Pocket Percussion, a music-centric shop at 109 N York Road in Willow Grove, is looking to install a new mural on its exterior wall.

Owner Keith Szczesniak hatched the idea earlier this year after relocating to the building in August. He pitched it to the property’s landlord and to Abington Township, both of which gave a green light.

The concept behind the mural’s imagery would be a tribute to Willow Grove Park circa 1920.

“The history of Willow Grove has a lot of music to it, so we’re taking imagery from that period of time. We’re hoping it’ll draw a lot of attention to the area,” he said. “I’m just facilitating the project, I don’t get anything from it other than the side of my store will look a lot nicer. The whole building went through a dumpy period. It was built in the 1800s and deserves some respect. I think it’s one of the oldest buildings in the township as far as retail goes.”

The next step was finding a seasoned artist in Greg Lytle, who operates Hand Over Fist Signs in Glenside. His work can be found on the signage which fronts Human Robot Jenkintown, as well as in Ambler and downtown Philadelphia.

“I played in bands with Greg in high school, so I’ve known him for awhile,” Szczesniak said. “We started our businesses around the same time. We’re going to go with that rough theme, but Greg’s going to clean it up.”

A rough draft is pictured in the article’s feature image. Some of the antiquated images to be used for the project include:

Szczesniak’s ambitions are expensive, he said, so the project’s current phase is fundraising.

“We’re having a five-year anniversary for our shop on Saturday, November 30 and we have a bunch of stuff scheduled for that day. We’re hoping the GoFundMe helps the cause,” he said. “When you pull up to the train station, that’s what they’re going to see. That’s their impression of Willow Grove. It’s a huge intersection.”

Lytle, an Elkins Park/Abington native, made Pocket Percussion its first sign when it opened three doors down from its current location.

“His shop is huge now compared to when I made that sign. The whole idea is to revamp what was already there,” Lytle said. “We both like the history of Willow Grove, including the park and everything, so it’d be cool to have something nice that welcomes people to the town and revitalize some of that spirit.”

Lytle will be at Pocket Percussions’ anniversary talking about the mural with whomever wants to hear the details, he said.

“I think the building is historic in that it was once the entrance to the park. That’s where the trolley would stop, so it’s an iconic spot,” he said. “I remember when it was a billiard’s hall and it had a really cool mural.”

Fundraising will support the artists and their materials, Lytle said.

“The basic layout is there, but it’s going to need a lot of work. I want colors so it’s nice and vibrant. In the rough sketch, I used lettering from an old book I found about Willow Grove Park. I want it to be a night scene with subtle colors in the trees. Things might change a little bit and I may add some things, but that’s the rough idea,” Lytle said.

To learn more about the project or to donate, you can visit the GoFundMe page.

Pocket Percussion’s website is here. For more on Hand Over Fist Signs, located at 522 Bethlehem Pike, you can visit their website and Instagram page.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Images: Greg Lytle | Screenshots: Google, GoFundMe