Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Kasbah Cafe will fill the space formerly occupied by McCourt's Farm to Table.
The Hatboro community will have some new dining options soon when Kasbah Café opens in the South York Road space formerly occupied by McCourt’s Farm to Table. Kasbah Cafe Owner and chef Zach Ftouh said kitchen renovations and new flooring are the final items needed before the Mediterranean style eatery opens, hopefully by the beginning of October. “We’re basically ready to go,” Ftouh told Patch of the roughly 60-seat restaurant, which will be open for lunch and dinner. Besides “basic” Middle Eastern fare like baba ghanoush, Ftouh said he plans to serve American comfort foods like ribs, mashed potatoes and vegetables, pastas, seafood entrees – depending on the market – and various soup, salad and sandwich combinations. “Everything will be…
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Lacey Lady lingerie store closed earlier this month; nearby a former vacuum repair shop will soon be home to a Halal meat and seafood shop.
The old cliché, “when one door closes another door opens” could have been written about Hatboro’s downtown. The Lacey Lady, a long-time regular retailer in the northern end of the borough’s downtown shopping district, abruptly closed its doors about a week ago. While the property owner is still looking for a new renter for the 1,000-square-foot space, literally doors away, new merchants are on the horizon, Hatboro Main Street Manager Stephen Barth said. On May 1, the former site of Hatboro Vac-Sew, at 210 N. York Road, will become Felucca Meat Market, Barth said. “It’s going to be a Halal international grocery and meat and seafood place,” Barth said. “I’ve never seen any of it: Lamb, veal and a lot of different kind of meat that aren’t …
Friday, March 2, 2012
The Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce will begin a monthly Second Saturday event starting in April.
Hatboro’s First Friday may be a thing of the past, but Second Saturday is just getting started. Beginning April 14, the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce plans to revive the downtown arts-centric event, with a new day and time, tentatively from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. “We’re going to approach it in a format very similar to First Friday,” said Al Chagan, CFO of Impact Thrift of the musicians performing, artist demonstrations and craftspeople selling their wares along York Road’s business district. Chagan founded the borough’s First Friday event and serves as vice president of retail merchants for the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce, the entity putting on Second Saturday. Moving it to Saturday during the day was “essentially out of …
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Following the cancellation of First Friday; Wawa’s plans to demolish historic buildings to construct a new store; and a pending sale of the Big Marty’s property, locals are at odds over the reality of Hatboro’s downtown and what it could or should be.
When you envision a “vibrant downtown” are tattoo parlors, cash for gold stores and tobacco shops part of the landscape? For Hatboro Borough Councilman Bill Tompkins, the answer is a firm no. “I would like to see something different,” Tompkins said. “(But), a business has to survive. If there’s no market for the business, it won’t survive and it won’t stay there.” Taking in the view of shuttered businesses, for sale signs and recent additions that dot the York Road landscape, Tompkins’ sentiment seems to ring true. Zoning fix? Doing something to tweak that business reality, well, that could be trickier according to Tompkins, who heads up the borough’s zoning, planning and historic preservation committee. As the borough, realtors, landlords…
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
A successful county program's future funding is in doubt.
At a time when Montgomery County is trying to find ways to eliminate a $44 million budget shortfall, the county's Community Revitalization Board is hoping to increase its budget by several million dollars. The Community Revitalization Board has granted more than $40 million to 24 different local municipalities over the past 11 years, in an effort to strengthen and stabilize some of the county's older communities for the foreseeable future. Half of the grants went to streetscape projects, with the rest of the funding going to cultural and arts facilities, parking and transportation improvements, and various other projects. Hatboro received just over $2 million in funding. That money was earmarked for streetscape improvements on York Road, …
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Several small businesses to open later this month in borough's downtown.
Following its more than month-long interior closure for an extensive makeover, the McDonald's in Hatboro will reopen its doors - unveiling a more contemporary look - on Monday. Kathy Kingston, vice president of the local McDonald's franchise, said the fast food eatery's dining room will again be open beginning on Monday at 5 a.m. Kingston said a new "tandem drive-thru" has been installed to serve customers faster. will During much of the construction, food service was limited to drive-thru only. McDonald's isn't the only Hatboro business reopening its doors. Known locally for its diverse array of retail shops, the borough is keeping with that tradition in terms of new comings in town. Hatboro officials are also trying to fill several large…
Monday, July 11, 2011
Montgomery County will be providing nearly $2 million in revitalization funds to seven communities.
Navigating to the Hatboro train station and finding parking for dining, shopping and more could become easier for borough visitors once a $40,000 grant to fund directional signs are put in place. The grant is part of a countywide community revitalization program that will provide seven Montgomery municipalities – including Hatboro - with roughly $1.8 million for enhancement of public facilities. “Basically, wayfinding signs are directional, meant to show you where things are,” county planning section Chief Brian O’Leary said. “These are signs to point you to landmarks or attractions, like ‘Here’s where the parking is, here is where the train station is,’ signs to show the way.” O’Leary said that each town in the program submits its own …
Saturday, July 9, 2011
A realtor is trying to fill the shuttered restaurant by offering it as a 'package' with adjacent building.
Two is better than one, right? A realtor marketing two Hatboro buildings – the former Old Mill Inn restaurant and a structure which currently houses Spa Escape – is hoping would-be business owners agree with that notion. The long-shuttered Old Mill Inn, situated at the corner of York and Horsham roads, had been returned to TD Bank this spring following its previous owners’ foreclosure. The former restaurant and 1720s era grist mill has been listed for sale, along with 402 S. York Road, as a “package” deal, according to realtor Philip Rothenberg of Jackson Cross Partners. The asking price for the combo 8,181-square-foot Old Mill Inn and 5,125-square-foot spa is $899,999, Rothenberg said. “Both properties were originally owned by a single …
BP
8:37 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012
SOOOO excited about this! I cannot wait. Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine is very delicious and it'll be wonderful to have two unique eateries in the area (especially for us vegetarians). more ›