Cheer up neighbor; spring is almost here! In the meantime, console yourself with a new sushi spot in Radnor, a Main Line foodie meetup and a college campus stroll.
• Park It?
Tredyffrin Township wants to take over the old Picket Post Swim Club on Chase Road and turn it into a public park. The nearly five-acre property includes two pools, six pickleball courts and four tennis courts.
Picket Post was originally sold to a developer for $1.2 million in 2018 after the club ran into financial trouble. The developer, Dave Ludin of Green Bridge Development/Finery LLC, asked the township for a zoning variance to build townhomes on the property, but his request was denied. Ludin filed an appeal, but no verdict has been rendered. The property has languished ever since.
If the township seizes Picket Post under eminent domain, it must pay fair market value. Some township residents wonder if the additional rec space is necessary given the proximity of Wilson Farm Park, which sits less than a mile down the road.
Want to weigh in? Tredyffrin supervisors will hold a public hearing on Monday, March 17 at 7:00 PM in the Tredyffrin Township Building.
• Let’s Roll!
After being booted (and blindsided!) by their former Villanova landlord, Pearl and Paul Somboonsong of WIN Hospitality and the former Azie on Main are back at it! The couple just opened a fast-casual eatery called Mama-San across from their alma mater, Radnor High School.
Located in the old Buena Onda, Mama-San’s quick-service menu includes many Azie on Main favorites like sushi rolls, poke and noodle bowls. Patrons order via an in-store kiosk or online, and indoor seating is available. A liquor license should arrive any day now, with a sake menu to follow. If Mama-San catches on, the couple hope to open more locations.
On March 12, the Somboonsong’s will debut yet another addition to their dining portfolio: a French-Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Wayne called Maison Lotus.
Mama-San is located at 226 North Radnor Chester Road in Radnor. Hours are 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM daily.
• Main Line Taste Test
Treat your taste buds to a Taste of the Main Line on Thursday, March 13 at 5:00 PM in the Radnor Financial Center’s Grand Atrium. Nearly two dozen restaurants will dish out their finest, including At The Table, The Blue Elephant, Joey Chops, Lark, The Refectory, Rosalie and White Dog. Stay hydrated in the La Cabra/Conshohocken Brewing Beer Garden and don’t sleep on the cocktail-making competition. Proceeds benefit the Emergency Aid Foundation of PA, a Wayne-based organization that awards grants to local nonprofits that improve the lives of women and children.
Purchase tickets here.
• Squeaky Clean Ear-Piercing Studio Opens in Suburban Square
A branch of the ultra-sanitary ear-piercing destination Rowan opens on Friday, March 7 in Suburban Square, in a storefront nestled between Madewell and Starbucks.
Founded in 2017 by Louisa Serene Schneider who was seeking a safe (but still fun!) piercing experience for her daughter, Rowan offers piercings performed exclusively by licensed nurses using hypoallergenic earrings. The company started as a home concierge service but has evolved to over 60 brick-and-mortar studios nationwide that generated almost $100 million in revenue in 2024. The name Rowan is a nod to Rowan County, North Carolina, where Schneider grew up.
While appointments are encouraged, walk-ins are welcome. Book a piercing appointment online here .
Rowan is located at 85 Coulter Avenue in Ardmore. Hours are 10:00
AM – 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM on Sundays.
• Two Area Colleges Among Most Beautiful
Condé Nast Traveler included two local institutions in its recent roundup of the most beautiful college campuses in the country: Bryn Mawr College and Swarthmore College.
Founded in 1885, Bryn Mawr College is one of the nation’s oldest women’s colleges. Its Gothic architecture is inspired by Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England, and its famous library was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Known for its flora and fauna, Swarthmore College is home to the 300-acre Scott Arboretum, which houses 4,000 varieties of ornamental plants.
View the entire list here.
• A Killer at The Door
Local author Bruce E. Mowday just published a detailed account of the escape, two-week manhunt and capture of convicted murderer Danilo Cavalcante from Chester County Prison. Mowday relied on firsthand accounts from residents, law enforcement, officials and local reporters to write A Killer at the Door: The Dramatic Prison Break and Manhunt for Convicted Murderer Danilo Cavalcante.
In August 2023, Cavalcante, a Brazilian national convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in Pennsylvania, scaled a prison wall and survived on berries and stream water while evading a team of over 400 local, state and federal agents. Schools were closed, and residents in certain areas were told to shelter in place during the manhunt.
Authorities used drones, thermal imaging, K-9 units and traditional tracking to locate and capture him.
Got a scoop for In The Loop? E-mail kate@mainlineneighbors.com
Looks informative
Looks informative
View less