Ardmore Initiative to Businesses: Stay Open For Pope Weekend

The Ardmore Initiative has a message for Ardmore-area businesses: Don’t close when the Pope comes to town.

The business group wrote a letter to its members Monday encouraging them to conduct business as usual during the Pope Francis’ visit to the Philadelphia area Sept. 25-27- even though Ardmore is particularly close to the action and the Pope himself is even staying in Lower Merion Township for a portion of the visit.

“We encourage our businesses to stay open to serve the needs and wants of our residents and visitors who depend on them for goods and services,” Christine Vilardo, the Institute’s executive director, said in an email Tuesday.

“While Ardmore is close to where the Pope will be staying at the seminary, it is not on his travel route nor is it the location of any of the festivities. While we recognize that some employees might have difficulties getting to work, we hope that our small business owners will continue to exercise the same creativity & resourcefulness they bring to running their businesses every day and make the weekend of the Papal visit a positive experience for our community.”

Vilardo said that some businesses have said they will stay open and others say they will not; a list of each will be available on the Initiative’s website closer to Pope’s arrival.