917
www.MccormickOrthodontics. com
Oxford Dental Associates
610-932-3388
www.OxfordSmiles.com
Oxford Family Dentistry
610-932-9580
www.OxfordSmileMakers.com
See ad pg. 87
Education
Barnsley Academy 610-932-5900
www.barnsleyacademy.com
Bethany Christian School 610-998-0877
www.bethanychristian.org
See ad pg. 39
Cecil College 410- 287-1000
www.cecil.edu
See ad pg. 32
Lincoln University 484-365-7391
www.lincoln.edu
Oxford Area School District 610-932-6600
www.oxford.k12.pa.us
Oxford Educational Foundation 610-932-7200 www.oxfordeducationalfoundation.org
Sacred Heart School 610-932-3633 www.shsoxford.us
See ad pg. 63
Electric
Baer Electric LLC 610-932-6302
www.baer-electric.com See ad pg. 35
BobKat Electric LLC 484-473-0045
Dolinger Electric Inc. 610-932-8200
www.DolingerElectric.com
Emergency Services
Southern Chester County EMS, Inc. 610-910-3180
www.sccems.org
Union Fire Company #1 610-932-2411 www.UnionFire.com
Florist
Buchanan’s Buds & Blossoms, Inc. 610-932-8339
www.buchanansbudsblossoms. com
Funeral Home
Edward Collins Funeral Home, Inc. 610-932-9584
www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com
See ad pg. 28
Furniture/Reclaimed Architectural
The Barnyard Boys 717-548-5000 www.barnyardboys.com See ad pg. 61
Providing independence for people with disabilities is at the heart of what Amazing Tails does. Since 1999, the Oxford-based non-profit has trained dogs to help people maintain a safe and independent existence by helping with everyday tasks. Dogs are trained to help a person in maintaining or regaining their balance, assist someone in a wheelchair, alert to possible health risks such as seizures, hearing a ringing phone or a fire alarm, or simply providing companionship.
Training provided at Amazing Tails results in a service dog for every client. The location allows the staff to train the dogs in a variety of situations, including visits to Amish farms, and exposure to urban environments in big cities such as Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to someone with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA, regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.
Guide dogs are one type of service animal, used by some individuals who are blind. This is the type of service animal with which most people are familiar. However, there are service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities.
The dogs at Amazing Tails – many of which are rescues – are trained as:
Support dogs – To work with people who need assistance with balance, stability, walking and momentum; Wheelchair dog – To accompany and assist people using wheelchairs or scooters;
Alerting dogs – Including seizure alert and diabetic alert dogs, to provide early warning prior to an episode. The dogs are trained to respond based on the individual’s needs.
Hearing Dogs – To work with the hearing impaired by alerting their owners to sounds, such as alarm clocks, ringing phones, fire alarms, and any other sounds that the individual requires.
Additionally, the presence of a dog can be calming and provide emotional support.
Amazing Tails has provided crucial help to individuals living with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, head trauma or spinal cord injury, diabetes and more. Applicants are considered individually, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion or gender.
Those applying for a service dog are encouraged to participate in training to ensure that the dog’s training
will meet their needs. Clients must be able to travel to Oxford to participate in a 10- to 14-day partnership training.
Amazing Tails relies on donations, and works with a small number of staff members, including:
Joan Bussard (owner, service dog trainer and board member), who has been a dog trainer for most of her life, and established Amazing Tails, LLC. in 1999; Leslie Wheeler (business manager, service dog trainer and board member), who started out as a volunteer and now performs many tasks;
Buf R (operations and board member), who is responsible for day-to-day operations at the training facility;
Dustin Feldman (director of development and board member), who is a professional technical engineer who manages the volunteer services group, and is responsible for internet presence, software development, and other technical responsibilities;
Brian Blair (volunteer), who handles digital media for Amazing Tails.
For more information, call 717-288-7190, email info@amazingtails.org, or visit www.amazingtails.org.
Shop Dine Create Enjoy!
Welcome to Historic Downtown Oxford, PA –considered the hub in the WAGON WHEEL that is Philadelphia, West Chester, Lancaster, Baltimore, & Wilmington – a quick 30 minutes from Longwood Gardens and many other destinations within the Brandywine Valley.
Oxford is in a resurgence with many locally owned restaurants, pubs, breweries, wineries, & shops. Come Downtown and EXPERIENCE OXFORD!
ANNUAL EVENTS
FIRST FRIDAY: Street fair that happens every First Friday May thru December 6-9pm!
THE CONNECTIVE FESTIVAL: First Saturday of August. Full day Art and Music Festival!
CAR SHOW: First Friday of September, over 300 cars, bikes & trucks, RC cars, live music, food trucks, and much more!
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS: First Friday of December. Small town holiday festival with carriage & hay rides, Santa, and thousands of lights!
TUESDAY AFTERNOON MARKET May - Oct, 12pm - 5pm
SATURDAY MORNING MARKET June - Oct, 9am - 1pm
Five generations of the Ringler family have worked in Oxford
Women have played key roles in running the family businesses at several different points through the years
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
The Ringler family’s roots in Oxford run deep. For several generations, people who lived or shopped in downtown Oxford likely knew Vernon and his wife, Ediene, and Bill and his wife, Elsie because the Ringler family was involved in a few of Oxford’s most popular and enduring businesses, including Ringler’s Appliance Store, the Oxford News Shop, and Ediene’s Jewelry. But the Ringler family’s connections to Oxford—and specifically the business district—stretch back much further than people might know— and long before brothers Bill and Vernon were businessmen in town. Vernon, who is still a property owner in the business district, sat down with The Oxfordian to talk about the five generations of the family who have worked in Oxford.
Courtesy photo
S. Vernon Ringler pictured in 1915 at the train station in Oxford.
The first Ringler to call Oxford home was Thomas Ringler, who is Vernon and Bill’s great-grandfather. Thomas was born in 1837, and lived in Collegeville, Pa. He volunteered to serve in a Pennsylvania regiment during the Civil War, and the regiment fought battles that took place in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Virginia. Thomas was wounded in a battle toward the end of the war, and received treatment in the Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia. At some point after the war ended in
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Vernon Ringler, Elizabeth MacNamee Ringler, and Bill Ringler
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1865, Thomas Ringler was released from the hospital and he set out to start his post-war life.
“For whatever reason, he ended up in Oxford. I can’t tell you exactly when he ended up here,” Vernon explained.
Thomas Ringler started a hauling and freight business in Oxford, utilizing horse-drawn wagons to move the goods. Motorized vehicles had not yet been invented. Thomas would pick up mail from a train and take it to nearby Post Offices in Oxford, Parkesburg, and Wakefield in Lancaster County. Thomas and his wife had one son, S. Vernon Ringler, before Thomas passed away in 1911.
S. Vernon Ringler continued the family’s hauling business, but how he really made an impact on the community was by serving as the area’s constable. At this time, the constable was the leading law enforcement authority for the rural area, so it was an important duty.
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“I’ve read that he was a fearless officer who was respected by the community,” Vernon explained.
S. Vernon Ringler worked hard to keep the community safe. In one instance, he journeyed all the way to Spotsylvania, Virginia to track down a suspected murderer who killed a man and fled town. Ringler was able to take the suspect into custody, and the man was eventually found guilty of the crime.
Unfortunately, the constable lived a comparatively short life, passing away in 1918 at the age of 48, just seven years after his own father died.
S. Vernon Ringler’s wife, Alice Ewing Ringler, just 39 years old, took over the family’s hauling business and continued it for years—despite the fact that women at this time were not typically involved with the running of businesses.
“This family has had some strong women who have entered the Ringler family,” Vernon said, explaining that Alice Ewing Ringler kept the hauling business going,
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and eventually remarried. Her second husband, Lester Jenkins, helped operate the hauling business, which eventually became known as Jenkins Express, until it was sold in the 1940s to H.B. Ewing, a well-known businessman in the area.
Horace V. Ringler, the son of S. Vernon Ringler and Alice Ewing Ringler, became the third generation of the family to work in Oxford—he built up his own hauling and delivery business, and at one time had four delivery trucks. He would go to the department stores in Philadelphia and pick up packages and deliver them to residents throughout the area, similar to what the UPS does today.
During the lean years of the Great Depression and after, Horace V. Ringler worked a second job at Spencer’s Hardware on Market Street in town. He and his wife, Elizabeth MacNamee Ringler, had two sons, Bill and Vernon. After World War II, Horace V. Ringler opened Ringler’s Appliance Store in 1949 in a 30-foot by 50-foot
Brynne
The Ringler Family
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space in a building on Third Street. It was essentially a one-man operation at the start, but the business grew— and then grew again.
“It was a typical small-town business—very friendly, very reliable service,” Vernon explained. In 1951, the business moved to the Masonic Building which is today the Liberty Tax Service office. Vernon, then in high school, did the graphic arts work for the flyer that they distributed to let people know that the business was moving to a new location in town. Elizabeth MacNamee Ringler continued her work as a hair dresser in a salon next to the first location of Ringler’s Appliance Store.
Bill graduated from high school in 1948, and then graduated from Guilford College in 1952. He decided to join the U.S. Navy and, following boot camp at Bainbridge, was transferred to Newport, Rhode Island for officer candidate school. Vernon was a senior in high school and about to graduate in June of 1953.
But then, in January of 1953, Horace Ringler passed away at the age of 47.
No one else in the family had really been involved with the business in a meaningful way, but a strong woman once again stepped forward to continue the family’s business during a difficult time. Elizabeth MacNamee Ringler, only 43 years of age, decided that the business would carry on. Bill, the eldest son, returned home as soon as he could to help her run the business. He received a hardship discharge from the Navy in 1953. With determination and hard work, the mother and son, who had no previous experience running a store, would see the business continue to grow.
After Vernon graduated from high school, he went on to study business and economics at Franklin & Marshall College.
In 1957, the business moved to a larger location—to the building that at one time had housed the movie theater and today is occupied by the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center’s thrift shop. Ringler’s Appliance Store became one of Oxford’s largest businesses and a destination for local residents at a time when the town was a
hub of activity. The final location of the appliance store would be the A & P building on Third Street that is presently the office of the Oxford Area Sewer Authority.
Back then, Oxford, like many small towns, was self-sufficient because people shopped locally for almost everything.
“This was before the (Route 1) bypass, before the modern shopping centers, and before Pennsylvania had a sales tax—it was a bustling town, a thriving business community,” Vernon explained.
After graduating from college and spending three years serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Vernon went to work in a bank in West Chester for awhile, but soon he returned to Oxford in 1962 to help with the family business. For the next 25 years, Bill and Vernon were partners on several different businesses in town.
On May 1, 1969, the brothers purchased the
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Ringler’s appliance store was one of Oxford’s largest businesses in the latter part of the 20th century.
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Oxford News Shop. Before long, they had grown the business to the point where they would sell 1,000 newspapers each Sunday. They even had wholesale routes in the area where they dropped off newspapers to convenience stores and other locations in the area. Through the years, the news shop added items like Russell Stover candies and Hallmark Cards to entice customers to visit. Another enormously popular item was the fresh-cooked peanuts that would fill the street with a pleasing aroma.
It was at the news shop that a fifth generation of the Ringler family got involved in business in downtown Oxford. Bill and Elsie’s children, Rich and Bill, helped out on Sundays at the shop, as did Vernon and Ediene’s children, Nadiene and V. Marshall Ringler, Jr.
After college, Bill (Bill and Elsie’s son) would return to the appliance store for two years. Nadiene helped out at the jewelry store after she completed college, too.
Bill and Vernon were able to keep their businesses successful in the highly competitive and ever-changing retail environment.
Of course, in this family, the women played an important part along the way as well. Bill’s wife, Elsie, and Vernon’s wife, Ediene, were always instrumental in keeping the family’s businesses successful.
In 1984, Vernon and Ediene purchased the building at the intersection of Third and Market streets that was once the Oxford Hall, a center of town activities.
In the 1980s, the news shop doubled in size as the Ringlers focused on selling jewelry and gift shop items. It had become, in Ringler’s words, “The store that outgrew its name.”
The jewelry component of the Oxford News Shop eventually led Vernon and Ediene to open Ediene’s Jewelry store.
In 1993, the Ringlers decided to divide the businesses, with Vernon and Ediene taking over the news shop, while Bill and Elsie focused on running the appliance store.
Ringler’s Appliance Store remained as one of Oxford’s quintessential businesses until it was closed in 2001 after years of defying the odds by competing against big box
stores. The news shop business and the building was eventually sold in 2006.
Vernon still owns one building in the downtown, the Oxford Hall building. He has overseen several renovation projects on buildings that are of historical importance to the town.
“I’ve owned three buildings where major renovation work was needed and I was concerned about what would happen to them,” he explained.
The Ringler family has been involved with Oxford’s business community not just for five generations, but for well over 100 years, leaving a lasting legacy in town.
Meet Our Member:
Toot Sweets
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
Candy shopping in Oxford has a new look and a new range of tastes.
Jars of colorful candies filling the shelves bring back memories of the old-time candy shop when you enter Toot Sweets. Just look around the bright shop and you will find candies that take you back to younger days, as well as new, innovative candies with visual and taste appeal.
“If I don’t have it, I’ll try to find it,” owner Debra Kline said. “There’s all the old candy, the nostalgic candy, and the kids in town are teaching me about the newer candies.”
For the mature sweet tooth, there are candies with a taste from the past that are hard to find today, such as wax bottles, Turkish taffy, candy buttons, Swedish fish and candy cigarettes.
For tastes familiar to younger candy lovers, the jars of goodies are a sparkling new experience that include some of their current favorites, such as gummy bears.
Displayed in large, clear jars, the candy pieces are sold by weight so you can have a small amount to take the edge of a craving for sweets, or a large mix to satisfy your sweet tooth through a weekend. There are even sugar-free candy options available.
“It’s just a happy place. Kids come in and their eyes get so wide. They’re being introduced to things we grew up with. There’s something about bringing the old with the new, putting it together, and building those memories,” said Kline’s sister, Nancy Sapp.
When she was thinking of opening the shop, Sapp and friend Deb Bakalez were among Kline’s biggest supporters.
“The old-fashioned kind of throwback was what people were desiring. We brainstormed for about a month, talked about it, and here she is,” Bakalez said.
The wall of candy jars is just the beginning at Toot Sweets. For those with less of a sweet tooth, there are nuts and nut mixes sold by the pound. For more sophisticated tastes, try the selection of McCrea’s Candies’ caramel candies in very unusual flavors that will please the palate. A non-sticky caramel manufactured in Boston, these are a unique, high-end item. Flavors include ginger fusion, rosemary sea salt, black lava salt, scotch whiskey and more. Prolong the taste experience by freezing the candy and letting it warm and dissolve in your mouth with bursts of flavor.
Kline has searched for top products at confectionery shows, and found items that clients will enjoy trying. “When I’m asked, ‘Do you make candy here?’ the answer’s ‘No, I buy it from people who have been doing it for years,’” she said. Some customers may be surprised that chocolate does not dominate the shop. “When we all started developing this idea of putting a candy store in, chocolate was not high on the priority of things we were going to do,” Sapp said.
Chocolate can be found in a row of tempting coated pretzels in a variety of flavors, plus there is a beautiful range of colors and varieties of bar-shaped truffles by Chocolate Moonshine Company.
“It’s a small, family-owned company. They do micro batches and hand paint them with cocoa butter. They make a very individual statement,” Kline said. “They’re an updated version of a truffle.”
Not only are there candies for every taste and price range at Toot Sweet, there are candies for every occasion. Pinatas, balloons, and special packaging are available. Table favors, gifts, gift baskets and more can be made to order.
Kline opened Toot Sweets in October of last year, drawing on her experience in retail work. She’s at the counter most days, along with store manager Ashli Wooters. Toot Sweet has already developed a following among clients of all ages and is definitely kid friendly.
Young customers can budget to buy candy by the piece or by weight. Everyone is welcome to interact with the people behind the counter. “They have a place to go where they can
talk and chat,” Kline said. “It’s not always about the purchase, it’s about the interaction.”
As seasons progress, candy assortments will change, and new items will be featured. Some of the potential items are Jolly Ranchers that young shoppers have asked for, and a lower sugar fudge in assorted, unique flavors.
An Oxford native, Kline relied on local businesses and craftsmen to create the shop’s cheerful décor. She is happy to see the vitality that is returning to downtown, and is pleased to be
a part of it. The shop is a participant in 20 on Tuesday, offering 20 percent off the purchase price of one pound of candy, or any of the nuts and nut mixes.
“I think people are happy that a candy store stayed in town,” Kline said. “I love the trend that’s happening right now. We business owners are working to make our small town better. We are a community.”
Toot Sweets is at 1 S. Third St., Oxford. Follow them on Facebook at Toot Sweets Oxford.
‘Christmas in July’ pays off for residents of Ware community and the broader region as well
By John Chambless Staff Writer
The members of the Ware Presbyterian Village Auxiliary surprised themselves last year with the success of their first “Christmas in July” craft show, so they are looking forward to another big day on July 21.
The show netted more than $1,500 through the sale of booth spaces to area artisans, as well as the proceeds from sales of refreshments and bouquets of flowers. That money went to support the
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Photo by John Chambless
From left: Ginny Huestis (publicity), Dorothy Plummer (co-chair), Polly Moreland (vice president) and Alyce Templeton (co-chair) at Ware Presbyterian Village.
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group, which purchases supplies and amenities for residents of the senior housing community. About 450 people attended last year’s event, which was held in the air-conditioned comfort of the Vista Ridge auditorium in Oxford. The comfort of vendors and shoppers was a big draw.
Publicity chair Ginny Huestis got the word out early last year to area publications and churches, and the show turned into a midsummer smash. This year’s fair will have woodworkers, potters, painted porcelain art by a 92-year-old Ware resident, handmade jewelry, doll clothes, quilts and hair accessories –with more artisans signing up all the time.
As early as February, there were nearly 30 artisans signed
Courtesy photo
Ware residents make cat toys that were a big seller last year.
up for this year’s show. Last year’s event had 30 vendors total, so the organizers are seriously considering expanding the show to an upstairs space as well. A group of residents, the Ware Village Crafters, will also be selling items they have made.
“When we planned it last year, we wanted to involve this whole community – Ware Presbyterian Village and the Oxford community,” said cochair Alyce Templeton. “It’s amazing the number of people who live here and know nothing about what’s going on in Oxford. And the people in Oxford who just say, ‘Oh, that’s where the old folks live’ and they never come here. I
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worked with Mary Jo Bailey at OMI, and I worked with Judy Petersen of the Arts Alliance. Judy was just absolutely amazed and asked that they be able to come back this year.
“We’re part of Oxford,” Templeton continued. “We need to be able to interact.”
In addition to the crafters, there will be model trains running at the Ware Mansion on July 21. The woodworking shop will also be open for demonstrations. The New to You Shop will be open, too. A shuttle bus will run between the sites. The Ware staff will be on hand with an information table, and will give tours of the sample apartment to interested visitors.
The number of volunteers from Ware who helped out – about 60 last year, with more expected this year – was humbling as well, said co-chair Dorothy Plummer. “It just blew me away how many people said, ‘Yeah, we want to help!’”
The outreach to the community paid untold dividends for the Ware community, drawing in people from the community who might be considering the senior living community for themselves or for family members. And people went into Oxford as well.
“I was talking to Jen, who owns Pickled Pickles in Oxford,” Templeton said. “She said, ‘July is a great month to have it. There’s nothing else going on in July. People are looking for something to do.’ After we had it, she said she had people coming into her store who had never been there before,” so “Christmas in July” is a win-win for residents and the surrounding community.
The event is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Auxiliary, which also raises money through the new To You thrift shop and The Gift Box, both of which are staffed by resident volunteers year-round. “I think that’s a great thing for enriching the lives of our residents,” Templeton said.
The box lunches sold at the event are prepared by the Ware staff. There’s coffee and breakfast at 9 a.m. as the vendors get set up, as well as snacks and lunches as the day goes on.
This year’s roster of artisans is about half newcomers, since word quickly spread about the success of last year’s show.
Money raised by the show and through other
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Ware residents served food and beverages during the event, which raised $1,500.
Courtesy photo
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fundraisers has been used by the Auxiliary to buy a flagpole for the Steward Place residences, buy TVs and Wii gaming systems for residents, to install raised garden beds and buy lawn furniture, as well as other items.
This year’s “Christmas in July” show will be held July 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Vista Ridge auditorium at the Pavilion at Vista Ridge (Kensington Lane, Oxford). To register as a vendor, email cijatware@zoominternet.net. Visit www.warepresbyterian. org or call 610-998-2672 for more information.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.
Unleashing Oxford’s downtown potential
A vision for the future
After many starts and stops in revitalizing the downtown, real progress is visibly taking place. Oxford Mainstreet Inc. (OMI), along with all its partners, is promoting the downtown as a vibrant urban center of commerce, civic and cultural opportunities, and building Oxford as a unique sense of “place” for the surrounding rural areas of southern Chester County, southern Lancaster County and northern Maryland.
In recent years, Oxford Borough has accomplished several revitalization initiatives in the downtown, including public infrastructure and streetscape improvements, and successful redevelopment projects. The Oxford community, business and municipal leaders have worked hard to revitalize the downtown over the past 19 years. And it is working. Twenty five new businesses have opened and remained in business in the last five years. Mainstreet events, like First Friday and the Car Show, are well attended and draw people from around the region! And the events keep developing, such as the first annual Art and Music Festival in August that plans to draw the biggest crowd to Oxford to date.
necessary weekday traffic to sustain these new establishments over the long term.
A plan for sustainability
Would you like to see more shops, services, restaurants, or even perhaps the revitalization of the old theater in the downtown? Unfortunately, Oxford still struggles to attract businesses to fill underutilized street- and upper-level spaces, as well as a larger employer that can serve as a catalyst for further investment and job creation.
Business prospects and developers cite a lack of parking as the main obstacle to establishing a presence in Oxford. The vast majority of the historic buildings lining the commercial corridor have no parking associated with them. Comprehensive parking studies completed in 2012 and 2015 estimated a 327-parking space deficit in the downtown, meaning that those spaces are vital to fully maximize the economic potential. The Oxford area also has limited bus service and no public transit connection to regional SEPTA and AMTRAK rail service.
However, smart growth and economic progress needs to be intentional, and supported through forward planning and investments in efficient infrastructure. Specifically, for Oxford Borough, necessary parking and transportation infrastructure and a local multimodal connection point are prerequisites for continued growth. Without a significant number of residents and commuters coming into the downtown area to work, the commercial district lacks the
Parking is always a concern and an issue in boroughs like Oxford. Vibrant economic development has been linked to the availability of parking and transportation. The community and leaders have identified parking as a high priority for the borough’s Central Business District. The Borough of Oxford initiated the Parking Management Study as a step to continuously and strategically address the need for efficient parking, and support the businesses, their patrons, and residents in the area as the borough grows.
As a solution, the Oxford Borough Multimodal Transportation Center project was discussed and
developed over the past several years, and addresses this well-researched and documented parking shortage.
The Oxford Borough Multimodal Transportation Center is designed to be a four-story, five-level parking structure, with multimodal transportation integration and park-n-ride capabilities. It is intended to be the community’s main transportation hub. The new building will also include approximately 2,700 square feet of ground-level interior space, along Octoraro Alley, which will become the new Borough Hall. The new Borough Hall will be a vast improvement to the current facility and will ideally relocate municipal services to the center of downtown.
The current project is an approximately $6.7 million investment. The borough is committed to funding this project without taxing Oxford residents, and is pursuing all other public and private funding opportunities available to municipal governments.
Municipal leaders are taking every precaution to ensure the residents do not bear the cost of this important infrastructure project, including working with local legislators
to secure public grants. As with any investment, there is risk. But those working on the project have mitigated the risk to be very small, compared to the high return on the investment.
With the help of State Sen. Andy Dinniman and Rep. John Lawrence, $3.6 million in grant funding has been secured to date. The effort to secure more funding continues. Another $1.0 million private donation is going into the project as well. At some point, the borough will have to make a financial commitment to finance a small portion of the project. However, that cost and the ongoing operations of the facility will be paid for entirely by parking fees, permits and fines, much of which is already being collected through new, unbudgeted parking revenue. The project is currently working through the final design and approval process, going out to bid this spring. It is currently anticipated to break ground later in the year, once all funding is confirmed. Construction is anticipated to take 12 to 18 months.
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A benefit for all
Once complete, the Oxford Multimodal Transportation Center will generate revenue for the borough; aid economic development efforts; improve multimodal circulation through the downtown; and help connect residents to employment and education opportunities within the borough and other urban centers in the region.
This project also has the ability to ease the tax burden of Oxford residents and contribute to the long-term vitality and economic strength of the borough. A vibrant, bustling business corridor brings new tax revenue to the municipality, which means the borough can rely less on the residents to fund basic services. We are fortunate to have beautiful, historic buildings lining the downtown, but businesses will not locate here, or be able to survive, without supportive parking for new employees and patrons.
Parking is critical to a vibrant downtown and plays an important role in the revitalization of urban centers. The dearth of available parking to support Oxford’s commercial corridor resulted in a concentration of belowmarket-rate rental housing and vacant or underutilized commercial space in the downtown. Property owners
have long expressed a reluctance to invest in or redevelop their property without supportive parking to help ensure a return on their investment. Although the BID comprises of only 2.1 percent of the total borough parcel acreage, it contributes 7.6 percent of the total assessed property value. Simply put, it is our most valuable real estate, and holds the biggest return on our investment.
Despite a pervasive parking shortage that has stymied economic development efforts for decades, new businesses have opened in recent years in Oxford, providing over 190 jobs. In total, businesses in downtown Oxford
currently provide 503 permanent jobs to the Oxford area, all of which contribute tax revenue to the borough budget. This is great news but, together as partners in progress, we can do better!
Your support is important
This project is essential to the revitalization of Oxford. Building a parking garage alone will not revitalize Oxford, but it does provide necessary public infrastructure to support and enable it. This project is intended to help reduce the tax burden on Oxford residents over time. A thriving downtown not only provides more entertainment, shopping, dining and employment options, it also brings in new, commercial tax revenue. This ultimately means the borough is less reliant on residents to fund basic services and/or other future projects.
Whether you like Oxford as it is now, or you want to see more amenities added to improve your quality of life, you should support this project!
You can directly support the project by:
Voicing your support at a council meeting or sending a letter of support:
Sue Lombardi, President Borough Council – Borough of Oxford 401 Market Street PO Box 380 Oxford, PA 19363
Discussing the project with friends and family in greater Oxford. By doing so you can help disseminate accurate information and garner more support.
Experience Oxford! Downtown Oxford offers food, fun and a friendly atmosphere you can’t get anywhere else! The best way to support our revitalization efforts is to patronize local shops and restaurants, both now and through this next exciting phase in our economic development.
Complete project updates and frequently asked questions can also be found on the OMI website: www.downtownoxfordpa.org.
Your partner in progress, Brian Wenzka Executive Director Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.
Meet Our Member: Limelife Planners
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
Abusy paper planner retailer is based right here in Oxford, but you may have never seen them.
“My business is a little bit different from other Oxford businesses, in that the majority of my business and customers come from online, but we love the interaction we have with our walk-in customers. Being a part of the Oxford community and having our production facility here in town has been an exciting change for us,” owner Leslie Sleesman said.
Limelife Planners adds a personal touch to organizing and managing your time. With each printed planner, you can select the size, cover, page layout, binding, and special add-on sections to create a planner that is perfect for your life and your needs. Stop in to the shop, where they can walk you through the decision-making process and answer your questions if you are new to planning, or order from the website at www.limelifeplanners.com, where all the options are laid out in an easy-to-follow process to help you build your planner.
“The main differentiating factor between my business and the others out there is we are heavily custom,” Sleesman said. “There are lots of different layout choices, lots of different cover designs, and lots of different addons you can put in your planner. One add-on I like in particular is the gratitude add-on. It has a line for you to write down something you are grateful for every day of the year,” Sleesman said.
People have such different lives that mass market planners don’t always fit their changing needs. “The way that I plan now as a mother of three children looks different from the way I planned before I had kids and a husband. It looked different when I had really young children, and it looked very different when they were babies. I really believe one product is not for everybody and it’s not even right for different stages of your life,” Sleesman said. “If you’re a retired person you may just want to view your month. You don’t need a detailed space to write down things for every day because maybe your days are a little more relaxed. You can get that. If you’re a busy executive, you might need space to write things down daily,
you can get that too.”
Flexibility is a key feature of Limelife Planners. If you are not sure which page layout will work best for you, the website includes sample downloads so you can try the different options and see which one works best. You are not bound into starting with January, since Limelife planners can begin with the month of your choice.
Customization includes the opportunity to have your name or favorite quotation on your choice of 60 different cover styles, or you can add photos for a small additional fee.
“Every planner looks different. Rarely in a week do we ever send the same thing out the door,” Sleesman said. Sleesman, a graphic designer, was living in Michigan when a friend asked her to design a custom planner. That one book was very popular and, by word of mouth alone, the idea grew into a business.
After moving to Pennsylvania, Sleesman began Limelife Planners in her home, but with small children, she soon found she needed a business location instead. “It was taking over most of the first floor of our home. I really felt like I was never off work,” she said. “I live in Oxford, so it was my first choice. I think it’s a good community and worth investing in. There’s a lot of good things going on here.”
Limelife Planners’ first location was on Market Street before the business grew into a larger space at 13 S. Third St. (Suite F, in the back of the O.M.I. building) in April 2017.
Even though most planner orders come from online, clients are welcome to come to the shop to feel the quality of paper and see a selection of available covers. “If you live nearby I would encourage you to come in. I really believe in the quality of the product we sell. The paper we print on is excellent,” Sleesman said. “Quality is really important to us.”
In addition to creating planners onsite, Sleesman offers an assortment of specialty notebooks, as well as traveller’s notebooks that are in stock and ready to purchase. There are notebooks for budgeting, fitness tracking, vacation planning, sermon notes, a prayer journal, home school planner and more.
“There are a lot of excellent gift opportunities here,” Sleesman said. Recently, the shop invested in production equipment to offer start-tofinish onsite production of its planners, as well as a full line of graphic design, copy and print services. Both Sleesman and production manager Becky Goldie are experienced graphic artists who can assist you with services within that field, such as logo and letterhead designs.
“Anything you would be able to get at a print shop, we can do,” Sleesman said. “We understand how important it is to have quality printed materials since that’s the cornerstone of what we’ve been doing with our planners since the beginning.”
A decade of growth for the Arts Alliance
The Oxford Arts Alliance is celebrating 10 years in Oxford! We have grown from the first gallery opening and one guitar lesson to a Music Academy, Art Academy, monthly Gallery Exhibits, Artist Talks, an Annex that houses children’s and adult art classes and paint-your-own pottery. Being a leader of the arts in our community has created an exciting 10 years, and we thank all our members, sponsors, business partners, friends and neighbors.
Our next 10 years promise to be even more creative! Check out our website at www.oxfordart.org for private music and art lessons, children’s and adult classes, gallery exhibits, artist talks, lectures and so much more. Find “our artists” and connect with them. Get to know our staff and music and art instructors. Membership has expanded and includes student, individual, family, artist, musician and business categories. Sign up for our summer camps, and spring camp in art, clay and music. They are very popular and fill up fast. Mark your calendar for June 23 and join us for our largest fundraiser that is “coming home to Oxford.” Aug. 4 is our Connective Arts & Music Festival which will be an all-day event in Downtown Oxford filled with music and art for everyone!
Our gallery and office hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus First Friday until 8 p.m. Enjoy our art openings every Third Friday 5 to 8 p.m., with incredible art, music and refreshments. Check our website, www.oxfordart.org, for details on all that is happening. Call our office at 610467-0301, or stop by at 38 S. Third St. Our staff is always happy to see you!
Art workshops for all ages are offered at the Oxford Arts Alliance.
Get hands-on experience at the Arts Alliance.
Meet Our Member: Bog Turtle Brewery
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer
Friends enjoying an informal beer club in their neighborhood grew from a hobby to a business that has earned a circle of fans in Oxford and the surrounding area.
Half hidden in the alleyway at 14 S. Third St., Bog Turtle Brewery is worth finding. The building has been everything from a Mexican restaurant to a charter school. After extensive renovation beginning in 2015, it is now a working brewery and tasting room. Come in to enjoy a glass of the freshest possible beer, brewed on the premises, or take home a growler filled with your favorite.
“One of the nicest things is, if you come to our tasting room which we have inside, or at our sidewalk café, not only do you get the freshest beer round, you get to see where it’s made and you get to talk to the people who made it. It’s a great opportunity for us to get our word out to our customers,” partner Jon Campbell said.
In the tasting room, try a small taste to find your favorite, or purchase a flight of five-ounce pours for a bigger comparison. Snacks are available, as well as wine for those who are not beer fans. “We consider ourselves a BYOF -- bring your own food,” Campbell said.
The Bog Turtle name was a perfect fit for the group. Most of them live in the Sycamore Crossing development in Oxford Borough, where the presence of bog turtle-sustaining habitat prevented some of them from mowing their back yards, even though no one saw one of the turtles.
“It’s kind of a nod to the history around here, but a little bit tongue in cheek,” Campbell said. “They finally found a bog turtle in Oxford and it just happens to be a brewery.”
Steve Applegate, Jon Campbell, Chris Davis, John Ewing and Johnny Topmiller share the duties of running the brewery, with Dannielle Applegate managing the tasting room. All work full-time jobs as well as tending to their duties at the brewery. Beer is made on the weekends, with the process taking two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half weeks, start to finish.
With beers made on the premises, one of the first words for Bog Turtle is fresh. “Yesterday we had a beer on tap within four minutes of kegging it. You’re not going to find anything fresher than to come in here to try it,” Campbell said.
Bog Turtle Brewery supplies beer not only to private individuals, but also to bars and restaurants, including the Sawmill Grill, Octoraro Hotel, The Whip Tavern and Sovanna Bistro. Beer is available by the pint, at the tasting room, or you can purchase a growler to take home. You can bring your own growler as long as it has a fill line and volume on it.
“Once we decided what we were going to do, we came up with four flagship brews. We try to brew them regularly so that they are never out of stock,” Campbell said.
Bog Turtle has four flagship beers. Devil’s 9 Ball is an American Pale Ale with a tremendous hops flavor. Cattail Honey Brown is an American Brown Ale made with eight different types of malted barley and local honey for a delicate, flowery fragrance. Rochambeau American Red Ale has toasty caramel notes, and Two Stories is a refreshing blonde ale with a hit of sweetness and hops.
“We tried to find four things as different as possible. We don’t need people to love every one of our beers – you’re not going to bat 1.000. If we bat .250, we’re happy because you’re going to come back for that beer.”
Campbell said.
As the seasons go by, Bog Turtle adds specialty beers. The Evan Pugh Vanilla Porter, named in honor of the Oxford Native who became the first president of Penn State University, has a malty sweet flavor with a generous taste of Madagascar vanilla. For the chocolate lover, Willy Loman and the Chocolate Stout has real Neuchatel chocolate to surprise and please the tastebuds.
“Seventeen or 18 different styles have been released. We try to keep it fairly seasonal so people know what’s coming in the winter months or what the spring beers are. We just throw something different in now and then because we’ve gotten our production up to speed where we can do that,” Campbell said.
People who are not used to small-batch craft beers will find that Bog Turtle is a completely different experience. “You get used to a certain level of quality. A lot of people are like that with the mass-produced beers that are made by computers in a big factory,” Steve Applegate said.
“That’s what they think beer is supposed to taste like. It’s really not. Historically, it’s nothing like that. A lot of people who have not tried the craft beer before are shocked at all the flavor that’s in the beer.”
In addition to using a personalized brewing process, Bog Turtle is able to provide beer that is remarkably crisp and fresh. “With a beer, you want it fresh. There’s a slight aging process but it’s measured in weeks instead of months or years,” Applegate said. “Our beer is not pasteurized, there’s no preservatives, no additives, we don’t even filter our beer. It’s just natural beer.”
Bog Turtle uses local water that goes through three levels of filtration before it is used. “We go through quite a bit of pains to filter our water and make additions to make the mineral profile in our water exactly the way we want
it before we even brew it,” Applegate said.
Bog Turtle is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. On Wednesday nights, enjoy “A View and a Brew,” with monthly themed movies, pint specials and free popcorn.
Bog Turtle is looking forward to warm weather that will bring the opening of the sidewalk café and continued popularity.
“We’re looking to the brew house growing so we can supply the demand that we have. It would really make me happy if we could supply all the beer they wanted,” Applegate said. “We look forward to growing right here in Oxford.”
