Thank you Bob Cropper (along side his wife Lora) who in 1953 opened the doors to Croppers Market located on what I am sure was a rural Route 322 in East Brandywine PA.   I have only a vague idea of the location of the original store, I was first introduced the the Croppers at what is now the Guthriesville Hardware location on Route 322 in Guthriesville, PA (located in East Brandywine).....located there in 1975.   In July 1995, its current location, the 45,000 sq. ft. location was opened in the Brandywine Shopping Center on Route 322.   While the operation had changed since then, the Cropper's name continues to stand for quality, affordability and a true sense of community.   Today the name is changing and the Grand opening starts today for the new owners, Stauffers Market.   11/06/2012

The day is upon us, the day when we as Citizens of the United States of America can have a say......a say in how "our" Country can move forward to ensure the lives of our children and their children's, children can thrive.   Beverly left home very early today so she could stop on her way to work and vote.....she was there about 15 minutes before the polls opened and she was number 70 for the day.   The day here is a beautiful fall day and the good word is that of the 1589 or so registered voters in my polling district, 620 have already been through today and made their feelings felt.   The polls are open until 8 PM, PLEASE take the time to VOTE and be heard !!!!!   My polling place.....the East Brandywine Township building.....   11/06/2012

Congrats to David and Ashley Orr   This weekend was very special to our family.....my Nephew David Orr was married to his best friend Ashley Kenworthy on Saturday November 3, 2012.   The entire family was there in force along with so many of their friends representing the many phases of their lives.   They are off this evening for a well deserved honeymoon and all our hopes and prayers are with them as they start their lives and husband and wife.   11/04/2012

We are all familiar with the phrase, "I'm Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we'll leave the light on for ya." right?   When we have listings, fall approaches and the time change as darkness hits at 5PM or sooner, PLEASE talk to your Sellers.......and leave a light on! Even when a home is vacant, or foreclosed......IF you have electricity.......leave a light on. Rooms w/no lighting to speak of.....supply a lamp of some sort.   Nothing is worse than coming to a home for the first time and it is completely dark, the lot is dark, that street has no street lights.......HELLO, what type of presentation is that for you and your Seller????????     This is one of my biggest pet peeves and cannot believe it when it happens.......the Buyer gets no feel for the property and many times walks always w/o e... 11/02/2012

  I am always happy to push myself, and I always enjoy a challenge.   The Active Rain family is a place that seems to push me to step up to do the things I set aside, while I do not think I truly procrastinate.....I follow what is working well and it consumes me.   I have been dedicated in coming to AR and following my favorite bloggers and finding some great new ones.   I will do my best to stay in on the 30 posts in 30 days, as long as I feel I truly have something worthwhile to share......I do have to start some place right? 10/31/2012

Downingtown Ghost Walk   Friday October 26 thru Sunday October 28, 2012       FRIDAY NIGHT (green ticket)   A 90 minute sit down theatre type production of all characters and paranormal information for those who can not or do not wish to 'walk' the tour. ( Held at 7pm at Alert Fire House, 122 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Downingtown. The Building is handicapped accessible.)   SATURDAY NIGHT (orange ticket)   The line forms at 3:45pm (@ Borough Hall) for the first tour at 4pm. Tours leave every 20 minutes. You must check in by 8:30pm to insure a spot on a tour, this tour has sold out the past 3 years.   SUNDAY NIGHT (purple ticket) The line forms at 3:15pm (@ Borough Hall) for the first tour at 3:30pm. Tours leave every 20 minutes. You must check in by 8pm to insure a spot on the tour. These 90 ... 10/25/2012

I know the real estate climate is still settling in and changes and even surprises are bound to happen Yesterday I had a Buyer go to a new construction development, Applecross in Downingtown. This is a Pultie Builder site and when we went to sign in I see that Pultie is charging me, the Buyers Agent, a $200.00 administration fee from my commission. When I asked the Builder's Agent what services exactly I was being charged for.....that I did not ask for......he replied, yea I know, we are being slammed over the charge. Again I inquired, what is the charge for? He stated that he saved me the time to prepare the paperwork. I replied, that I have not choice but to use your paperwork and since when do you charge for something you have to do?   My Buyer is getting a good deal, I negotiated w... 10/11/2012

    This is what Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI announced we are celebrating from October 2012 to November 2013.....the Year of Faith.My Parish, St. Joseph Church in Downingtown, PA sent letters today that further explained what Monsignor McLoone talked about at Mass.  The process is truly simple, and one anyone can start......just think of our Lord every day.....think about Him, and thank Him for all that he has given to you.As you start you will see how easy it is to just talk to Him everyday, then say a little prayer thanking Him and asking Him for guidance and strength.The more days you do it, the more it will seem normal to you....then you are on your way to a stronger and deeper Faith. 09/28/2012

Everyday we face trials that make us reach deep inside to resolve.....this is why we have days where we need to recharge......today is that day.Sunday's are special, Beverly and I get up, have coffee and a hearty breakfast.....get ready for Mass and then see what remains for the day.  Sometimes we have to make allowances for me to show homes, run an open house and in the best cases, write an agreement.  We know this is part of the job, yet by far it does not define who we are.Today I had an opportunity to show homes, which would work out as Beverly had a baby shower to attend.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get approval to see the homes I needed to as the Agent's never approved the showings.I decided to get my  Buyer to go tomorrow, allowing time for a showing response......work on set... 09/23/2012

This weekend, and the week for the most part, has truly been a mixed bag of events.First and foremost, my bride and best friend of 16 years (as of September 6th) has been out of town and I will be picking her up today.....YEAH!!!!!!!!!!I have had 3 different Buyers out to see homes and in two cases while we were seeing homes, they went under agreement.  The other, while they need to sell to buy, the home they want is priced so high over market we thought the Seller was conducting a fishing expedition and certainly in no hurry.....thus maybe a long settlement to get my Buyers home sold.....the problem both the Seller and the Agent believe in their pricing.....Good Luck.....did I mention Beverly is coming home today, YEAH!!!!!!I have been nursing a sore ankle for 3 weeks now, no break acc... 09/07/2012

East Brandywine Township......Chester County, PA, proudly presents again, Family Day @ East Brandywine Park Saturday, August 25, 2012 Fun for the whole Family..... Hot Air Balloon Launch.....Bagpipe and Drummer performance.....Hopewell Troop 8 serving Hot Dogs, Hamburgers & Funnel Cakes.....other foods include chicken and Pulled Pork.....Downingtown's own, Victory Brewing provides the Lemonade and Root Beer.....there will also be Vendors & Crafts, a Magic show, Antique and Classic Car on display, Pony and Hay Rides.....and so much more!!!!! A full day of fun and activities that will entertain those of all ages..... for more details follow the link, http://ebrandywinepr.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/photos-of-past-family-day/ 08/13/2012

  Forget about cooking... come to Buddy's Burgers, Chicken & Fries at Main Street at Exton on Tuesday, August 28th between 4pm and 9pm. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Teri's Run Foundation.   The 11th annual Teri's Run & Twilight Walk will be on Friday, September 7th. Kids race starts at 6:30pm. 5k & 1 mile walk starts at 7pm. All proceeds from Teri's Run goes directly to fund research and cure of Scleroderma, a chronic and often progressive connective tissue disease. My father was a victim of this disease and lost his battle in 1998. Go to www.runccrs.com to register.   Spread the word about Buddy's. Thanks for your support.   Nancy     Nancy McFalls Independent Rep,SILPADA DESIGNS 610-269-1247610-316-3516 cell FIND YOURSELF IN IT...FREE Jewelry, Xtra Income, DREAM... 08/10/2012

Every once in a while we have an opportunity to meet Seller's who "Get It".  Sellers while wanting to capitalize on their investment, understand the need for flexibility in order to complete a sale. When the Seller has in their mind it will take a long tome to meet their expectations something like this comes along......450 Shamona Circle in Downingtown, PA sold in just 10 days and the Sellers got all they wanted out of the transaction..... There was one small problem, they had hoped to have about 90 days before they had to plan their move, sorry about that.  Actually they were great Sellers to work with and all went according  to script which led to a very satisfying and happy settlement for all parties. I wanted to give a big shout our to Larry Johnson of Keller Williams Real Estate i... 08/02/2012

  Dear Friends, Family and Clients; It's that time of year again! Keller Williams Real Estate Exton is hosting our 3rd Annual WeKare Charity Golf Outing on Monday, August 6th at Whitford Country Club in Exton, PA, and we would be honored if you would join us as a Sponsor or a Golfer for this year’s outing. We invite you to join us for a day of fun on the golf course, followed by an evening of dining, raffles, and excellent company – all while benefiting WeKare. WeKare at Exton KW strives to make a difference in the community by donating funds, time, and services to organizations and families in need in our community.   SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ~ 10:00 a.m . ~ • Registration Begins • Bloody Mary Bar • Practice green and driving range open • Complimentary box lunch ~ 11:45 a.m. ~ • Shotgun Star... 07/16/2012

Downingtown continues their Concert in the Park series in 2012.....this is a great place to bring the family and see some old friends.....and make some new ones. The area continues to grow and events like these show how much the Community is thriving.   Below is the link to see all that is being offered.....and who and how to get up to the minute information. http://www.downingtownconcerts.com/ 07/12/2012

I wanted to let you know that the July 2nd East Brandywine Police and Fire Services Golf outing was a HUGE success.  the weather was just perfect and the turnout was tremendous. Applecross Country Club was a great host for the event and all went off without a hitch.  Linda Bowers from Applecross sent me the email below as to the success of the event.....and if you are considering a golf event I would suggest you contact Linda and I know you will not be disappointed. Dan,I am pleased to announce that we were able to raise $10,000 for the East Brandywine Police and Fire Services at Monday's golf outing!  We will be presenting a check to each department in the amount of $5,000.  Thank you for your willingness to help us publicize the outing through your blog.  I am still waiting for photos... 07/09/2012

Its Good Neighbor Day agin in Downingtown, PA and the weather is trying to cooperate.  The day is full of fun for the entire family; SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM - Runners Check In and Registration for the 34th Annual "Run for Life" 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM - Walkers Check In and Registration for the 17th Annual 5K Freedom Walk 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Runners Check In and Registration for the 19th Annual Kids-K Fun Run 6:30 AM to Closing - Tom Edwards Productions 7:40 AM - Prayer and Flag Ceremony 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM - 34th Annual "Run for Life" (5K, 10K, 15K) 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM - 17th Annual 5K Freedom Walk 8:00 AM to Closing - Crafts, Vendors and Food Concessions 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Post Race Refreshments 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM - Registration for Big Wheel Race 10:00 AM - Race Results, Jack ... 07/03/2012

  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!   To all those who came out in support of the St. Joseph Community Festival (2102) WE SAY THANK YOU!!!!!   The 5 day event went very well in spite of excessive heat for 3 days and one early rain out on Friday. The event long one price ride option was a huge hit and I heard nothing but positive responses from the crowd on this years new ride provider.   While we had to make some concessions this year due to space limitation as our new Church is being built on the same property, we seem to have had a good event. We are waiting on a few final bills, yet the numbers seem as good as last year if not better.    Please keep stopping back for the dates of our 6th Annual event in 2013......enjoy some photo's of the 2012 event..... 07/03/2012

Opening night of the 2012 5th Annual St. Joseph Community Festival is in the books and a Huge Thank You to all who came out kick off this years event.  This was our best opening night in our young history and we look forward to more of the same through Saturday. The weather cooperated which is always a key and the rest of the week looks just as promising.....PLEASE remember we are offering $20.00 one price ride nights every night. Our volunteers were out in force and all went off without a hitch.... Here are some pictures to show off the first night..... A thank you to John McCabe and Bill Grier for once again running the Dunk Tank this year..... The rides this year are BETTER than ever for ALL ages, thanks to our new provider Houghton Enterprises Inc.... http://www.jimhoughtonenterpris... 06/20/2012

  St. Joseph Community Festival starts today....... The day has finally arrived and the this years festival, our 5th annual, will be bigger and better than ever......today through Saturday June 23 rd..... 6 - 10 PM Our food booth has many options that bringing the entire family to eat dinner is an easy option, something for everyone.....   A new ride provider promises more choices for the young and the old..... We have "LIVE" musical entertainment every night, something for all ages..... Our Grand Prize this year is a 50/50 raffle, so do not delay and get your tickets soon..... This year we will be able to accept credit cards for the rides and an ATM is also available on site as well..... Please look at our site for further information..... http://stjoesfestival.com/stjoesfestival/Home.... 06/19/2012