Home Care In Kimberton, PA

About the only type of retail experience missing from the area where Wyomissing and West Reading meet is a grocery store.

That’s finally set to change in the fall of 2022 with Tuesday’s announcement that Kimberton Whole Foods is opening a location at The Knitting Mills mixed-use development in Wyomissing.

Accessed from Eighth Avenue, one block from Penn Avenue, and located next to Sly Fox Taphouse, the 13,000-square-foot store and cafe would be the largest Kimberton Whole Foods to date.

“We are thrilled to announce that we’re coming to Wyomissing,” said Terry Brett, co-founder and CEO of Kimberton Whole Foods, in a statement.

“This property gives us the opportunity to renovate an existing structure and put it to new use. It offers a prime location, walkable from the downtown area, with ample parking and floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the interior with natural light.”

It will be the seventh store for the Chester County-based grocer and second in Berks County, with an existing location in Douglassville since 2007.

Humble beginnings

Kimberton Whole Foods, a family-owned chain, sells regionally sourced grocery items from across southeastern Pennsylvania, prioritizing organic and sustainably farmed products.

Founded as a small farm store in 1986, Kimberton Whole Foods grew from one location to six over the last 17 years as natural-foods grocery stores have risen in popularity, particularly in more affluent communities.

“The West Reading and Wyomissing area have been of interest to us for years,” Brett said.

“With its vibrant downtown, strong sense of community and focus on the future through the addition of institutions, such as the Drexel University College of Medicine West Reading Campus, we couldn’t imagine a better time to expand our independent business into the borough of Wyomissing.”

The Wyomissing store will sell fresh and organic produce; grass-fed meats and dairy; specialty cheeses; grocery staples; baked goods; supplements; body care; and wholesome grab-and-go meals, in addition to “an abundant selection” of allergen-friendly, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options,” according to a release.

This store will also house a cafe serving fresh juices, smoothies and specialty coffee.

While natural grocery stores sometimes have a reputation for being more expensive than their competitors, Brett noted Kimberton Whole Foods offers “competitive prices on grocery staples and everyday essentials.”

A welcome addition

The arrival of Kimberton Whole Foods appears to be another feather in the cap for The Knitting Mills development project, which continues to attract new business to the area.

Built in the early 1900s, the former Berkshire Knitting Mills were acquired by VF Corp. in 1969, then purchased by Equus Capital Partners in 2016 to be demolished and redeveloped after the existing retail outlet center’s popularity had waned.

Kimberton Whole Foods will move into and renovate one of the remaining original auxiliary buildings on The Knitting Mills campus that were not part of the demolition.

“Our Operations Team is close to completing an overall design concept,” Brett said. “We plan to begin construction in November.”

With offices for UGI Energy Services, Teleflex, Tower Health and now the Drexel University School of Medicine already located at The Knitting Mills, and neighboring West Reading continuing to serve as a heavily-trafficked shopping and dining destination, a grocery store would seem to have a built-in consumer base.

The closest supermarkets to the future site of Kimberton Whole Foods are at least 1.5 miles away, or a roughly 10-minute drive in moderate traffic conditions.

The Fabulous Greaseband, a seven-member nostalgic dance-party band, will bring their rock ‘n’ roll party to our region later this month for Family Services’ 11^th Annual Meals on Wheels Fundraising Event.

The Fabulous Greaseband features outstanding male and female vocal leads in a front trio, backed by a gifted group of instrumentalists. Their highly entertaining and energetic delivery of some of the greatest songs ever written has kept the group on top for 50 years.

This event, sponsored by Constellation/Limerick Generating Station, will be held on Saturday, October 28, at the Kimberton Fairgrounds, Building A, 762 Pike Springs Road, Phoenixville. Doors open at 6 p.m. Show begins at 7 p.m. Show tickets are $30 (general admission).

Guests are invited to bring their own dinner, beverages, and snacks. Guests over the age of 21 are permitted to bring alcohol. Snacks, soda, and bottled water will be available for sale. In addition to music and dancing, guests will enjoy basket raffles and a 50/50. All proceeds benefit Family Services’ Meals on Wheels program.

As one of Family Services’ programs for Older Adults, Meals on Wheels provides frequent, in-home visits that fulfill opportunities to meet nutritional needs, combat social isolation, address safety hazards, and provide a nurturing companionship between older adults and volunteers.

Family Services’ Meals on Wheels program began in 1971 with seven clients. Now, 52 years later, the program serves an average of 130 older adults in Pottstown, Royersford, and the Lower Pekiomen Valley each weekday through the efforts of 160 caring volunteers.

“Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver so much more than just a meal,” said Rebecca Clark Mays, Program Director, Meals on Wheels. “Nutritious meals create an opportunity to build relationships and strengthen bonds with our senior neighbors. Regular meal delivery provides tailored nutrition, social connection, compassion and care, safety, and so much more. Thanks to the community’s ongoing support of our fundraising efforts, we are able to serve area seniors who turn to our program in times of need.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Rebecca Clark Mays, Program Director, Meals on Wheels, at 610-326-1610 ext. 336 or [email protected] or visit www.fsmontco.org/events.

Tickets may also be purchased weekdays from 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. at Family Services’ Pottstown Office, 1976 East High Street, Pottstown.

About Family Services

Since 1900, Family Services has specialized in providing compassionate support and trustworthy guidance to Montgomery County individuals and families in need. Throughout the agency’s 123-year history, its programs have evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. Current programming focuses on Family Support; Health and Wellness; Housing; Older Adults; Reentry and Restorative Justice; and Substance Abuse Prevention. Family Services’ innovative social service programs make a positive difference in the lives of 11,000+ Montgomery County residents each year. For more information on Family Services, call 610-630-2111 or visit www.fsmontco.org.

EAST PIKELAND TOWNSHIP, PA — An East Pikeland Township open space had been eyed for a park project since 2005, when Kimberton Meadows was in the development stage. Now, the deed to the parcel is in the hands of the township and residents don't like what's in the works.

Plans for a park at 87 Ridge Road (Rt. 23) in East Pikeland Township look like a nice idea. They include a dog park and a community garden.

But the owner of an adjoining historic farm house property and 125 other residents have signed on to oppose the park, citing concerns for preserving open space in the township. Leading the organized action is Robert Stevenson, who owns the 1815 farm house that was on the original 100-acre parcel that was subdivided into Kimberton Meadows more than a decade ago.

East Pikeland Township began planning the park earlier this year, stating, "These amenities were selected based on the review of past township and regional plans, resident feedback, and gaps in East Pikeland's current recreation facilities."

When the Kimberton Park development was considered in 2005, developer Benson Companies agreed to dedicate parcels to the township for parks. The deed to the parcel was given to the township in 2019, the township's presentation explained. The flat-land, open space was presented by East Pikeland Township in October 2020 as "ideal for ball fields, walking paths, a dog park, or community gardens."

Find out what's happening in Phoenixvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But Stevenson and other residents don't want more adjoining parks, and particularly a dog park in this location. "The park is lined with residences that will suffer casualty damages from the noise disturbances caused by the park," Stevenson told Patch this week.

"We have a group of residents that are joined in-force to prevent the dog park from going in at the present location," said Stevenson. "We do not object to dog parks," he said. "The present location is just not suitable as it directly impacts residents."

A handful of residents, fewer than 10, had been meeting in Stevenson's barn because it's a large space, but the group added virtual attendance so others could join their resistance action. They are meeting again on Saturday morning.

Stevenson's group thinks the township was "a little less than forthcoming in proceeding with the park." He said the application for grants and the plan itself was never presented to the immediate neighbors.

Stevenson earlier this year petitioned Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn as well as Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis M. Davin, asking them to reject the park's development plan.

"The Township proceeded with no public notice of this plan, that is what is wrong and the residents seek to remediate the lack of Notice. Hence the reason for this Petition," the letter said.

"There has been a considerable amount of time and effort expended in presenting this matter to the proper authorities in an effort to be heard. We ask that the governing bodies be respectful of this effort in our quest to be heard. Please take the time to read every document and fully understand our position. This is not a frivolous attempt. We have devoted many hours in being diligent and fair in presenting this Petition," stated the letter, dated June 9, 2020.

Stevenson told Patch, "The residents who oppose this location for the dog park remain committed to having the township move the location to a more appropriate location that is not in a residential area."

He added, "We are trying to be a reasonable and professional voice."

Renter Ashley May loses a lifetime of memories stored in the barn on an eastern Chester County farm she moved into two weeks ago.

|Updated Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:26 pm ET

EAST PIKELAND TWP. —The enormity of the tragedy is difficult to comprehend.

But 37-year-old Ashley May kept a positive outlook Wednesday morning as insurance adjusters were surveying the scene of a blaze that destroyed an historic barn where May was storing her memories of a lifetime.

May, a mother of three, was asleep in a farmhouse she was renting when a fast-moving blaze destroyed the adjacent barn containing all of her belongings, on Prizer Road in East Pikeland Township, bordering Phoenixville.

Chester County Fire Marshal John Weer said Wednesday the cause of the fire has been ruled undetermined.

It took firefighters three hours to extinguish the blaze that broke out at 5:36 a.m. Saturday.

Find out what's happening in Phoenixvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

No one was injured and all animals were rescued.

Weer said the damage estimate is $300,000 for the barn and $150,000 for the contents inside.

A table and outdoor furniture was set up in front of a massive pile of rubble containing charred belongings.

Firefighters from Kimberton, Phoenixville, Valley Forge, Ridge, Lionville, Spring City, Glenmoore, Ludwigs Corner and Royersford responded.

After losing her husband, Andrew, May was looking for a place to rent to raise her children and her pets, Norman the cow, a hen, two pigs and nine ducks.

Her Facebook friend, Beth Dixon, told May that her mother-in-law’s farm was available to rent.

May shared her journal in which she wrote about her feelings about moving to the farm.

She wrote that she had fallen in love with the shade of blue on the roof of the barn.

“You cannot select your home and the future of your family on the color of a barn,” May wrote in her journal

Nevertheless, she felt renting the farm was the right thing to do.

“Everybody is moving to the new farm,” she wrote. “The barn is gorgeous. The house is gorgeous.”

Two week ago, the family moved to the farm. May and Dixon and her husband, Michael, were fixing up the home.

May and the Dixons became close friends.

After the fire destroyed the barn, Beth Dixon went grocery shopping and stocked the refrigerator and bought blue hydrangeas.

“I am blessed to know and be surrounded by the best damn people the world has ever known,” May wrote. “It’s a village of love and I am exceedingly, abundantly blessed.”

The goal is to replace the barn.

A Chester County retailer is optimizing its fresh food inventory with AI that manages shelf inventory and has boosted sales 42 percent.

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Fresh food in grocery stores can go to waste if not sold quickly, but shelf inventory technology is helping a local retailer reduce food waste and save money with automated ordering.

Kimberton Whole Foods, an independent, family-owned community market in the Philadelphia area today announced a partnership with Shelf Engine to reduce in-store food waste.

Using Shelf Engine’s predictive technology and automated ordering, Kimberton Whole Foods reported it has increased sales by an average of 42 percent and up to 70 percent at its best-performing store.

All Kimberton Whole Foods locations will be partnering with Shelf Engine, and the company said it plans to expand into more products and categories in the future.

Kimberton Whole Foods said about one-third of fresh food is thrown away at most grocery stores.

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"During COVID, that number grew, adding to the 43 billion pounds of food wasted by grocery stores every year," Kimberton Foods told Patch.

It's why Kimberton Whole Foods decided to partner with Shelf Engine to incorporate the predictive technology into all of its Pennsylvania locations. So far, the grocer reported it has been able to reduce how much food it's wasting every month while increasing sales.

"Beyond contributing to many of the issues facing the planet today, food waste can also drain a company's profits. Kimberton Whole Foods has always actively worked to reduce its environmental footprint, but now with Shelf Engine, the company has identified a way to positively impact the planet and also its bottom line," the company said in a news release.

"Not only has Shelf Engine had an incredible impact on our sales, but these benefits have extended far beyond our shelves," said Robin Brett, Director of Purchasing for Kimberton Whole Foods.

"With less time spent on forecasting and inventory planning, we're able to spend more time focused on what matters most: our customers. By working with Shelf Engine, and letting them take care of the inventory management and ordering, we can put more focus on providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible," Brett added.

Shelf Engine calls itself "intelligent forecasting" that forms probability models based on machine learning. The technology's accurate predictions can reduce incidents of out-of-stock items.

At a time when the industry is facing mounting pressure from shifting shopper demand and growing competitive alternatives, building customer loyalty and reducing food waste has never been more important to the success of retail grocery, the company said in a news release.

"Kimberton Whole Foods championed its sustainable philosophy before these ideas were mainstream, and has remained a pioneer for innovative, forward-thinking business models," said Stefan Kalb, co-founder and CEO of Shelf Engine.

"Tapping Shelf Engine's technology has enabled the company to increase sales and profits while strengthening its commitment to giving back — a win-win," said Kalb.

Launched in 2015, Seattle-based Shelf Engine has more than 100 employees and manages orders for leading grocers at thousands of locations nationwide.

Kimberton Whole Foods founders Terry and Pat Brett began as a farm store for organic yogurt made onsite at a biodynamic dairy farm now known as Seven Stars Farm. The business they founded in 1986 grew into a group of natural grocery stores with a focused commitment to local farming and to organic and fair food.

Kimberton Whole Foods now has locations in Collegeville, Douglassville, Downingtown, Kimberton, Malvern, and Ottsville.

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