So Good Lancaster

This is the first in a series of episodes we’re introducing that we’ll periodically sprinkle into the feed called the So Good Lancaster Non-Profit Spotlights. On this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Susan Klapkin, the vice chair and treasurer of Lancaster County Women for Good, a local nonprofit giving circle with a mission of lifting up other nonprofit organizations that are making a positive impact in our community. This group of over 200 Lancaster Women use a giving circle model where small donations are collected and distributed as a lump sum grant to one of three nonprofits that pitch at a quarterly Gather and Grant event.

Links:
Lancaster County Women for Good
Grapevine
TLC (Tenfold)
Lancaster Farm Sanctuary
A Week Away Foundation

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

We’re taking a peek inside the vibrant pop-up scene in Lancaster with the founders of the Good Goods Market: Jami from Petals Flower Trike, Holly from Hillie Ceramics, and Murphy from The Good Murph. Discover how a dinner conversation sparked a creative collaboration that has blossomed into a beloved local market hosted at West Art.

Our So Good Music feature is the atmospheric track 'Stories Untold' by indie R&B artist Christline. Stay ‘til the end of the episode for a chat with Christline about the song and to hear the full track. And look out for our full interview with Christline on our socials.

Links:

Good Goods Market

Petals Flower Trike

Hilly Ceramics

The Good Murph

Christline

Stories Untold on Spotify

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

Jason Mundok takes a bite out of Lancaster’s donut scene with two Davids and a whole lot of sweet local flavor. David Burkholder of Achenbach’s Pastries shares how the iconic Leola bakery became home of the Long John and a community favorite for over 70 years. David Hiester from W Donuts talks innovation, expansion, and building community one handcrafted donut at a time.

Plus, we debut our brand new So Good Music segment featuring Lancaster singer-songwriter Joe Lacombe and his track “Pattern.” From donuts to tunes, this episode is all about the local things that bring us together.

Links:
Achenbach's Pastries
W Donuts
Joe Lacombe - Pattern

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

We continue our exploration of the inaugural Stuff to Do Fair in Lancaster, featuring insightful conversations with local community leaders and organizations. Join Jason Mundok as he speaks with State Representative Izzy Smith Wade-El along with passionate individuals from Meet People Lancaster, Lancaster Bikes Coalition, and Embodyment Wellness Studio, Lancaster Home Brewers Club, Lancaster Asian American Pacific Islanders, Downtown Lanc Zine, and Lancaster Improv Players. Discover the vibrant community spirit of Lancaster and learn about the various activities and events that bring people together.

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

Hey there, Goodies! In this episode, we’re diving into the first-ever Stuff to Do Fair in Lancaster. Jason chats with some awesome vendors about their clubs and activities. You’ll hear from Sav Thorpe Capizzi, the founder of the the Stuff To Do Fair, the Dutchland Rollers, the Pocket Books Shop, the African American Cultural Alliance, Closing Time Collective, RCW, PhotoJam and SoWe/Tenfold! We’ll explore some of the fun opportunities waiting for you here in Lancaster, PA. So, pop in those headphones and enjoy the convo!

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

Jason Mundok uncovers Lancaster’s seedy history of brothels, beer, and vice. Joined by Alison Kibler, professor at Franklin and Marshall College and founder of the Lancaster Vice Project, they explore the city’s notorious red-light district along Water Street and how Lancaster became a destination for vice in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Jason also speaks with Chad Rieker, whose family’s brewing legacy offers a unique perspective on the local beer scene. Chad shares how his family’s Rieker Star Brewery, which was active during the same period, navigated Prohibition and he discusses how Lancaster’s brewing culture is thriving today. Tune in for an eye-opening journey through Lancaster's past and present, from hidden vices to a booming craft beer scene.

Find Lancaster Vice on Instagram and Facebook.

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

“Third places” are places outside of the home (1st place) and work (2nd place), where people gather to make friends, share ideas, collaborate, and build community. Examples are churches, bowling alleys, coffee shops, bars, social clubs, or even barber shops. Lancaster is filled with third places, including The Candy Factory (TCF), a coworking space that serves as the home of this podcast. I kicked off this episode with a conversation with TCF founder, and my partner, Anne Kirby, talking about the importance of gathering and how places like TCF help folks overcome isolation and loneliness.

Then I was joined by Josh Gibbel and Rufus Deakin from West Art. As neighbors on the west end of Lancaster, Josh and Rufus took advantage of an opportunity to purchase a church on their block and convert it into what has become known as “Lancaster’s living room and a sanctuary for the arts”. From concerts to yoga classes, West Art is becoming a gathering place for creatives to gather. They also revealed plans for a coffee bar coming soon that will allow the doors to be open 7 days a week.

With a similar mission to build community through creativity, Katherine and Jason Horst operate Horst Art Center in Manheim. Part design studio and part art studio, Horst Art Center hosts events and workshops designed to encourage creativity with other humans. They strive to build a cozy and welcoming space for all to enjoy the arts and have some fun.

Be sure to get out and about and experience some of the incredible third places Lancaster has to offer.

- Jason

(all of these words came from my brain)

Links:

The Candy Factory
https://www.clubtcf.com

West Art
https://www.westart.com

Horst Art Center
https://horstarts.com/

Stuff To Do Fair
https://www.stufftodofair.com/

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

It’s the holidays in Lancaster! This special episode of the podcast comes to you with plenty of holiday cheer!

I had the pleasure of chatting with Chris and Yana Brink, the creative duo behind the Christmas Spirit Light Show that runs each holiday season at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Together they turned an inspiring trip to Nashville, TN into a beloved tradition right here in Lancaster with the creation of the mile long handmade holiday light display that follows a path around and inside the baseball stadium.

Next, I’m joined by my friend Francis Claudio, Lancaster’s biggest Christmas “FRAN-atic”, who loves the holiday so much she celebrates it all year long. She loved the giving spirit of the Christmas season so much as a child, that as an adult she decided that it didn’t have to end in January.

Finally, Joel Henry and Sean Frankel from Lancaster LEADS join me to share the backstory of the non-profit organization that decorates Lancaster City with their iconic wreaths and Christmas Tree decorations at Penn Square. LEADS doesn’t stop after the holidays fade into the new year. They continue to beautify the city with their adopt-a-basket program that provides gorgeous hanging flower baskets throughout the city from May to October each year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season from all of us here at So Good Lancaster!

- Jason

(all of these words came from my brain)

Links:
Christmas Spirit Light Show
Lancaster LEADS

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

The slow fashion movement is growing. It’s a push back against the fast fashion industry that encourages us to think of clothing as disposable. Fast fashion is terrible for the environment and not good for your wallet either.

Amanda McCarty is the host of the Clotheshorse podcast, a show dedicated to spreading the word about the benefits of thrifting, upcycling, and buying and wearing what already exists. She joined me to talk about her transition from a career in the fast-paced fashion industry to becoming a nationally known advocate for slow fashion.

Also on the program is Kate Farbo, Executive Director of Prism Thrift, a downtown Lancaster thrift store whose mission is to create an inclusive and welcoming space, particularly for Lancaster’s queer community and city residents who might otherwise not be able to visit the plethora of thrift stores in the county. Prism specializes in clothes that celebrate individuality while remaining affordable.

I encourage you to check out Prism Thrift, and other thrift stores in Lancaster, to find your own unique style and personal brand, while saving money, and taking one small step to cutting waste and helping the environment.

- Jason

(all of these words came from my brain)

Links:
Clotheshorse Podcast (Instagram)
Prism Thrift

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia

What do sweets have to do with refugees? For Jennie Groff it means everything. She is co-owner of Stroopies and The Sweet Shoppe here in Lancaster. They have been on a mission for over a decade to provide meaningful employment to resettled refugee women in Lancaster, PA. They are known for their deliciously delightful Dutch-inspired Stroopwaffels that are made from scratch and are sold at The Sweet Shoppe on Duke St. in Lancaster City, along with homemade ice cream and other sweet treats.

Another Lancaster County business that focuses on making sweets (among many other things) from scratch is Scratch Bakes, headquartered in Ephrata with a second location in Lancaster City. Owners Laura and Jason Will join me to share their origin story when Laura started baking cupcakes in their townhouse and selling them on Facebook. Scratch Bakes has grown into two full service cafes, serving more than just sweets. They have a passion for creating high quality foods from scratch, including soups, sandwich sauces, and their incredible salad dressings.

Check out these two beloved small businesses for some incredible treats made from scratch right here in Lancaster County.

- Jason

(all of these words came from my brain)

Links:
The Sweet Shoppe
Scratch Bakes

We want to hear from YOU! What do you think makes Lancaster So Good? Is there a special event or occasion coming up you want to highlight? Fill out the form on our website, and you could be featured in a future episode of So Good Lancaster.

So Good Lancaster is produced by So Good Media at The Candy Factory, a coworking and social club in Lancaster, PA.

Web: https://sogoodlancaster.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SoGoodLancaster
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sogoodlancaster
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@sogoodmedia