COLLINGSWOOD
08108 SUMMER 2020
Swing into a Sweet
r e m m Su IN THIS ISSUE:
Cookbook heroines Helping hands Virtual shopping ...and more!
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SUMMER 2020
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OUR OFFICE LOCATIONS MT. HOLLY MAIN OFFICE VINELAND FREEHOLD 1063 E Landis Avenue | Vineland, NJ 08360 57 W. Main St. | Freehold, NJ 07728 175 Richey Avenue | Collingswood, NJ 08107 | Mt. Holly, NJ 08060 Phone: | Fax: 856-858-4371 Phone: 609-303-5060 | Fax: 856-858-4371 Phone: 856-406-2332 | Fax: 856-858-4371 Phone: 732-338-0659 | Fax: 856-858-4371
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08108
Letter from the
PUBLISHER: S
SUMMER 2020 ISSUE
Hello 08108 readers,
everal months ago when we – myself, Editor Kristen Dowd and Sales Manager Brittany Rought – sat together in my office and began to plan our anniversary issue, little did we know this would be one of our last meetings in the office. As all of our lives changed, we came to the quick realization that story ideas, photo shoots and our advertisers would change. It is with great pride that I say we were able to adjust and bring to you our 1st Anniversary edition. I am grateful to our editor, contributors, production department and advertising staff in working through our “new normal” and bringing you content that
thank you!
EDITOR: W
elcome to the 08108 one-year anniversary issue!
Our first year has given us the opportunity to explore Collingswood traditions, sit down with fascinating locals, and delve into local history. We’ve shopped at a bevy of businesses and dined at remarkable restaurants. And we’ve enjoyed coffee – so much amazing coffee. But more than anything else, this past year has taught us that there is always something new to discover in Collingswood. For instance, over the past two months, we discovered something rather aweinspiring: This borough is built on strength and resilience. When faced with a global health crisis arriving on its doorstep, the residents, businesses, and leadership of Collingswood chose to rise up, to figure out what needed to be done, and then find a safe way to do it. The Collingswood Farmers’ Market is still supporting agriculture and putting produce into the hands of locals – or at least into their car trunks. Read about how this long standing borough tradition is continuing in a farm-to-car fashion on page 10.
SUMMER 2020
PERRY CORSETTI
Thank you all for your continued support, and enjoy!
KRISTEN DOWD
PUBLISHER
ARLENE REYES EDITOR
SALES MANAGER
BRITTANY ROUGHT LEAD ACCOUNT MANAGER
AMANDA PHILLIPS ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Arlene Reyes Publisher
MEGAN MUDD
To all essential employees for your hard work and dedication.
Letter from the
COO
is catered to life in 08108. During this year, 08108 has consistently developed and grown, even through a pandemic. We are excited to continue to be part of the 08108 community and look forward to another great year!
Restaurants are serving up support alongside salads and sandwiches in this issue’s Borough Bites. On page 8, see how local eateries are finding ways to give back to those in need – even when facing their own challenges. And while it may still be a little while before shoppers can stroll the streets with tissued gift bags and iced coffees in hand, borough businesses are making it easy to shop local in the virtual realm, ramping up website and social media experiences to engage with customers (page 14). Meeting the people of Collingswood has been one of our favorite parts of 08108, and this issue is no exception. Readers have a chance to sit down with Haddon Township natives and authors of the new “Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats, & Female Feats” Karen Cuneo and Grace Cuneo Lineman (page 12), and the Tracy family shares what it’s like to live in a piece of Collingswood history as residents of the Stokes-Lee House in A Look at Local History (page 16). We hope to see you around town soon. Until then, stay safe, stay strong, and enjoy our anniversary issue.
Kristen Dowd Editor
MARKETING CONSULTANTS
PERRY CORSETTI JR. TESSA LEONE CASEY MEGLINO 08108 is a publication of Newspaper Media Group, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 135 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 (856)779-3800 x6837 sunsales@newspapermediagroup.com 08108@newspapermediagroup.com
In this Issue:
08108 contributors Borough Bites Farmers’ Market returns Meet the authors Shop local online A Look at Local History Keeping up with Collingswood
6 8 10 12 14 16 18
ON THE COVER
Grace Cuneo Lineman, left, and sister Karen Cuneo, who appears on the cover, recently published “Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats, & Female Feats.” See what happens when recipes and feminism combine on page 12. COVER PHOTO BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
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08108
Service is at the heart of what we do. At Compass, we are always here for our communities. I love the 08108 area, from the amazing restaurants, parks, seasonal festivals and small businesses. Whether you are moving in or moving out, our local presence and technology allows us to stay with our mission to help everyone find their place in the world.
Kenyon Hunter Principal, Evolution Ave Group M 215.882.2173 O 856.214.2639 kenyon.hunter@compass.com Kenyon Hunter is a real estate broker-salesperson affiliated with Compass RE. Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunity laws. 129 Chester Ave, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Summer 2020 Issue Contributers: Kevin Callahan
Madeleine Maccar
Kelly Flynn
Jamie Giambrone
Kevin, a published author of three novels, is in his 36th year writing sports, travel and outdoor stories, focusing in and around South Jersey and Philadelphia. After 33 years writing for the Courier Post, the 58-year-old embarked on a freelance writing career with the release of his trilogy – The Black Rose, The Fish Finder and The Chess Game in 2017.
Madeleine Maccar has spent the past 14 years as a word-nerd of all kinds, working as both a newspaper and magazine editor, as well as a reporter, proofreader, book reviewer, writing tutor and freelance writer. She spent five of those years working in Collingswood, which was easily the best part of the job.
Kelly is a caffeine addict on a quest for the smoothest cup of local coffee and the most interesting local news. The journalist and editor covering the South Jersey region enjoys finding interesting people and places to highlight through her work.
Jamie loves to dance. She loves coffee, hiking and being a soccer mom. The connection she has to her community has inspired her to take a closer look at her surroundings and dive into the stories around her. This is what drives her photography; stories and unveiling them. See more of Jamie’s work at www.jamiegiambrone.com.
Ryan Lawrence
Ryan is a veteran journalist of 20 years. He’s worked at the Courier-Post, Philadelphia Daily News, Delaware County Daily Times, primarily as a sportswriter, and is currently a sports editor at Newspaper Media Group and an adjunct journalism instructor at Rowan University.
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SUMMER 2020
Local eateries, cafes delivering goodwill this spring BY RYAN LAWRENCE
D
uring a time of social distancing, social media hasn’t just provided people with a place to gather with family and friends, but it’s also managed to play a vital role in making connections to help those in need. It begins with a simple act of kindness. When that act goes viral, the giving becomes as infectious as the coronavirus that brought a life-changing pandemic into our lives. Take Sahar Soleymani. One of the owners of the family-operated Que Ricas on Haddon Avenue, Soleymani typed a 55-word message onto the restaurant’s Facebook page on the second Saturday of April. The crux of the message was this: Absolutely no one should be hungry. If you or someone you know is struggling right now to keep themselves fed during this crisis, please send them our way! Not long afterward, someone reached out to Soleymani and told the story of a recentlylaid off co-worker. The single mom was having a trying spring that only worsened when SUMMER 2020
a windstorm led to a tree crashing onto her home’s fence. “Can you deliver some food?” the coworker asked. Soleymani immediately went to work, putting together a meal that included empanadas and churros. She threw in a half-pound bag of coffee from Cup of Bliss, since the shop up the road volunteered to partner up. And then she drove to the woman’s house in Cinnaminson and left the package on the porch with a hand-written note. “It feels right,” said Soleymani, who opened Que Ricas with her family in December. “It just feels right. It feels like the natural, human response to something like this. When I got into the restaurant business, my passion has always been to bring people together, to be a part of the community and bring it together. So it’s just an extension of that. It just makes sense to me. It feels wonderful.” Community. Generosity. Unselfishness. Thoughtfulness. These are words that don’t just define Soleymani and Que Ricas. They are traits shared by many local restaurants in Collingswood and Haddon Township. The best thing to come out of surviving a global pandemic is that, in our own way, we’re looking out for one another, too. Whether it’s frontline workers at hospitals and grocery stores or complete strangers that have lost a job, cafes, pubs, and restaurants throughout the 08108 zip code have united 8
in an effort to help out those in need. Like James Marino. A lifelong Collingswood resident, Marino opened the door to the popular Bistro di Marino in August 2004. He went to Collingwood High (Class of ‘97) with the chief of police, so it only felt natural to reach out to the Collingswood Police Department (and then the Collingswood Fire Department and Haddon Township Police Department, too), to inform them they would be stopping by with free food. Bistro di Marino has also fed grocery store workers at three different stops. And it’s dropped off food for doctors and nurses at three local hospitals, too. “My boss is the most kind, generous man that I have ever had the pleasure of working for, and I come from a social work background,” said Jillian Carlin-Hettinger. Two more examples: in mid-March, instead of panicking with the realization that his own restaurant was about to take a financial hit, Marino posted a plan on social media that offered free meals to children in need of lunches with schools closing. Seven weeks later, more than 150 kids had been fed. On the last Tuesday of April, Marino ran another promotion: a free chicken parmigiana dinner to anyone in need. Between his locations in Collingswood and Washington Township, 145 chicken parm dinners were handed out to people in the community. please see BITES, page 9 08108
BITES
continued from page 8
“This is a time when I think it’s the responsibility of the businesses to try to help out their community,� said Marino, who sees generosity from regular customers making a 45-minute drive just to come in and support his restaurant with a takeout order. “Normally they wouldn’t come that far for takeout, but they’re doing it to help support their favorite restaurant,� he said. “So it’s the same thing. And everyone is doing it. Whether you’re a customer coming out to support a local restaurant, or you’re a local restaurant that’s giving back to frontline workers. The only good that comes from situations like this is that everyone steps up and tries to get through it together.� The sense of community that’s borne out of the pandemic is taking place all around us every day. The Pour House, one of four restaurants run by the same family corporation along Haddon Avenue, brings people together on Facebook each Friday by recognizing different groups of people affected by COVID-19. With the hashtag #FrontlineFriday, The Pour House asks social media followers to post photos of the group being honored each week. One week it’s delivery men and mail carriers, another it’s hospital workers or grocery store employees. From the nominated photos, the Pour House selects three random winners for $50 gift cards to its restaurants.
“We want to make sure the community stays front and center,� said Kristen Foord, the marketing director for the PJW Restaurant Group, which has also made several stops at hospitals throughout the area with food donations. “Giving back has been a core philosophy of our organization even before the pandemic, so I think it was a natural reaction for us to find ways to continue to support our communities in small or large ways.� For Debbie Blissick, spreading the spirit of giving comes caffeinated, with a giant, white-foamed cup of coffee mascot and M.C. Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This� blaring from a speaker. On the second Friday of May, Blissick, the owner of Cup of Bliss Coffee Company on Haddon Avenue, crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge into Center City with a few boxes of freshly brewed Bliss coffee and her husband, who puts on the Mr. Bliss mascot suit and plays the 90s, social distant-friendly pop song upon arrival. They delivered coffee to Wills Eye Hospital, the Radiation Oncology Department at Penn Medicine, and the Labor and Delivery wing at Pennsylvania Hospital. “I wanted to do that for Mother’s Day, since I gave birth to my daughter there,� Blissick said, adding that obstetricians have put themselves at risk since they can’t ensure their patients aren’t carrying the virus. “For nurses and doctors, just on a normal day it’s stressful,� Blissick added. “And
I imagine they have families. This virus is going around and it’s easily contagious. And then you’re going home to your family and it’s another stress level, of trying to take all of the precautions to keep them safe. So I can’t even imagine what they’re going through ‌ So what can I do to give them one moment, one second of comfort? I think about when you drink your first sip of coffee every day when it’s really good coffee. So if I could just give them that 30 seconds. And it’s not hard for me to do, it’s what I do and what I know. It’s the one way I feel like I can contribute ‌ I can give them a little bit of comfort as a break with what they’re going through.� Whether it’s a piping hot box of coffee or some comfort food in the form of chicken parm or empanadas, local businesses have stayed afloat by being open for takeout and have made their communities proud by delivering goodwill to those who need it most this spring. ■PHOTOS SPECIAL TO 08108
From left: Cup of Bliss has been delivering free coffee to essential workers, including Jennifer Kopecki and her colleagues at Wills Eye Hospital. James Marino and his team at Bistro di Marino have been serving up free chicken parmigiana dinners to anyone in need. Bistro di Marino catering director Jillian Carlin-Hettinger and assistant Stephanie Heeney are pictured with more free meals the restaurant donated to essential workers.
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Farm TO CAR Collingswood Farmers’ Market adapts to the times BY MADELEINE MACCAR
I
n the face of unprecedented adversity, the Collingswood Farmers’ Market has rebounded with all the determination of spring’s annual rebirth. The longtime tradition has been a local mainstay since 2000 and has grown in both size and popularity for the past two decades as it connects the area’s farmers with customers eager for healthy, natural food options. This year’s installment, however, is making a noticeably different return thanks to the necessity of social distancing. Gone are the crowds. Foot traffic and bicyclers are turned away as a safety measure. There are no more arm-in-arm couples or families strolling from vendor to vendor in pursuit of perfect produce or charmed by a tantalizing impulse buy, as pre-orders are now the operational standard. “We’re trying to help all of our residents, who won’t get the social aspect of the market but will get that benefit of fresh food and something that’s become a normal part of life,” says Mayor James Maley, who was among those working feverishly behind the scenes to bring some version of the market to town. “It’s more about the psychological impact: It’s not another thing that’s cancelled.”
When the Collingswood Farmers’ Market kicked off its 2020 season May 2 at its temporary home in the Scottish Rite Auditorium’s parking lot, visitors were already attuned to the new procedures. To account for the demand the market typically saw as a once-a-week event, it’s now divided into four sessions: Saturday mornings from 8 to 10; Saturday afternoons from 12 to 2; Wednesday mornings from 8 to 10; and Friday mornings from 8 to 10. Vendors are grouped by day, so market-goers can order from up to five farms and pick up their locally sourced produce, plants or meat with one trip to the market. At the entry tent, customers are given an identifying card so vendors can see them coming and prep their order before they even arrive at the distribution station. Market Director David Hodges, a 10-year veteran of the farmer’s market, says that each buyer spends a minute or two having their order loaded directly into their trunk, averaging less than 20 minutes at the Scottish Rite itself overall. “We’re using the parking lot to its best effect, we’re getting people in and out,” he confirms. “To be honest, it couldn’t be much smoother than it is. It is running beautifully well.” But it took a lot of work to make sure the farm-to-car model itself works.
Behind the scenes of a Numerous seismic ideas shifthad been explored and
in-depth examination of how to even host the market in the first place. Knowing full well that crops still need to be harvested, residents still need fresh food and the community needs an emotional win, there was no question for decision-makers that the market would return in 2020. “The farmers have put it pretty succinctly to us: The crops don’t know that there’s a pandemic,” Maley says. According to Maley, who worked with an emergency management team that included representation from police, fire, local government, borough and market staff, it took daily conversations to make sure the market’s safe-for-social-distancing incarnation was as successful as a debut event can be. “Doing anything for the first time, there’s always something you didn’t think of,” Maley notes. Indeed, the market hasn’t been without its hiccups, which Hodges regards as learning experiences. “We had a terrible backup on opening day in the afternoon,” he says. “But we fixed that problem. We’ve had a second Saturday afternoon with the same farms since then, and May 9 went as well as the afternoon of May 2 went poorly.” please see FARM, page 11
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A community’s labor ofWith lovea modified event, some
community buy-in was necessary in making sure the market pivoted quickly enough to ensure its vendors had a place to sell their goods, once the market was cleared for operations by both Gov. Phil Murphy’s standards and the Camden County Board of Heath. Hodges doesn’t waste a second in recognizing everyone who makes the market a successful community effort. “A big shout-out to the Friends of the Farmers’ Market volunteers, without whom we simply could not have made this happen, to the crossing guards from the borough to the police department ‌ to the crew of the Scottish Rite Auditorium for their massive support, and of course to the borough and the borough commissioners for approving this plan to do a market at all,â€? Hodges says. It was important to the borough to keep as many people employed as possible in these difficult times, according to Maley. “We tried to keep as many people from the Scottish Rite working as possible,â€? Maley says. “We’re also using some of our crossing guards to help direct traffic. We’ve been doing our best to keep them on and employed, as well.â€? Even the farms themselves have taken on
more responsibility for an admittedly diminished return so far. “They are grateful for the opportunity, they really appreciate all of the effort that we put into the market but they are overburdened by the chore of getting orders together and they’re selling less than they would have in more traditional market years,� Hodges says. “But it’s at least an opportunity to sell to retail customers and it makes it worth their while so far.� But a chance collaboration is one of the biggest reasons the farmer’s market was able to adapt to its current drive-thru model. “We wouldn’t have been able to do it at all without the participation, partnering and cooperation of BlocDelivery.com,� Hodges says of the startup company. He credits Bloc Delivery for handling online orders for certain vendors, helping the market establish a one-stop shop website and even delivering food orders to Collingswood, Haddonfield and Haddon Township residents whose limited mobility prevents them from attending the modified market. “I didn’t know how I was going to manage until Bloc Delivery showed up on the scene with an offer of help that we immediately accepted,� Hodges adds.
What the future holds
“We’ll get back to the market as usual as soon as it’s safe to do so and not a moment before.� Hodges says that while the original Collingswood Farmers’ Market was a beloved mainstay and a strong event, there is always room for improvement and a need to stay aligned with current needs. “My attitude is, to heck with what used to be the best conceivable market,� he says. “If we don’t come out of this stronger and better, it’s a wasted opportunity. My goal is to plan a market that’s even better than the one we had before.� Because, whether the world is in the throes of a pandemic or not, Hodges says the Collingswood Farmers’ Market is about ensuring people have access to fresh, certifiably local food. “There’s a lot of people in our community now, especially those stuck in their homes or are immunocompromised, for whom fresh produce is medicine,� he says. “We feel wonderful about the ability to provide that. Even though it’s a lot of effort, it’s well worth it to keep people healthy and safe and provided with fresh food.� ■Visit collingswoodmarket.com to find out more about this year’s farm-to-car Collingswood Farmers’ Market. PHOTO BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
So what is the long-term plan for the farmers’ market? “Only a fool would predict,� Hodges says.
Collingswood Farmers’ Market Director David Hodges poses with a box of produce, ready to be placed into the trunk of a car at the market’s new drive-thru format.
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WOMEN Haddon Township natives publish ‘Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats, & Female Feats,’ a cookbook celebrating feminists BY KRISTEN DOWD
I
t started, as so many amazing things do, with Beyoncé. “I’m just a huge Beyoncé fan,” Grace Cuneo Lineman confessed with a laugh. The cultural icon holds a special place in the hearts of Grace and her sister, Karen Cuneo. The Haddon Township natives have been to countless Beyoncé concerts, and the musician’s confidence and vulnerability have garnered the duo’s admiration since childhood. “She’s evolved as an artist along with us,” Karen explained, “as we evolved from young girls to adults.” So it was fitting – and not entirely surprising – when Grace called her food science pro sister with an idea: Can we make a Beyoncé SUMMER 2020
Beyhive cake? (The Beyhive, for those not in the know, is Beyoncé’s fan base.) This was at the end of 2017, and the two got to work, developing the first recipe in what would become the inspiration for their first book. “Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats & Female Feats” is, on the surface, a cookbook, chock full of tried-andtrue recipes carefully crafted and thoroughly tested. But beyond the delicious eats, as the book’s name would suggest, is so much more. Each recipe celebrates a woman, from the clever moniker (think Hillary Clinton’s “I’m With Herb & Buttermilk Biscuits”) to an autobiographical snapshot and favorite quotation. The book is not organized by ingredient, but rather by achievement: activists and athletes, politicians and pop stars. From the widely celebrated to the lesser known, there are so many impressive, powerful and inspirational women between the pages. The idea of a cookbook – of a woman in the kitchen – celebrating some of the greatest female feats in history is certainly unconventional. “Empowdered Sugar,” however, seamlessly brings the two concepts together, demonstrating there is strength in the spatula, a potential to empower women who are, at the same time, cooking delectable treats. “There’s such a separation of this feminism movement and being in the kitchen,” Grace remarked. “We thought it would be a 12
fun bit of irony to bring them back together.” When the “Beyhive Honey Cake” was brought to life, it sparked the sisters’ imaginations. As they tossed puns back and forth (“Madeleines Albright” for the soft French cookies, “Barbara Waltersmelon Popsicles” for a cool summer treat), there was an undercurrent of feminism making waves in the world. “This was all happening in the aftermath of the most recent election,” Karen said, referring to Clinton’s historic run as the first female presidential nominee. “There were so many things happening with strong women. We saw a lot of representation of strong females in the media, and we were really empowered by that and wanted to see what we could do to share some of that strong, powerful female energy and put it back in the world. “We wanted to give back to the movement in the small way we thought we could.” Grace, a Collingswood resident, and Karen, who now calls Philadelphia home, consider themselves “really lucky” in bringing their book from concept to bookstores in two short years. They shopped their proposal in June 2018, and had a book deal please see STRONG, page 13 08108
STRONG
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from Turner Publishing Company by September. “Empowdered Sugar” was published a year later, in September 2019. “It was a whirlwind of a process,” Karen said. The punchy illustrations, with faceless busts depicting the iconic women, perfectly package the product, and were created by the sisters’ graphic designer cousin Allison Murray, another Haddon Township native who now lives in Arizona. When the sisters pitched the book to her, Murray was immediately on board. “I was excited and honored to be a part of it,” she said. “I’ve always known (Karen and Grace) would make their mark in the pop culture space, and it’s amazing to be a part of their journey.” Illustrating the approximate 80 busts – as well as the cover and food images – was about 65 hours of work, Murray estimated, but the blur that was March 2019 was worth it. “It came out better than I could have imagined,” she said. While Beyoncé, of course, is a fan favorite for the Cuneo sisters, they also mentioned a few other female figures that stood out. “I really love that we included Lisa Leslie,” Grace said. “She was a really cool female athlete that made a big splash. She was the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game, and I think that is a really unique fact that not a lot of people know.” Highlighting these women’s careers and achievements, especially those with less public fanfare, was a favorite part of the book process. The research behind the women they chose was extensive – and inspiring. “One of the things we enjoyed most about writing the book is learning so much more about these stories, about these women we may not have known about before. We were really excited to bring some of these lesserknown women into the book,” Karen said, noting neither sister knew social activist Sarah Breedlove was the first self-made millionaire in the U.S. and pioneer of the modern black hair care and cosmetic industry. A food scientist by profession, Karen also wanted to be sure the book’s recipes were “easy and approachable.” Female friends and family with no technical food background became testers, ensuring the recipes were easy to follow. “We really wanted the recipes to be something families could share and make together,” Karen said. “That was an added challenge – breaking it down to simplistic language.” Evidently, Karen accomplished this goal. “Empowdered Sugar” has received a warm reception, particularly from the Collingswood community. When the book was hot off the presses, the sisters took part in the Collingswood Book Festival, overwhelmed by the positive feedback and support they received. Readers continue to 08108
reach out, sharing recipes, personal anecdotes and tales of even more inspirational women not included in the book. It seems “Empowdered Sugar” has certainly put some strong female energy back into the world – just as the sisters had hoped. “We want the cookbook to not just be a celebration of the food, but really a celebration of the women,” Grace said. “We want to empower girls, women, sisters, friends – in both the kitchen and outside of it.” “We wanted to bring a sense of pride and ownership in the kitchen,” Karen added. “As Grace said in the book, we wanted to make these different inspiring female stories as familiar as an old family recipe.
“We want people to not only share the food, but also share the stories.” “Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats, & Female Feats,” is available on Amazon.com, in store and online at Barnes & Noble, and from most major retailers. ■ PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
Sisters Grace Cuneo Lineman, left, and Karen Lineman display their new cookbook, ‘Empowdered Sugar: A Collection of Sweets, Treats & Female Feats,’ at Grace’s Collingswood home. Some sweets from the book include Frida Kahlua Cupcakes (center) and Rhubarbra Streisand Pie.”
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FROM
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Collingswood retailers go digital BY KELLY FLYNN
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here’s a certain iconography that comes to mind when you think of a small town. Maybe you visualize neighbors exchanging a wave as one passes by while walking the dog. Some might conjure up the image of children on bicycles laughing as they pedal down the street. And at the heart of any small town is inevitably a vibrant main street lined with small businesses where the owner is ready to offer a warm greeting and a recommendation when you walk through the door. Collingswood is certainly a quintessential small town, but with the COVID-19 pandemic stretching on, many of the town’s small businesses were forced to temporarily close in-person business. So, what’s a small business to do when life is put on pause, and customers can no longer leisurely stroll in through their front doors? Well, for many Collingswood businesses, old world small town charm is now meeting the digital age as retailers develop their online presence. Rita Marino, owner of Arts Plus
Gallery, said her website was enabled for online shopping, but until the pandemic hit, she’d never taken the time to set it up. Currently in its 42nd year of business, the shop offers a variety of framing and photo restoration services as well as a variety of one-of-a-kind trinkets and gifts. Because Marino sources handmade items and her stock of items varies, developing the website has taken longer than it might for a typical retailer. She said she’s still working on getting all of her merchandise on the site, but thus far, the online sales have gone very smoothly. Arts Plus Gallery is currently offering socks, puzzles, dish towels, soaps, candles and a variety of other items. And Marino is working hard to ensure that customers don’t have to wait long to receive their items. As soon as she receives an order, it’s boxed up and shipped out within 12 to 24 hours. She’s even delivered items herself to customers who live nearby. Marino said the items people are ordering right now run the gamut. Customers have bought puzzles, planters, robes, soaps and lotions. She said the common themes are things that are comforting or that keep people busy. She said on a typical spring day, they’d have had their front door open, and they’d chit chat with people walking in. She said that’s been the hardest part about being please see DIGITAL, page 15
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closed for in-person purchases. “It’s not always about the sale,” Marino said. “It’s about that camaraderie, that relationship with people.” Check out Arts Plus Gallery at www.artsplusgallery.com. For fellow Collingswood business owner Janet Bufano, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic much of her focus was on in-person business as well. Bufano owns the The Hopeful Romantic Boutique, a store that features Victorian and retro fashion, jewelry and home items. She said Collingswood had proven to be a great foot traffic spot for her unique wares, and she was excited for the spring season ahead. Now, Bufano has shifted her focus to her online traffic. She’d started her website prior to the pandemic but hadn’t completed it. She’s since completed the website and is taking orders via phone, email or Facebook messenger. From there, customers can either opt for curbside pickup or shipping. Bufano is also trying to bring the experience of browsing her store into people’s homes. She’s started doing Facebook “watch parties” where she goes live on Facebook and features certain items – such as jewelry – that she carries in store. She said after her jewelry “watch party,” jewelry sold well, but people are also buying teas, honey, jams, scarves, wraps and a variety of other items. She said thus far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. “I’m getting great feedback,” Bufano said. “I have a lot of friends on social media, friends I’ve known who are spreading the word.” Check out The Hopeful Romantic Boutique at www.thehopefulromanticboutique.com. Local comic shop Secret Origins is also leveraging social media to reach their customers. Miranda Powell, who co-owns the shop with her husband Bill Powell, said they’d toyed with the idea of live sales on Facebook, but never quite found the time. Having only moved to Collingswood in November, the shop is eager to continue to build their sense of community. “For those who are newly interested in the genre, we want to welcome people; we wanted that spirit in our shop,” Powell said. “ Even if you’ve never read a comic in your life, we encourage people to join us.” Then, when the pandemic hit, they took the time to build their website and to flesh out their Facebook live idea. Powell said their goal for the Facebook live events is to mimic the experience of shopping in store. She said customers would often come in and pick her husband’s brain and banter about comics, and they’re trying to keep that sense of community alive through their Facebook live events. They’re offering collector’s items, action figures, graphic novels, Funko bobble heads
and a variety of other items. They try to make the lives a fun and interactive experience by asking trivia questions or providing some background on the items for sale. She said typically at their shop, they’d offer new comics every Wednesday, but their distributor has stopped operations until the end of May. She said they’re looking forward to their return and getting new comics back in their customers’ hands. She said without the steady stream of new comics, they’ve gone into their backlog and thought about what else they could offer their customers during this time. So, they’ve suggested graphic novels and other items
to keep their customers entertained while they’re quarantined. The store is also offering free delivery to anyone within a five-mile radius. Powell said now, more than ever, it’s crucial for people to shop local and support small businesses that are being hit especially hard during the pandemic. “This town is built on that sense of community; it’s really important that they have those restaurants and businesses to go back to,” Powell said. “That’s why people want to come here.” Check out Secret Origins at www.secretoriginscomics.com. ■
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A look at
LOCAL HISTORY Stokes-Lee House the oldest home in the borough BY KEVIN CALLAHAN
N
estled in the middle of Lees Avenue, the three-story yellow house with red shutters sits majestically behind a tree that towers over the regal roofline. The expansive shade of the tree, however, can’t hide the grandeur of the Stokes-Lee House. Or the history of the oldest house in Collingswood. Built in 1707 on a hill above Newton Lake, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 10, 1987. “I didn’t know the full extent of it, only from seeing pictures,” said owner Clare Tracy about the history she now lives in every day. “And I didn’t know who these people (the Stokes and Lee families) were until I did my research. I didn’t realize that the beginning of Collingswood was at this place here.” The Stokes-Lee House, located at 617 Lees Avenue, was first on a plantation, and later became an inn, before a family home. “So many are curious about the house, but only when you get closer do you see it’s on the national registry,” Tracy said, “and I don’t think people realize the names were the founding people here and the reality that this please see LOCAL, page 17
SUMMER 2020
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LOCAL
house had tons of land. “I don’t think people actually visualize what it was.” Clare and her husband, Ed Beitz, and their two children, Jack and June, moved into the historic Georgian and Federal style manor house in August 2016. Clare grew up in West Philadelphia and her husband is from Cherry Hill. They had been living in center city Philly. “When we first pulled up, we didn’t realize one-third of the house was owned by someone else,” Tracy said. “We hadn’t been looking for a twin, but once we got inside we fell in love with the place and it has been no problem having the current layout.” Originally one of the Newton Colony mansions, the house was built in two phases between 1707 and 1761. Marlene Granitz , the president of Proud Neighbors of Collingswood, was excited to include the Stokes-Lee House on their annual house tour in 2018 “Everybody was very happy,” Granitz said. The Stokes-Lee House welcomes visitors with a grand walkway that is flanked with white, red and pink flowers. “The house tour was certainly fun to be on,” Tracy said. “A lot of people in town knew the family that lived here in the 1990s
and I think they did a lot of entertaining, and so we met people who said they were in this house years ago.” Jacob Stokes bought the property, which
included 404 acres, in 1761 and began expansion of the original house. The Stokes family lived in the house for a few generations before selling to a farmer, George Lee, in 1828. The Lee family sold in 1848 to William Jones, who said his kidney ailment vanished after drinking spring water from the property. Jones sold “Kalium Spring Water” from the house. He advertised the water as curing “Bright’s Disease, dyspepsia, rheumatism, dropsy and diseases of the kidneys.”
“People seem interested about the water,” Tracy said. “At one point, one of the owners was claiming there was a miracle well here and they were selling water and supposedly claiming that he had all these cures.” The famous Collings family bought the house in 1900 and the house with two names was divided into the current two dwellings. “A local family had bought the house, I think it was in the early 1990s, and he was the fire chief here and when he got the house it was in pretty bad condition and he did a lot of the work himself,” Tracy said. “So it was done, but we had some things we wanted to change. We redid the kitchen before moving here, but other than that it wasn’t like we needed to do an immediate renovation.” Just to learn – and share – more of the history about their grand home. ■
PHOTOS BY KRISTEN DOWD
Clare Tracy and Ed Beitz and their children Jack, 6, and June, 4, live in a piece of Collingswood history: the StokesLee House, which is the oldest home in the borough. A plaque near the front door indicates the Stokes-Lee House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Keeping up with
Collingswood Volunteer with Collingswood Cares
Support your neighbors by volunteering with Collingswood Cares, established to help at-risk borough families and individuals impacted by COVID-19. Volunteers help with shopping, picking up prescriptions, delivering meals and other tasks. Can’t volunteer your time? Tax-deductible monetary donations are welcome, too. Sign up and learn more at www.collscares.org.
Storytime with Miss Dot
The Collingswood Public Library’s brick and mortar location may be closed, but the staff is keeping busy with online offerings. Visit the library’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/CollingswoodLibrary to see all of the fun children’s stories and crafts Miss Dot has been sharing on YouTube.
Collingswood Community Blood Drive
The American Red Cross needs blood donations – especially during a pandemic. Locals can safely donate from 2 to 7 p.m. on Monday, June 29, at the Collingswood Grand Ballroom, 315 White Horse Pike. Healthy donors are encouraged to sign up at www.redcrossblood.org with sponsor code “Collingswood Community.” Find out more about eligibility guidelines at www. redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-todonate/eligibility-requirements.html.
Namaste home – but can still do yoga
Take care of your mind, body and soul. Yoga Loft is offering live streamed classes via video conferencing platform Zoom. Classes are $15, $10 for new student intro-
duction, and free (or by donation) for anyone experiencing financial hardship. Visit www.theyogaloftcollingswood.com.
Daily Dance Party!
Get moving and grooving with Collingswood Public Schools during the district’s daily 2 p.m. virtual dance parties. Check out the daily songs and get in on the fun by following @CollsSchools on Twitter.
Collingswood Reads Book Club Online
Love to read? Love to talk about it? Every Wednesday, the Collingswood Library is continuing its Collingswood Reads Book Club in the virtual realm, giving readers a chance to share their thoughts on a variety of books, from mystery to historical fiction and everything in between. May 27 is “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. Join the online conversation from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Email cschanely@collingswoodlib.org.
Send us your calendar listings!
Please include all critical information: Who, what, where, when, and how to register or get tickets (if applicable), as well as a few lines of description. Email your listings to 08108@newspapermediagroup.com.
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Collingswood Farmers’ Market goes from the farm straight to your car PHOTOS BY JAMIE GIAMBRONE
PHOTO 1: Dianne Hymer of Hymer Farm and her granddaughter, Lily Wright, place plants into customers’ cars at the Collingswood Farm-to-Car Market. The new contact-free farm market model relies on pre-orders, which are then picked up on multiple market days. PHOTO 2: Martie Buzby of A.T. Buzby Farm carries a box of produce to a customer’s waiting car. PHOTO 3: Lauren Fordyce of Savoie Organic Farm sorts through the prepared customer orders at the Collingswood Farmers’ Market. PHOTO 4: Les Viereck of Viereck Farms hands off a bag of asparagus to a waiting car at the market.
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