Jeff Chirico, Cheltenham Township Ward 3 commissioner and a Real Estate agent with eXp Realty, will be hosting a grand opening celebration for the new branch office from 11:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday, October 5.

The event will feature live music courtesy of Alex Bartlett of Jenkintown, refreshments, giveaways and more.

Chirico said he and his team designed the office as a community hub. The space features its own social media studio, revamped 114-year-old pinewood flooring, and an open-air feel sans desks, file cabinets and cubicles.

“In this work-from-home era, you don’t need a lot of floor space for desks since most people aren’t spending hours a day in the office,” Chirico said. “It’s designed to be a place for agents on the go to stop in, work from the cafe-style counter, print materials, collaborate with other agents, meet with clients, host settlements and take a breather in our comfy armchairs.”

The office first opened in May and is the former home of Coppola Arcara Real Estate, which operated for decades at 12 E Glenside Avenue, beginning in the 1930s. 

Chirico noted a new fun fact he recently learned about the property: Coppola Arcara Real Estate was founded by Nellie Arcara, a graduate of Cheltenham High School who became one of the first female real estate agents in Pennsylvania in 1934.

According to Chirico, she was also one of the first women in the state to open her own brokerage.

“She surmounted discrimination from the East Montgomery Real Estate Board who denied her membership,” he said. “She successfully fought to have the group’s bylaws changed and was admitted to the board as its first female member.”

eXp will honor Arcara on Saturday by hanging a marker on an office wall in her memory.

“We are excited to open a modern real estate office that will engage and support our community in unique and exciting ways,” Chirico said. “This is not your typical real estate office. It is a community hub where people can connect, create and grow.”

Moving forward, eXp Realty Glenside is looking to add new solo real estate agents and teams to their office.

For more on Jeff Chirico’s personal and professional background, you can read our previous coverage here. For more on the Jeff Chirico eXp team, you can click here.

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Photos: Jeff Chirico