Scarry! We did the same thing. I remember walking up 5th with my mother a few days before Christmas with all the feastivities going on (your mind is blown with all that stuff during that time of year as a kid), empty handed. Upon returning to home (walking now) my arms were filled. Layaway how grand, now we have creidt cards.

Not as "F-ed" up as it sounds. First, my mortgage is not swallowing me up out in the burbs. I had to get out. First I was never a city person. As much as I loved living in Olney I loved visiting relatives that lived throughout PA and had land, I mean land. From one who had 20+ acres and another having over 200. It was a break from city life. I felt I needed to live where there is more space.
Then came the home invasion with my father nearly falling victim to. I was home and they did not know it. With the help of a .357 it was thwarted. No shots fired just a chace out of the house and down the street. What sucks is the city and it's criminal justice system. I WOULD BE AT FAULT FOR DEFENDING MY FATHER AND HOUSE! Mr criminal would be considered the victim; "poor boy had a rough childhood and did not deserve to go like that, being shot just for breaking into a home of a senior citizen . .blah. blah blah. Someone breaks into my house out here, they are not leaving and they will wish they never did!
I wish I could buy properties in Olney for the sole purpose or revitalizing it again, not profit. The place deserves better than the buy and flip crap.
The city gov't too has to back off with all the taxes and the hard time they give to residents and business'. That is another reason for Olney and the city being in hard times. I know people that owned business' in Olney and the city would bust them for one code violation after another while "other" places were open and had numerous visible violations and not a thing was uttered to them. So shut down and leave was the name of the game. This happened to a chef in center city who had his own show on channel 12 and was well know. He told the news he is sick of Philly busting him for stupid things. He closed his two places and went to NY and opened them there. Nice way to chance out income Philly gov't!

Does anyone remember the store window painting contest on 5th street on Halloween? How about 'store night'?

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"Deep down, I'm pretty superficial." Ava Gardner
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd

I think I remember store night. Now is that the night a few days before Halloween that the kids went to all the stores to get candy or am I off the mark?

Yeah, I think it was like a Tuesday or some slow night when they could get all the kids out of the way so they wouldn't interfere with busy shopping nights.

__________________
"Deep down, I'm pretty superficial." Ava Gardner
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Elwood P. Dowd

big mistake? i think not! i lived and grew up in olney. (60's-90's)
i pay triple what you pay now and i can at least walk down my street w/o the fear of getting jumped. not worry about my car getting broken into. my kids going to good schools and so much more. olney was a great place to live, grow up and play, but to say a big mistake! who are you and we kidding? olney is not the same and it will never be the same in our life time. i may not have money in my pocket but at least i won't have anyone up here to take it from me! is your doors locked? go check.

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dave

no your right on. we've walk down one side and up the other. why it stopped? people stopped giving a s**t.

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dave

four letter word. add ed to it!

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dave

no...................you think?

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dave

Anyway, as far I know, Old English, The Huddle, and Green Parrott are still in business and probably doing well.