Dovetail Artisans, a Glenside mainstay for over 45 years, is packing up shop at the end of the month.
Owner Rhiannon Punzo, along with several other local business owners, will be relocating to 2256 Mt Carmel Avenue this winter and spring. The 105 E Glenside Ave store will close for good on January 31, though the recently added CO Lab, an adjacent community space operated by Dovetail, will continue to run events next door until March 31.
The new space on Mt. Carmel Avenue will include new and familiar faces: Align Studios (which currently sits atop The Royal Music & Art Center), For the People: Breads & Teas (a grab-and-go bread and herbal tea shop run by Bernie’s Herbals), and Vinyl Chickie (Glenside’s forthcoming first specialty record shop), are all in the works.
Kevin Burke, CEO of Burke’s Brothers Landscape Group in Wyndmoor, owns the property and is currently knocking out a series of renovations for the new tenants.
“I reached out to him and we started talking about ideas for the whole building. It’s going to be gorgeous and a nice small community. He’s been so supportive of the whole concept. It’s going to be really good for Glenside,” Punzo said. “The building has such a history. For many years it was an optometrist’s office. Before that, it was a bowling alley with a billiards hall upstairs. There’s such a good energy to it, which i love.”
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Vinyl Chickie is the brainchild of Lisa Schaffer, a Glenside native who has worked in music and with records for years. Align Studios, run by Alyson Ward, will move into the upstairs level. For the People: Breads & Teas, owned by Elizabeth Bernardino, will have a service counter with locally made pre-packaged goods.
“Each day, they’ll bring fresh, healthy food. They focus on gut health and organics and being able to access local without being overly priced,” Punzo said.
For Punzo, now in her fourth year with Dovetail, having her own art boutique has been a dream come true.
“The store side is my baby. I grew up having this dream of having an art boutique. It’s so important for me to have this venue for artists and makers, and the events have been the icing on the cake,” Punzo said. “This model we’re unveiling is focused on helping the greater community. We’ll continue having workshops, doulas, improv, private parties, and live music. That event space has helped me keep the store going.”
Punzo invites residents of greater Glenside to stop by over the next two and a half weeks to say hello, ask questions, and tell stories.
“One of my favorite things is when people come in from out of town and share memories of what the Dovetail was,” she said. “They have vivid memories of this place. We’re going to try to keep it going and breathe some new life into it.”
Going forward, you can expect Dovetail and company to offer more community-oriented events, including the return of the Krampus Kristmas Market in December.
“That was a wonderful day. My oldest son was the Krampus. He was very good-willed about it. We’re hoping to do it even bigger and better next year,” Punzo said.
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