The Sanatoga Post

RACING FANS LOVED THE VIEW AT POTTSTOWN SHOPPING VENUE – A variety of racing vehicles, from full-sized cars to mighty midgets, were on weekend display (above and bottom) through Sunday (March 6, 2011) as a visitor attraction in Coventry Mall, at the intersection of Routes 100 and 724 in Pottstown PA. The annual show draws thousands of guests who love to see the cars up close, some of them envisioning themselves behind the wheel in a ride of their lives. Pottstown area resident and motocross racing champion Tammy Longacre conducted broadcast interviews from the mall that will be included in an coming edition of Garage Talk Live, a local auto racing show that airs Mondays from 8-9 p.m. on WNJC-AM 1360.

While the crowds roamed, members of a non-profit organization called “Boobie Nation” raised awareness of, and sought donations to help fight, breast cancer. Among those collecting to help charities including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Camelot House, and Alex’s Lemonade Stand, were (above from left) Casey Missimer, founder Gwen Swinehart, and Alyshia Swinehart.

Photos for The Post by Aimee M. Herbert, Aimee Marie Photography

We'll shop for more gifts during 2010, according to Deloitte.

POTTSTOWN PA – Here’s good news sure to warm the hearts of merchants across Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick (PA) Townships and the borough of Pottstown: a new survey says shoppers in the greater Philadelphia area this year will outspend their national counterparts on holiday gifts.

There is, however, another shoe to drop. The same survey says greater Philadelphia residents will spend less on the holidays overall, even if the gifts they buy are pricier.

Shoppers across the region are expected to spend an average of $530 on gifts during 2010, compared to a national average of $466, according to an annual holiday survey by the business consulting firm of Deloitte and Touche. Its conclusions were the subject of an article Monday (Nov. 22, 2010) in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

They’ll also buy more gifts, 18.6 gifts to be exact, compared to the national average of 16.8 gifts.

Regional residents are cautious of overspending, though, the study noted. Consequently, for holiday spending overall, they will shell out a little less – $1,091 this season – than the national average of $1,160.

Need motivation to start shopping? Remember …

• At Coventry Mall in North Coventry PA: Although it’s closed Thanksgiving Day, mall stores will be open on Black Friday (Nov. 26) from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday (Nov. 27) from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday (Nov. 28) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. See its calendar of other holiday hours here.

• At Upland Square shopping center in West Pottsgrove PA: Days and hours will vary by store. Check the hours for its major tenants, Target, Giant and Best Buy.

• At Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick PA: Some stores will open as early as 9 p.m. Thanksgiving night (Nov. 25); others will open at 10 p.m., and still others at 11 p.m. Every store in the outlet center will be open at midnight on Black Friday, and remain open until 10 p.m. Then, Saturday hours will run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Patronize small business owners too. Many local retailers in Lower Pottsgrove, Limerick and downtown Pottstown are advertising terrific buys, and some items they carry won’t be found at bigger stores.

Ho-ho-ho.

POTTSTOWN PA – St. Nick beat the turkey to Coventry Mall.

St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, the Big Elf … whatever you’d prefer to call him, he arrived well ahead of Thanksgiving and can now be found daily, seven days a week, in the Center Court of the mall at Routes 724 and 100 in North Coventry PA, just south of Pottstown.

He’ll occupy a throne there, listen to children’s requests, and be available for photographs too, Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

The mall also will host a breakfast with Santa on Dec. 4 (2010; Saturday) beginning at 9 a.m. in its Food Court. Kids can remain after breakfast is finished to decorate a Christmas stocking. Tickets for the breakfast, which must be purchased in advance, are available at the mall’s Guest Services office. For more information, call 610-327-0700.

Photo from Clipart.com

Shred it all, and fight cancer, too.

POTTSTOWN PA – Coventry Mall, at the intersection of Routes 100 and 724, will be the site Saturday (June 20, 2009) of a personal document shredding event sponsored by Diamond Credit Union to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life fund-raiser.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

The credit union, relying on services donated by Iron Mountain, is offering to shred “all the personal documents people can carry” for a fee of $10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at a parking lot location outside the mall. Shredding of old personal documents and papers helps ensure against identity theft. The credit union will donate the fee to the Relay.

A similar event will be held on the same day and time at Diamond’s branch office at the corner of Broadcasting and Paper Mill roads in Wyomissing PA. Diamond is headquartered on Medical Drive in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township.

For more information, call 800-593-1000.

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Creative children, including a Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township resident or two, helped themselves Saturday (Oct. 25, 2008) to small pumpkins provided by The Farmer’s Daughter Farm Market of Spring City and decorated them at Coventry Mall‘s food court. The mall – Route 724 at Route 100, Pottstown PA – entertained about 40 visitors for the event.

George at work; Tyler's finished.

George Tarpey, above at left, the 10-year-old son of Debbie Tarpey of Stowe, was intense in concentration as he worked on his masterpiece. Tyler Hodowanec, right, the 4-year-old son of Mike and Beth Hodowanec of Reading, was all smiles when his was done.

Picking up the finished product.

Halloween at the mall concludes this Thursday (Oct. 30, 2008), with a mall-wide trick or treat walk from 6-7:30 p.m.  Children ages 12 and under can participate but must be in costume. The stores of participating merchants, where kids can pick up a treat (or maybe two), will be clearly marked.

Also, the mall and one of its tenants, Borders Express, have teamed up to present a Children’s Story Hour on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to Noon, across from Borders Express. Books appropriate for several age levels will be read, after the reading kids will do a fun craft to take home. Parents, Nov. 5 and 19 are the next opportunities.