The WC Press Vintage Issue - November 2019

What’s old is cool again.

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The

“I don’t use emojis.

I go vintage.”

–Rami Malek

Press PUBLISHER Dan Mathers dan@thewcpress.com

COLUMNISTS Becca Boyd bboyd@thewcpress.com Jamie Jones jjones@thewcpress.com Andrea Mason amason@thewcpress.com DJ Romeo romeo@thewcpress.com Rotary Club of West Chester rotary@thewcpress.com Moore Maguire Group realtalk@thewcpress.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nick Vecchio nick@thewcpress.com MANAGING EDITOR Kate Chadwick kchadwick@thewcpress.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Courtney Potts courtney@thewcpress.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nazarena Luzzi Castro nazarenaluzzi.com

Published By...

Mathers Productions 24 W Market St, Ste 4 West Chester, PA 19382 mathersproductions.com 610-344-3463

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Michael Lynch mlynch@thewcpress.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Erik Weber @westchesterviews CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Amy Tucker amytuckerphotography.com

The WC Press is a monthly magazine distributed free of charge to more than 250 businesses. For a free digital subscription, visit thewcpress.com.

For more information about specific distribution locations, visit thewcpress.com/distribution.

Cover photo of Glenn Lewis’ 1950 Chevy 3100 by Erik Weber

Worth

Noting

Our no-nonsense table of contents

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#THEWCPRESS Our favorite social media posts from fans are getting printed

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FIELD OF DREAMS The Brandywine Vintage Base Ball Club replays the past

25 BARTENDER OF THE MONTH

For Larry Soscia, working at Pietro’s Prime is a family affair

28 CLASSICALLY TRAINED

These local auto shops have a soft spot for older cars

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WELCOME TO WEST CHESTER Kara Larkin brings salon expertise to the borough with Cinq

45 GEMS FROM THE PAST

For your closet and your home

55 NOVEMBER EVENTS

Our guide to the can’t-miss happenings this month

63 PHOTO HUNT

Find the five differences between the two pictures and win!

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Letter

from the

Editor

Dan Mathers shares some personal insight into this month’s theme

Following a recent move into a smaller residence, I’ve been purging some underused possessions, many of which are clothes. However, in going through all the boxes that had been stowed in our attic for years, I found a few pieces that, although almost never worn, would absolutely be making the cut.

Piled beneath scarves and beanies, I found a stack of Manchester United jerseys that I had deemed unfashionable because the sponsor had changed or the player had moved on. Included in that pile was a ’07-’08 Cristiano Ronaldo jersey. Because I know most folks in this area aren’t also rabid fans of sports teams from northwest England, I’ll explain the significance in more relatable terms: imagine finding a Chase Utley jersey from the Phillies World Series-winning season folded at the bottom of a forgotten storage bin (but also imagine he’s arguably the greatest player of all time, and the World Series included the best teams from 31 countries).

The discovery got me thinking about all the other paraphernalia I’ve kept over the years. I’ve got a Penn State t-shirt with a cartoon drawing of a packed Beaver Stadium that was purchased by my stepdad when he attended our shared alma mater. Though I’ll be torn on giving it up, if either of my little brothers head off to Happy Valley when they graduate from East in the next few years, I intend to pass it on to them.

I was also lucky enough to stumble upon a unidirectional Burton snowboard patterned in neon pink and purple at a yard sale 11 years ago. The owner explained that her son had never ridden it, and she found it in their basement while spring cleaning. She asked for $20, and we settled on $10. I just now checked Ebay to get a value estimate and giddily discovered other Burton boards from the late ’80s and early ’90s listed for upwards of $10,000.

However, reviewing these items made me a bit softhearted for the stuff that I’ve given up over the years. Whenever I see someone in a tour shirt, I think about all the emo bands I sported back in my teens and wish I still had that black Dashboard Confessional tee that I wore until the print cracked and the hem frayed. I tossed it when emo went “mainstream,” but today Dashboard still makes the regular rotation in one of my Spotify Daily Mix playlists.

I also feel nostalgic about the car I was driving around the same time. I bought my first 240sx — a ’93 fastback with a busted transmission — in 2002 for $250, and I snagged a newer model two years later for $5,000. Another quick search of Ebay shows those cars now selling for two to three times that, and it’s understandable; there’s nothing on the road quite like them anymore.

Although I’ve never been a “vintage” guy, producing this issue has made me realize that maybe I do harbor a bit of sentimentality for the days gone by. I’m learning to appreciate that newness isn’t necessarily the prime indicator of value. Maybe it’s that I’m getting older, but I like to think it’s that I’m getting more sophisticated. Just as my sister’s old DeSean Jackson jersey was awesomely relevant again for two short weeks this season, sometimes it’s coolest when what’s old becomes new again. —dan@thewcpress.com

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@thewcpress #thewcpress Like and follow us on social media, then tag us in your posts for a chance get your work published here.

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Making a Difference Each month the Rotary Club of West Chester contributes a column that explores the organizations and initiatives that are making a difference around the world and right here in our community.

Each week, the Rotary Club of West Chester welcomes a different featured speaker. Topics range from non-profits’ missions, to elected officials giving project updates, to authors discussing their latest works.

These presentations can be informative, thought provoking and entertaining. A couple of years ago, we had a presentation that was all three and led to a project that is producing long-term benefits.

Our speaker that day was Jill Stoltzfus, who at the time was working for the CHAAMP Program through the Chester County Intermediate Unit. She explained that CHAAMP, which stands for Communities Helping Adolescents with Autism Make Progress is an innovative, community-based program in which students use the community as their classroom. Working with specialized staff, students ages 14-21 with moderate-to-severe autism build skills to transition from school to independent, adult life.

The CHAAMP Program identifies community resources that provide functionally relevant opportunities for life and vocational skills instruction. Through partnerships with local businesses throughout Chester County, CHAAMP students target a variety of skills that foster independence as they prepare for adult life.

Students develop a positive work ethic, expand upon their social skills and sharpen community safety and navigation skills.

The Rotary Club of West Chester has been around for 99 years and has records going back to the 1920s. The club had recently discussed digitizing these records, but the task seemed daunting. After hearing Jill’s presentation, the solution was obvious: a partnership with CHAAMP. A couple of weeks later, a student named Marco was placed at Blue Dog Printing & Design, owned

by Rotarians Bill and Debi Friedmann, to begin the project.

Each week, Marco spends an hour scanning and documenting records. He works with a job coach, but it took him about four minutes to pick up the system. To date, Marco has digitized several decades’ worth of records. A few months into the project, he began working a second hour each week, doing odd jobs for Blue Dog. Several of Blue Dog’s non-profit customers have actually requested that Marco work on their projects, even if it might take an extra day or two to get them out.

Marco brings more than just labor to the table. The enthusiastic high-five that everyone in the office receives is the highlight of each person’s day. Marco works best with background music and prefers soft rock, so the only downside is that on days that he works, everyone spends their shift humming Air Supply tunes.

According to Marco’s job coaches, what makes this placement great is completing tangible projects; Marco can see that pile of scanned documents or stamped envelopes. And for the folks at Blue Dog, working with Marco is truly a delight as well a great way to make a difference! –Rotary@thewcpress.com Interested in making a difference? The Rotary Club of West Chester meets at West Chester Country Club every Thursday at noon.

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T H E B R A N D Y W I N E V I N TA G E B A S E B A L L C L U B R E P L AY S T H E PA S T

story by Jesse Piersol

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photo Lawrence Major

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n the 2018 movie Kodachrome, protagonist Matt Ryder (played by Jason Sudeikis) reconnects with his estranged father, Ben (Ed Harris), who is in the final throes of terminal cancer. A famous photographer with an impossible ego, Ben weasels his son into embarking on a road trip with him to Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, to develop his last remaining rolls of Kodachrome film before the December 31, 2010 deadline. After that date, Dwayne’s Photo — the last facility in the world to still process Kodachrome (which Kodak discontinued in June of 2009) would no longer develop it.

Part of what makes the story so enchanting is its central character: Kodachrome film itself, a beloved yet doomed American icon swallowed up by modern technology, including changes in the medium like digital photography and competing film formats with less complex processing requirements.

Kodachrome evokes the rich colors of a romanticized past. Today, everything vintage—from cocktails to Pyrex

glassware to midcentury furniture—is enjoying an exuberant renaissance. An unlikely participant in that renaissance is the game of baseball. And West Chester has a league of its own.

Rick Stratton has been a member of the Brandywine Vintage Base Ball Club since it was restarted in 2013, after a 148-year hiatus.

Wait…what? One hundred and forty-eight years?! “The Brandywine Base Ball Club existed back in 1865, when base ball started gaining popularity after the Civil War,” Stratton explains. Teams formed when soldiers came home from battle. With more leisure time, it became a gentlemen’s game, where businessmen would gather together for exercise.

The club was active until somewhere between 1915 and 1919, when it fizzled out, lying dormant until 2013.

LOOKING BACK Stratton traces the origins of vintage base ball (note: it’s “base ball” in its vintage form, not “baseball”) to the late

1980s in Long Island, where it grew in popularity over the next decade or so.

Around 2010, the Mid Atlantic Vintage Base Ball League was formed, comprised of a dozen teams spanning Washington, DC to Long Island.

Locally, a team in Delaware had been playing for three or four years, and the members were looking to grow a league so they didn’t have to travel so far. Stumbling upon West Chester’s rich history with the game, they pushed a couple of their guys to form their own team, which they did, taking out a newspaper ad to solicit players. “I saw the ad and walked into the Historical Society on a February morning not knowing what I was getting into,” Stratton recalls. “And the next thing I knew, I was vice president.” Although he had participated in Little League as a youth, he had not played competitively for 20 years. It turns out, none of that mattered.

T H E P L AY E R S Corduroy. Shaggy. Wrinkles. Donut.

Stonewall. Everyone gets a nickname.

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photo Sarah Carroll

Rick “Stonewall” Stratton grew up in rural New Hampshire, in a place with… well, a lot of stone walls. “I ended up playing catcher, which has a backstop,” Stratton explains. “So I’m kind of like a wall back there.”

Some players want to choose their own nickname, but the team discourages it. “We try to get it to come about organically,” he says. “Something funny or embarrassing, sometimes it fits with your background or your name. We say that once you have a nickname, then you’re really part of the club. Sometimes it happens the day you show up, and sometimes it’s three games in, or even half a year.”

Although a wide variety of people play the game, there is a sizeable contingent of history and baseball buffs on the team. Naturally, there are lots of teachers, especially history teachers.

“I’m a civil engineer,” Stratton offers.

“There are a couple guys who work in the restaurant business and the manufacturing industry. One guy works at a biomedical facility.”

For all its adherence to vintage rules and aesthetics, the modern-day version of the game is welcoming and inclusive.

“We’ve played with people as young as 16 and 18 to people in their 70s, men, women, anyone who wants to come out and play,” he states. “The rules are the great equalizer. We have people who played in college ranging all the way to people who have never played. Our rules allow those two types of people to play together.” Typically, the club discourages players under 18, but they’ve made exceptions in the past.

There is even a woman on the team these days: Allison “Kat” Howell, who plays second base. “Back then, women didn’t play,” says Stratton. “Today, there is a team in New York called the Mutuals, and on certain days, there are up to three women playing on their roster.

And they’re just as good as anyone out there.”

It is the range of people — and the relationships formed — that keeps team members coming back. “Just the camaraderie,” reflects Stratton. “You meet

some pretty neat people from other teams. Being part of the community is really special.”

G O I N G BA C K I N T I M E One of the most noticeable differences from modern baseball is that no gloves are worn in the vintage version of the game, for the simple reason that they hadn’t been invented yet. Mercifully, the ball is also a little bit softer, with a different stitching pattern that comes together in four quarters called the “lemon peel” stitch, rather than the curved lines of today’s figure eight style.

In addition to the slightly softer ball, players’ hands are also granted some reprieve by the catching rules. “You can catch the ball on the fly or on one bounce, which helps,” Stratton says. “If something is hit really hard and you don’t feel like diving, you can time it to catch it off the bounce—although if you’re a really good player and you rely on that bounce, you’ll get heckled a little bit.”

Let’s not leave any uncertainty here, though: “Without a glove, it’ll get scary

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We ’ v e p l a y e d i n p l a c e s w h e r e t h e r e ’s been a huge rock in center field or kneeh i g h g ra s s , b u t t h a t j u s t m a ke s i t m o r e interesting.”

sometimes. If you catch a line drive….” His voice trails off as he mentally calculates.

“I’d estimate that 75 percent of our current club members have some type of finger injury. But we keep coming back.”

The bases are burlap sacks. Traditionally filled with sawdust, today’s vintage bases are filled with rubber chips. They don’t play on a cut diamond, instead just using an open expanse of grass, because that’s what teams had back then. Stratton notes that sometimes the terrain offers additional challenges. “We’ve played in places where there’s been a huge rock in center field or knee-high grass, but that just makes it more interesting.”

Bats are another element of the sport with a vintage spin, and the Brandywine club sources theirs from West Chester bat maker Prowler Bat Company.

Prowler founder Steve McCardell is a self-described baseball guy, West Chester born and bred, who attended Henderson High School and then Shippensburg University (which he chose for its baseball program, not necessarily his academics) before returning to the borough. After college, he was unsure about his career path, so turned to his first love: baseball. “Making bats was an easy thing to start up,” he recollects. “You just need a lathe and wood. But to really do it correctly takes a good bit of money and a lot of research.”

He invested the time, and today his market has grown to include customers from Maine to Tennessee to Iowa.

He goes to the big tournaments with 25 teams, setting up his table to reach players there. His ultimate goal is to get bats to the Phillies, but that’s far off, because of the money required just to get the bats in front of them.

Vintage bats feature several notable differences from their modern-day counterparts. For one, they are longer, ranging from 34 to 37 inches. They also have a different shape, lacking the typical barrel definition of today’s bats. The handle is thicker and they are heavier, too. “Overall, they’re very simple in design, crafted from a solid piece of ash,” explains McCardell.

Stain or dye is used to finish the wood rather than paint, and there are generally no logos added to the bat.

Sometimes, players request something special, as did Alex “Cardigan” Marmelstein (outfield). His bat features a V-shaped graphic with a row of circles that runs down the length of the bat, resembling a button-up sweater. On a cool spring day early in his tenure with the club, Marmelstein wore a sweater to a game, earning him the nickname “Cardigan” from that day forward. The next year,

he requested the custom bat design from Prowler.

The motif was created by taping off the design and then staining it. McCardell gets all sorts of requests, with stripes being a popular addition to vintage bats.

He also uses different shades of brown stains to mimic tobacco stains that often graced old bats. “They’re so different. I love doing them. ‘Authentic’ and ‘classic’ are the words I think of when I’m designing a vintage bat.”

G E T T I N G I N V O LV E D Community support is essential to the team’s growth and outreach. One of their earliest sponsors was Levante Brewing, supporting the team since 2014. “One of our players knew they were starting up and had a conversation with them about being a sponsor,” Stratton recalls. “One

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photo Stephanie Kopcik

of our players even works there now.” At Levante’s “Kegs and Eggs” event in February, the team shows up in uniform to fundraise.

They travel for games to places including Gettysburg and Pea Patch Island in Delaware. The team car pools to events that are an hour or two away, but flies to more distant locations, such as their upcoming trip to Wisconsin. “We’ll fly out there and all stay in a couple of rooms,” he says. “We’ll play all weekend long at the festival, which is maybe five games in three days.”

For home games, the team plays at East Goshen Park. “We’re a pretty healthy club in terms of roster and budget right now,” says Stratton. “What we’re really looking for is a following and a fan base. We need more spectators.” He notes, somewhat enviously, that one of the teams that comes to East Goshen travels from six hours away, and they bring a whole crowd with them. “They have 50 or so people who travel around to see them play base ball.”

BRINGING IT HOME “We're all so frightened by time, the way it moves on and the way things disappear. That's why we're photographers.

We're preservationists by nature,” opines Ed Harris’ in Kodachrome. “We take pictures to stop time, to commit moments to eternity. Human nature made tangible.”

Just as Kodachrome isn’t about a product, the story of the Brandywine Vintage Base Ball Club isn’t really about a sport; it’s about people. “It’s always great to see a father and son on the team,” muses Stratton. “My goal is to play long enough that I can play with my son. It’s about preserving history and passing it down. And also teaching them about how it used to be.”

Stratton’s son, now five, isn’t quite ready for the big leagues with Dad yet, although he participated in tee ball last year.

One of Stratton’s base ball moments committed to memory happened during a game the team played in Reading, at a little league field where vintage teams are sometimes invited. “They asked us to play there one weekend, and they had brought in a former major leaguer to play with us.”

Bill “Spaceman” Lee, a left-handed pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox and the Montreal Expos from the 1970s through the early 1980s, was quite a character back when he was known for his counterculture viewpoints as well as his baseball prowess. “It was fun to be out there with someone who appreciates the history of the game,” Stratton remembers. “Being on the field with him was pretty neat.”

Prowler’s Steve McCardell recalls a special moment back when he was just starting out with bat making and playing in the West Chester adult league. “My brother hit a home run with one of my bats, which at that time was a really bad baseball bat, because I was just starting out and didn’t know anything. But he hit a home run with something I had made. I still have that bat hanging up in my garage.”

Memories such as these will play out again as future generations find their own place on the field, not matter what form that field takes.

Games are free to attend. Check out Brandywine Vintage Base Ball Club’s schedule on their website: brandywinebbc.org

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Bartender

of the Month PHOTO Erik Weber INTERVIEW Dan Mathers

For Larry Soscia, working at Pietro’s Prime is a family affair both in feeling and in fact.

How long have you been in industry?

About 20 years. I started in high school at Lima Estates retirement home. After college at Pitt, I bartended at Kildare’s in KOP, where I met my wife who was also bartending. Now we’ve got two kids, Kate and Wyatt, who go to Fern Hill, and two dogs.

Lima, Pittsburgh, West Chester... how’d you end up working in King of Prussia? I was changing day jobs, and I knew Kildare’s was opening a restaurant and looking for help. It seemed like a good fit, and I’ve been bartending part time ever since.

What’s your day job? I am an insurance agent and a mortgage lender.

Two kids, two dogs, and two jobs. How do you balance it all? I like to stay busy.

Busy is a good state for me. I think I’m blessed with the ability to do it all. All three of those jobs — if you wanna call them jobs; I don’t think of being a dad as a job — I enjoy all three of the things that occupy my time. Whether it’s being a dad, being at Pietros or helping people with the finance side... it’s a good time. So, that, and coffee.

How about this: would you rather give up coffee forever, or alcohol? Ooh, man, as a bartender this is probably the wrong answer, but for me, I’d give up alcohol. I need the coffee; coffee is essential.

How would you describe your job?

I run around behind the bar telling dad jokes, and I’m the only one who finds them funny.

Alright, putting you on the spot.

Gimme a good dad joke. My daughter actually said this one: Did you hear about the giant who threw up? It’s all over town.

When did you start at Pietro’s? When they opened. There are a handful of us here who are on year 13. My wife came up and interviewed, then I came up. We were back the next night working on the drink menu and meeting people who, it turned out, would be our friends for the

next decade. It’s a family run business, and there’s a different feeling because of that.

Marisa and Sean have made it a great place to work.

Would you say it’s that family feel that’s kept you around? I don’t think if I ever left here I’d go anywhere else. I’m 40 years old and still bartending by some weird twist of fate. I love doing it, and this is a great place to do it. Our clientele, when you’re at a place this long, they become friends. People I know from Pietro’s are also the parents of my kids’ friends who I see at school — it’s a close-knit community and we like that. Plus, my wife also works at the

bar, my sister-in-law works in the kitchen, and my nephew is a food runner.

Sounds like a good atmosphere. The pub, or public house, was originally an extension of the home shared by everybody. We embrace that atmosphere. We get people coming out to celebrate, but it’s also just kind of part of their routine. We’re trying to provide a place that’s comfortable to go, where you see familiar faces. We’ve got people who come in during the day, or come in at the end of your day, or come out for live music at night. I’m a busy guy, but I still get live music four nights a week — there’s something to be said for that.

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Home

Becca Boyd shares tips on life and cooking on her blog at homebeccanomics.com

Beccanomics

Every time I eat roasted turkey I think to myself, why do I only cook turkey at Thanksgiving?

It’s delicious! The same goes for cheeseburgers. A summer favorite, they take a hiatus when the winds whip and the dark comes early.

Enter, the burger salad. Prepared stove top (and lickety-split), this dish brings a summer smile to my face without fail and is a fantastic way to sneak veggies onto your family’s plates. The waffles are a more obvious seasonal recipe that would be a divine, cinnamon-scented way to carb up before your turkey trot.

–bboyd@thewcpress.com Naked Burger Salad serves 4 1 1/3 lb. ground beef 3 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2/3 c. shredded Swiss cheese Dressing 1/2 c. mayonnaise 1/4 c. ketchup

1 heaping tsp. sweet relish pinch sugar pinch black pepper Assembly Mixed greens Grape tomatoes Cubed avocado Thinly sliced red onion

1. Cook ground beef in skillet until no longer pink; drain fat. Add Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add cheese and stir to combine.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients together in small bowl.

3. Assemble salad greens, avocado, tomatoes and red onion on plates. Top with beef and then dressing. Serve.

Pumpkin Waffles makes 8 1 c. canned pumpkin 2 c. milk 1/3 c. mild oil (vegetable, avocado) 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 large eggs

1/4 c. brown sugar 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt

1. Heat waffle iron. Whisk pumpkin, milk, oil, vanilla, eggs and

brown sugar until smoothly combined in a medium mixing bowl.

2. In a larger bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt until combined.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and fold until smoothly combined.

Add in scant 1 cup amounts to iron and remove when baked through.

To freeze, cut in half and freeze on wire rack. Once frozen (about 20 minutes), combine waffle halves in plastic gallon sized zip-top bag.

Toast in toaster to reheat and serve.

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These local auto shops have a soft spot for older cars story by Kate Chadwick

This 1985 Renault R5 Maxi Turbo won the 1985 Word Rally Grand Prix in Monaco, and is one of the many vintage vehicles entrusted local auto shops like D’Antonio Automotive.

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D’Antonio Automotive’s prized 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner

“A car isn’t a classic just because it’s old. To be a classic, a car has to tell something of its time.” - James May

T

here’s an essay floating around the internet — often mistakenly attributed to the late 60 Minutes correspondent Andy Rooney, but actually written by Frank Kaiser — called In Praise of Older Women. In it, a 65-year-old Kaiser enumerates just what he’d come to realize over the course of his life about women who, for lack of a more gracious way to put it, have a few miles on them; how years and the wisdom and experience that go with them can make women of a certain age as appealing —and in some ways even more so — than their younger counterparts.

We’re betting that the folks who appreciate, work on, and collect classic cars can get behind that sentiment.

Classic cars are typically considered to be anything over 20 years old; antique autos are 45 and older, and the term

vintage covers anything built between 1919 and 1930. We talked with several West Chester auto repair shop owners and managers who all seemed to agree that while no one is arguing that new cars aren’t great, they don’t make ‘em like they used to, and it’s hard to beat a classic.

And if you think that this is just an “old head” industry, think again. A December 2018 post in the classiccars.com journal offered an interesting statistic: for the first time, gen X-ers and millennials had surpassed baby boomers as consumers in classic and antique car collecting. Now part of this can simply be attributed to a demographic that’s growing in number.

But it also indicates that a love of cars that have stood the test of time — in terms of both quality and design — won’t be dying out any time soon. And as we found out, it’s a fascination that crisscrosses generations.

Tony over at D’Antonio Automotive is

In Your Dreams the vintage cars our car guys love

Tony D’Antonio: 1966 Iso Grifo a prime example. His father (also Tony) has been an auto mechanic for 45 years.

“He was around when a lot of the vehicles we service were brand new,” Tony told us. “He knows so much about classic cars that he actually gives grand jury professional testimony for restoration dispute cases. The way his brain works is astounding; I’ve been around him my whole life, and I’m still amazed when he can diagnose a troublesome car just by listening to it.”

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Glenn Lewis’ 1950 Chevy 3100 was our cover model this month

We asked Tony just how many classic cars they’ve worked on, and even he was shocked by the answer. “Since opening up shop in 2011, my invoice software shows over 1,000 vehicles in the classic age range,” he told us. “I couldn’t believe it myself when I first saw it!” The majority of them are in the tri-State area, but they do have clients that will ship cars across the country for their services.

Among the more remarkable cars they’ve worked on at D’Antonio is the 1985 Renault R5 Maxi Turbo car that won the 1985 Word Rally Grand Prix in Monaco. “That car is actually in the video game Forza — it was pretty cool to have here. It had an unusual mechanical fuel injection issue that no one could seem to figure out. Needless to say, my father was able to correctly diagnose and repair the issue.” Other projects Tony recalls include a full body restoration on a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner, a three-year project. “That car was so perfect, you could have performed surgery on the undercarriage of it.” A real challenge arrived in the form of a 1985 Lamborghini Jalpa full restoration project that arrived in boxes

with no information available at all. “That was one of our most difficult restoration projects to date, simply because most of the parts had to be sourced from Italy or custom fabricated,” Tony says.

In Your Dreams the vintage cars our car guys love

Tony Sr. isn’t the only local classic and vintage car guy in the neighborhood with decades of experience. Glenn Lewis over at Lewis Automotive also has an impressive 45 years under his belt... or should that be under the hood? The short answer to the question, “How many classic and vintage cars have you worked on over the years?” is, for Glenn, “Too many to count.”

rebuilding of engines.” What don’t they do? “Well, we don’t do any painting.”

“I have serviced and repaired so many antique and classic vehicles, from a 1919 Ford Model T, right up through the vehicles of the 1980s,” he told us. Among the biggest challenges Glenn has faced over the decades of working on older cars was one we that was echoed by nearly everyone we spoke with for this story: “Finding and getting the right parts!”

While all of the mechanics we spoke with agree that there’s no specific certifications for working on older cars, experience is key. Glenn has had master technician Jason Rhodes on staff for more than 20 years, and Jason and Glenn handle most of the older car repairs. “Many of the older mechanics who’ve worked with me over the years are retiring,” Glenn told us.

Glenn told us there’s not much they don’t do at Lewis. “We have done everything from a basic engine tuneup to transmission work, all the way up to the

In many ways, it’s a dying art. “If you’re an intelligent technician that understands the fundamentals of an internal combustion engine, then working on 100-year-old

Glenn Lewis: “A four-door luxury ouring car from the 1930s”

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Colin Dougherty steps out of his Porsche GT3S after winning a race with his father Bill Dougherty c.1998

This 1965 Porsche 911 Carrera is one of the several vintage European cars being worked on at Dougherty every day.

cars shouldn’t be an issue,” says Tony. “The largest hurdle I face when sourcing technicians is the fact that most of the newer generation only understands computer systems and very little about old mechanical technology. There is nowhere to plug in a scan tool on an antique car to give you a trouble code — you have to know a thing or two to correctly diagnose a problem.”

Glenn Lewis doesn’t let the fact that he works on classic and antique cars all day stop him from also collecting them.

“I’ve got a 1950 Chevy 3100 pick-up truck (it’s my favorite), my 1984 Chevy El Camino choo choo special edition, my wife’s 1984 Chevy El Camino. Those are his and hers, from the year we first met. [Reporter’s note: points to Glenn for adorableness on this.] I also have a 1986 Chevy 3500 tow truck, and my son Shane and I take care of my mom’s 1957 Chevy Belair two-door hardtop, and a 1967 Chevy Corvair Monza Convertible.”

In the 42 years they’ve been in business, Dougherty Automotive has worked on hundreds of vintage European cars and almost always have at least a few in the shop, according to general manager Ryan Diehl. “The cars we service aren’t just locally owned, but come from all over the northeast. It’s not a large percentage of our total business, but they are quite important to us, nonetheless.”

Here, too, the challenge of parts comes up. “Many of the vintage cars we service have not had parts available from the original manufacturer for 30 years or more,” he said. “Recently, Porsche and Volvo have instituted ‘classic’ parts programs that are aimed at producing and providing hardto-find parts for their most-loved vintage models, and that’s begun to move things in a good direction.”

Diehl agrees with the others that great technicians are the key for working on any cars, not just older ones, “But, as they say, there is no substitute for experience — we’re fortunate to have technicians who’ve had first-hand experience with many vintage cars and also had knowledge and expertise handed down to them from techs before them.”

Ryan jokes, “While some of our techs are themselves ‘vintage,’ we do not have specific vintage car techs. We have certain technicians with special skill sets and certain techs who gravitate towards certain projects, and it’s important to know the technicians well and recognize where they excel specifically so they’re fulfilled and we get the best results.”

While car repair and restoration is a truly hands-on business, we found over and over again that there’s a real personal and emotional connection between the workers, the cars, and the

In Your Dreams the vintage cars our car guys love

Ryan Diehl: 1973 Porsche 911 RSR projects. “Recently, we were fortunate to have gotten involved with a mechanical restoration of a 1965 Porsche 911,” Ryan said. “The car was a prized possession of a family member but had fallen into disrepair and had sat unused for over 15 years. We’ve watched that car slowly come back to life, and the client was just recently able to drive it for the very first time. The fact that this car is such an early example (first year of production was 1963) of one of the longest-running sports car models ever produced made this a very cool project. The connection that the client has with this one-owner car, and that we’re part of keeping it in the family, goes beyond cool and makes it very meaningful to us.”

Jonathan Aloisio learned his love of cars and the mechanical craft at the feet of his late father, Dave, who raced cars with Jonathan, built race engines, and

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This 1963 Chevy Corvette was one of first race cars owned by DARE founder Dave Aloisio

who started DARE back in 1976. Jonathan joined in 1984, and his sons are now on board as well. The car game is strong with this family; his sister Laura runs the admin side of things, and it is truly a family business.

Jonathan estimates that they’ve worked on “oh, hundreds” of classic and antique cars at DARE “But considering when we started, a lot of them weren’t classics at the time!” he says. According to Jonathan, DARE focuses more on what he referred to as baby boomer cars, those from the 1960s and 1970s. “We don’t dabble in the vintage vintage cars quite as much, but we have worked on a few over the years. We focus on the baby boomer cars, because we have a passion for them specifically, and they’re just easy for us to work on because those are the cars we know best.”

Jonathan says that while getting parts can be an issue sometimes, the older engines are usually more simple.

“They’re not more difficult to work on from a mechanical standpoint. Your challenges with older cards are things like rust, things like time.”

He says the trend now is “retro-mods” or the practice of fitting older cars with more modern, faster, more efficient and updated engines. “That’s a lot of what we do now, what this industry is moving into.

We take the body of an old car and modernize the drive train and merge them together. You get the best of both worlds: the classic bodies and designs of the older cars outfitted with modern engines and new technology. You’re taking something that’s already iconic and making it better. We’re doing one right now, in fact, a ’61 Corvette.” A project like this one would run approximately six months, start to finish, according to Jonathan.

These types of projects are likely only about 5% of their business, “But it’s a passion — and it adds a coolness factor to our shop,” he says. Jonathan comments that he has two techs who are “old heads.”

“They know what a drum brake is; kids in school now don’t know what that is. We grew up around that stuff,” he says. His enthusiasm when talking about his job is palpable; you can tell he simply loves it.

As you’ll see in the sidebar throughout this feature, we asked each owner

In Your Dreams the vintage cars our car guys love

Jonathan Aloisio: 1969 Chevy Camaro for their dream car. Jonathan’s is a 1969 Camaro. When pressed to define just what it is that makes the Camaro so appealing to him, he struggled to put it into words. “It’s just that neat, neat car you always wanted to reach for when you were young, just the body lines, everything about it. It’s stood the test of time.”

Indeed, it’s sometimes hard to pin down and explain the specific things that make our hearts beat just a bit faster. And whether that’s a car — or a woman — often the appeal is just indefinable.

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Design Dilemmas Andrea Mason of Perceptions Interiors is a professional interior designer who wants to help you upgrade your space

Oh, the joys of antiquing! I love discovering unique treasures at our local vintage shops. There is nothing like finding something with a past and making it yours. Vintage accessories and furniture create a look and a statement that major department stores can’t. Antiquing is fun, but it can be daunting to walk into a crowded shop and know exactly what you are looking for and how to get the best deal. These are some tips to help navigate: Come Prepared: Arrive with the dimensions of the item you are looking for and even a photo of the room it’s going in for reference. Keep in mind any hallway, stairway, or door measurements that it has to fit through. Have an idea of what you want, including textures, patterns, colors or even concept photos. Don’t forget to bring a measuring tape and any other materials you may need, like paint, finish, or fabric swatches.

Eyes on the Prize: Antique shops can be chockfull of everything under the sun, and you can easily be distracted into looking at something you didn’t even come to buy. Shopping around for other things is just fine, but check in with yourself every few minutes to make sure you are there for the right reasons. I’m a true believer that you should have something in mind before you go or else you will come out with a cart full of things that you don’t absolutely need or love.

Mind Your Budget: Go into the antique shop with a budget and stick to it. When creating a budget, do some research on the things you are purchasing. Find a few examples of what the item is worth so that you know what to expect and if you are finding the best deal. Take into consideration if your piece may need maintenance or repair, which will be an additional cost unless you are feeling up for a DIY project. Depending on the item, take note that if you are making any changes to it in the future, this could devalue it. Remember to bring cash along for the stores that don’t accept credit cards. Some antique shopping will require haggling, but when doing so be polite; a salesperson is not going to level with you if you are disrespectful.

Shop Around: Visit two or three shops before you settle on the perfect piece. Every shop is unique and may specialize in a certain set of items or time periods. Take photos along the way so you don’t forget what you see and you can refer to them when visiting other shops. If you are on the fence about an item or you need to double check a measurement, most antique shops will put a hold on an item until the end of the day.

These crisp fall days are for antiquing, and with these tips I’m sure you will find the perfect vintage piece for your home.

–amason@thewcpress.com

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Welcome

to West Chester PHOTO Erik Weber INTERVIEW Dan Mathers

Kara Larkin brings salon expertise to the borough with her new venture, Cinq What made you choose to open your own salon? I thought that after 10 years in the industry I was ready to branch out, to be my own boss and embrace the challenges and rewards that come along with that.

How did you assemble your team?

Two of them were my assistants at our previous salon — we’ve worked together for the last three years. My old assistant Bella Page is a stylist in the salon and has her own chair, growing her book; Wesley McCormick is my personal assistant now. I also have my receptionist, Caroline Dunlevy, who has been my client for about six years, and she was looking to get into the beauty industry and I thought it was a great opportunity for her to get to know the business.

When you leave a job and open your own place, is it difficult to bring your book, your clients, with you? No. I definitely have a very loyal following, so I was confident that they were all going to come with me and be happy for my new venture.

Tell me about the design choices you’ve made in the salon? I wanted to make it very homey but also keep it fresh and clean. A lot of our clients have commented on how comfortable they’ve felt right from their first visit. We have a lot of greenery, which I think keeps it fresh and upbeat, and a huge window lets you see everything going on out on the street.

Did you have an idea how you wanted this space to work? I wanted it to be more open. If there were a couple clients sitting down, I wanted them to be able to engage with each other. People come in to communicate, whether with my team or other customers. When women come together and engage with each other, it just has such a good vibe. I wanted to encourage that.

What would you say are your specialities? I specialize in color, extensions and bridal. I have an educational back-

ground in these areas, and my experience has been that those elements of the business have become bigger in the industry in the last 10 years. Women are doing more with their hair now than when I entered the industry, and I’ve grown with those changes.

How’d you come up with the name?

Cinq means five in french. I’m the third generation of five girls — I’m one of five sisters, my father had five sisters, and his mother had five sisters, so five has always been an important number in my family. Since opening, my family has been my biggest support system.

What would you tell someone who was looking for a change? I would tell them that I would be thorough and honest in my consultation, and I’d work with them to get them out of their comfort zone. I’m very upfront about what will work, what will look right, and what will allow them to feel confident with themselves.

It seems like confidence is a big part of what you do. Absolutely. I think it’s important for me to help my clients find their own confidence. I try to help them use their inner beauty to find their outer beauty.

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Real (Estate) Talk Realtors Brad Moore and Alison Maguire of Keller Williams Real Estate’s Moore Maguire Group take a look at the borough’s booming market

If you’ve ever bought, sold, or even “window-shopped” for a house, you probably already know that spring is the time of year that is the most active in terms of real estate sales activity. So, it makes sense that more houses are listed in the spring, historically and statistically, than at any other time of the year. But in the real estate game, as in all things in life, it sometimes pays to think a little bit outside the box. That’s why we think that listing your house for sale at this time of year can be an excellent—and profitable—move. Here are a few reasons why now might be the perfect time to sell your house.

It’s a sellers’ market right now in the West Chester area, where inventory is low. This is a simple matter of supply and demand economics; the lower the supply, the higher the demand, which means prices go up, resulting in higher profits for sellers. This time of year (fall through early winter) there are fewer listings for buyers to choose from, as inventory tends to be lower than usual. Therefore, if your home happens to be one of those listings, you already have an advantage in the form of less competition.

The time is now to list your home for another reason: interest rates are at a historic low. While the federal interest rate changes daily, as of this writing it is hovering in the higher 3% range. This means more buyers are out there.

Lastly, the weather can be a consideration. If you have any major repairs or renovations to do in order to get your home market-ready, West Chester area weather is still warm enough to get that done. You’re less likely to be dealing with freezing temperatures and frozen or even snow-covered ground as you would be in January or February.

Part of our listing agreement package here at Moore Maguire Group is a staging consultation. This process will help you get your home in market-ready shape based on our years of experience in the industry. It can include easy-to-implement suggestions like a fall cleanup around the outside of the property, placing some colorful mums on the porch, a little paint here or there, and interior furniture placement.

This can be a huge value add to the listing, because first impressions really are a big deal when selling a property.

These are minor tweaks that don’t cost a lot of money but can yield a really big return.

In a case where more extensive fixes would be in order, particularly on the exterior of the property, we connect our sellers with local West Chester contractors who can facilitate some of these projects and help to alleviate the stress involved with getting the home ready for buyers.

At the end of the day, the best time to sell your house is when you’re ready. At the Moore Maguire Group, we want to work with you to show that there is no “right time” to list your property — we are ready when you are. –realtalk@thewcpress.com

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fo r

t e s o l yo ur c

e m o h r u o y d an

story Anna Lockhart ďƒ‹ photos Erik Weber

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“...an expert who...knows the history and style of each era she sells...”

Malena’s Vintage Boutique

W

alking along Gay Street in downtown West Chester, it’s clear that this county seat is a place that holds dear its history. Nods to eras past twinkle via details in the buildings — the slight warp of original Colonial-era glass in a window; the wrought iron railings that lace along widow’s walks around second- and third-floor balconies, like those on the Lincoln Building, where the first biography of Abraham Lincoln was written in 1858, or the cobblestones on the street that could trip up a walker distracted by window shopping.

Maybe this appreciation for the past is why so many spots in town offer well-worn remnants of it, from vintage apparel to antique goods for the home. Not everyone has the patience to scour flea markets, estate sales, or even thrift stores to find vintage or vintage-inspired treasures — so it is lucky that West Chester is home to some experts who do the leg work for you. I shopped around town recently looking for bygone gems, and I was not disappointed.

Vintage, but Make it Fashion On the corner of West Gay and Church Streets, Malena’s Boutique is an institution. If you’ve been in West Chester for a while, you likely already know of Malena Martinez: Since 2003, the WC native has housed an impressive collection of vintage clothing from the 1850s to the 1970s in her store. She cut her teeth in the fashion industry in New York City, where she worked a vintage store while in school. When she was starting out, the internet was just beginning to affect and change the landscape of retail and of vintage sales. So she headed back to her hometown of West Chester and opened a storefront. Today, she has customers who are home grown and local, those who make the trip from hours away, designers, high profile collectors, and clients shopping for the theatre and film industry.

After 16 years in the business, she is fastidious and particular, an expert who can eyeball sizing to translate vintage sizes to contemporary, who knows the history and style of each era she sells,

and can explain to her customers the particulars of garment construction, materials, fiber, and fit.

“I always look for something that is wearable, something that can be integrated into a wardrobe and actually worn,” says Martinez. That means skipping things like hats and gloves — items that are easy to hold onto for years as a collector, but are not a wardrobe staple for today’s women.

Inventory on the store floor is constantly refreshed. On a recent trip, I found a few pieces to catch my eye. A saucy red suede skirt from the 1970s in an a-line cut would pair great with boots for fall. A blue and white chunkyknit, Scandinavian-style sweater looked plucked from a fashionable ski lodge. A daintily beaded bag that would be right at home in The Great Gatsby.

“We are a trend-oriented collection, so we like to pick things that reflect what is currently in and what people are already shopping for, and not just a random assortment of vintage pieces,” says Martinez.

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“...A Kate Spade fuzzy t-shirt reminds me of a 1950s pin-up girl, maybe with a pair of sassy cigarette pants....”

Christine’s upscale resale Right now, for example, shoppers will find a few ponchos and capes on the store floor — they are easy to fit on a lot of sizes.

“A designer like Calvin Klein will sell a camel coat every season, and that will be around $2,000,” says Martinez. “We have lots of those, and they are a lot less expensive, and the construction is just as good, if not better.”

Everything in Malena’s is in ready-towear condition, since Martinez repairs and rehabilitates each piece, sometimes with the help of a tailor, before it goes onto the floor (although even if a piece isn’t in pristine condition, she notes, a designer can still use the pattern for reference). She’s been known as an expert in stain removal, as well — something any vintage or thrift shopper will know is a gift.

If vintage shopping is new to you, Martinez recommends starting with a retro accessory, like a 1970s or 80s statement necklace or a piece of turquoise jewelry, easy and affordable pieces to integrate into a wardrobe. She also suggests that people find the era that fits their body type — a stick-straight, boyish frame was catered to in the 1920s, while curves and a cinched waist are typical for 1950s styles. Though vintage styles tend to run small, Martinez makes an effort to find a variety of sizes.

She cautions not to think that you need to match vintage with vintage, unless that’s your thing. “You should mix eras, otherwise you will look like you stepped out of a movie set,” she says. If you’re wearing a ’60s mini dress, for instance, pair it with a some booties you already own.

Vintage clothing is a unique and sustainable choice — and the well-made pieces are much more durable than most contemporary clothing, says Martinez.

“I compare it to the construction of a home,” she says. “The materials, the fibers,

are better; they are built to last. There is very little elastic, there are darts and boning. It has held up for 50 years, so it will continue to last. A lot of clothes made now might last for six months.”

Vintage styles recur and resurface, of course. Designers use vintage patterns and designs for reference to create silhouettes that are from bygone eras. Through years of thrifting and vintage-hunting on my own, I’ve found that the key is to find pieces that have those flattering, interesting, well-cut silhouettes in styles that last beyond the end of the season. The reason styles recycle is because of a network of trend forecasting and marketing ploys, but true style remains steadfast through fads and phases.

Clothing Classics Part of the fun of secondhand shopping is in the hunt, but not everyone has the patience or the resources to look. Enter

consignment shopping. Consignment takes most of the labor out of shopping for gently-used gems... and weeds out the pieces you’d rather not sift through.

At Christine’s Upscale Resale on Westtown Road, the focus isn’t necessarily vintage, but on secondhand and thrifty nonetheless. Since 1994, Christine’s has bought and sold gently used clothing, boasting brand names in recent styles for a much nicer price than original retail.

Christine's is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year in the same shopping center where it started, though they've moved to a bigger space there. Owner Christine Hasen is proud to say she has "three generation shoppers" who grew up browsing the racks and have gone on to bring their own brood in the shop.

Hasen was working in corporate America and realized, after shopping resale, that she might be able to do it better herself. "Recycling and reusing is

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“...an elegant wardrobe with an art deco feel in a distressed sage green...”

Thrifty Vintage

never going to go anywhere," she says.

"Everyone shops resale for different reasons. Some people feel good about helping the environment. People say they like to buy jeans that are already worn in. People like to get department store brands and styles with a lower price."

Hasen also touts the store's unique organization as a reason it is shopper friendly. Items are grouped by type, size, color, then more particular categories like sleeve length. "You can come in looking for a red sweater in a size small and go right to it," says Hasen.

Shoppers get to see everything in the store this way, without having to slog through racks like they might at a thrift or department store.

Like Martinez, Hasen and her staff are particular about what they buy from consigners, making sure items are on trend and gently used; she prefers the term "previously owned." There are plenty of treasures to be found at Christine’s, and I found some vintage-inspired pieces that would be perfect for a well-rounded wardrobe without going over my budget.

And bargains are always in style.

Vintage in the Home Like shopping for vintage clothes, finding furniture that has stood the test of time is also a thrill — and one that turns out to be an excellent investment. Beth Stiles, owner of Thrifty Vintage, scours estate sales, Habitat for Humanity, and the internet to find sturdy antique furniture to rehabilitate and sell in her store. Her number one rule for furniture? It has to be made of solid wood.

“Wood lasts forever,” she says. Most imperfections can be corrected and refinished. “They’ve already lasted 50+ years, so they stand the test of time. And in 20 years, when you want a change, you can refinish it again and have a brand new piece of furniture.” Newly made furniture is often made of particle board or other manufactured materials, which tend to wear down more quickly. Her pieces are heavy, but that’s part of their selling point. “My rule is that if a piece is light enough that my two children can carry it, I don’t want it,” says Stiles.

Her goal is to find things at a lower price, give them the tender, loving care they need, and keep the price tag low.

She says her customer base is all over the map, but includes younger people just starting out and looking to build a quality collection of furniture. “You don’t have to buy things in sets,” says Stiles. “Start with one piece and build slowly.” In fact, that is how she started out with furniture rehab: newly married, she and her husband started off building their home décor with inexpensive furniture from stores like Ikea, then higher end brands like Raymour and Flanagan. When she found a dresser from the 1930s, Stiles refinished and painted it, and was hooked. She soon started looking for more pieces to rehab, paint and sell.

Some pieces are from as early as 19001910. Stiles paints most of her pieces, like a large dresser and vanity from the 1930s with a lovely rounded mirror, painted a dark lavender, and given an update with ceramic knobs. Stiles sometimes uses multiple colors (up to 6 or 7) and complex finishing techniques to get just the right shade, like another piece on the shop floor, an elegant wardrobe with an art deco feel in a distressed sage green. With years of refinishing experience, Stiles also works with clients to rehab furniture they already have, but don’t know what to do with.

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“...filled with shades and textures in natural hues...” old soul Decor

For those looking for a smaller piece of flair, the shop also sells handmade décor items from consigners. All are made out of older materials and given a new life, like a collection of antique China made into large-scale floral yard art, and dust pans, birdhouses, and pendant lights made from license plates. Another collection features steam-punk style lamps made from found metal pieces and lamp parts.

store is antique or vintage, but I chose the name Old Soul because choosing pieces thoughtfully adds soul and character and layering to a home,” she explains.

For her own collection, she loves the 1900-1920s, which features intricate drawers and carvings, and dramatic hardware. To those new to antique furniture stepping into her shop, Stiles says her first piece of advice is to not shy away from color. “One bold piece in a room doesn’t need to be garish,” she says. “It can add color and sparkle to a room. If you look forward to seeing it and it makes you happy, that can mean all the difference in your home.”

Reinhard describes her own aesthetic style as “modern rustic,” an eclectic blend of faded woods and chipped paints with clean lines and smart, sleek shapes.

Décor with an Old Soul At Old Soul Décor, elements of the past meld seamlessly with contemporary styles. Owner Krystal Reinhard has amassed her inventory from estate sales and antique dealers. “Not everything in the

Like Stiles, Reinhard laments that much contemporary furniture, made of unnatural and cheap materials, begins to fall apart after a few months. “We want people to find something that will hold up for another 100 years,” she says.

smooth, buttery teak, cow hide, elegant lamps, splashes of color and large-scale painted collage pieces, Audrey Hepburn and Chanel logos, a Japanese chest with intricate hardware butterflies as embellishments, pony hair jewelry, kitschy mid-century pieces, plush cushions in clean lines.

There is nothing stuffy or dusty about the décor here, though much of it is clearly from decades ago. A variety of eras, elements, colors and textures are included, yet there is nothing random about the collection.

“I appreciate all periods of furniture, but I like a mix of mid-century and rustic, primitive antiques,” she says. Her design work is also mindfully local. “Chester County especially is really rich in history,” says Reinhard. Touches that look pulled from a centuries-old farmhouse, like chipped paint and industrial pieces, flow harmoniously with newer styles. Living in an 18th-century row home herself, Reinhard looks for décor that will mesh with the older homes a lot of her clients live in.

Reinhard’s background is in fine arts, and this mindfulness for composition shows in the ways that she combines unexpected pieces for a full picture in ‘vignettes’ throughout the store.

Old Soul Décor is filled with shades and textures in natural hues: wood grain,

Just like vintage itself, continuing to flow from one era to the next.

“I want to show how you can use pieces together so people can envision the whole,” she says. “Some people come in and feel a little unsure of how to integrate one antique piece with the rest of their home décor,” she says. “We can help them put things together so that it flows.”

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WEST CHESTER WEDDING GUIDE

2019 FALL WEDDING SHOWCASE

l a c o L Love

— S AV E T H E D A T E —

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10 2019 NOON - 3PM CHE S T E R COUN T Y HIS T ORICA L S OCIE T Y 2 25 NOR TH HIGH S TREE T W E S T CHE S TER

$5 ADMISSION FOR THE W EDDING COUPLE — Inc l ude s 2 f r e e dr ink s — TICK E T S AVA IL A BLE THROUGH E V ENTBRITE

For more information, please visit www.WCWeddingGuide.com

Photo by Christie Green

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A re you a vendor interes ted in par t ic ipat ing in the Wedding S howcas e?

C ont ac t us at wcweddingguide @gmail .com

THE WC PRESS VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

Can’t-Miss November Ev ents November 9

Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute

Sail On plays all the Beach Boys’ classic hits, plus some treasures from the band’s extended catalog, recreating the soundtrack to an Endless Summer live and in rich detail. The show starts at 7pm, and tickets are available for $35 online in advance or $40 at the door (both options incur a $3 fee).

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

November 10

Fall 2019 Wedding Showcase

The West Chester Wedding Guide is happy to present their annual showcase featuring the area’s best wedding professionals, so come on out to find the right vendors for your big day at the Chester County Historical Society. Tickets are only $5 and include free food and drinks, more than 30 door prizes, a swag bag for the first 100 guests, plus three grand prizes from the Philadelphia Flyers, and area restaurants and wineries, as well as a mock wedding with Mayor Dianne Herrin serving as officiant. Doors open at noon and the event runs until 3pm. Tickets can be purchased through their website.

West Chester Wedding Guide 225 N High St wcweddingguide.com

Veterans Day Parade

Join the West Chester Veterans Council to pay tribute to all American veterans, living or dead, who served their country honorably during war or peacetime! The parade will begin at Henderson High School at 2pm, heading up Church St and around the corner to the Old Court House with a short ceremony to follow.

Downtown West Chester

11/10

November 15

Bet Williams Trio

Bet Williams is a fearless vocalist and dynamic performer whose four-octave range has mesmerized audiences across America and Europe.

Williams’ music blends folk, rock and roots rhythms with intelligent lyrics and infectious hooks. With a gift for storytelling and spontaneous humor, her stage performances go from the profound and poetic to wild and spontaneous, at times bordering on performance art. The show kicks off at 7:30pm and tickets are available in advance for $25 or $30 at the door.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 uptownwestchester.com

November 16

Danny Beissel and Featherborn

Hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the most versatile singers of his time, renowned vocalist Danny Beissel has spent his career sharing the stage with such legendary artists as Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers), James Burton (Elvis), Barry Goudreau and Fran Sheehan (formerly of Boston).

The Philly native is headed back to his PA roots to perform a special, one-time show featuring brand new songs from his album Featherborn. Tickets are available online at two price levels starting at $30, and the show starts at 7:30pm.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

November 22

Second Annual Laughs for Literacy

Enjoy an evening of laughter and camaraderie and help raise funds for, and awareness of, the needs of youth in Chester County and the surrounding areas starting at 7pm. The event — hosted by Kevin Reilly with catering by John Serock Catering — features three New Yorkbased comedians, an auction, raffle and open bar. Funds raised through Laughs 4 Literacy support Partners in Outreach, and your generosity will provide clothing, books, and tutoring to so many in need in our own communities. Admission is $100, and you can pre-purchase discount raffle tickets.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

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photo courtesy GWCCC

November 23

Hanging of the Greens

Join the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce at 9am and help paint the town red... and green! Transform downtown West Chester by hanging green boughs and red bows on downtown windows, businesses, and lamp posts. Enter a normal West Chester in the morning, and leave it looking like Christmas. Just in time for Black Friday shopping, too! The chamber is looking for volunteers to help transform the town, and interested parties can sign up on their website.

Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce 137 N High St | 610-696-4046 Greaterwestchester.com

November 23 & 24

11/23

November 29

PA Philharmonic Big Band Holiday Swing

Celebrate the holiday season with friends and family and the Pennsylvania Philharmonic Big Band! You’ll be dancing in your seat as select members of the orchestra and special guest artists serenade you with holiday favorites like “White Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” and swing era hits like “In the Mood,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing” and Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker.” A portion of the proceeds will benefit area non-profit organizations, and tickets are available for $39 in advance or $42 at the door. The show starts at 7:30pm.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

November 29 - December 24

21st Annual Miniature Show

Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery will host their 21st Annual Miniature Show featuring paintings by your favorite Chester County artists, and the opening reception takes place on Friday, November 29 from 12-7pm. Featuring 21 artists, the show is one of the largest collections of unique, beautiful and smaller-sized original paintings; perfect for the beginning collector and those with small spaces to fill! The gallery is located on the second floor of Sunset Hill Jewelers.

Sunset Hill Jewelers & Fine Art Gallery 23 N High St | 610-692-0374 Sunsethilljewelers.com

Brandywine Singers Present: Handel’s Messiah

November 29 - December 1

November 30

ensemble, The Brandywine Singers, presents Handel’s Messiah, reimagined and illuminated with a period string ensemble. Don’t miss this graceful new interpretation of a holiday classic! Saturday offers two show times, at 3pm and 7pm, plus a 3pm showing on Sunday, and the show runs about two hours.

Tickets are available online for $30.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

Join your community in this three-day shopping extravaganza and support the more than 100 independently-owned businesses throughout downtown West Chester this holiday season! There will be FREE parking at street meters and in metered surface lots. Check the event’s facebook page by visiting the link below to be updated about special sales and events as the day draws closer.

Downtown West Chester thewcpress.com/shopsmall

For the 3rd year in a row, Better Than Bacon Improv is proud to team up with Uptown! and Act in Faith for a post-Thanksgiving Bacon Gives Back fundraising show! Shake off the tryptophan coma and share some laughs for a good cause with the area’s most-loved improv troupe. Tickets are available for $25 and the show starts at 7:30pm.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center 226 N High St | 610.356.2787 Uptownwestchester.com

Shop Small Chester County’s premier vocal arts West Chester Weekend

Back than Bacon Gives Back Benefit

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Near and Far

Jamie Jones of Whirlaway Travel explores some travel options abroad and highlights their local counterparts A friend of mine has been advocating recently for slow fashion. While I think I keep up with current trends and terminology, this one had me stumped. So I did what anyone else would do and… I Googled it. For others not in the know, slow fashion is the movement of designing, creating and buying garments for quality and longevity. This includes purchasing vintage clothes, those that stand the test of time in both quality and style. West Chester has some great clothing stores. I have purchased items from Kiki, Tish and Blink that have been staples in my wardrobe season after season, but there is one store that stands out from the crowd: Malena’s Vintage Boutique.

There have been quite a few times I have wandered into Malena’s to find something special: a one-of-a-kind necklace, art deco beaded purse, or a dress that has more history than the rest of my closet combined. Just passing by the windows peering at the display gives inspiration for upcoming events.

Malena is constantly curating her collection by adding new items from the 1850’s to the 1970’s, often high-end, designer couture. On the occasions I have visited, Malena has been able to effortlessly make recommendations based on my needs and body type, a skill that is highly prized when vintage sizes and styles can differ drastically from fashion today.

For true fashionistas interested in vintage, a visit to Paris would not be complete without a private tour with a Coco Chanel expert. Boutiques throughout Paris carry the newest styles, capsules and vintage collections from the famous designer that are only accessible by an appointment made by someone with the right connections. While the Coco Chanel Apartments have been closed off to all except the select few that spend over $500,000 per year on Chanel wear and receive exclusive invitations, a stay in one of Coco’s residences can be arranged at the Ritz Paris for someone interested in the full experience. At just under $20,000 per night, it is definitely a more economical way to live in the footsteps of this iconic designer.

While most of us save a vintage splurge for a special occasion or a staple classic in our wardrobe, I think there is definitely value in considering a move to slow fashion. Besides longevity and quality, slow fashion supports the environment through sustainability and ethical work practices, something that has been an afterthought in years past with mass-produced trends that are out of style as soon as they hit the racks.

Vintage clothing has history, style and lends a sense of individuality that can’t be found in a big box store. If you are headed to Paris, take an afternoon and learn about the woman who just may have been one of the forefathers of slow fashion. And when you’re in our lovely borough? Head to Malena’s Vintage Boutique, where the trend of slow fashion is exemplified with every piece bought and sold to continue the history of fashion and style. —jjones@thewcpress.com

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November Playlist DJ Romeo curates a list of the tracks you’ll be singing all month The following is a list of songs that will take over the radio stations in the next few months. You’ll soon know them by heart and play them ‘til they’re tired. But, good news: you can download them first and look like the cool musical genius to all of your friends. djromeo@thewcpress.com

www.djromeo.fm | @DJRomeo24

Tom MacDonald – “Buttholes” Justin Bieber ft. Dan + Shay – “10,000 Hours” Kane Brown – “Homesick” Zedd ft. Kehlani – “Good Thing” Harry Styles – “Lights Up” Diplo & Jonas Brothers – “Lonely” James Arthur ft. Travis Barker – “You” AJ Mitchell ft. Ava Max – “Slow Dance” Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey – “Don’t Call Me Angel” Travis Scott – “Highest In The Room” Jason Aldean – “We Back” Camila Cabello – “Easy” Quality Control, Lil Baby & DaBaby – “Baby” Bebe Rexha – “You Can’t Stop The Girl” DaniLeigh – “Easy” Niall Horan – “Nice To Meet Ya” Young Thug ft. Gunna – “Hot” Katy Perry – “Harleys in Hawaii” Jimmy Eat World – “Surviving” JOHN.k – “If We Never Met” Luke Combs – “What You See Is What You Get” Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine” Sam Hunt – “Kinfolks” Lizzo – “Good As Hell” Yelawolf – “Opie Taylor” 24kGoldn – “Valentino” Travis Denning – “After A Few” Lauren Daigle – “Rescue” Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” Scotty McCreery – “In Between” G–Eazy – “Scary Nights”

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2019 Mazda3 Sedan

2018 Mazda6 Sedan

2019 Mazda CX-5

Piazza Mazda

(610) 399-5330

of West Chester

PiazzaMazdaWestChester.com

1340 WILMINGTON PIKE (RT 202) WEST CHESTER, PA 62

THE WC PRESS VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

If you can spot the five differences in this photo from a bit of vintage shopping, email your answers to contests@thewcpress.com, and you’ve got a chance to win a Barnaby’s gift certificate.

Congrats to our October winner, Tricia Cosgrove from Elevate Hair Studio.

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