+ STAYING LOCAL FIND AMERICAN-MADE, LOCALLY THEMED GOODS AT STAY APPAREL CO.
6 TRENDING IN TOWN
Visit these local Christkindlmarkts for an authentic German holiday experience
8
Find the perfect book, gift and cat at this independent bookstore
12
FOODIE FINDS
Sip and sit at Lebanon’s new coffee shop and cafe
15
DISH IT UP
Try these traditional holiday dishes from around the world
32
FIVE THINGS
Switch up your New Year’s Eve plans with five unique ways to celebrate
19
STAYING POWER
24 Departments Features PEOPLE & PLACES
Wear Susquehanna Valleyinspired goods with a retro spirit from Stay Apparel Co.
A MAGICAL DESTINATION FOR KINDNESS AND CREATIVITY
Gift local, handcrafted goods with purposeful missions from Carriage House Collective
Holiday items from Carriage House Collective in Lebanon
Photography by Karlo Gesner
PHOTO BY A-YO KITCHEN
Home for the Holidays
Happy holidays! This December, we are thrilled to bring you our holiday issue, which is packed with gift ideas from small businesses to support across the Susquehanna Valley. We’ve all heard the song “(There’s No Place Like) Home For the Holidays,” and our team truly believes that and embraces the people, businesses and communities that make up our home.
On page 19, you’ll learn about Stay Apparel Co., a Hershey-based small business crafting Susquehanna Valley and Pennsylvania-themed gear, clothing and accessories that make perfect gifts for your local family and friends or the ones far away who enjoy visiting the area as a tourist. Founder Neal Goulet is also very involved with local makers markets— where there is never a shortage of unique handmade goods to shop from and support the community.
Similar to makers markets (but special, for this season only) are Christkindlmarkts, and on page 6, you’ll find a guide to a few of the ones going on this month across the region. Christkindlmarkts are
Katy
more than just a place to get gifts, however. Embrace their roots and immerse yourself in German foods, dances, music and culture right here in the Valley.
The Carriage House Collective, featured on page 24, provides another wonderful opportunity to shop small and find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts for your loved ones (or self). Located in Lebanon, the Carriage House Collective has curated goods from more than 30 local makers, including Greer Leggat, founder of Magic By Greer and a woman with Down syndrome who wants to give back to her community through the goods she sells.
For the readers in your life, find books signed by local authors and special editions at Cupboard Maker Books, an independent bookstore in Enola—that also has cats. Read about them on page 8. And if you’re looking for experiences this season, be sure to check out page 32 to explore eclectic ways to spend your New Year’s Eve, and page 12 to get a taste of a new cafe in Lebanon, The Clay House.
We hope you enjoy this holiday season doing something you love or spending time with people you love. We encourage you to shop small and gift your friends, family or self (don’t forget to treat yourself, too, during this time!) with handcrafted goods you can only get here in the Susquehanna Valley. Even if you’re not physically spending the season here at home in the Valley, gifts from our special local makers are sure to make you feel like you’re home for the holidays.
Rachel Curry, Deborah Lynch, Diane McCormick, Maddy Pontz, Alysha Yoder
PHOTOGRAPHER
Lindsey Knowles, Karlo Gesner, Alysha Yoder
PROOFREADER
Erin Cramer
ACCOUNTING
Jobelle Aleño, Donna Bachman, Kim Kressman
CONTACT US:
Editorial: Send your compliments, comments, story ideas and suggestions to: Editor, Susquehanna Style (ISSN# 1540-0875), 202 Butler Avenue, Suite 102, Lancaster, PA 17601; or tstoddard@susquehannastyle.com
Subscriptions and Backorders: For new subscriptions, changes of address or questions about an existing subscription, call 800-896-1392, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EST. Annual subscriptions (11 issues/year) are $12. Postmaster, please send returns to: Susquehanna Style, PO Box 293142, Kettering, OH 45429.
Advertising: To request a media kit or to receive other information on advertising, call 717-581-6550, fax 1-717-581-6552 or visit www.SusquehannaStyle.com
Staff directory at www.SusquehannaStyle.com or call 717-581-6550.
Blogger Deb Lynch shares local Christmas markets worth exploring this season.
HOMEMADE HOLIDAY GIFTS
Choosing the perfect gift for loved ones can be stressful and expensive. Try these 12 homemade gifts, sure to provide something thoughtful to everyone.
HOLIDAY COOKIE MUST-TRYS
Check out these festive cookie recipes to brighten up your holiday occasions this season.
HOW TO RECLAIM YOUR SPACE THROUGH ORGANIZING
Professional organizer Mara Clements shares advice on how to reclaim and empower your space, and yourself, through organization.
PAGES AND PAWS Meet Enola’s independent bookstore featuring local author finds and felines.
more on page 10.
Lifestyle
A Very Merry Christkindlmarkt Crawl
BY KATY SHERO ILLUSTRATION BY KATSYARINA/ADOBE STOCK
YOUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL CHRISTKINDLMARKTS IN THE VALLEY TO EXPLORE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
Finding a Christkindlmarket can be like discovering a hidden gem. You’re strolling through city streets or a town square, passing the glowing, golden holiday lights strung among the trees and joyful small business storefront holiday displays, and suddenly, you turn a corner and see a cluster of festive booths and vendors. Vendors that each have a unique story and goods handcrafted with love and dedication. And they’re accompanied by traditional German holiday music, food and entertainment. That’s the thrill of a Christkindlmarket, also known as an outdoor German Christmas market, and visiting one is one of the best ways to spend time this season (and get those last-minute, one-of-akind gifts for your loved ones). Explore these Christkindlmarkts near you.
Step into Coleman Memorial Park, and you’ll be transported to Germany. Inspired by the 700-yearold traditional German Christkindlmarkt, the Friends of Coleman Memorial Park are thrilled to hold their annual Christkindl Market once again this holiday season. Visitors can experience German choral music and folk dancing, food trucks like Keller BBQ and Grilled Cheese Cafe, and a variety of vendors with handmade art and goods. Check out a model train display and fun children’s activities as well, like meeting St. Nicholas and completing projects to graduate from Buddy the Elf’s School for Elves. At Lebanon Christkindl Market, there’s truly something to do— and something to buy—for everyone.
Coleman Memorial Park | 1400 W Maple St, Lebanon | LebanonChristkindlMarket
LOWER PAXTON CHRISTKINDLMARKT
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 | 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.
You’re certain to find something special for a family member or friend (or yourself) at the Lower Paxton Christkindlmarket with more than 110 vendors of handmade crafts and goods to shop from. Explore gifts like cozy crochet accessories from Creations by C. M. Hand, local raw honey from Erly Bee Farm, and antique Ukrainian folk art from Kostival Arts and Antiques. This year marks the township’s sixth annual Christkindlmarkt, put on by the Lower Paxton Community Foundation, and it’s anticipated to be a memorable—and authentic—experience. While shopping, be sure to indulge in German and festival food, enjoy live music and dancing, view a live nativity scene, and immerse yourself in traditional German culture. The market will be held in the village of Linglestown, rain or shine, and bring your best behavior because Santa will be there!
Village of Linglestown | lpchristkindlmarkt.com
THE LANCASTER LIEDERKRANZ’S CHRISTKINDLMARKT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 | 11 A.M. – 5 P.M.
The Lancaster Liederkranz is devoted to promoting and amplifying German culture and customs, and the organization puts on four annual authentic German fests a year, so they know a thing or two about a Christkindlmarkt. Come out and celebrate the season at their traditional German Christmas market, where you’ll find eclectic holiday gifts from more than 30 vendors. Sip on German beer and glühwein (spiced mulled wine) while you shop, and treat yourself to authentic fest food and a bonfire with s’mores. You can also enjoy traditional musical performances, and a playground, Kinder Shoppe and crafts offer plenty of ways to keep the kids occupied. Don’t forget to bring cash with you as food and beverages and certain vendors are cash only!
722 S Chiques Rd, Manheim | lancasterliederkranz.com/festschristkindlmarkt.html
Magic Makers
BY KATY SHERO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO GESNER
JASON & MICHELLE HARING ARE ALL ABOUT MAKING THE BOOKSTORE EXPERIENCE MEMORABLE, AND MAGICAL, AT CUPBOARD MAKER BOOKS
Some doors lead to places that feel familiar, like you’ve already been there and you’re safe and right at home. Bookshelves lined with hundreds of thousands of previously loved books, the warmth of a team eager to share their hospitality and passion for reading, and cuddly cats that greet you at the door embody this nostalgic feeling at Cupboard Maker Books.
“This is the place where it’s that third space where people can connect, and connect with each other,” Michelle Haring says.
Michelle and her husband, Jason Haring, are the owners of Cupboard Maker Books. The independent bookstore located in Enola (a large white building with multicolored book spines all around the facade, surely hard to miss) has been bringing magic, and memories, to the area since they first opened their doors—at a different location—in 1998. In 2003, they relocated to their current 6,500-square-foot book palace and have been housed there ever since.
“What makes us different? Every bookstore has books … but the reason people come from around the country and around the world to visit us is because we’re the cat bookstore,” Jason says.
“The cat bookstore” is what Jason—and almost everyone—knows Cupboard Maker Books by, and that’s what makes their shop special.
“In 2011, one of our employees said we ‘must, must, must’ have cats. … She left, but the cats have been here ever since,” Jason says. “We’ve had hundreds of cats here. I think we’re technically up to 257 adopted over the past 13 years.”
Michelle and Jason, both Central Pennsylvania natives, opened the store because they wanted to share their love and fondness for books with the community.
“When we were kids, I read a book a day, and Michelle read a book a day. As an adult, she still does it, and she has for decades. I read a book or two a week, but our world is mostly fiction. Mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance,” Jason says.
Michelle adds that her “superpower” is recommending books.
“For me, it’s all about the books and bringing people to the right book at the right time,” she says. She adds how “excited” she gets being able to work with, promote and support local authors through the books the store carries as well as the various events they're involved with throughout the year.
Recently, an influencer from Kentucky came to the store and asked if they had any signed books. Michelle recommended one by a local author. “ I was like, ‘Corpses and Corsets’ was so cute. I just read it, and you totally need to read it,” she says. “That’s what I love doing. … It’s all about helping local authors find a voice.”
And, Michelle and Jason both are cat lovers and grew up with cats, so adding them to the shop’s mix was only natural.
Cupboard Maker Books currently works with Loving Care Cat Rescue, of Lemoyne, to connect with stray cats that are looking for their forever home. Jason says the rescue does “all the heavy lifting” like spaying, neutering and vaccinating the cats before bringing them to the bookstore.
“From the day somebody gets here, they come into the kitten cage for a day or two until they get used to their surroundings and everyone’s kind of met each other. Then we let them go out,” Jason says. “Most cats get adopted in one, two, three weeks and find their forever homes.”
However, three cats, Annika, Odin and Mouse, are considered the “resident cats” who live in the bookstore full time. They have a loyal fan base and following, especially on social media, where they have more than 120,000 followers on TikTok alone.
“You put something on social media and it’s a good business post, 50 people see it. You put a cat or two in the exact same thing, you get hundreds or thousands. The stuff that goes viral is the cat videos, not the book videos,” Jason says.
Annika was inherited from Michelle and Jason’s neighbor who passed away, Odin (a fan favorite) was found in a dumpster “covered from head to toe in mud and blood,” and Mouse was the kitten of another cat who was adopted from the bookstore.
The first-ever “bookstore cat,” according to Jason, was Creamsickle, an orange tabby who passed away this year at the age of 22. Creamsickle was loved—and is fondly remembered—by many.
“The cats are the influencers, not us. They receive presents. They just received a book from Simon and Schuster, and they received treats with it,” Michelle says. “They’re also a trick for kids because they give the kids a good impression of the bookstore.”
People even follow along with the cats’ adventures on social media, where they visit (in cat harnesses and backpacks) places like local bakeries, libraries and new businesses. During the pandemic, Jason built a “kitten box” for people to watch the kittens
(including Mouse at the time) virtually every morning and night. “There were a lot of folks who said watching the cats helped them get through the isolation,” he says.
Thanks to the cats, Michelle and Jason have been able to connect with readers and the community on another level and get people excited about physical, tangible books.
“We have a lot of regulars; we have a lot of new people. … I love people being able to see how exciting books can be,” Michelle says. “I love books as art as well, and I think that’s something you can see much easier in a store than just a picture online.”
“The books are the backbone of what we have, but the books and the cats help support each other. It really is a symbiotic relationship,” Jason says. “They always say cats are like liquid the way they lay, but I say cats are magic.”
Cupboard Maker Books
157 N Enola Rd, Enola
717-732-7288 | cupboardmaker.com
HolidaySpecials Spotlights
From gifts bags to certificates, be a part of these holiday specials and offers while gift shopping this season.
Mountz Jewelers
Holiday Mingles
Carlisle | Camp Hill | Colonial Park/Harrisburg MountzJewelers.com
Mountz Jewelers is your holiday headquarters. For 45 years, Mountz has been Central Pennsylvania’s premier jeweler. Join us for our Holiday Mingles! We’ll be offering light refreshments and a gift bag with each purchase while supplies last. Stop by our Carlisle location from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on December 6 or our Colonial Park/Harrisburg location from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on December 13.
2
Camp Hill Collective Tattoo Shop
3805 Market St., Camp Hill camphillcollective.onuniverse.com
This holiday season, we’re spreading the joy of giving! From November 1st to December 23rd, every gift certificate purchased enters you to win one of seven $500 gift certificates. Winners will be randomly selected and announced on Christmas Eve. Don’t miss your chance to receive while you give! Happy holidays from all of us!
3 11/1/24 8:48 AM
Eat & Drink
GET THE RECIPE! Recreate this traditional Norwegian holiday treat, Yule
Cake. Read more on page 16.
Log
Culinary Celebration
INSIDE LEBANON COUNTY’S NEW DESTINATION FOR COFFEE AND DINING, THE CLAY HOUSE CAFE
BY MADDY PONTZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSAY GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY
For Mary Martin—owner of The Clay House Cafe, a newly opened café, coffee shop and event space in Lebanon—crafting delicious food and coffee is a true labor of love.
Martin and her husband, Seth, opened the spot together in September 2024, under the same branding umbrella as their Lancaster County-based catering company and bedand-breakfast. The throughline across all of their businesses? A dedication to delicious flavors and an exceptional customer experience.
“We love food. Our first date was making food together—little did we know how far it would take us,” Martin says. “We’ve grown a lot, experimenting and creating foods that we love and that we’ve found other people love. I always wanted to have a café,” she says, “[The Clay House] has a lot of dreams behind it.”
The Martins honed their cooking and baking skills in their other businesses, developing a reputation for delicious scratch-made meals.
“We had a lot of experience making breakfast and dinners [at the bed-and-breakfast], and we found that people really enjoyed our food,” Martin says. “So when the opportunity came up to open a café, we were thrilled to be able to implement a lot of the menu options that we have at our bedand-breakfast and catering [business].”
Popular items at The Clay House Cafe include a signature citrus pork sourdough panini and
their BLT (which includes all of the classic ingredients one would expect, plus whipped goat cheese and pepper jelly). For breakfast, customers have been loving their classic eggand-cheese sandwich.
Their sandwiches are served on house-made sourdough and oatmeal breads, according to Martin.
“[Our breads] are delicious. Something that people have always raved about at our catering events is that we slice homemade bread," she says. "It’s definitely a highlight of every meal.”
Before the Martins launched their catering operation, they got their start in the food and beverage industry in 2018 by opening a mobile coffee bar for weddings and other events. It should come as no surprise, then, that The Clay House Cafe prioritizes serving delicious locally roasted coffee from Kitty Town Coffee in Lebanon.
“When the café came up, we were like, ‘Well, we know what coffee we love,’” Martin says,
adding that Kitty Town deserves "a huge shout-out, they do an amazing job.”
In addition to their classic coffee offerings, she says their team has also been “having a lot of fun” crafting monthly drink specials, inspired by seasonal flavors.
Since opening earlier this year, The Clay House Cafe has been "getting a lot of really great reviews in person and online," Martin says. "We are trying to get the word out that we have a nice dine-in experience, serving breakfast and lunch.”
Creating an exceptional customer experience for everyone who walks through their doors is a priority for the Martins and their team.
“We put a lot of time and care into presentation in all three facets of our business because we do enjoy celebrating food,” Martin says. “That’s one way of making the customer feel special, when [they see] that their plate was taken care of and designed nicely.”
She adds, “The way we present [our food] at the café, the way we present it in our catering, or at the bed-and-breakfast—it’s just a celebration of food.”
The Clay House Cafe
720 Quentin Rd, Suite 3, Lebanon
717-304-5144 | theclayhousecafe.com
A Taste of the Holidays
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
A-YO KITCHEN
Bring some excitement to your holiday gatherings this season with these dishes originating from continents across the globe!
TIP: Any leftover hot chocolate makes a great coffee creamer alternative!
Alysha Yoder is the photographer, food stylist, blogger and recipe developer behind A-Yo Kitchen. With a passion for all things food, many of her recipes are inspired by her worldly travels, her many cooking classes abroad and all the veggies and fruits her home gardens produce. She has been a photographer for 15-plus years and previously worked in the corporate food sector for almost 10. She now is a small business owner running her studio, A-Yo Kitchen, out of York, PA, where she serves not only local clients, but those worldwide as well. ayokitchen.com , ayokitchen@gmail.com , @ayokitchen
PERUVIAN HOT CHOCOLATE
A beverage that originated in Central and South America, this Peruvian version includes spices like cinnamon and cloves.
3 cups water
3 cups whole milk
1 can (12–14 oz) evaporated milk
2 oz chopped semisweet chocolate (optional, to make it thicker and creamier)
1 – 2-3” cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup sugar
OPTIONAL CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
4 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Serve hot chocolate with whipped cream, marshmallows or cinnamon sticks, if desired. 1.
In a large saucepan, mix together the sugar and cocoa powder. Turn heat onto medium-high, and slowly whisk in your milk and water until incorporated.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir constantly. Once mixture gets to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and stir for 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat, and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
Remove cloves and cinnamon stick.
While cooling, make the whipped cream (optional). Whip cold cream in a bowl until peaks begin to form. Add sugar and cinnamon, then whip until it forms stiff peaks.
Yule Log Cake
Originally Norway served up this holiday treat, but now the Yule Log is made throughout Europe and Canada.
CAKE
7 room-temperature eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar, divided in half
½ tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp neutral oil
1 cup cake flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp instant coffee
FILLING
1 ½ cups cold whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
GANACHE ICING
1 ¼ cups semisweet
chocolate chips
¾ cup heavy cream
OPTIONAL GARNISH
Sugared or regular cranberries
Rosemary
TIP: To step up your decorating game, make sugared cranberries and rosemary!
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and coffee. Separate eggs. In a mixing bowl, add egg whites and half a cup of granulated sugar, and whip until they form stiff peaks. Place to the side.
In another mixing bowl, add egg yolks, half a cup of sugar, vanilla and oil. Beat until light in color, creamy and thickened. Add half the egg white to the yolks, and stir for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat with the second half of the egg whites.
Gently fold half the flour mixture into the eggs. Repeat with the other half of the flour mixture. Do not overmix, as the mixture will deflate.
Spray a 12"x17" baking pan with nonstick spray and then line with parchment paper. Gently tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
Spread cake batter evenly in pan.
Place in oven and bake for 14-16 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.
While cake is baking, place a thin kitchen towel or parchment paper on your counter and dust with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder.
Once the cake comes out, immediately run a knife along the edges, and quickly flip it onto the towel. Peel parchment paper from the bottom. Slowly and carefully, roll up cake tightly.
Cover and allow to cool to room temperature.
While waiting, whip the cold whipping cream in a bowl until peaks begin to form. Add powder sugar and vanilla, and whip until peaks become stiff. Place in fridge until ready to use.
Once cake is cool, carefully unroll it, and spread cream filling in an even layer. Carefully roll cake back up tightly, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
To make ganache icing, place chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. Bring cream to a simmer on medium heat, then pour over chocolate. Allow to set for a few minutes for chocolate to melt, then whisk until mixture is smooth and creamy. Place in fridge for 30–60 minutes until it thickens.
To finish, unwrap cake. Cut a small diagonal piece off the front and place on the side to look like a log with a branch. Spread ganache over the cake, and use a fork to make the tree bark texture. Decorate with cranberries, rosemary and powdered sugar. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
BESAN BURFI
A dessert commonly served at celebrations and festivals, this treat originated in Northern India.
1 cup ghee
3 cups besan gram flour, fine ground (make sure it’s not packed down when measuring)
½-1 tsp ground cardamom, to taste
Instructions
1 cup water
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
OPTIONAL GARNISH
Chopped pistachios or almonds
In a large pot on medium-low heat, melt the ghee. Add in half of the besan gram flour.
Once combined, add the other half. Continue to stir constantly so the flour doesn’t burn. The mixture will start out very clumpy, and as the flour and ghee combine, it will begin to have the texture of natural peanut butter.
Keep stirring for about 25-30 minutes, until you have a nice golden brown color and the mixture starts to smell toasty and nutty.
Remove from heat and add in the cardamom.
Stir for about 2-3 minutes to ensure flour doesn’t burn in the hot pan. Allow to cool while making the sugar mixture.
In a pot, combine sugar, water, salt and vanilla. Turn on high heat, stirring and ensuring all sugar dissolves.
Once simmering, reduce heat to medium. When sugar mixture reaches 220-222 F, remove from heat and quickly mix with besan gram flour mixture, as it will begin to harden.
Once combined, pour into a greased 8"x8" pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with optional nuts and press down.
Allow to rest and set for 4-8 hours before cutting and serving.
TIP: The main ingredient, besan gram flour, is made from a variety of chickpeas, making this a good holiday dessert for those with food allergies like wheat, gluten or eggs!
Power STAYING
By M. Diane
McCormick | Photography by Karlo Gesner
Neal Goulet founded Stay Apparel Co. to revive the logos of vintage Pennsylvania brands while spotlighting the quality of USA-made goods. That’s how he discovered Standard Pennant. Their name was on the tag of his wife’s Hershey High School letter jacket. “Are they still around?” he wondered.
He found the 100-year-old company still operating in the Western Pennsylvania town of Big Run. Standard Pennant is now among the proud American manufacturers providing Stay Apparel with its throwback lineup of T-shirts and sweatshirts, hats, pennants, patches and bags.
“It’s amazing to work with these companies that have these incredible histories,” Goulet says. “They’re not getting rich off us and our sales,
but to be able to be part of that and their business is really cool.”
Goulet is a career journalist and PR pro who was blogging about his passion for history and Americanmade goods when he decided to put “skin in the game” by founding Stay Apparel in 2017. The name harkens to the sense of place embedded in his products and to the historic images his research has uncovered.
There are T-shirts printed with ads for vintage beers, such as Silver Stock Lager Beer from Graupner’s, a 20th-century Harrisburg brewing juggernaut. Felt pennants in Art Deco font proclaim Hershey as “The Chocolate Town.” Original designs from Stay Apparel say, with retro sensibilities, “Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful” and “Pennsylvania Bigfoot Believers.”
Goulet first sold his goods online and at art shows throughout the region. Now, Stay Apparel has a permanent home behind the Hershey History Center, in an 18th-century milk house where Milton Hershey School students once learned agricultural trades. The shop began with Goulet’s ongoing relationship with the Hershey History Center, where he researched area history and sold his items in the gift shop. For the 2023 holidays, he transformed the center’s vintage trolley station into the Holly Jolly Trolley Stop Pop-up Shop, stocked with Stay Apparel goods and heirloomstyle toys and gifts.
The pop-up shop inspired conversations about the permanent shop, which opened on June 6. Goulet decorated the space with vintage Facebook Marketplace finds, like the Lancaster general store shelves display ing T-shirts. A country-store screen door, showing wear from decades of hands grabbing the handle, serves as a divider. The counter from a Richmond, Virginia, piz zeria, rustic in reclaimed wood and corrugated metal, offers a spot for chatting.
“We created a store that we would want to hang out in, that I would want to go to,” Goulet says. “A friend of mine who came in the first week was looking around and said, ‘I just want to hang out in here.’ That’s exactly what I want people to do.”
Goulet’s sleuthing finds the USA makers of his goods, all with intriguing stories. There are zipper bags from A. Rifkin, Wilkes-Barre maker of bank money pouches, and stocking caps produced in New Jersey by one of America’s last knitting mills.
“The past informs pretty much everything we do,” Goulet says. “I just like old stuff. I think it’s heartbreaking that these old brands were successful brands at one point, and they go away and people don’t remember them.”
As Stay Apparel moved into the milk house, Goulet also organized Makers at the Museum, a monthly makers market (February through November) featuring handpicked artisans arrayed on the Hershey History Center grounds. Every market also spotlights local brewers and food trucks.
“It’s a common refrain among some of us in Hershey that it would be cool to have more local kinds of stuff,” Goulet says. “We’re so lucky to have all these things in Hershey to draw
people, but it’s cool to celebrate independent retail and local. I love involving the craft beer crowd because that’s a great role model for independent retailers. Who’s done better at reclaiming something from the behemoths than local breweries?”
The Stay Apparel shop will be festooned for the holidays, nostalgic with old-fashioned Christmas lights and a vintage Philadelphia-made silver tree.
It’s all part of Stay Apparel’s growth in its permanent Hershey home, serving as a linchpin for American-made products that revive the feel and brands of the past.
“The shop is still tiny,” Goulet says, “but it’s just fun.”
Stay Apparel Co.
40 Northeast Drive, Hershey stayapparel.com
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday–Sunday (check for additional holiday hours)
Makers at the Museum
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., third Sunday of the month, February–November Goulet also curates the holiday Englewood Makers Market at Englewood Hershey, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 8.
AMagical for Kindness & Creativity Destination
BY RACHEL CURRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO GESNER
O“‘nce you’ re here, you’ re family, says Carriage House Collective owner Jane Yorty
Overseeing the store from her tall chair behind the register, decked out in a maroon tee that reads “be the change,” Greer Leggat relishes the camaraderie around her. Employees and customers of the boutique, dubbed Carriage House Collective, bustle around her, embodying what Leggat wants for everyone: just to “share a little kindness,” as she puts it.
Leggat is a longtime employee of the boutique, located in Lebanon’s quaint community of Quentin. She’s also one of more than 30 makers whose goods make up the store’s replete landscape, masterfully curated and designed in a way where all the goods live among their peers.
““Once you’re here, you’re family,” says Carriage House Collective owner Jane Yorty, who purchased the store from its previous owners six years ago and has since given the space a life of its own. Here, Yorty is referencing her customers and also the makers she consigns from.
Even though it’s only part of their busy lives, both Leggat and Yorty view Carriage House as a sort of second home, buoyed by the community who buys, browses or even just visits for a taste of inspiration.
greer leggat
Bringing out the magic in you
Leggat’s line of goods, Magic by Greer, was born out of a lifelong push toward creativity. She’s been creating apparel, accessories and home goods with her own designed slogans for six years.
“I wanted to become a famous artist one day, and to spread my message,” Leggat says about what propelled her. That message includes phrases like “be kind,” “smile with me,” and “you are brave.” The intent behind them doesn’t come out of thin air.
Greer designed the “you are brave” slogan after talking with Yorty’s daughter, Sarah, who was going through a hard time during final exams at Georgetown University.
Thinking of others is her specialty.
During the throes of the pandemic, she designed the “you got this” phrase because “it was a tough year for everyone,” Leggat says. Thinking of others is her specialty.
Over the years, Leggat has built up a collection of T-shirts, baseball caps, mugs, notepads, car magnets and more. She also has holidayinspired gear, from shirts to ornaments, with Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas themes.
In addition to what you can find in store, Leggat produces custom orders, like a special shirt for Lebanon School District for World Kindness Day that reads “Be Kind Cedars.” She even produced a family reunion shirt for an event that took place in Dubai, solidifying her place as a worldwide artist.
Leggat’s success does not exist in a vacuum. Every year, she donates a portion of her profits to organizations like Special Olympics as well as Developmental and Disability Services of Lebanon Valley. She takes part in Special Olympics bowling and bocce, and used the
county’s disability services for her own therapies before she was old enough for school. Before the 2024 donation, her business had already donated a lifetime total of $8,000 to these organizations. She also creates pour paintings, which she auctions off for different causes.
“I’m the help. She’s the boss.
her to speak at lunch-and-learn sessions. The company made an effort to employ folks with disabilities for the warehouse while focusing on their strengths over their weaknesses.
VF manufactures brands like The North Face and Vans, and Leggat got her own custom pair of Vans sneakers as part of the deal. Even so, she proudly stepped out from behind the counter in her glittery Crocs—her favorite shoe—with a strand of purple tinsel beaming from her hair. The success, it seems, has not changed her, nor has it altered her appreciation for the welcoming environment at the Carriage House Collective.
A collective in both name & spirit
Many boutiques that consign from makers and collectors keep each vendor separate. For Yorty there’s nothing wrong with that, but that’s not what her store is about. “Everything is cohesive. It’s a collaboration. It’s a collective of artists. On this particular stand," she says, pointing, “there are probably five different vendors.”
Yorty grew up in the area but lived up and down the Main Line outside of Philadelphia for decades. When she moved back, she took the opportunity to establish her own footprint and ran with it. “I’ve always been partly creative, and I’m a big cheerleader of the creative community. I get so excited when they make something and I sell it for them,” she says.
“But it’s not all roses. As a woman with Down syndrome, Leggat fights to maintain independence. The biggest challenge, she says, has been “thinking enough for myself, between my own mother and me.” While Leggat spearheads the business, her mom, Judy, assists in the logistics. “I’m the help. She’s the boss,” her mother clarifies.
Over the fall, the Lancaster Lebanon Employment Coalition recognized Leggat for her entrepreneurial spirit with the 2024 Rising Star Award. Her success has been propelled by a partnership with Lebanon’s VF (Vanity Fair) Warehouse, a distribution center that launched a diversity, equity and inclusion program and asked Leggat to be the face of it. VF ordered custom shirts from Magic by Greer and asked
Some of Yorty’s staple products include creative signs from EverMine Designs and Crossed Paths; furniture, soap and candles from The Farm Chix; furniture and decor from Wander Awhile Style; dried and fresh florals from Bouquets of Blessings; knitwear from The Knitting Pixie; jewelry from Bobbi J. Designs and Jen Swavely; and coffee from Cleona Coffee Roasters, to name a few.
Vendors at Carriage House Collective are active participants, frequently stopping by to refresh their inventory. That’s because the boutique often has repeat visitors who seek unique experiences, and Yorty says there’s generally “a three-lap minimum.”
Sometimes, Yorty also requests specific types of products that she thinks may be popular that the maker could create, but she always stresses that it’s just a suggestion rather than a demand. “In a time where we don’t respect differences, it’s really important for me that we respect each other’s point of view,” she says.
Holiday
HOME GOODS
1. White Ceramic Angel Ornament, $5
2. Velvet Ball Ornament, $3
3. Cardinal Ornament, Handcrafted by EverMine Designs, $9
4. Evergreen Mug, $8
5. Nutcracker in Gold Aluminum, $24
6. Vintage-Style Pine Cone Ornament, $4
7. Cloche, $20
8. Mini Ceramic Trees, Set of 3, $12
9. Evergreen Dessert Plate, $8
10. Hand-Carved Walnut Riser, $30
Many times, the vendors do choose to create customized versions of products for the shop and its patrons. For example, a grandmother came in asking if a sign that read “I am always with you” could be changed to “We are always with you” for her grandson, who tragically lost both of his parents. The vendor made it for them, and even gifted it because they knew it was a special circumstance. “We have a very strong sense of community,” Yorty says. “I know a lot of people say that, but it’s really important for me.”
In addition to the store, Yorty also wears another hat: organizing events for Visit Lebanon Valley. And twice yearly, the Carriage House Collective puts on a magnificent barn sale at her family’s farm a couple of miles up the road, one in the fall and one in the spring. “We set up as if that’s our large shop space, and then we have some outside vendors as well,” she says. “The rest of the time, it’s our family farm. My sister and I grew up there. My dad grew up there. He bought it from his dad and so on. Now, my niece Maggie owns the farm.”
Whether you’re family or not, you become part of Yorty’s just by stopping by.
“I know a lot of people say that, but it’s really important for me.
A palpable heartbeat
Carriage House Collective 75 W Main St, Lebanon | 717-708-2347 thecarriagehousecollective.com carriagehousecollective thecarriagehouse_collective We have a very STRONG sense of
“At Carriage House Collective, Yorty has created a space in which the sense of community, the energy, the magic are practically tangible. Whether it’s Leggat’s Magic by Greer or any of the other vendors that contribute to the scene, guests can rely on beauty, kindness and even a little quirk in every corner.
FRESH WAYS TO
CELEBRATE New Year’s Eve 5
BY KATY SHERO
NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY WITH LOW CUT CONNIE westartlanc.com/events
Spend your New Year’s Eve at West Art, in Lancaster, partying with friends and Low Cut Connie. Bid adieu to 2024 and welcome 2025 moving and grooving to music from Low Cut Connie’s pianopounding songwriter and frontman, Adam Weiner, named “Pandemic Person of the Year” in 2020 by The New York Times. The party will feature a VIP Toast and pre-show acoustic performance, beer, cocktails and food, and a special performance from Mark DeRose Music. The VIP toast starts at 8:30 p.m., and the music officially kicks off at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the door. Get ready to be singing and ringing in the new year all night long!
RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH SMALL TOWN CHEER lititzpa.com/event/new-years-eve-gala
Elevate your evening plans this year by partying at Brownstone Manor in Lititz, gala style. Dress up, dance and drink with family and friends at this sparkling New Year’s Eve Gala put on by Venture Lititz. Each ticket includes two drinks, filling appetizers and a champagne toast at midnight. While you’re enjoying the evening, you can also feel good about supporting the work of Venture Lititz, an organization dedicated to enhancing the town’s community and mental and social well-being. Celebrate with elegance, and purchase your tickets online today to make sure you get to join in the fun.
SPECIAL NEW YEAR’S EVE SHOW WITH DAVID WAX MUSEUM
davidwaxmuseum.com/tour
Going to a concert is certainly a fun and exciting way to celebrate the new year, especially when it’s a smaller band you probably haven’t heard of. Expand your music taste buds and check out David Wax Museum’s special New Year’s Eve show at the Lititz Shirt Factory in Lititz. The band David Wax Museum is based in Charlottesville, Virginia, but is no stranger to the Susquehanna Valley. They’ve performed at the Valencia Ballroom in York and as part of Long Park’s Summer Music Series in Lancaster in 2023. The New Year’s Eve show kicks off at 7:30 and ends before midnight, so there’s still time to catch a ball drop or party after. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.
MECHANICSBURG WRENCH DROP
wrenchdrop.org
Yes, you read that right—Mechanicsburg really does drop a wrench on New Year’s Eve! For a fun switch from the usual ball drop, head to the Washington Fire Company located at 53 East Main Street in Mechanicsburg, to ring in the new year. The Wrench Drop started in 2004 as the result of an Eagle Scout project by Mechanicsburg Area School District graduate Sheldon Rodgers. The wrench honors the borough’s founders, mechanics who settled in the area to make wagons in the early 19 th century. The event begins at 9 p.m. and in past years has included local live music, vendors and glassblowing classes. It’s an unforgettable event for the family, and where else can you say you watched a wrench drop?
Change is good, and the beginning of the new year is full of it. Start your changes early by ditching the conventional ball drop and same-old traditions, and ring in this New Year’s Eve in a memorable and unconventional way with these five local celebrations.
DILLSBURG PICKLE DROP dillsburg.com
When you hear the name Dillsburg, you may think they drop a pickle to honor the town’s roots relating to dill pickles. Dillsburg, however, is actually not named after pickles—it’s named after its founder, Matthew Dill (who has no association with pickles). The town embraces the “dill” in their name anyway, dropping a pickle every New Year’s Eve. Stop by 159 South Baltimore Street to catch some pickle fun, including the town’s famous pickle soup, fireworks, music, food trucks, bingo and more. There’s also a “baby pickle drop” at 7 p.m. for anyone who likes to be in bed before midnight. The eccentric Dillsburg Pickle Drop has even gained publicity around the country, so it’s kind of a big dill.
