Gamburg's Furniture Mural Spotlights Hatboro

HATBORO, PA — For two years after its closure following 94 years as the borough's beacon of retail, Gamburg's Furniture store on York Road has sat empty, its boarded-up windows showing no signs of life while business bloomed around it.

Borough officials and residents hoped the property would be developed like two others into a combination of retail and apartments under the borough's mixed-use ordinance.

If anything, everyone wanted what had become an eyesore to become an attraction, especially with the annual Moonlight Memories car show drawing thousands to the borough this Saturday.

So Jaclyn Wipplinger — whose family owns Village Hardware and neighboring buildings — took matters into her own hands.

“The borough supposedly had an idea to paint it, but it was slow-moving," she told Patch while sitting outside at a North York Road eatery the other day. "The car show attracts tens of thousands. Let's get it done. I spoke with Mrs. Gamburg, and here we are six weeks later.”

Wipplinger is active in the borough as her family's business owns and develops several properties in town. But she's also supportive of the borough, its history, and its military veterans.

She was instrumental in creating a mural that showcases borough veterans, including her grandfather and State Rep. Nancy Guenst.

Wipplinger teamed up once again with artist Sasha Strikes of Seven Strikes Studios in Levittown.

Strikes said Wipplinger gave him the idea, and the multimedia artist ran with it, creating a colorful mural that includes the phrases "You Belong Here," and "Welcome to Hatboro."

Gamburg's announced it was closing for good in August 2023 due to its owners' retirement. The property's development future is unknown at this time — so the mural serves as its beacon now.

Strikes said it took him a full two weeks to complete the project.

"It's pretty now," he said of the store. "I was a little nervous because there were a lot of panels. It was also really hot. But I felt confident."

Wipplinger thanked the donors and her friend, Pat Rombola, who collected donations from residents at Victorian Village "who were great supporters of the project.”

Wipplinger has faced criticism and negative comments on social media over how she went about getting the mural painted. But she'll deal with it, knowing there's a greater good.

"I invite you to stand shoulder to shoulder with me," she said. "You would have a different perspective on the process. But that will never happen. It’s easy to cast stones when you haven’t walked the walk.”

(The Wipplinger Family)