Tag Archives: New Cumberland

Merry Makers: New Cumberland’s “Merry Merchants Holiday Market” to showcase the town’s growing creative community

November 14, 2022 | by Karen Hendricks

Volunteers Drew Lawrence, Skye Leppo, Jon Crum, Pam Cullen and Sandi Kraybill of the nonprofit New Cumberland Collective

It’s a crafty way to get a jump on the holiday season.

The Merry Merchants Holiday Market, featuring more than 30 local artisans and makers, is set for Sunday, Nov. 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown New Cumberland.

“We want to provide space for local creators and artists to get a jump on the holidays before Black Friday, Cyber Monday—all that stuff,” said Drew Lawrence, founder and president of the New Cumberland Collective. The recently formed nonprofit, all-volunteer collective is organizing the market.

Now, more than ever, there’s greater demand and desire—to both create and purchase—unique hand-crafted, locally made products, Lawrence said, over mass-produced items available online or via big box stores.

“The past few years, we haven’t had too many opportunities [for local artisans] with the pandemic, and so now I feel like there’s this upswelling of passionate people and creators who [discovered and] locked into their passions during the pandemic.”

Market vendors will have “something for everyone,” according to Lawrence, including handmade candles and pottery, artwork, hats and scarves, a wide variety of jewelry, Christmas cards, snow globes and holiday décor, one-of-a-kind clocks, and even toys like sock puppets.

“It’s astonishing to see how many super-talented artists there are all around us,” said Sandi Kraybill, a New Cumberland resident of more than 40 years, who spearheaded the event. “Even Stephen Michael Haas, the artist who did the mural, will be here selling his art,” she said, pointing across the event’s location—the PNC parking lot at 360 Bridge St. in New Cumberland, bordered by Neato Burrito’s brightly colored wall art created by Haas.

“It’s an opportunity for smaller local vendors to sell things they’re passionate about and really show their creativity, but also to shed some light on the town and all that we’re doing. I think shopping local is key—especially to a smaller community like this,” said volunteer Jon Crum, a New Cumberland resident of 11 years.

Food vendors—Yum Yum Mini Pancakes and Mama’s Meltz—and live holiday music will add to the festive atmosphere. Rumors are swirling that even Santa may make an appearance. And several businesses are adding to the festivities—Creative Spark Arts, across the street, will bring their wares outside on the sidewalk—and nearby Dead Lightning Distillery will be concocting Bloody Merrys and Boozy Cocoa for the occasion.

The all-volunteer New Cumberland Collective formed earlier this year as “a creative community incubator working to make New Cumberland better for everyone”—especially through community events like the holiday market.

“It’s going to be a fun day of holiday cheer—I think it’ll be a blast. Efforts like this could help put New Cumberland on the map—there’s been so much great progress here, over the past few years,” said Skye Leppo, who began volunteering with the collective after moving to New Cumberland five months ago.

During the planning stages, volunteers weren’t sure how many artisans and makers would sign up for the first-time event—but they were overwhelmed by the response.

“People are still reaching out, but we’re filled up. We’re excited the response has been so great,” said Lawrence.

Volunteer Pam Cullen is a central Pennsylvania native who moved back to the area after living in Portland, Ore. She too is encouraged by an upswing in New Cumberland’s creative and community events.

“I see a lot of potential in New Cumberland—this is the kind of thing that would happen in Portland, Oregon, all the time,” said Cullen. “We’re lucky to have so many creators in this town. We want to support them, so that creative people stay in this town. It’s part of what makes this town great.”

Additional merrymaking may continue to make spirits bright in New Cumberland throughout the holiday season. Small Business Saturday, set for Nov. 26, highlights unique downtown shops in New Cumberland and across the nation. And borough officials are planning the inaugural, German-inspired New Cumberland’s Christmas Market for Dec. 3, from 3 to 8 p.m., on Market Square.

“New Cumberland has been off people’s maps a bit,” said Lawrence, “We want to create opportunities for people to reengage with the town and build a stronger community.”

The Merry Merchants Holiday Market, organized by the New Cumberland Collective, is set for Sunday, Nov. 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the PNC parking lot located at 360 Bridge St., New Cumberland. For more information, including a listing of all vendors, visit newcumberland.co/merry.

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And Action! Local filmmaker releases “Turbo Cola,” a heist movie filmed in New Cumberland

July 21, 2022 | by Ellen Frantz

Producer Brandon Keeton (right) and director Luke Covert at a screening of “Turbo Cola.”

Brandon Keeton won a scholarship in an acting contest his senior year of high school–but he didn’t take it.

Instead, he joined the Marine Corps, a choice that Keeton described as the “best life decision [he’s] ever made.” But after serving for 21 years and opening a martial arts academy, Tiger Rock Martial Arts in Camp Hill, Keeton decided to return to his passion for theater.

In June, the Camp Hill resident released his film, “Turbo Cola,” produced by Keeton and filmed in New Cumberland.

The movie, directed by Luke Covert of Lemoyne, can be described as “The Breakfast Club” meets “Oceans 11”–a heist film about teenagers who rob a gas station on New Year’s Eve 1999. Keeton was introduced to the script, written by Samantha Oty, at a playwriting contest, reworking it to make it easier to film.

New Cumberland residents may recognize the gas station used in the movie as the Quality Gas Station at 101 Bridge St. It’s still a working gas station, which created a challenge when filming.

The film was shot after hours, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The crew had to remove historically inaccurate signage, like Red Bull advertisements and the prices of cigarettes, before filming each night and put it all back before the station opened again the next morning. Whatever they couldn’t fix, viewers called them out on social media, Keeton said.

“I had to fly out an active-duty Army guy who took leave to be in our movie,” Keeton said. “He was a pretty big guy, and his job was to lift heavy things.”

The film had five months of pre-production, with two weeks of shooting in December 2020.

“The actors were always on the ball,” Keeton said.

Keeton got his start as an actor in Scott’s Lawn Care commercials. Eventually, the company went with bigger names, especially for their big Super Bowl ad.

“It took three A-listers to replace me,” Keeton said.

In March 2020, he was getting ready to open a second Tiger Rock Martial Arts location. On the day classes were set to start, the government announced a mandated lockdown due to the pandemic.

Being only two months into his acting career, Keeton took his grandmother’s advice and “threw himself” into the industry by contacting the director of his Tiger Rock commercials, Covert, and asked if he wanted to make a movie. From there, “Turbo Cola” was born.

Since its release, the film has received an 86% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80% rating from audience members. Keeton said that the film took first place in several regional film festivals, was nominated for Best Picture at the Austin Lift Off Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Dallas Film Festival. “Turbo Cola” was accepted into the Festival of Cinema in Queens, the New York Independent Film Festival and the Las Vegas Premiere Film Festival.

“Turbo Cola” is distributed by Giant Pictures. It is available for streaming on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudo and XBOX.

Keeton is currently looking for investors for his next film project and said it will also take place in the area.

“It was really cool to showcase central Pennsylvania,” he said.

Watch the trailer for “Turbo Cola,” here. For more information, visit their Instagram account.

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That’s All, Folk! After a 20-year run, Jess Hayden passes the Susquehanna Folk Music Society baton to a new generation

November 30, 2021 | by Jeff Falk

Jess Hayden, photo by Art Wachter

“Folk”—now there’s an interesting word.

“Folk” can refer to a genre of music. “Folk” can refer to a style of dance. “Folk” can refer to a way of life.

“Folk” means people, but it can also refer to a specific type of people, like “that Jess Hayden sure is some good folk.”

For Hayden, “folk” is a mindset.

On the final day of 2021, Hayden will retire as the executive director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society. She leaves behind a 20-year legacy of fundraising, event proliferation and, generally, enhancing the folk culture in and around the Harrisburg area.

A self-proclaimed introvert, Hayden’s a people-person who has stepped outside of her comfort zone, all in the name of “folk.”

“The concept of ‘folk music’ is really up for debate,” Hayden said. “It’s the people. What we prize is translated folk music that’s been handed down from person to person. It’s music of the people, but it can be modernized. Folk music tells stories so we can learn about different people in different times.”

Hayden’s successor will have a tough act to follow.

Recently, following an extensive search and hiring process, musician and writer Peter Lee was selected to succeed Hayden. Lee will be charged with taking SFMS to the next level, much in the same way that Hayden did at the turn of the 21st century.

“Part of the reason I chose this time to retire is that the Susquehanna Folk Music Society is headed in a great direction,” said Hayden, a 65-year-old resident of New Cumberland. “It’s super exciting. We have this influx of new, young people, and it’s very intentional. There’s a ton of interest in folk music by younger people. They are very respectful of the folk music tradition.”

Through Hayden’s guidance, the society has grown its membership to an all-time high of 600 members. SFMS sponsors over 40 programs and events a year, everything from musical and dance performances to jams and coffeehouse concerts to virtual series and educational programs, and, of course, the Susquehanna Folk Festival—all performed by nationally and internationally recognized, as well as local and regional, artists.

Headquartered in New Cumberland, the society does not operate its own venue. Instead, concerts and shows are performed at venues across central Pennsylvania, including locally at Fort Hunter in Harrisburg.

“What makes it unique to me is that the performances are generally very intimate types of experiences,” Hayden said. “There are a lot of conversations from the stage to the audience. It feels like folk artists like that community aspect. The performances are so relaxed, and I really like to see the interaction between the artists. I love the history and that it’s so connected to the past.”

Like all genres, folk music is unique. However, it differentiates itself with the wide range of instruments used to perform it, as well as its links to traditions and heritages from around the world. Included in the genre are disciplines like the blues, Celtic music, Balkan music, Appalachian music, traditional African music and Hayden’s personal favorite, Jewish klezmer music.

But the true power of folk music may emanate from its ability to connect cultures.

“I think about that all the time,” said Hayden, of music’s role in our society. “I think music just reverberates very profoundly in all of us. We’ve all had the experience of hearing music. It just touches our core like very little else does. It moves us. It activates so many feelings. It transports you.”

Folk Community

A group of like-minded volunteers founded the nonprofit Susquehanna Folk Music Society in 1985. Initially, Hayden became involved as a volunteer and a board member before becoming the sole employee in 2001.

“Folk music is an unusual genre in that you don’t get to hear it every day,” Hayden said. “Our volunteers are people who are just glad to find it. We feel everyone has a strong commitment to folk music. Through everyone’s support, this works.”

First and foremost, Hayden is a musician—a well-rounded and experienced musician. Her instrument of choice is the clarinet, which she has played as part of the Old World Folk Band and the West Shore Symphony Orchestra.

“Growing up, the question wasn’t whether or not you wanted to play an instrument, but which one,” Hayden said. “My father was a music teacher who could play just about anything, and he was a lover of folk and traditional music.

One day, he decided to put together a family folk band called the Dalton Family Singers.

“That was my introduction to music,” Hayden said. “I learned a lot and always had an interest in folk music.”

Certainly, Hayden’s pending retirement will alter her lifestyle. While it will allow her to entertain other interests and pursuits, she cannot imagine an existence that does not include folk music.

“The first thing I want to do is go on a little trip because I think a period of separation would be helpful,” Hayden said. “I want to do some volunteer work and continue my relationship with Susquehanna Folk Music Society.”

After all, SFMS has not only been her work life, but her social life, too.

“We call it ‘the folk community,’” she said. “That sense of finding each other is a very strong motivation. It’s something I’m really passionate about.”

For more information on the Susquehanna Folk Music Society, visit www.sfmsfolk.org.

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Rad Fads, to Be Had: Nostalgia is for sale at New Cumberland’s Retro & Rad

October 29, 2021 | by Karen Hendricks

Photo by Jelani Splawn

Walking inside one of New Cumberland’s newest shops actually feels like a step back in time.

“That’s what people say all the time,” said Kelly Donnelly, owner of Retro & Rad. “I describe it as happiness—a lot of good memories.”

Located at 308 Market St., the small shop is big on pop culture. Inside, you’ll find video games, action figures, vintage toys and collectibles—” a little bit of everything,” Donnelly said. “I’ve been collecting video games the last 10 years—that’s kind of where it got started.”

Her video game hobby led to a side business on eBay, then a booth at American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea in York. Everything was doing so well online and at the booth that she left her full-time job working with children with behavioral issues—something she describes as “very rewarding but taxing.”

“I thought I’d open a shop if I could find the right brick and mortar [location], and I was lucky to find this retail space,” Donnelly said.

She opened Retro & Rad’s doors earlier this year, on April 1—no kidding. The shop, although neatly organized, is an explosion of pop culture and color.

Lava lamps and a Strawberry Shortcake dollhouse decorate the shop window. Action figures from the ‘80s and ‘90s are carefully catalogued, labeled and bagged, ready for action once again: Star Wars and Disney characters, superheroes including Batman and He-Man, Scooby Doo and the gang, Sesame Street friends, even the pretty pastel Care Bears.

Video games, like books on shelves, are organized for gaming systems from Atari to Xbox, Nintendo and Wii. There’s a shelf of Troll dolls, their neon hair fluffed out in all colors imaginable. Bright plastic lunch boxes are lined up for fans of Mickey Mouse, Cabbage Patch Kids, Captain Planet and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Need a pair of Power Ranger sunglasses? A toy Ghostbusters vehicle? Remember the dancing California raisins? Furby?

“The ‘80s and ‘90s were the best eras to be a kid in,” said Donnelly. “You had some of the coolest characters, movies, TV shows, video games—it was very brightly colored, well made, fun looking, with well-done artwork.”

Just to be clear, Donnelly, age 30, was born in 1991. But, wearing a brightly colored ‘80s jacket (green and purple; one sleeve a hot pink, the other a bright yellow, finished in blue cuffs), she identifies with those decades because she grew up playing with her extended family’s hand-me-down toys.

Catching a Rad Wave, Dude

And Donnelly isn’t the only one riding a wave of nostalgia.

She said it’s a hot topic of conversation among collectors and experts right now—and there are a number of factors leading to nostalgia’s surge in popularity.

First, Donnelly noted, we’ve all been stuck inside a lot more than usual, driving demand for entertainment, movies and games.

“Nostalgia has always been key. When times are tough, everybody wants to be happy,” she said. “As in, I want to get that same feeling like when I was 6 playing Super Mario—everybody’s chasing that.”

While video game collectors search for specific games and systems, the hobby has attracted a lot of new followers because it’s affordable and accessible, Donnelly said.

Retro & Rad carries items with price points for everyone, from $1 slap bracelets and 10-cent trading cards to video cartridges for $2 to $3 or the extremely rare $160 Nintendo find.

It’s All About Recycling, No Duh

As inventory comes in (Donnelly buys or trades for cash), she posts pictures on Retro & Rad’s Facebook and Instagram pages. She also keeps a running list of customers by the cash register so she can notify them when she spots their wish list items.

Recycling old toys is totally awesome, to borrow an ‘80s phrase.

“It makes me feel better when people bring me stuff, instead of it going to a landfill,” Donnelly said. “People talk about toys they used to have, that probably got thrown out. Even if video game consoles or controllers get broken, I have someone who can fix them.”

She also continues to maintain her booth at American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea, where nostalgia permeates all aspects of life, from kitchen to décor items—a framed Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring a cigarette-dripping David Bowie, Bohemian rattan furniture, a sparkling set of once-again hot hobnail glasses ready for a kitschy kitchen, even an old local license plate from the Red Lion Fire Department.

Retro & Rad is into community interaction, too. Once a month, Donnelly fills a bin with free toys for customers, there’s chalk for kids of all ages to decorate the sidewalk, and she regularly collects donations for local nonprofits.

One of the most exciting things to happen since Retro & Rad opened its doors is a partnership with The Nacelle Company.

“It’s a cool little partnership—we are one of 40 shops across the country that will be carrying their products,” Donnelly said. “Honestly, I have no idea how they found me.”

The Nacelle Company is purchasing intellectual property rights to old toys in order to remake them, spurred by the success of their popular Netflix documentary series “The Toys That Made Us,” which is in its third season.

Everything old is new again—a concept that’s driving Donnelly and Retro & Rad.

“It’s awesome to say I sell toys for a living,” said Donnelly. “And making people happy is the best part.”

Retro & Rad is located at 308 Market St., New Cumberland, with an online presence on both Facebook and Instagram.

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February News Digest

January 29, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

Jackson Hotel Collapses

The history-rich Jackson Hotel partially collapsed last month and then was razed to prevent further danger.

Harrisburg Commercial Interiors was working to stabilize the building, located on the 1000-block of N. 6th Street, when the situation became unsafe, according to owner Matt Long. Workers were able to get to safety before the wall facing Herr Street collapsed, Long said.

Staff and customers at the neighboring Jackson House restaurant saw falling bricks hit cars and damage the restaurant’s roof and sign, said owner Dave Kegris. Within a few hours, Long began to demolish the rest of the building for safety.

The circa-1884 Jackson Hotel once catered to African-American patrons who were denied service in Harrisburg’s white-only hotels. When long-time owner German Jackson died in 1998, the building was boarded up and has remained empty since.

In his will, Jackson left the building to Kegris, who owned it until 2015. Since then, the building has changed hands several times and, for the past few years, prominently featured a mural celebrating local Black history.

Over this time, few renovations were done and, eventually, the building’s roof caved in, and the back of the building collapsed. The interior of the building pancaked, leaving it in rubble, and the city condemned it.

Long purchased the building in 2018 with plans to stabilize the foundation and construct a completely new interior and roof. He intended to create apartments and commercial space.

Long said that he now plans to build an entirely new structure on the site, closely replicating the original Jackson Hotel building.

Theater Renovation to Start

Friends of the West Shore Theatre last month announced that they had secured enough funding to begin renovation of the 80-year-old theater in New Cumberland.

The group, as well as borough officials, gathered under the building’s signature marquee to celebrate significant progress in fundraising.

“We realized the value of trying to restore and keep this theater here in New Cumberland,” Mayor Doug Morrow said. “The funding is in place. We are moving forward.”

The West Shore Theatre opened in 1940 with 25-cent tickets. It remained a beloved, small-town theater for years before its doors closed in 2015. Friends of the West Shore Theatre eventually acquired it and began planning to bring it back to life.

Morrow announced that, with several new grants, the board has raised $1.4 million of the $2 million needed for the renovation.

The most significant chunk of funds was $650,000 from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The PA Department of Community and Economic Development also awarded a $250,000 grant for the project. Other local foundations provided grants, as well.

An extensive renovation is planned, including adding seating and a standing lounge area, stage improvements, new equipment and other upgrades.

Additions to the back of the theater, such as green rooms and classrooms, will likely happen a year after it opens to the public, said Dan Burke of Friends of the West Shore Theatre.

Morrow added that they intend to use the theater for showing movies, live performances, theater classes and community group meetings.

Apartment Plan for Midtown Building

A Harrisburg resident has his eye on one of the last dilapidated commercial buildings in Midtown, with plans to turn it into a small apartment building.

Nathaniel Foote has a contract to buy the former Gerber’s Department Store—also known as the “Carpets and Draperies” building for the sign on the front façade—on the 1500-block of N. 3rd Street.

His plan calls for a five-unit apartment building, along with first-floor commercial space, in the 4,800-square-foot, three-story brick structure.

“I live in the neighborhood,” he said. “I want to see the property restored.”

Foote is an attorney who owns two duplexes in Midtown and, along with his father, a parking facility. He said that his interest in the building arose simply from walking past it nearly every day, so that eventually he called the listing agent for the property.

“I’m not an out-of-town developer looking to make a buck,” he said, estimating that construction will cost about $500,000. “The cost is substantial given the number of units you can get out of it.”

Schnecksville, Pa.-based Mussani & Matz Co. has owned the century-old building since 2007, but it’s sat empty and increasingly blighted for most of that time. It’s been on the sales market for the last few years.

Six years ago, two Harrisburg residents proposed turning the building into a craft distillery, but that project was abandoned after it failed to gain approval of the city’s Zoning Hearing Board.

Foote said that he’s encouraged by a spate of development proposals for the immediate area. Over the past year, several developers have proposed projects for the Reily Street corridor, but none have broken ground yet.

Foote’s plan calls for all two-bedroom units, which would range in size from 750 to 2,000 square feet, along with a 1,000-square-foot commercial space on the ground floor. He expects that he would live in the largest unit on the third floor.

Rents would range from about $1,000 a month to about $1,400 a month, he said, depending on unit size.

Foote expects to put the project on the agenda for the city’s Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board for their February meetings. If the project gains city approval, he hopes to start construction in March for completion by year-end.

The interior is gutted, so it would need to be completely rebuilt, Foote said. He plans for Harrisburg Commercial Interiors to do the construction. The notable “Carpets and Draperies” sign would be restored as part of the project, he said.

The building does not have its own off-street parking, but is surrounded by surface parking lots. Foote said that he expects to lease parking spaces from one of the lot owners.

Classrooms May Reopen

Harrisburg School District officials may be closer to welcoming some students back into school buildings.

If COVID-19 cases continue to decrease in the district, small cohorts of students could resume brick-and-mortar learning in March, Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer said last month.

“This is our hope, this is our wish,” he said. “This is what we want to see hopefully happen.”

He said that the focus would be on returning special education and elementary students to the buildings first, as well as other cohorts of students that the district determines are struggling the most.

The district has been operating with a 100% virtual learning model since the beginning of the school year. From the start, administrators have been looking for Dauphin County to meet certain benchmarks in order to bring students back to the buildings. Celmer said that they are still using those markers to determine if they will allow these small groups back to school buildings in March.

These include reduced positivity rates, below 10%, and incidence rates per 100,000 residents trending downward to a daily rate of 100 or less. He also wants to see the wastewater epidemiology tracker, Biobot, project Harrisburg virus cases closer to 100 or less per day.

December Home Sales Strong

Harrisburg-area home sales rose considerably in December, capping off a strong year for the local real estate market.

Home sales totaled 744 units compared to 611 units in December 2019 for the three-county region, while the median price rose to $217,750 versus $187,500 in the year-ago period, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

Dauphin County had 348 sales compared to 279 the previous December, as the median price rose by $20,000 to $185,000, GHAR said.

In Cumberland County, 353 homes sold versus 287 a year ago as the median price increased to $244,820 versus $215,000 the prior December.

Perry County saw monthly sales of 40 units compared to 22 units in December 2019, as the median price dropped a bit to $179,900 from $182,500, GHAR said.

Houses were also selling quickly. The average days on the market plummeted to just 26 days compared to 46 days in December 2019, according to GHAR.

The Harrisburg-area real estate market was strong throughout 2020, especially after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted in May.

So Noted

Civic Club of Harrisburg is seeking donations after thieves stole an air conditioner and caused damage last month to their historic riverfront home, Overlook. To donate to the club’s Vandalism Relief Fund or get more information about the club, contact President Mary Beth Lehtimaki at [email protected].

CommUNITY Yoga Space has moved a few doors down to a new, larger space at 1423 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Erika Malorzo opened the pay-what-you-can yoga studio over two years ago, and recently had to move following the sale of the building that housed her original space.

Harrisburg last month announced that it is requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for city workers. Mayor Eric Papenfuse signed an executive order requiring municipal employees to get the vaccination as quickly as possible in accordance with the state’s distribution guidance.

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC last month named their board chairs for 2021. Meron Yemane of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management will head up the Chamber’s board, while Mike Funck of Wohlsen Construction will lead CREDC’s board. The two boards also named new officers for the year.

Harrisburg University last month announced that it had successfully sold $100 million in tax-exempt bonds to institutional investors. The money is being used to finance construction of its 11-story academic building at S. 3rd and Chestnut streets in downtown Harrisburg.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2258: D. Bryant to J. & J. Parker, $72,000

Alricks St., 650: Consolidated Holdings International LLC to D&F Realty Holdings LP, $30,000

Bellevue Rd., 2000: G. & N. Payne to E. Gonzalez, $95,000

Boas St., 217: J. & C. Kuntz to L. Wood & T. Miller, $109,900

Boas St., 222: N. Laudeman to F. Cossick, $112,500

Boas St., 264: J. & S. Sempeles to Westfall Real Estate LLC, $185,000

Boas St., 1930: CR Property Group LLC to I. Lenny, $139,000

Calder St., 215: J. Zehring to M. & A. Zehring, $71,500

Camp St., 632: M., A. & C. Little and D. Anderson to D. & J. Porter, $57,000

Chestnut St., 1200, 1202, 1204, 1206 & 1208: Round Rock Investments LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $450,000

Chestnut St., 2112: S. Siciliano to M. Cragle & S. Hughes, $226,900

Croyden Rd., 2807: S. Camaplan LLC FBO Mark Murdoch IRA to A. Blackwell, $100,000

Cumberland St., 213: V. Lefkowitz to W. Hoover & B. Shoemaker, $105,000

Derry St., 1248: Jackson Investment Properties LLC to E. Kelly & M. Alarcon, $55,000

Derry St., 2309: S. Gutshall to A. Nunez & J. Espihal, $73,000

Derry St., 2411: B. Ahmed to B. Arismendy, $46,000

Derry St., 2532 & 2534: K. & R. Gupta to Around the Corner LLC, $163,700

Edwards St., 260: Realm Properties to C. & K. Gehman, $360,000

Emerald St., 233: D. Welliver & R. Harpster to J. & S. Compton, $65,000

Emerald St., 652: D. Fernandez to Z. Williams & B. Jones, $99,900

Evergreen St., 319: NA Capital Group LLC to A. Rivera, $60,000

Forster St., 1928: M. Bair to B. Arias, $66,000

Green St., 2410: KTT Properties LLC to T. Meriweather & S. Nichols, $160,000

Green St., 3230: C. & L. Summerscales to G. Holmes, $130,000

Harris St., 414½: Ravo Rentals to Limitless Possibilities LLC, $50,000

Herr St., 217: K. & V. Land to A. & C. Greenblatt, $180,000

Herr St., 421: F. Washington to T. Ladas & S. Maykovich, $60,000

Herr St., 1726: Mango Properties to Gold Key Properties LLC, $50,000

Holly St., 1914: D. Berhe to SPG Capital LLC, $44,000

Hudson St., 1147: R. Vega & A. Marsico to C. Yourkavitch, $125,000

Kensington St., 2347: T. Thai to C. Grant & M. Rinaldi, $65,000

Kensington St., 2365: H. Grills to C. Woods, $53,500

Kensington St., 2366: J. Robinson Jr. to L. Stewart, $70,000

Lewis St., 327: L. Seidel to 327 Lewis LLC, $76,500

Logan St., 2141: KBT Enterprises to E. Alcantara, $30,000

Maclay St., 239: M. Nelson to Awesome Tenants LLC, $73,500

Manada St., 2003: C. Holvick to Henderson & Sons LLC, $32,500

Market St., 1819: M. Kearney to 77 Estate LLC, $35,000

Market St., 1903: CAR Property Holdings LLC to W. Cajina, $89,337

Market St., 2407: J. Brown to K. Parker, $142,000

Mulberry St., 1820: Alternative Rehabilitation to Archie Group LLC, $160,000

Nagle St., 119 & 709 Showers St.: J. Baer & A. Jury to V. & B. Wagner, $262,599

N. 2nd St., 610: Wyco Investments LLC to N&R Group LLC, $175,000

N. 2nd St., 2304: L. Rapaport to T. Brown, $269,500

N. 2nd St., 2809: W. & E. Steele to E. Larios, $162,000

N. 2nd St., 2830: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Julie L. Burns IRA to J. Davis, $72,500

N. 3rd St., 1201: C. Hull to R. & C. Steele, $100,000

N. 3rd St., 1417½: Long Life LLC to Heinly Homes LLC, $130,000

N. 3rd St., 1624: Sickler Properties LLC to SJL Rentals LLC, $155,000

N. 3rd St., 1820: MMLM Realty LLC & Ian Smith Contracting Inc. to DPS Properties LLC, $150,000

N. 3rd St., 1825: D. Totton to Community First Realty, $45,000

N. 4th St., 2110: A. Clay and M. & M. Corney to NA Capital Group LLC, $30,000

N. 4th St., 3118: M. Shank to J. Kilby & J. Vargas, $105,000

N. 5th St., 1624: B. Davis to K. O’Brian, $168,000

N. 5th St., 1628: Braemer Properties LLC to B. Butzer, $142,500

N. 5th St., 1720: Freedom Mortgage Corp. to Principium LLC, $123,500

N. 6th St., 2720: L. Brown to T. Hardison, $35,000

N. 6th St., 3156: Dobson Family Partnership to J. Ulloa & A. Villar, $80,500

N. 7th St., 3133 & 3205 and 651 Alricks St.: Consolidated Holdings International LLC to DAP 3250 LP, $1,000,000

N. 15th St., 1119: J. & M. Irvin to J. Irvin, $60,000

N. 18th St., 808: C. Lovejoy, M. Miller & PA Property Brothers LLC to G. Almonte, $44,000

N. 19th St., 49: M. McWilliams to Carters Clean Up LLC, $58,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 503: Dowell Group Inc. to J. Davis, $115,000

N. Front St., 2405: J. Hartzler to Serene Spaces LLC, $320,000

N. Front St., 3207: 3207 N. Front St. LLC to S. Juneja, $370,000

Norwood St., 915: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to G. Morris, $108,000

Park St., 1830: A. Caraballo to H. Ngoshi, $42,000

Peffer St., 221: N. Laume to Z. Brady & B. Blessing, $138,000

Peffer St., 435: K. Kessler to R. Clymer, $95,400

Penn St., 906: K. Holtzinger to J. Spatz, $136,000

Penn St., 1409: E. Lohss to J. Freeman, $107,000

Radnor St., 630: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to G. & L. Boone, $46,000

Reel St., 2449: E. Stawitz to SJJR LLC, $48,000

Regina St., 1619: J. Colucci to N. Harris, $55,000

Rolleston St., 1027: R. Castillo & E. Martinez to F. Torres, $98,000

Ross St., 627: Gilligan Realty LLC to Sanhos LLC, $40,000

Rudy Rd., 2405: N. & L. Skulstad to D. Bradford, $174,900

Rumson Dr., 350: L. Rodriguez to M. McAllister, $128,100

Seneca St., 224: R. Boust to D. Daley, $102,990

South St., 105: A. Crompton to 608 N. Third LLC, $70,000

S. 13th St., 1451: RTD Properties & Management to S. Esayas, $75,000

S. 13th St., 1456: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to 1456 S. 13th LLC, $100,000

S. 17th St., 319: 4P Ventures LLC to Pichardo LLC, $200,000

S. 24th St., 710: Equity Trust Co. Custodian Robert L. Burns IRA to D. Boyle, $39,000

S. 25th St., 350: B. Ho & S. Nguyen to R. Lyles Jr., $84,900

S. Front St., 333: 333 Sri Ganesh LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $250,000

S. Front St., 563: K. Bernhard & S. Schwab to T. Youngbluth, $76,000

State St., 223: 223 State St. LLC to PMA Foundation, $445,000

State St., 1310: M. Maniari & Z. Er Roudi to A. Ulerio, $83,500

State St., 1326: C. & T. Semancik to JMR Ventures LLC, $170,000

State St., 1502: S. Kochis to 77 Estate LLC, $30,000

State St., 1909: Atrium Gardens LLC to ZM Penn Group LLC, $59,000

State St., 1951: R. Shultz Jr. to Moxie Properties LLC, $225,000

State St., 2001: R. Shultz Jr. to Moxie Properties LLC, $275,000

Susquehanna St., 913: MR RE LLC to R. Perrego, $132,500

Susquehanna St., 1610: D. Lawyer & S. Flagle to R. Small, $182,500

Susquehanna St., 1708: J. Merx to J. Weinstock, $136,000

Susquehanna St., 2132: J. & C. Sanderson and A. Pletcher to L. de Gonzalez, $48,000

Susquehanna St., 2218: J. Grant to Heinly Homes LLC, $36,500

Verbeke St., 202: B. Hamilton to V. Filbert, $140,000

Verbeke St., 211: J. & S. Bircher to D. Leaman, $207,500

Waldo St., 2711: Mainline Funding Group Inc. to A. Hawkins, $47,800

Walnut St., 1500: E. Salah to J. Rodriguez, $32,800

Woodbine St., 241: G. & W. Banova to E. de Rosado, $117,500

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With funding secured, West Shore Theatre moves towards restoration, re-opening

January 13, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

West Shore Theatre on Bridge Street in New Cumberland

Dan Burke remembers going to the West Shore Theatre as a kid to see his first movie, “Bambi,” with his mom. In his teenage years, it was where he took the cute girl in class on a date.

Now, decades later, he’s working to restore the landmark theater in New Cumberland to its glory days.

On Wednesday, Burke and other members of the Friends of the West Shore Theatre gathered under the building’s signature marquee to celebrate significant progress in fundraising.

“We realized the value of trying to restore and keep this theater here in New Cumberland,” borough Mayor Doug Morrow said. “The funding is in place. We are moving forward.”

Morrow announced that, with several new grants, the board has raised $1.4 million of the $2 million needed for the renovation.

The most significant chunk of funds was $650,000 from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The PA Department of Community and Economic Development also awarded the board a $250,000 grant. Other local foundations provided grants, as well.

Friends of the West Shore Theatre launched a capital campaign with hopes of receiving the remaining $600,000 for the project from the community.

The money will go towards the renovation, which includes adding seating and a standing lounge area, stage improvements, purchasing equipment and other upgrades.

Inside the theater

Additions to the back of the theater, such as green rooms and classrooms, will likely happen a year after it opens to the public, Burke said.

Morrow said that they intend to use the theater for showing movies, live performances, theater classes and for community group meetings.

“This is just a little theater in a little downtown area,” said state Sen. Mike Regan (R-31). “But to rally this many people to care about this project […] to restore the grandeur of the centerpiece of this community is something very special.”

Renovations have not yet begun, but The West Shore Theatre will likely be up and running by the end of the year for holiday movies and events, Morrow said. He projected that, in early 2022, the facility would have a full schedule of movies and events.

“It’s not just about nostalgia,” Regan said. “It’s about economics, it’s about growth. We need things like this to bring people to the downtown.”

For more information, visit the Friends of the West Shore Theatre’s website.

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Depression Reflections: Area residents share memories that parallel today’s unprecedented times.

April 30, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

John Wolfe was 5 years old, riding in the front seat of the family car with his sister, his mother at the wheel. All of a sudden, a runaway trolley car from the Spring Grove-to-Hanover line barreled toward them.

His mother’s instincts kicked in. She instructed him to jump into the backseat.

He did—and it likely saved his life. Tragically, his mother was killed upon impact, and his sister died days later.

“I go to bed with that memory every night,” said Wolfe of York, now 94. “I tried to live a life my mother would be proud of.”

To Wolfe, that accident, in 1930, is synonymous with the country’s spiral into the Great Depression.

“My dad and I moved in with my grandmother—we had nine people in the same house, on West Market Street in York,” he recalled. “It was a little crowded.”

The fact that his father was a Packard mechanic meant he was employed despite the Depression.

“All the lawyers and doctors in York drove Packards,” said Wolfe. “In effect, all three adults in our household pooled their money together so that we could survive.”

Really Shaky

In the midst of today’s COVID-19 pandemic, record unemployment figures, and economic uncertainties, are there comparisons to the Depression era?

“The Great Depression was the only time in the last century we’ve experienced a huge economic downturn,” said Scott Hancock, chair of Gettysburg College’s history department.

We spoke just as a record-breaking 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment in late March.

“That 3.3 million figure is Depression-era type numbers, though the difference is the incredible jump—it appears unemployment claims jumped by about 3 million in one week,” Hancock said. “Nothing that sudden has ever happened before. So, even though comparisons with the Great Depression are in some ways limited, I think that kind of one-week jump in unemployment also shows we are in uncharted waters.”

He’s quick to point out that he’s a historian—not an economist—but he makes a few observations.

“Part of what leads to the Depression is poor business practices—a lot of economic growth in the ‘20s was built on credit, which is what we saw in 2008—really shaky,” Hancock said. “The question I would be asking: Is our economic growth from 2008 to now built on things that are more stable than the early ‘90s into 2000s? If so, maybe the economy will recover from the hit we’re about to take.”

Hancock points to the Depression’s effects on society. It was a time when America’s middle class developed a stronger empathy for the poor.

“It’s an odd side effect of the Great Depression, and it will be interesting to see whether that happens today [as a result of the pandemic],” said Hancock. “I was glad to see that Harrisburg has halted evictions—a judge here in Adams County did likewise. So, at least there’s some humanity being demonstrated by our political and judicial leaders. I hope that continues to grow.”

Bill Blando, 85, of New Cumberland, remembers the tight-knit community bonds that evolved from the Depression era in his Lower East Side, New York neighborhood.

“There would be rent parties,” Blando recalled. “Neighbors would gather together, play the accordion, and contribute food and treats. People would drop money into a pot, and it would be enough to help that neighbor pay their rent.”

He also has a standout memory of a time when no neighbors lent a hand.

It was around 1940. His father needed $14 to pay the monthly furniture bill from Hecht’s Department Store. He was $7 short.

“The sheriff came and hauled all of our furniture down from the fifth floor where we lived. My mother was devastated. She was crying in the street,” Blando said. “Everything sat on the curb, including a little pedal car of mine. But there were a couple things the sheriff allowed us to keep—my sister’s crib and a youth bed for me.”

Blando was 5 years old, and the memory is still imprinted in his mind. He can visualize and describe the scene.

“My dad subsequently got a job with the WPA [Works Progress Administration], building sidewalks,” he said. “We were able to buy some basic furniture after that.”

Blando’s father, Nunzio, had the mentality of a survivor. In fact, he survived the 1918 flu pandemic, considered by the Centers for Disease Control to be the most severe pandemic in modern history.

“He was 7 to 8 years old,” Blando said. “His mother and two aunts took care of him, wrapping him up in blankets, applying hot rags so that he would sweat it out, for two, three, four days. Somebody went over to the local church and summoned the priest to administer last rites, and my aunts shooed him out. He lived for the next 70 years.”

The Script

The current COVID-19 sheltering-in-place reminds Marge Farrell of her childhood, when she had the chicken pox and was quarantined. She heard family stories about her mother and brother who battled diphtheria before she was born. Her father was quarantined with them until they recovered.

Farrell, of York, was born in 1928 and will turn 92 this month. The stock market crash on October 29, 1929, plunged the country into the Depression when she was just a year old.

“I grew up in the coal region, in Mt. Carmel, where it was depressed most of the time,” Farrell said. “I still had a very happy childhood. I knew we didn’t have much money, but I didn’t really know anybody that did, so I didn’t know any different.”

Thinking back on that time, she said there was a paradox at play.

“During the Depression, we weren’t necessarily confined to our homes,” she said. “You just didn’t have the money to go anywhere.”

Indeed, traffic deaths dropped during the Depression because people weren’t driving as much. Other silver linings during this time included the birth of popular board games like Monopoly and Scrabble, radio shows and kitchen gardens. Hollywood transitioned from silent films into classic movies like 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone with the Wind.”

Hollywood, however, isn’t writing the script for today’s pandemic.

“My family would tell you I like to avoid happy endings,” said Hancock. “There’s a part of me that loves that about Americans. That American optimism is a stereotype, but the academic in me sees the problems in that. It papers over some brutal reality.”

“Not to minimize the coronavirus—it’s life threatening—but I hope what can come out of it is more of a desire to address the inequity [in society], because this is going to affect more of the people who have the least ability to deal with it,” Hancock predicted.

Our communities, as well as government agencies, will play starring roles in the pandemic’s solutions.

“This is having a real tangible effect, and like the Depression, it can create networks of community where people can figure out ways to help each other,” Hancock said. “That’s not the cure-all. We need the government to play a role, too. Dealing with this will hopefully force us to figure out ways to make society a bit more equitable.”

Sidebar 1: Words of Wisdom

All of the older folks interviewed for this story offered advice, gleaned from their life experiences, on how to survive challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Wolfe said the secret to weathering life’s storms is “staying busy.” He was working on a 1,000-piece puzzle featuring 37 different World War II airplanes, a gift from his granddaughter, when I spoke to him.

“It might take me a month or two,” he said.

But he knows a thing or two about tests of time. During his lifetime, he built 14 grandfather clocks. He also wrote a book about the history of the York Airport, where he devoted nearly his entire career as an airplane mechanic and co-pilot. Over the years, he also authored books on West Manchester Township’s 200th anniversary and his church’s 250th anniversary.

Marge Farrell said the two most important things that have helped her through life’s ups and downs are patience and faith.

“I don’t know how people get through without it,” she said.

And when I spoke to Bill Blando, he mentioned he’d be calling the daughter of one of his neighbors next. She had tested positive for COVID-19. All of his neighbors were regularly checking in on each other.

Blando, a retired newspaper reporter, summarized today’s pandemic with the long view of a lifetime of journalism.

“There will be a time when we look back on this,” he said. “We will remember these times for the rest of our lives—even our Pennsylvanians who are mostly German and so stoic but kindhearted to help their neighbors.”

Sidebar 2: Family Soundtracks

If you’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with your grandparents or great-grandparents, you’ve probably heard some great family stories. And chances are, many of those stories are about survival, especially of hard times like the Great Depression, much like the ones included here.

A Depression-era story was passed down in my family, as well, with the proof standing in my home office, within sight as I write this very story. It’s a mahogany piano my first generation American great-grandfather Paul called his “Depression piano.”

Paul, a musician like his father before him in Czechoslovakia, owned a baby grand piano prior to the Depression. But he swapped it for a player piano when the Depression hit to keep family and friends’ spirits up, buoyed by its entertaining rolls of music happily spinning out tunes. Music can soothe the soul through troubled times, and the player piano worked its magic—like a giant music box, the rolls of music programmed the keys to magically play.

My great-grandfather always intended to return the “Depression piano” for his beloved baby grand once the Depression lifted. But the player piano became beloved too, and like a good story, was passed down to my mother, and then to me.

Town & Truck: Tuck into New Cumberland’s monthly food, art event.

April 30, 2020 | by Gina Napoli

If you’re a fan of 3rd in the Burg, you’ll soon be able to warm up on the west shore for Harrisburg’s big night.

Starting this month, New Cumberland will hold a food and arts-focused event in their downtown every second Thursday of the month, going through September.

The New Cumberland Food Truck and Restaurant Rally’s main attraction is a collection of food trucks in the parking lot of Baughman Church. Attendees then ripple through downtown to visit several surrounding restaurants and small businesses that feature their own special events.

Under the right weather conditions, the average food truck rally brings several hundred people to New Cumberland.

“Food trucks are a really big draw, very trendy,” said Carlee Seele, owner of the Moss Creek Art gallery. “The trucks that make a name for themselves get a really big following, especially with the younger crowd—Gen Xers and millennials.”

Plus, food trucks give people the chance to try new or unusual foods. With six to eight trucks at each rally, cuisines range from American fare and desserts to more exotic choices. Regular trucks include (but are certainly not limited to) Marsico’s Italian Food Cart, It’s All Greek to You, The Lucky Penny Burger Co., Mad Dash Grilled Cheese, FireBox Street Grill, Get Smoke’d BBQ and The Sweet Patch.

“Food trucks add variety and creativity to our downtown and help us get more feet on the street,” said Cindy Washburn, co-owner of Oxford Hall and a marketing committee member for the New Cumberland Business & Professional Group. “We don’t have a Cuban restaurant, but people will come downtown to try Cuban food out of the truck.”

Many shops stay open until 7 p.m. to offer visitors more reasons to drop in, such as free music, giveaways, happy hours, hors d’oeuvres and wine.

“Did you know that New Cumberland has an open container law?” Seele said. “Guests can treat New Cumberland like Mardi Gras, bringing your wine glass from place to place.”

Fortunately, a distillery is another popular stop on the self-guided walking tour.

The New Cumberland Business & Professional Group strives to position New Cumberland as a destination, to create an atmosphere that is “more artsy, eclectic and interesting,” said Washburn. In addition, artists will demonstrate how they create their wares, and there will be live music in the parking lot of Baughman Church.

The artsy event is enmeshed with a down-home spin, complete with picnic tables in the parking lot. It’s the kind of townie event where you bring your own lawn chair.

New Cumberland really is that kind of friendly place. According to event marketing Chair Gennifer Richie, the group timed the monthly event on second Thursdays so they wouldn’t detract from nearby towns that already hold their walkabouts on Fridays.

Their community’s bond and spirit of cooperation extends among local competitors.

“The food truck event plays right in with the efforts our community is working toward,” Richie said. “We’ve got businesses in town all working together, community members creating and doing more activities together. We’re promoting safe, healthy living activities, economic development and town revitalization.”

Washburn moved to New Cumberland from Carlisle 30 years ago to create her destination business, much in the same way she sees the food truck events as a destination.

“As small business owners, we’re always competing with the big guys,” she said. “We want people to discover our businesses. The food trucks were part of a strategic maneuver to bring attractive inventory downtown.”

In addition to presenting a compact, walkable downtown, New Cumberland is uniquely positioned due to its location and proximity to major highways, an airport and the train station, she said.

“This has done something to the dynamic of the diversity of the community,” Washburn said. “New Cumberland is accessible, like a cool truck stop on the way to bigger cities.”

At the same time, New Cumberland has head-turning historical buildings that are currently in the midst of being inventoried.

“The neighborhoods and homes here are beautiful, and they get snapped up quickly when they go on the market,” Washburn said. “It’s not unusual to talk to someone to find their families have been rooted here for 100 years or more.”

With the turnover of downtown business owners and some landmark business closures, Seele sees New Cumberland as an underdog of sorts.

“New Cumberland’s pent-up energy will hopefully get released, bringing some revitalization back into the town,” she said.

This will apply even more with the end of the quarantine.

“We want to bring the community back, revive the social part of New Cumberland, and bring back people hanging outside,” she said. “As people get more comfortable, we want to bring people back together again in a healthy way.”

For more information on the New Cumberland Food Truck and Restaurant Rally, visit NewCumberlandPA.org.

Old is new again as Vintage Vault opens New Cumberland shop

July 31, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

Vintage Vault Gallery in Cumberland has numerous rooms of vintage and used items, displayed here and below.

Vintage Vault Gallery has provided customers with vintage finds without the prices of big city vintage shops for the last several years.

Now, the Middletown-based store is serving even more customers with the opening of its second location in New Cumberland.

“I don’t want to just be a single-generational store,” said David Morrison, co-owner of Vintage Vault Gallery. “This store is diverse. There’s a little bit for everybody.”

Morrison originally started the shop when he realized he had an overflow of vintage objects. After outgrowing his original, Mechanicsburg location, Morrison moved his store to Middletown.

“I was collecting stuff that just sat in my house, and so everybody told me to open up a store,” he said. “I think it becomes an addiction when you start collecting stuff.”

The multi-room New Cumberland location mostly holds items from the mid-20th century, differentiating it from the more antique-centered Middletown store. Morrison sells a wide assortment of objects, including furniture, clothing, dishware, décor and collectable items, for affordable prices. The store also offers delivery.

Morrison says that he finds items from real estate clean-outs, auctions and out-of-state businesses. Although he runs a car dealership full-time, he said that, as soon as he’s out of work for the weekend, he’s on the road searching for new finds.

“I love the thrill of the chase, and it’s fun finding really cool stuff that other people don’t have,” he said.

According to JoLynn Weist, chair of the New Cumberland Business and Professional Group and the owner of Weist Hardware, small businesses like Vintage Vault Gallery are revitalizing New Cumberland, filling abandoned properties with galleries, restaurants and other businesses.

“I think this store has a great potential to bring in a lot of different people, and younger people,” Weist said. “People who maybe might not have been to New Cumberland before might come into this store, and it’s part of a unique mixture of stores that we have in town right now.”

Currently, Morrison has a Carlisle Vintage Vault Gallery in the works, but he said that he someday hopes to expand his business to about seven or eight stores.

“Obviously, I’m a local business,” Morrison said. “Small businesses are making a comeback. The small guy who doesn’t have a big overhead like me can run a big space like this, and the real estate prices are going down because so many big-box stores are going out of business. I encourage everybody to support small businesses.”

Vintage Vault Gallery is located at 300 Bridge St., New Cumberland. The Middletown store is located at 17 S. Union St., Middletown. For more information, visit https://vintagevaultgallery.net/.

Of Drills and Jewels: With her new shop, Carlee Seele has moved from dental work to artwork

June 20, 2019 | by Hanna Martin

Carlee Seele in front of her new shop, Moss Creek Art, in New Cumberland.

Carlee Seele worked in dentistry when she discovered that her dental tools had another purpose: jewelry making.

After she created her first piece, a dragonfly pendant, her friends began to ask for custom-made jewelry of their own, so she set up shop in her basement. Now, she has opened her brick-and-mortar shop, Moss Creek Art, in New Cumberland.

“Having this new location, I want to focus on better customer service, being a little more personable with everybody and letting people know I’m available,” Seele said. “I’m just trying to stay afloat and help people along the way.”

Although the New Cumberland native started her career making jewelry, her work now includes glass wall art, cremation pieces, lighting, dishes and wall art, among other glass pieces. Seele does not blow glass, but she creates her work through a process of kiln-fusing and torch fire.

Seele relies on her history in dentistry and on the help of online jewelry-making communities to create her one-of-a-kind pieces.

“Jewelry-making is not really that much different from dentistry,” she said. “You’re using a lot of similar techniques where you’re molding the metal and then polishing it. It’s just that you’re working in a studio versus a sterilized oral cavity. But I’m still using a lot of the same instruments. Dremel tools are just like dental drills.”

The interior of the shop.

Of Seele’s most popular items are her cremation ash pieces, in which she incorporates a small amount of ashes or hair from a deceased loved one or pet and incorporates it into a piece of glass jewelry.

“Someone who has had a loved one pass away comes in and they’re distraught, and you make a connection with them and help them feel better,” she said. “The cremation pieces give people a chance to carry their loved one around instead of just putting them on a fireplace mantle.”

Seele said that the biggest inspiration for her pieces is nature and travel. However, although she enjoys making nature-inspired pieces, her main focus is creating pieces to satisfy her customers.

“I try to pay attention to what people are asking for,” she said. “You can always make what you want, but if it doesn’t sell, you’re not going to make rent. So, I’m trying to pay attention to what touches people and what talks to them. It’s really about what talks to the person, so a piece of me becomes a piece of them eventually.”

In the near future, Seele hopes that other artists will open stores in New Cumberland.

“I want to bring back a resurgence of art and music down here,” she said. “There are a couple vacant spaces, so hopefully, we’ll have more galleries move in. The more the better. I think competition’s good, because I’m not the only artist around. Come down to take some time, walk around and explore the area.”

Moss Creek Art is located at 315 Bridge St in New Cumberland. For more information, visit https://www.mosscreekart.com/.

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