I'd Love to see an upscale gentlemans club.

Gonna go grab my go-go boots out of mothballs and get ready for my audition! An upscale gentlemen's club in Quaker-founded podunky Malvern?? Why not a Christian Ladies Sewing Circle, oh thou sexist piggy!

What we'll probably end up with someday is another bank or pizza place. My brother-in-law Tom was saying he'd love a nice independent coffee spot or a restaurant for the common man.

I agree with Matthew, Malvern needs another coffee spot or breakfast spot like Julieanne's.

Oh come on Regina. Sexist? Really?A lladies Sewing Club only for Christians is not discriminatory? I'm sure the gentlemans club will employ women of all races and religions...not just Christians. Maybe a petition should be started to bring the club to town... I propose.. "The Queens of King Street!"

I'd love to see a used bookstore.

Couples kickboxing

Whatever it ends up being, hopefully, the owner and/or builder won't have an Architect that just draws a box with windows. Malvern is Malvern because of all the quaint buildings and houses and different roof lines. Roof lines should not be flat. It would be great if Magnolia Grille could reinvent itself there, now that it's gone from the Chester County Bookstore.

Malvern needs an old-fashioned ice cream shop!

YES!!! ICE CREAM SHOP!!!! :)

I be up for a lesbian bar!

A combination used book store and coffee/tea cafe sounds like a nice fit. Something that is open later than 3pm. No more banks, pizza, or antiques thank you.

Anything but that rat trap would be better...how bout a hardware garden patio shop with an outdoor cafe

I would like to see all the ugly overhead wires in Malvern go underground, THEN they can work on the buildings.

I agree with Betsy....we do seem to have a lot of ugly wires.....

First, the storefront junk that was added probably early 20th century should be torn off, leaving the original historic building known as "Malvern Hall". Then there would be a wider sidewalk and room for some outdoor seating.

I like AuntieRuth's idea. Underneath, believe it or not, it is a historic building. With a wide sidewalk for seating it could be any number of things. I like the ice cream idea, but it's not a year round profitable one, so maybe a bakery/cafe that serves ice cream in season? I have been waiting to hang a GIANT sign on this building for some time that simply says, "DO SOMETHING." But it's not my property. It is by far the ugliest "Welcome to Malvern" and a bad reflection on the entire town at this high traffic intersection. I've been thinking about ideas to spruce up this ugly entrance in to town via Malvern Community Arts Project as well.

Yes yes yes "malvern hall bakery and old fashioned ice cream"

Pete, you didn't get the buildings worst angle - the side with the tree growing out of the roof.

Sounds like the perfect spot for a third mural.

Thanks Michelle. The intersection is a good spot for a smaller art project, but not this particular building - as I hope it is renovated or torn down.

Any mom and pop operation would be welcome! Let's hope the upside to the Eastside flats is interest in actually getting some new businesses into these buildings. I love the idea of a used bookstore or any type of thrift store. Now that Art is gone a used toy shop would fill the void he left. Any type of food besides Pizza would be a plus, as well. ANything really would add to the "walkable neighborhood" Malvern's King Street is trying to be. As it is, there isn't anything I really want to walk to after I make my stop at the post office. I have wanted to stop back into Up Home and see the new shops in Knots and weaves, but it's not enough for a special trip. Just a few more shops in Malvern and it would be a shop/eat destination. Fingers crossed for our future.

How about Hope's Cookies> currently they have a store in Rosemont. Not only do they have cookies and cakes they have ice cream

OR...tear the building down and create a nice garden area with benches. A nice little place to rest as you shop and eat your way up and down King Street!

If the building has to stay, I vote for a good coffee shop!

As a King Street merchant and property owner I am very anxious to see this intro to Malvern improve. We can make suggestions (both funny and serious), but isn't it up to the property owner. What's the likelihood that something new will go in there or that it will be renovated? If the owner allows it to sit vacant and deteriorate, unless it's condemned, nothing will change......I think? Is there word on the street that something will become of this property? I'd love more info.
Kerry
Knots and Weaves

Good point Kerry. Pete and Eric, can you do some investigative journalism and find out what the owner is thinking?

Does anyone know the exact address?

I like what I am reading as possibilities. How about a coffee shoppe that serves Ice cream and bagels. Cute outdoor seating with really nice facade. Upstairs we could have the combo gentlemans club and lesbian bar!

I love the idea to have a little more green space or greenery at this spot - it is the keystone or centerpiece of King St connecting east and west and the first thing you see when you come over the Bridge into town.

With all of the new renters and business coming across the street, Malvern should make it into a little park. Or put the police station there so they are move visible.

Interestingly, I posted this aprx 2 wks ago: as for ideas, a REAL bakery perhaps.
...I am left to wonder why there has never been such a public outcry of horror, anger or intolerance when it comes to the two EYESORES that are allowed to exist on King Street-one which was once The Oasis, a barber shop & a quasi-antique store & another that once housed a video store...both owned by the same person. How "nostalgic" is it for people to come to the top of Bridge Street to face in particular, a filthy dirty dump, fire hazard, mold factory etc? While we sit & wait to enter King St & behold that mess (& frankly a deterrent to potential investors), we have the added pleasure of a bird's eye view of the white "goo" which the owner of the Flying Pig seems to think is appropriate to have dripping over the edge of their gutters. Give me quality construction by professionals vested in providing attractive & well maintained properties which will ultimately enhance our landscape & bring value to our real estate any day. Allowing run down bldgs which carry a negative impact on Malvern is nothing short of criminal, in my opinion. I suspect that if anyone's pvt home was in such disrepair as the one on King facing Bridge, it would condemmed. It may be less stressful to take a "wait & see" approach re:E King St. Someday, it will be "part of the landscape"; the old empty warehouses a distant memory like the posting of names not allowed to cash checks in shop n' bag or Lou's b'fast club.

We moved here in 2005 and the barber shop closed that year I believe. Which means nothing has occupied this location for 7-8 years!!! It should be condemned. What is the code for maintenance of vacant buildings in the borough?
http://www.malvern.org/htms/code_enforcement01.html

The tree growing out of the roof is a violation I believe -

"§ 153-6. Owner's responsibilities.
The legal owner of any premises shall be responsible for its compliance with this article and shall remove, trim and/or cut all grass, weeds and other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises in violation of the provisions of this article.
§ 153-7. Notice to remove; authority of Borough to do work at expense of owner or occupant..."

I also wonder if it qualifies as a Nuisance - in a state of disrepair.

"D. Maintaining or permitting the maintenance of any of the following dangerous conditions, structures or premises:

(1) Open wells or cisterns.

(2) Open excavations.

(3) Unfinished buildings, foundations or other structures.

(4) Buildings or structures damaged or partially destroyed or in state of disrepair or danger.

(5) Dangerous placement of materials or equipment.

(6) Swimming pools not properly safeguarded.

(7) Stagnant water in pools in which mosquitoes, flies or insects multiply."

who owns those buildings?

the former video store building is kinda cool.... id love to renovate it and live in it

...just to finish my post...whilst not the most popular choice, another idea might be a pkg garage.Well-designed, one can look "ok" and open up the possibility of more restaurants in the boro. Without more pkg, we are limited to how many "eateries" we can have as seating is based on pkg. Also, the issue of wires has been addressed and it is cost prohibitive to bury them at this point. i presented a plan for hanging flower baskets years ago to the bus. assoc,,had Main Line Gardens on board to give us a very good price on them and nothing ever happened. This would create a nice "focal point" and bring the site line down below wires which would significantly help the "look" of King Street. I also had a vendor on board to "recreate" the King St flags for a more reasonable price but again, it died on the vine. if anything like this is done, the time to execute is Malvern Blooms so that the many visitors see the "launch" of a new and more attractive street-scape enhanced by the removal of the vacant biliousness at King and Bridge. Just sayin' Frankly, I am just glad to see discussion re: finally dealing with these friggen ugly, run down buildings that this guy is allowed to leave standing. They impact negatively
on all of us who own property in Malvern or business owners who are competing with neighboring, more attractive and well-maintained towns., Soldier on!

If the building ends up rehabbed, torn down and something is built or not built in it's place and there is space and an opportunity for more community art in the form of a mural, sculpture, or other project - and the residents are interested - count me in to make it happen.

Love the hanging basket idea - along bridge perhaps. I would also love a nice little restaurant with sidewalk dining (along with banishing the wires to the underground). Is there a place for another garage?

A parking garage with a mural on the front.

Pet shop.

How about a real deli where you can get great sandwiches and bagels coming right out of the oven in the morning. Oh yeah......and parking for the store.

well since i worked and managed the Oasis for 12 years there is always a flashback to the good ole days when i go by....but i had heard years ago it was going to be a parking garage and then i heard the building needed to come down because of asbestos or something...i think we need another restaurant that falls in between pizza and fine dining but in the end it will be whoever can afford the space.

Maybe the owner will donate it and the Borough will make it into a nice courtyard with a arched sign over the entrance at the top of Bridge that says "Welcome to Malvern" with some parking spaces in the rear (not sure how much space is actually there).

An Italian Bakery to include a second floor patio for coffee and pastries.

I own a world class Record Store that I would love to bring to that spot in Malvern. It could quite possibly become the coolest, and most talked about place in town...and could also incorporate many of the ideas suggested above. Anyone interested in a discussion or clever collaborations could contact me @ RecordLady 610-639-0472.

It won't be anything until all the residents are in East Side flats. The buildings and or rental prices will be at the max with only upside potential. The owner unless fined or taken to court will do anything now. There is the potential for increased dollars which was not there before. Like it or not its about the money.

If I am not mistaken this site at one time use to house Dodson' bar. I like Auntiruth's idea of removing the ugly that was attached in the early part of last century and then having Cindy Hunt bring in her record store but also to have a small cafe along with it maybe something like what use to be on happy days. Just think Malvern could have their own 'Fonzy'.

Record, book, coffee, music venue? A Malvern Steel City or Burlap and Bean? All of the ideas above, minus maybe the gentlemen's club, sound awesome. Let's hope the owner does something as Eastside Flats starts to inhabit people this summer.

Would the property owner be interested in selling?

At the very least, I would hope that having this in print, along with the comments, gets a building inspector/codes official to look at it's current state and investigate to vouch for its' current compliance to code.

An archway to Malvern like the one in St. Louis? How about a M A L V E R N sign all lit up in lights like the one in Hollywood? Trendy this. Trendy that. A pet shop? We had one at the corner of King & Warren across from the bank. Books & coffee? Tried that where Malvern Pizza/Blackburn's plumbing now resides. A garage with mural? Egads! We'll have more parking spaces than storefronts! All in favor of letting Malvern just be Malvern, raise your hands!!!!

A pretty little courtyard area could also have room for kiosks in warmer weather, with potential for coffee/bakery/ice cream/Philly pretzels/souvenirs/locally made products or crafts/flowers. I'm picturing something like Bryant Park in NYC with the Merchants Fair. Malvern is a perfect setting for a fountain and some outdoor shops.

How about a hardware store like we used to have (Horace Quan's).

Or a barber shop like Tony used to run.

Better yet, both.

Our Boro Manager Sandy Kelley should be ashamed of her job performance. There is no legitimate reason that this property remained in disarray for so many years. If Kelley was a strong manager, she would have fined the owners for violations and taken them to court. Surprisingly enough, no children got hurt going in and out of that building. I never let my children play around there. Shame on you Miss Kelley for putting the public at risk!!!!

I raise my hand....and slap my palm to my forehead when I read comments suggesting a vacant building with a tree growing out of it is somehow better than any other possibility....

I like the gentleman's club idea. I would be great to have adult entertainment so close.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? We are talking about a postage-stamp size piece of property. I used to play in a sand pile behind it, next to what was then an alley from King to Channing! Hey -- nobody's suggested a water-slide park or roller rink. One kid at a time could fit in! Or a ball pit like at Chuck-E-Cheese's for the little sweethearts. Heck. Bring back the sandpile!!!

Not sure how true it is or not but in the last year or so, I've been told by 2 groups of people that they have talked to the ower and have had contractors in to look at what it would cost to redo the place. I group was thinking of trying to put a restraunt in there. I was told it would be costly because of the place was so run down.
I don't think the idea of an Ice Cream store at that location could be a problem if parents let the kids at the ice cream store and go to the Flying Pig. Could be a safety problem if the kids are running back and forth.

Also, has anyone seen the ants painted on the left had side of the bridge on bridge street? Their sorta cute, I noticed them about two weeks ago.

I have not seen the ants and will look closer. I can tell you, not yet announced, that the borough approved our request to present ideas for painting the metal on the bridge as a GVSD H.S. honor art club project - next year. Our intent would be to make that entrance into Malvern more attractive and inviting. Check out Malvern Community Arts Project on Facebook to follow our progress.

If you turn at the stop sign at The Pig and start over the bridge, the ants are painted on the cement little wall on the left - there are 4 of them, each about 7 inchs long.

Let's have another Lou's. LOL. why not, the area is going to heck.

I heard a rumor about demolition - any truth to that?