Summer 2021 08108 Collingswood Magazine

COLLINGSWOOD

08108 SUMMER 2021

ART for Advocacy

IN THIS ISSUE:

Books for all Summer BBQs Going green ...and more!

Media Group ECRWSS Local Residential Customer

PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Newspaper 08108

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SUMMER 2021

Allow Us to Reintroduce Ourselves United Methodist Communities at Collingswood has been part of Collingswood since 1891 and in the United Methodist Communities family since 1971. Our longevity is a result of our expertise in serving seniors and their families. From Independent Living to around the clock nursing, rest assured that we provide the highest level of care available.

When the time comes to seek care for your loved one, choose the community that Collingswood has trusted for over 100 years.

To learn more about United Methodist Communities at Collingswood or to schedule a tour, call 856-421-5276 or visit Collingswood.UMCommunities.org.

460 Haddon Ave, Collingswood, NJ 08108 Collingswood.UMCommunities.org 856-421-5276 Residential Living | Assisted Living | Rehabilitation Tapestries® Memory Care | Respite | Long Term Care | Transitions

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08108

JOIN THE TEAM!

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Letter from the

EDITOR: I

grew up down the shore, and I still love visiting. Strolling the boardwalk, building sandcastles, kayaking through the back bays – it’s all synonymous with summer for me. Family beach days are the best, but they’re also a lot of work when you have young children. As much as I love my toes in the sand, it’s not something I’m up for every weekend in the summer.

Luckily, there’s so many fun things to do right here in 08108, I don’t miss it. While we aren’t sure what summer activities are going to look like this year, calendars are becoming busier with each passing month, and we’re optimistic Second Saturdays will continue and Cruise Nights will return.

As more of us are getting vaccinated and COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift, dining al fresco may not be a necessity, but who doesn’t enjoy lunch or dinner outdoors in the summer? Reserve a table at any of the unique restaurants throughout town – you’ll be surprised how many are inspired by Jersey Fresh produce from

the Collingswood Farmers’ Market for summer menus – and maybe you’ll even want to try out the famed Sicilian barbecue at Zeppoli. Get the details on this authentic Italian experience in this issue’s Borough Bites on page 10.

Collingswood offers opportunities for civic engagement all year, too, and there’s no exception during the summer months.

Sustainable Collingswood is going green with gusto (page 18), and the Camden County Pop Up Library, which was spearheaded by a Haddon Township resident, is always looking for support to help put hands in the books of anyone who wants them (page 6).

Whether you’re listening for the jingle from the ice cream truck, looking forward to fun on the Fourth of July or plan to host your own backyard barbecues with family and friends, we hope you’re ready for a wonderful summer. And if you’re heading down the shore for the day, bring us along. We’re a perfect beachside read.

08108 SUMMER 2021 ISSUE

COO

PERRY CORSETTI VP OF SALES

ARLENE REYES EDITOR

KRISTEN DOWD ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

BRITTANY ROUGHT SALES MANAGER

AMANDA PHILLIPS ACCOUNT MANAGERS

MEGAN MUDD KAREN RODIER MARKETING CONSULTANTS

PERRY CORSETTI JR. CASEY MEGLINO Kristen Dowd Editor

Summer 2021 Issue

CONTRIBUTERS:

08108 is a publication of Newspaper Media Group, 130 Twinbridge Drive Pennsauken, NJ 08110 (856)779-3800 x6920 08108@newspapermediagroup.com

In this Issue:

08108 contributors Sharing stories Borough Bites Planting a greener future A Look at Local History Photos around town Keeping up with Collingswood

Alyssa Biederman

Jamie Giambrone

Kevin Callahan

Ryan Lawrence

Kelly Flynn

Anthony Mazziotti

Jamie Stow

4 6 10 18 22 24 26

ON THE COVER When artist Robin Brownfield was forced to end her teaching career due to health issues, she turned to creating art inspired by her passion for social justice issues.

Read her story on page 14.

Cover photo by Jamie Giambrone

SUMMER 2021

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The

POWER of

books Camden County Pop Up Library brings free books to those who need them

BY RYAN LAWRENCE

O

n Tuesday mornings, Haddon Township’s Tom Martin unloads a couple of folding tables from his car, spreads them out along the sidewalk at 5th and Market in Camden, and covers them with hundreds of books.

There are non-fiction, spiritual and selfhelp titles. There’s an entire table dedicated to the public’s favorite in the reading frenzy he’s helped create in the city: fiction and murder mysteries.

Oh, and they’re all free.

“I have a sign out there – people don’t always see it – but when you tell them, ‘Hey, the books are free,’ it’s a left-angle, rightangle turn,” Martin said, adding a cartoonsound for effect. “It’s just, ZVOOOP!” And often people who don’t know one please see LIBRARY, page 8 Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108

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Pre-K teacher Amy Hoffman, school nurse Stephanie Tracy and Interim Principal Doug Newman keep the Thomas Sharp School Book Ark filled with fresh reading material in Collingswood. Top: Eddie King, a leasing agent, adds books to the Parkview at Collingswood Book Ark. Above: Julie Beddingfield, owner of Inkwood Books in Haddonfield, sets up the Camden County Pop Up Library at the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden City.

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SUMMER 2021

LIBRARY

continued from page 6

another become f a s t friends at Tom’s tables.

T h e y overhear someone ask for an author and volunteer one they think the stranger might like.

Recommending reads and bonding over an organic, shared experience is at the heart of the Camden County Pop Up Library, too.

Four years ago, Martin, who always liked the idea of a Bookmobile, decided to collect leftover books from friends and family and bring them to Camden. He put out somewhere between 100-200 books and they were all gone within an hour.

So he came back with more. And then he expanded, adding stops at the Cathedral Kitchen, the transportation center, and out-

side the methadone clinic in South Camden to his midweek book tour, too.

“I think the perception is, people in Camden don’t read, don’t want to read,” Martin said. “People’s perception is they’re dangerous and high and addicted to drugs and things like that. But, the opposite is true.

There’s a great thirst for knowledge there – as there is anywhere. It’s not like Camden is special. But it’s not not special either.”

A 1974 graduate of Cherry Hill East who has also lived in Haddonfield and Oaklyn, Martin made it his mission to keep feeding

the people of Camden with books. In addition to the Pop Up Library, Martin and his fellow volunteers have put 65 book arks throughout Camden (and five in Philadelphia, too) through their other venture, The Book Ark Project.

“It’s really changed my life,” Martin said of the book charities. “I’ve always had a good life. I’ve been blessed. But I just really get a kick out of it.”

The 65-year-old Martin has always been mission-minded. He’s on the board with Interfaith Homeless Outreach Council. But he’s always wanted to do more.

“It’s so frustrating to read about all of the things going on in the world, most of them pretty horrible, and you don’t do anything about it … you can’t do any hands-on thing,” Martin said. “And here we are, almost literally as the crow flies, 3-5 miles away from the most dangerous or poorest city in the United States. It’s right there. When you’re in Collingswood, you back up right onto Woodlynne, which backs right up into Camden. So, it was frustrating to me not to be able to do anything.”

Martin loaded up his car one day and hasn’t stopped.

He keeps the James Patterson books – easily the most popular at his Pop Ups – in his car so they don’t all go at once, but gets them quickly when someone asks for one. And, like Santa Claus, Martin also keeps a running wish list for his patrons.

“There was a woman who wanted a book about interpreting dreams,” Martin said. “I saw her Friday and got one for her, and you would have thought I was giving her a free apartment for a year somewhere. She was just blown away.”

Martin said it’s that rush he gets from helping someone with such a simple act that makes the Pop Up Library and Book Ark Project run.

“I was a stockbroker, headhunter, I’ve raised my daughter and now I have more please see LIBRARY, page 9

SUMMER 2021

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From left: Inkwood Books owner Julie Beddingfield unloads the Camden County Pop Up Library van at an event in Camden City. Beddingfield chats with visitors at the Walter Reed Transportation Center pop-up. Tom Martin talks with those taking advantage of the free books at a pop-up event last month.

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LIBRARY

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time to do things,” he said. “I am doing it for other people, but if I didn’t get the buzz that I got from doing it, even if I wanted to do it, I probably wouldn’t stick with it.

I’m not good about sticking to or doing stuff that I don’t want to do.

I’m just really fortunate that I love doing this.”

While he could use some volunteers – especially to manage arks, making sure they’re always filled – Martin currently has plenty of books in a 10-by-20 storage locker. The Camden County Rotary Club and Subaru both donated money to outfit the Pop Up Library with a brand new car to transport books. Townsend Press of Berlin has helped pay for some of the arks, and volunteers have helped paint them and plant gardens nearby. Martin said he’s open to offers from other businesses that would like to sponsor arks; he’d like to expand the arks statewide, too.

As for big picture goals, Martin said he’d like to find a space along Haddon Avenue in Camden for a headquarters, an actual freestanding free library, like “The Book Thing” in Baltimore.

For now, he’ll settle for sharing the gift of reading with new friends and embedding himself in an underserved, book-thirsty community.

“It’s really such a simple concept,” Martin said. “It’s easy to do if you have the desire. It’s remarkably easy to do, it’s incredibly rewarding, and people really appreciate it.” ■

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SUMMER 2021

Zeppoli serves up a taste of Sicilian summers SUMMER 2021

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08108

BY KEVIN CALLAHAN

W

hen Joseph Baldino visited Sicily, he not only honed his culinary skills, he stuffed his travel bag with the flavor of the Mediterranean’s largest island and then spilled all he learned into his cozy Collingswood restaurant.

Zeppoli serves “classic yet very simple, Italian cuisine with a strong focus on Sicilian,” in the intimate 35-seat BYOB restaurant.

“It is my first restaurant and I’m there every day, so it has a special place in my heart,” Baldino said.

And, Baldino offers a very special Sicilian barbecue during the summer on Monday nights.

“As soon as we post it, it’s sold out, like within three minutes,” Baldino, the chef/owner, marveled about the Sicilian cookout.

“And this is my 10th year doing them, and every year people, just through word-ofmouth, tell their friends and it goes on and on.”

This summer, the Sicilian barbecue will be enriching the aroma on the 600 block of Collings Avenue beginning June 7 until the end of August on Monday nights.

“The thing about Sicilian food is there’s so many different countries that took over the island at some point, so there are so many different flavors from north Africa spices to France that they use,” Baldino said. “So, it’s really a melting pot of flavors.

“And, when we do the grill it really highlights those flavors. And people are really shocked because it’s not the kind of traditional Italian food people think of.”

Baldino opened Zeppoli in 2011 after returning from Anna Tasca Lanza’s farm in Sicily.

“When I studied there, I learned firsthand living on a farm,” Baldino said. “The Sicilian barbecue, which is part of that in the summer months, they have these outdoor grills where they roast different foods, octopus, swordfish, shrimp, calamari and it’s kind of like a fiesta, so that’s how I do that every summer at Zeppoli.

“I have a garden in the back and it’s one table every Monday night and sits about six to 12 people and we just do a five course menu of traditional grilled Sicilian fare.”

Even before going to Sicily, though, Baldino’s life was centered around delicious meals growing up in South Philadelphia. He learned to cook from his mother and two aunts.

Also, his childhood gravitated to the food business as his maternal grandparents operated a bar/restaurant around the corner from his home. He started as a bus boy at a small local trattoria before graduating from both Temple University and The French Culinary Institute. He soon began to work as Chef de 08108

Cuisine at Vetri Ristorante.

Now he pours everything he learned, beginning from his mother, aunts and grandparents in South Philly to the south of Italy every Wednesday to Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

So, for the people who miss out on this please see BITES, page 13

Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108

Meats, seafood and vegetables are perfectly seared as Zeppoli Sous Chef Blake Weisman, left, and owner and Chef Joseph Baldino work on a dish for the restaurant’s summer Sicilian barbecue.

On the previous page, a close-up of the delicious Southern Italian fare.

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08108

BITES

continued from page 11

sold out Sicilian barbecue, they will still be treated to a menu that focuses on Sicilian fare, from antipasti, homemade and imported pastas, grilled or roasted meats and fish.

And the cuisine also includes homegrown veggies..

“On Saturday mornings, Collingswood has a great farmer’s market and then I have a little garden in the back of Zeppoli where we grow some lettuces, herbs and tomatoes.

“We have a great Panzanella salad, which is tomato and bread with vinegar and basil, and we have a lot of eggplants.

“Every Saturday you’ll see us over there,” he added about the farmer’s market.

And what you will also see is the same care and preparation in each meal, not just the multi-course Sicilian barbecue on Monday nights.

“They are all the Sicilian classics,” Baldino said. ■

Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108

Far left: Zeppoli Sous Chef Blake Weisman picks herbs out of the garden on the restaurant’s back patio in Collingswood.

Left: Owner and Chef Joseph Baldino prepares a Mix Grill Plate for the Sicilian summer barbecue at Zeppoli.

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SUMMER 2021

From

Broken

Beautiful to

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08108

Artist Robin Brownfield’s mosaics inspired by social justice issues

BY KELLY FLYNN

T

here are those who overlook broken or discarded things. But for Collingswood artist Robin Brownfield, it’s often the shattered glass or cracked tiles that have the most potential.

And when life tried to break Brownfield, she rebuilt her career into an entirely new work of art. Formerly a sociology professor, Brownfield turned to mosaics after becoming disabled, and she’s used her art as a way to merge her creativity with her passion for social justice.

Brownfield said she first became involved in activism around her teenage years. Her first job was working as an organizer with United Farm Workers with Caesar Chavez — a position she held for five years before attending college to focus on labor studies.

She would go on to earn her doctorate in sociology from Rutgers University and later worked as a journalist writing for one of the labor unions’ newspapers in New York City.

In the 1980s, she moved to Collingswood with her family where she worked as an elementary school teacher for a brief period of time before moving on to teach sociology at the college level.

Brownfield taught at Rutgers University, Temple University, Rowan University, Camden County College, Burlington County College and Gloucester County College. But she was forced to give up her teaching career when the symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder, left her experiencing widespread pain and a slew of other symptoms.

Some days she awoke to severe head and neck pain, and she had no way of warning students at the last minute that she couldn’t come in. The symptoms made it impossible for Brownfield to stick to a schedule, and so she decided to give up teaching.

Throughout her life, Brownfield has been interested in art, having made props and costumes for plays in the past and dabbling in the occasional artistic pursuits. On a vaca08108

tion in New Hampshire, she took a mosaic workshop on a whim. She loved it so much that when she came home, she decided to create a mosaic backsplash in her kitchen.

When she stopped working, she decided she needed something to do. So, she decided to make mosaic steps for her garden. Eventually, the stepping stones turned please see MOSAICS, page 16

Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108

Robin Brownfield smiles beside a mosaic lion she created. The artist is inspired by nature and social justice issues. Previous page: After she was forced to stop working due to health issues, Brownfield made mosaic stepping stones for her garden. Before long, she transformed the entire space.

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MOSAICS

continued from page 15

into an entire mosaic walkway leading through her garden.

The bug to create just took hold of her from there.

“I kind of delved into doing mosaic as a way to sort of fill the void,” she said.

At the time, she wasn’t yet receiving her disability payments and had little money for materials, so she used odds and ends to create art on a tight budget.

She created the walkway out of found objects and items she uncovered in the trash. She used leftover tiles and put little figurines in the concrete to make the walkway more interesting.

“I would use things that normally a lot of people would throw out, I’d put in my mosaic,” she said.

Next she turned indoors. She’d worked on portraits as a teenager, so she thought why not try creating mosaic portraits. So, that’s what she did, and she’s been creating mosaic portraits and animals ever since.

She joked that now she actually can afford to buy art supplies, so she buys tiles made of recycled glass. Severe arthritis in her hands makes it difficult to cut tiles – she prefers larger tiles that are easier to cut – but she’s not opposed to using any material that she can get her hands on.

Sometimes when she has odds and ends

around her house that she’s not sure what to do with and doesn’t want to end up in a landfill, she incorporates the items into her work. She made a lion’s head using stones, tiles, seashells and other materials she had sitting at her disposal.

“I made a piece of art and got rid of a lot of junk from my house at the same time,” she said.

She draws inspiration from a variety of sources – namely what’s going on in the current climate – or she’ll base her creations please see MOSAICS, page 17

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MOSAICS

continued from page 15

around the theme of an art show. For International Wom e n’s Day, she was inspired to make portraits of Angela Davis, Frida Kahlo and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

From there, her friends encouraged her to create Bernie Sanders.

When the Black Lives Matter movement was at the forefront of the conversation last summer, Brow nf ield made three or four BLM inspired pieces. She was involved in BLM of South Jersey and decided to share the pieces she’d created with the group.

One of the people involved in the group was a friend of Breonna Taylor’s mother, who asked if she could create a portrait of

Breonna for her mother. Brownfield created the piece and refused to take payment for it.

She refuses to receive payment for any of her BLM pieces and has donated any prize money that she’s received for them to equal justice initiatives. Sometimes Brownfield makes mosaics to donate to fundraisers.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, she’s had more time than ever to create. She sells her pieces on Etsy, and occasionally, she’ll win a prize in an art show or sell a piece to a gallery. But she said it’s never about the money. She creates when she feels inspired.

“If I make a business of it, it stops being fun,” she said. “This way, I get to pick and choose.”

To see more of Brownfield’s work, visit www.robinbrownfieldmosaics.com. ■ Photos by Jamie Giambrone/08108

From left: A tiger comes to life through an intricate pattern of hand glazed colored tiles. Brownfield’s own garden is a collage of color thanks to her carefully created mosaics. The artist displays a piece from her Black Lives Matter series.

Last year, Brownfield was connected to the mother of Breonna Taylor, a 26-yearold Black woman who was fatally shot by plainclothes police officers in March 2020. She created a portrait of Breonna as a gift.

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BY ALYSSA BIEDERMAN

E

very April, just as the weather gets warm, you can find a group of Collingwood residents geared up to make a difference.

The Green Festival, now in its 12th year, is a meeting place for activists, neighbors and elected officials. Listen in on their conversations and you’ll hear words like “rain barrel,” “bike share,” and “compost.”

The annual event is the culmination of years of work by Sustainable Collingswood, a local group of eco-activists who have worked in the borough for more than 20 years. They call themselves the “Green Team” and they are the ones responsible for Collingswood’s tree-lined streets and community gardens.

“It’s important to me to make our community better in every way that we can,” said Sandi Kelly, coordinator of Sustainable Collingswood.

Kelly works to manage Sustainable Collingswood on a statewide scale. The organization is part of Sustainable New Jersey, through which the borough was ranked a “Silver Sustainability Community” in 2019.

08108

The Green Team’s efforts are backed by Commissioner Joan Leonard, who took her oath of office 24 years ago. When Leonard moved to Collingswood, she was inspired to act after learning of a new incinerator slated to be built in Camden.

As a lover of nature, she vowed to stop the construction. The incinerator would pump greenhouse gases into Camden’s already polluted atmosphere.

Leonard joined A Solution Against Pollution (ASAP) and rallied against the new build. Hours spent protesting were unsuccessful and the incinerator prevailed.

Leonard was devastated.

“How could I be at peace with something that I was so upset with?” she said. “I had to do something positive, because I was exhausted from not feeling heard.”

In the late 1990s, Leonard’s work got her noticed by now-Mayor Jim Maley, who asked her to run for city commissioner as part of his ticket.

“I said to him, do you know who I am?”

Leonard remembered. “Do you know that I go to rallies and carry picket signs?”

Her passion brought her into office, where, 24 years later, she has revolutionized Collingswood’s commitment to sustainability. She began by planting more than 1,000 trees and stopped the use of pesticides in public parks.

For every year in office, Leonard promised to create a new, eco-friendly initiative in the city. Many ideas were born at her kitchen table, like Collingswood’s bike share, which rehabs donated bikes and leases them to residents for $25 a year.

Together, Leonard, Kelly and the Green please see GREEN, page 20

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Above left: The Green Fair last month offered up a variety of plants for sale.

Above right: A sign alerts passersby to one of the borough’s community gardens.

Previous page: Plants flourish in the garden.

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GREEN

continued from page 19

Team have created two community gardens, hosted block clean-ups and helped provide discounted rain barrels and compost bins to their neighbors.

“This has been a great blessing to me to be able to take what could have been sadness and create opportunities,” Leonard noted.

This year, Leonard is focused on helping residents modify their

lawns and outdoor spaces to make them more habitable for local wildlife, like birds, butterflies and bees.

“We need to do this so that we are not wiping them out, but helping to sustain them and helping the next generation,” she explained.

The Green Team is also working to imple-

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ment the borough’s bike and pedestrian master plan, which will create routes through Collingswood to encourage sustainable modes of transportation, Kelly said.

The Green Team has worked to make eco-friendly living a community endeavor. Thousands of people have attended the Green Festival, which brings together other organizations to teach visitors about renewable energy, recycling, water conservation and more.

Kelly recommends trying Sustainable Collingswood’s Green Challenge, a list of ways individuals can reduce their carbon footprint. The challenge, available on collingswood.com, includes a beginner checklist with things like reducing shower time and donating old clothing. Those looking to do more are invited to compost kitchen waste or grow a Habitat Wildlife Garden.

“Every person can make small changes and those things add up to big changes,” Kelly said. “There’s hundreds of habits you can change and if you just pick a few, that’s perfect.”

The Green Business Alliance, a new program, operates a similar challenge for businesses, which can be certified as “green” upon completion.

Leonard welcomes new ideas, noting that Collingswood’s volunteers are dedicated to making it a reality.

“There’s so much support and everybody wants to help,” she said. “We all have to hold hands and say we’re in this together, so the next generation has a good life.” ■

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From left: Plants are for sale at last month’s Green Fair. The fair also collected a variety of recyclable materials and special waste, aiming to educate the public on how to dispose of certain items. Collingswood boasts two community gardens.

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SUMMER 2021

A look at

LOCAL HISTORY The theatrical circle of life

Historic theatre continues to stand tall as a landmark in town

A

universal, and I mean universal, part of growing up and coming of age is finding your own unique path in the world.

Without reinventing the wheel – look to Disney’s 1994 classic “The Lion King.” Simba, the protagonist, was in the midst of an identity crisis when he saw his reflection in the water turn to an image of his deceased father, Mufasa, who all but reincarnated in the clouds to utter some of the most famous lines in cinema history: “You must take your place in the circle of life,” Mufasa said.

“How can I go back? I’m not who I used to be,” Simba responded.

“Remember who you are,” commanded Mufasa.

And sure, the theme of the movie, and that exchange specifically, is focused primarily on Simba re-taking his rightful spot as the king, but the theme rings true in more ways than one.

BY ANTHONY J. MAZZIOTTI III

please see THEATRE, page 23 SUMMER 2021

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encore as a tribute to live art.

In the late-90s, one of the faces of classical music, famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, recorded “YoYo Ma Premieres – Danielpour, Kirchner, Rouse” at the Collingswood Theatre alongside the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ma won two of his 18 Grammy awards for that album –

There’s even a bit of urban legend to the Grammy award winning album – Haberern said the director of the Philadelphia orchestra had to put a call in to the Philadelphia airport to have flights directed around Collingswood as the low-flying planes were making a bit too much noise for the recording. The airport allegedly obliged.

That’s the thing about the circle of life – life can change at any given time and one has to find their next step to find their new meaning. What started as a home to the arts in the form of movies and other performances in the late 20s to early 60s soon became a registered historic space and a landmark in Collingswood. Then it was briefly home to Grammy award winning musician Yo-Yo Ma and the Philadelphia Orchestra before turning itself over to a couple storefronts along one of the best known suburban main streets.

“The old theatre is still producing art,” Haberern declared. “Before it was movies and theater, now it’s sculpture.”

Sure, the theatre is an inanimate object, but it never forgot who, or what, it was, just like Mufasa preached to Simba. After nearly 100 years, it still has a place in the circle of life. ■ Photo on page 22

by Jamie Stow/08108

and he has the quiet theatre in Collingswood to thank for it.

According to Haberern, Ma and the Philadelphia Orchestra couldn’t record at the Academy of Music because of its close proximity to the high-speed line. They tried the location now known as “The Met” in Center City, but at the time it proved too hazardous.

The historic theatre in Collingswood was built in 1928. While it is no longer a home to films and live productions, the building still features much of its original architectural designs.

Photos on page 23 courtesy of Keith Haberern/Special to 08108

Historic photos depict the theater before it stopped showing movies. It hasn’t been used for its intended purpose since the 1960s, but now houses several small businesses.

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THEATRE

continued from page 22

Take for example the historic theatre in Collingswood on Haddon Avenue. The brick-and-mortar location was built in 1928 and hasn’t been used for its intended purpose since the 1960s, but still stands tall as a landmark in the borough.

For more than 30 years the theatre was a beacon of entertainment in the borough and South Jersey as a whole. The majestic bastion of living art saw the transition from vaudeville shows to silent movies to talking movies.

The building, uniquely shaped and sandwiched between Fern and Frazer avenues and across from Lees Avenue, was home to 1,600 seats where folks could enter and be whisked away to a different world at any given time. Be it a live production or a movie like “The Son of Frankenstein” starring Boris Karloff or “Mickey Rooney Judy Garland Strike up the Band,” folks could find an escape from reality in the heart of Collingswood.

Then after a 34 year run as the premier home of amusement, the theatre closed its doors. Countless hours of pleasure provided to patrons near and far were gone at the drop of a hat and a piece of the community found itself on life support.

The funny thing about “The Lion King” is that, while it preached the importance of finding your place in the circle of life, it also preached patience as a virtue by way of the song “Hakuna Matata,” or “No worries for the rest of your days.”

In 1982, the theatre was added to the National Register of Historic places, a title applied for in the form of a 12-page application with bibliographic evidence by then owner Robert Giandomenico. The rest, as they say, is history. The theatre found a new life as a store front for three current stores: East Coast Calligraphy, Quilted Nest, and Wander Boutique. A maker space business called The Factory Workers runs out of the back, too.

According to Keith Haberern, the chairman of the Collingswood Historic Commission, art murals can be seen inside the old theatre despite the storefronts that have established a home there.

“The tenants, as long as I’ve been here, have incorporated the lobby details into their store,” Haberern described. “It helps the store have those details that no one else would have. And we get to keep the theatre!”

Before the theatre made the full transition to storefronts as a second act, it had one last

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SUMMER 2021

What’s your favorite way to beat the summer heat in Collingswood?

PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE

PHOTO 1: Angela Winters, pictured here with daughters Norah, 4, and Violet, 2, had no problem answering the best way to beat the heat. “Our favorite is Roberts Pool, of course!”

PHOTO 2: Tara Hendrickson is also a big fan of the pool in the summer. The resident smiles here with her 2-yearold daughter, Gwen, and pooch, Cappuccina.

PHOTO 3: Summer can keep its sizzling temps. Paul Sanborn and his son, Declan, 1, will beat the heat by spending time indoors in the air conditioning.

PHOTO 4: Brooke Wilson (left) enjoys going to the pool in the summertime, as well as having fun on Slip ‘n Slides.

Kaiya Brown likes to cool off with a cool treat from Mister Softee.

PHOTO 5: “The pool and the playground” are Theresa Torres’ favorite ways to beat the summer heat with her 3-year-old daughter, Olivia.

PHOTO 6: Kevin McGinnis and Mallory Goldstein strike a pose while relaxing at a borough park. How do they beat the heat in the summer? “There is always a restaurant to go to. Grab a beer at Devil’s Creek Brewery, go inside at All Fired Up. Also wait until the sun goes down and sit outdoors.”

PHOTO 7: Kristi Severs, smiling with 7-year-old son Grayson, said her favorite way to beat the summer heat in Collingswood is “the water ice place on Haddon Ave.”

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SUMMER 2021

Keeping up with

Collingswood It’s all in the details

Fresh from the farm

Collingswood Farmers’ Market: From Jersey Fresh produce to locally roasted coffee, fine crafted cheeses to artisan breads, this market offers a little bit of everything.

Located on a stretch of pavement between Haddon Avenue and the PATCO speedline in Collingswood’s downtown district, the market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon through Thanksgiving. Rain or shine.

Learn more at www.collingswoodmarket. com.

Stories, songs and sign language

When it comes to your Little ones ages 2 to 5 and their families can join the Collingswood Library’s Miss Melissa social calendar, change and Miss Renee for an outdoor storytime every Friday at the Scottish Rite from 10 to is … not always good.

10:30 a.m. Sing songs, hear stories and learn American Sign Language. Spots are limited But sometimes it’s and registration is required. Households will be separated 6 feet apart, and masks must inevitable. In the event be worn by those older than 2. The fun moves to Zoom in the event of bad weather. of cancelations and Questions? Email mdesantis@collingswood2nd Saturday Live music and art descend on Collingswood postponements, be sure to the second Saturday of every month (June lib.org.

July 10, Aug. 1140, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. Honoring our heroes double check the status of 12, 13 and Dec. 11). Visitors can take in the Camden County welcomes all to join in arts, music, shopping and dining in a Memorial Day Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. the following events before unique the borough. Learn more at www.colling- on Monday, May 31, on Veterans Island at Cooper River Park. The ceremony will swood.com. attending. honor the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Learn more at www.camdencounty. com.

Collingswood Reads Book Club

Love to read? Love to talk about it? On the fourth Wednesday of every month, the Collingswood Library plays host to the Collingswood Reads Book Club, giving readers a chance to share their thoughts on a variety of books, from mystery to historical fiction and everything in between. May 19 is “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides and June 23 is “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. Join the conversation from 7 to 8 p.m. at the library, 771 Haddon Ave. Learn more at www.collingswoodlib.org.

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SUMMER 2021

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Bid a fond farewell to the Collingswood High School Class of 2021, and wish good luck to Collingswood Middle School students heading to the high school. The district’s Middle School Promotion is set for June 16, with high school graduation on June 24.

Please include all critical information: Who, what, where, when, and how to register or get tickets (if applicable), as well as a few lines of description. Email your listings to 08108@newspapermediagroup.com.

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