Phoenixville rated one of the 10 most awesome places to live in the Philadelphia area by Philly Magazine. Our store was highlighted in the article with an awesome picture (which I'm looking to find on the web). Check out part of the article below or go to any store that sells Philly Mag and check it out yourself.10 AWESOME NEIGHBORHOODS TO CALL HOME
BY LAUREN MCCUTCHEON & CHRISTINE SPEER
The Crossroads
Phoenixville, Chester County
Pre-war twins sit cheek-to-jowl with Victorians and new condos in a borough where CEOs and construction workers all shop at the same organic grocery. The small but flourishing downtown and a recent flood of young people up the cool factor, too.
Schools: High-ranking Phoenixville Area High School has a 15:1 student-teacher ratio.
Commute to Philly: 40 minutes by car; 20-minute drive to the Villanova train station, then 25 minutes on the R5.
Things you get: Housing from $150,000 to $600,000-plus; parks galore, including neighboring Valley Forge; 32 places of worship; Civic Center family nights; neighborhood hangs (Pickering Creek Inn, Iron Hill Brewery … ).
Things you don’t: A train stop. Every township along the 422 corridor wants a line, but it hasn’t happened yet. Also, good Chinese food.
Betcha didn’t know: Oft overshadowed by Colonial Theatre’s BlobFest, the Firebird Festival bonfires a locally crafted sculpture of a phoenix.
Residents you ought to know: David Friday and Lindsay Herman, owners of Bridge Street’s stylish Hipster Home (meet ’em on First Fridays); Dan and Marge Lejeune, who built Phoenixville’s private golf club, Rivercrest.
The future: More momentum behind Project Train. In the meantime, more bike paths and off-trail bike parking.
Meet the neighbors: “We bought 20 years ago,” says Greg Cordes, who lives with his wife, Linda, in a 1938 colonial, “and it turned out to be a gold mine. Down the street is Holy Family school, where our daughter went. We can walk to the theater, shopping, to eat. We’re selling our house — it’s too big for us now — but we’re staying here. Forever.”
Wanna buy here? “Prices are reasonable, especially with so many community amenities,” says Joseph Scott McArdle, of Prudential Fox & Roach. “But places priced the same can be in vastly different condition. Look at everything, and make sure your agent knows Phoenixville and knows a deal from ... what’s not.”
Just sold: A new-construction one-bedroom condo with garage parking, hardwood floors and an eco-friendly kitchen, for $165,500.
You might also like: Manayunk … hardscrabble historic, community-oriented, close to Center City, and ready for a rebound.
