I was glad to come across this article on the Middletown Transcript Website the other day:

The Middletown Friendly’s, which was gutted in a blaze June 27, is slated to reopen in March, said franchise owner Brian Myers. The Dove Run Shopping Center restaurant will be rebuilt, he said. The building is under construction and preparation work is planned to start this week. Myers said that rebuilding the popular family restaurant has taken longer than expected due to things out of his control. At around 3:31 p.m. June 27, a fire started outside of the building in the mulch along its exterior. The Delaware State Fire Marshall’s Office ruled the blaze accidental.

My sons and I have enjoyed many a “Man-time” breakfast at this Friendly’s, so as a family we were sad when this little restaurant burned down. The owner and management did a great job creating a fun, family friendly (no pun intended) environment. We look forward to another “man-time” in the near future at Friendlies!

Chris

For those who don’t know:

MIDDLETOWN Beginning in the 1670s, settler Adam Peterson and his family acquired several tracts of land here. One tract, surveyed in 1733, was given the name “Middletown.” The origin of the name is believed to derive from the area’s location at the middle point of a road that led from the head of the Bohemia River to the banks of Appoquinimink Creek. Located at the intersection of this road with the busy Kings Highway, this was an important stop for travelers by the mid-18^th century. A tavern was established here and a small village developed around it. The town grew rapidly after the railroad’s arrival in 1855. Located in the midst of some of the state’s most productive farmlands, this became an important shipping point for a variety of agricultural products. Of particular note is the prosperous peach industry, which flourished until a disease known as the “Peach Yellows” destroyed many of the orchards here and elsewhere on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Middletown was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly on February 12, 1861.

Cited from Delaware Archives

The Town of Middletown and the Middletown Police Department invites you to join us as we celebrate the grand opening of our Middletown Police Headquarters on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009.

Read the whole thing

The article below talks about the financial woes of several local Middletown business owners. In addition to friends, family members and fellow church members, let’s not forget to pray for the people in our community particularly affected by the economic recession — that God would provide for their physical needs and more importantly that He would save those who have not already come to know Jesus Christ and the eternal security that He alone provides. And oh….the next time you’re out, consider shopping local.

As some Middletown businesses close their doors, others look for new solutions in the rough economy and all business owners request residents shop local.
“[Residents] can find everything they need in Middletown,” said Stephanie Sutton-Gose. Sutton-Gose, co-owner of Home Décor in Dove Run Center, said the country has been over-spending for the last 10 years. They’ve gotten their supplies away from their towns and shopped at big box stores, but the economic downturn has caused people to spend more time at home with their families and spend less money. “I think everybody’s back to basics and being conservative,” she said.
However, as residents hold onto their money, some local businesses have felt the effects. For Sam Facciolo of Lori’s Cards and Gifts, the recent economic troubles have been a nightmare. “I don’t make any money,” he said. “I haven’t earned a paycheck in the four years I’ve been there. I’ve laid off all my staff.” Facciolo opened his gift shop in the Dove Run Shopping Center in 2005 after having previously run a Hallmark store. He decided to move to Middletown as it was a growing into a commercial area. However, while he had received loyal customers and high ratings for his business, things began to go bad in December 2007 and progressed to the point where he had to close his business.

Read the whole thing here.

Looking for something interesting to do as a family on a weekend? Did you know that Middletown actually has a museum? According to the January 8 edition of the Middletown Transcript, the Middletown Historical Society Museum will be open the “First Saturday of every month, 9 a.m. to noon; third Wednesday of every month, noon to 3 p.m.”
From the Transcript:

Since the education display was showcased at the Victorian Stroll, the museum has received more education artifacts for loan to display until spring. The Historic Odessa Foundation lent the society old books, an abacus and a slate, all more than 100-years-old. The alumni of what is now known as Louis L. Redding Middle School also loaned memorabilia about the school before integration, when it was a school for blacks.
In addition to the temporary education exhibit, Matsen said the museum will feature permanent exhibits. An exhibit of an old parlor room has been set up, and another room will showcase a printing press and other items from The Middletown Transcript. The society is also planning a display on the old roads and land grafts in the area, to illustrate how the roads have changed throughout the years, and a research library.

Click here to read the whole thing

Kristen Krenzer from the Middletown Transcript writes:

Middletown’s 100-acre Levels Road Park has been under construction since February 2007. When complete, it will feature a walking trail, pavilions, a baseball diamond, playgrounds and sport fields. The park also includes a man-made pond with a pier.

Read the whole thing.

View park schematic designs

What a blessing this park will be to the Middletown community! I’m sure that as a church we’ll be able to occasionally enjoy this park together as well as MOT Charter School is nearly right across the street.

Guys, as you know Christmas can be a great time to surprise and delight your wife in some romantic way. If your wife is a Jane Austen fan, you might consider taking her to the Corbit-Sharp House in Odessa sometime in between now and Dec.31st. The Middletown Transcript notes that the house will host a display of “scenes and vignettes from author Jane Austen’s famous novels.” For more information from the Historic Odessa Foundation click here.