Doylestown Inn Reopens With Fanfare

Come see the newly reopened Doylestown Inn at an open house on Thursday.

The new owners of the Doylestown Inn have something to share. The rooms at the Inn are reopening on Friday, March 1, and before they open, the owners are offering a sneak peek to the public. Come to the Inn on Thursday for an open house to see the rooms and the progress the new owners are making with renovations to the building. The open house will run from 5 to 7 p.m. and will offer walk throughs of the building. Attendees can find out more about the new owners plans for the historic building. Memorable Affairs catering will serve appetizers and adult beverages for the occasion. Owner Ron Isgate says there is no need to RSVP; just swing by if you are in the area.  The Inn is at 18 West State Street, Doylestown.

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Restaurant Donates to A Woman's Place

A fundraiser at a Doylestown restaurant benefitted Bucks County's only domestic violence prevention organization.

A fundraiser at a local restaurant recently benefitted Bucks County's only domestic violence prevention organization. Hickory Kitchen donated a portion of its proceeds from a fundraising day in December to A Woman's Place. Restaurant owner Mike Markowitz said he organized the event after learning about a friend who escaped domestic violence in her past. The fundraising event raised $525 for A Woman's Place. A Woman's Place was founded in 1976, just two years after the first battered women's shelter in the nation opened in St. Paul, Minn. The local entity began as a storefront, drop-in counseling center in Sellersville, with a one-room apartment behind the office where women escaping violence could stay. Now based out of Doylestown, A Woman…

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Thief Steals from Doylestown Boutique - Again

Someone recently stole an outfit from a mannequin on North Main Street, in a second act of theft from a mom-and-pop store.

It is hard enough for small, independent retail shops to stay open in today's economy, but being stolen from - twice - packs both a financial and emotional punch. Maura McNamara felt the sting of just such an act recently for the second time. On Nov. 28, in the middle of the afternoon, a thief undressed McNamara's sidewalk mannequi, which displays stylish outfits sold in her boutique, Chelsea. As if that wasn't bad enough, the same thing happened again, on Friday, Jan. 4. Between 5 and 5:40 p.m., someone removed another outfit, leaving behind nothing but a naked mannequin on North Main Street, arguably the busiest street in town. Missing was a turquoise dress, a gray and turquoise jacket and a necklace, according to the police report. The …

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Doylestown's Store Chelsea Closing

The Doylestown boutique Chelsea is closing after nearly 12 years in business.

After nearly 12 years in business, Doylestown's Chelsea boutique is closing. Owner Maura McNamara said the store will close at the end of January. "It's bittersweet, but things change," McNamara said Monday. All the merchandise in the store on North Main Street is on sale, as McNamara clears everything out. For the latest updates, check out the store's Facebook page.

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Jeff Lugar

7:07 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Baxter will miss the dog biscuits outside very much. He knows where they are and drags and pulls like crazy to get at them from both the Starbucks and Allesio intersections.   more ›

New Owner Seeks to Restore Doylestown Inn

The new owners of the Doylestown Inn hope to keep the existing hotel rooms and offices and open a new restaurant and bar in the historic building on West State Street.

Two Doylestown businessmen hope to restore the Doylestown Inn to its former glory. Attorney Ron Isgate and Realtor Todd McCarty plan to reopen the Inn on West State Street, which has been closed since last fall. Their business plan maintains the Inn's 11 hotel rooms on the third floor and the 10 commercial offices on the second. They hope to add a restaurant to the first floor and a bar to the basement area, Isgate told Doylestown Patch on Thursday. When their renovations are finished, they hope the new business reflects the important role the property has played throughout Doylestown's history. "It was the anchor piece of this town for a long time," Isgate said. "For whatever reason, it just kind of fell by the wayside in recent years. …

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The Foodie Files

Gross' Gourmet Marks New Year in New Location

The longtime Doylestown staple has a new home on South Main Street.

It's a Friday, the week before Christmas, and Leslie Bilotta is busy. So are her longtime staff members who help create the food that Bilotta and her husband, Andy, sell to a hungry clientele in Doylestown. On this particular day, they were catering several Christmas parties. And the front case was chock full of the fried chicken for which their business has been famous for decades. But don't try to weasel the recipe out of them. The Bilottas use the same recipes at Gross' Gourmet that the Gross family pioneered - and they guard them jealously. "We keep them in a safe," Leslie told a visitor. "We guard them with our lives." The team at Gross' Gourmet has spent the past few months settling into a new home at 266 S. Main St., in Doylestown. …

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Herb's Hobbies Closing After 40 Years

The independently owned craft store in Doylestown is closing.

Herb's Hobbies and Crafts is closing. The independently owned craft store on Doylestown's West State Street sent a postcard to customers with the news. "After serving your craft and hobby needs for 40 years, we are retiring," the card reads, in part. The retirement sale began Wednesday, Dec. 26. All items in the store are at least 20 percent off. And once an item is gone, "it's gone forever," according to the postcard. Founded in 1972, Herb's has been a mainstay in Doylestown for crafts and hobbies of all types, from model trains to knitting to scrapbooking.   Have you shopped at Herb's over the years? Share a memory in the comments section.

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Loading Zone Could Come to North Main Street

Doylestown Borough Council is considering whether to create a loading zone on a busy borough street.

A loading zone may be coming to the first block of North Main Street in downtown Doylestown. Doylestown Borough Council is considering adding the loading zone to the street next to the Fountain House, home to the downtown Starbucks and offices. All businesses in the area would be able to use the loading zone, council members said. No parking spaces would be lost in the creation of the zone. Council members voted unanimously on Monday night to advertise an ordinance outlining the new zone. The measure will return to council at a future meeting for a final vote.

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Thief Takes Shirt off Mannequin's Back

The unknown thief undressed a mannequin in the middle of the day on Main Street in Doylestown.

The mannequin that stands near the steps leading down to Chelsea Clothing and Gifts always displays a stylish outfit, enticing would-be shoppers into the Doylestown boutique. One "shopper" recently liked the look - but made off without paying for it. Someone took a complete outfit that had clothed the mannequin, right down to the accessories. The theft occurred on Wednesday, Nov. 28 sometime between 2 p.m. and 3:40 p.m., according to Doylestown Borough police. Police Chief Jim Donnelly said it's possible the thief removed the clothes, then walked down the steps toward the shop for a few minutes before leaving the area. Passers by could have thought the person was a store employee changing the display, he said. Missing were a light-colored …

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Jeff Lugar

4:29 pm on Saturday, January 12, 2013

And I think this may have just happened again to her.   more ›

Help Fill the Bus - With Toys and Gifts

Downtown merchants will collect unwrapped toys, toiletries and more on Friday night, as part of their next community service project.

Last month, they filled a bus with food. This month, they want to fill a bus with soul food - books, toys, toiletries and more, for children and teens who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season. The merchants of downtown Doylestown are partnering again this month with the DART bus and the Bucks County Housing Group to help local needy children, said Nerice Kendter. Kendter owns Busy Bee Toys and is an active member of the merchants' group. In November, the merchants held a "Fill the Bus" event on First Friday to collect food donations for the Bucks County Housing Group. The agency offers services across the county, including a homeless shelter and food pantry in Doylestown. On Friday night, the DART bus will again be parked …

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