Five Things You Need To Know Today

In the last week, I've met a variety of interesting people who own specialty shops in town:

1. Noonie Lewis owns , 204 High Street. She rents space in the store to vendors who sell a variety of goods including old movie posters, Art Deco home accessories, vintage jewelry and hand-embroidered linens. Noonie is a charming, sweet lady who is also knowledgable about Pottstown and the surrounding community. To learn more, call her at 610-326-1911.

2. John DiRenzo Sr. owns , 256 High Street. He's an energetic guy who obviously enjoys his work. John told me he weighed nearly 300 pounds and smoked four packs of cigarettes a day before he fell in love with bicycling. Today, he's fit, happy, fun and friendly. He can can set you up with a new bike, repair an old one and also sells some cool vintage models in the back of his store. To learn more, call John at 484-941-6000 or email info@TriCountyBicycles.net.

3. Ken Mest owns , 51 North Hanover Street. This guy is your 1980's expert. He has a wild and somewhat secret collection of new, old merchandise including pins, posters and more. He's protective of his stock so don't go in his store with a camera. But if you're looking for a special 80's item or want to talk about old TV shows, he's your guy. Call him at 610-323-0993.

4. Mark Muff owns , 142 Shoemaker Road. He's a hands-on computer guru who can talk to you about buying a new computer or solving problems with your current machine. To learn more, call Mark at 610-970-8888. 

5. Charlie Pierce owns , 509 High Street. This is their busiest time of year to customize trophies for school and league sports programs, he said. But the store also offers unique gift ideas such as customized poker sets and coffee mugs. Looking for a special Father's Day gift? The Shack sells an impressive wooden grilling gift box set Charlie will engrave. Call him at 610-326-8841 or email tnpshack@aol.com.

Know of a specialty shop in or around Pottstown? Call Teresa McMinn at 484-264-1602.