©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Borders’ benches now in SOHA
By Kristin Pazulski

The benches previously located outside of Borders Book Shop and Café, at Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, have hitchhiked down to the 8100 block of the Avenue, the new SOHA section.

The benches were relocated at the bidding of Richard Maloumian, head of the Chestnut Hill Community Association Aesthetics Committee. Ron Recko, president of the CHCA board, said he asked Maloumian to talk to Borders about the benches – which were “in serious disrepair.”

Maloumian went into Borders and asked the general manager, Markita White, to have them repaired. Both parties spoke with the Chestnut Hill Business Association and White was awaiting a follow-up call from Maloumian when the Aesthetics Committee chairman contacted Borders’ corporate office.

Maloumian said the corporate district manager gave him permission to take the benches because Borders did not have the money to repair them. Borders corporate office did not return numerous phone calls from the Local. White was therefore surprised and angered when Maloumian took the benches without calling her back.

He placed them in the southern retail space of Chestnut Hill. There is a bench facing away from the Avenue, towards Iris of Chestnut Hill, Lemons and Limes and BE Limited, and two others facing the Avenue at The Stagecrafters and Roller’s Restaurant.

Tony DeMaio, whose wife, Cindy, owns Lemons and Limes, offered to repair and paint the benches for free. They have been fixed and, his wife said, he plans to paint them this or next week.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.