Pickin’ through Chester County with Tara Dugan
Forget what the calendar says, August is the true beginning of the New Year. Ryan Seacrest aside (or Dick Clark for some of us), August is the time of new beginnings and fresh starts. This is particularly true in a college town such as West Chester – there is a great smell in the air that arrives around the third week of August and it says, “Time for school!” as certainly as a school bell. Just as students sadly say goodbye to the shore but are happy to greet old friends in early fall, so too are pickers happy to greet an old friend upon its return from summer hiatus – The Encore.
The Encore thrift shop, located at routes 52 and 1 in Mendenhall, is part of the Chester County Hospital Foundation. The hospital, originally named West Chester Hospital, was founded in 1892. West Chester was growing rapidly then, and it was in desperate need of a medical facility. Community support was widespread, and old-fashioned fundraisers such as bake sales were employed to help raise funds. When the new hospital opened its doors in 1893, just five patient beds were available. In 1893 The Women’s Auxiliary was formed to raise desperately needed funds and was followed by the Kennett Square branch of the Women’s Auxiliary, operator of The Encore. They immediately set to raising funds for the Chester County Hospital.
When an employee of Pierre DuPont became seriously ill with Spanish Flu, hospital doctors were dispatched to Longwood Gardens (then DuPont’s residence) to care for him. In appreciation of the good care the man received, DuPont donated one million dollars to the hospital in 1918. This generosity enabled the hospital to expand to its current location, and it has been taking excellent care of Chester County residents ever since.
While the history of the big place is interesting, the current band of supporters operating The Encore for the hospital’s benefit would do their 19th-century counterparts proud. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. The place is clean, the parking is easy and the prices are right. While many shoppers come for the fashion, I hit the place weekly to look for great home accessory deals. The small space dedicated to furniture probably accounts for the forgettable stuff there, but head to the back room for a really fun treasure hunt. The offerings of pottery, glassware and kitchenalia are both plentiful and well-organized.
The merchandise ranges from prosaic to sublime. Case in point: I scored a Van Briggle vase in mint condition for $16! If you know anything at all about American art pottery in the 20th century, then you understand the punctuation. If not, trust me, the exclamation point is appropriate. Whether furnishing your dorm room or your mansion, check out The Encore and support your hometown hospital.
