Your fill of Phil: Exploring Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, America's Groundhog Day capital
Plus, iconic Michigan diner is on the market; deli can't keep its neon sign; toast to a Long Island tavern, and more headlines from the road.
Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, and our meteorologically minded rodent did not see his shadow this morning, predicting an early spring. Given how the Northeast is in the middle of another lame, spring-like winter, I’d argue spring has already arrived.
But heck, this tradition, brought by German immigrants to Pennsylvania centuries ago and made all the more popular by a certain Bill Murray movie released 31 years ago, is the light-hearted escapism America needs right now. And if you want to plan a trip that’s really lightheartedly escapist, may I recommend a visit to Phil’s hometown, where this furry fellow is a very big deal indeed.
A bowling alley. A car wash. A family restaurant. A bar (well, a “burrow” in local parlance.) A weather center to study both the science and the folklore around forecasting. You name it, Phil has left his mark on this town.
There are Phil statues all around the place, too, sponsored by local businesses. My favorite, given my love of quirky fast-food locales, is Phil dressed as Wendy Thomas, the namesake of the Wendy’s hamburger chain. It’s right across the street from Groundhog Plaza, where you can shop for essentials and Phil souvenirs at the local supermarket, the Shop’n Save. (While at this plaza, check out a really old Dollar General sign, too.)
I also visited the burrow where he spends the rest of the year, as well as Gobbler’s Knob, the place where thousands gather in the chilly February dawn to witness the official weather prognostication.
It was a madhouse today but a serene affair on the splendid autumn afternoon when I visited in October 2022. That’s when I recommend visiting, but if you love crowds, you know when to go. Either way, I predict you will have fun.
Here is a guide to some of the sights:
1.) Groundhog Lanes [MAP]
2.) Punxy Phil’s Family Restaurant [MAP]
3.) Wendy’s Groundhog (one of many groundhog statues that dot town) [MAP]
4.) Groundhog Plaza [MAP]
5.) The Burrow [MAP]
6.) All Washed Up Car Wash [MAP]
7.) Phil’s Burrow [MAP]
8.) Gobbler’s Knob (where the big event happens) [MAP]
9.) Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center [MAP] [Website]
10.) Police and fire departments [MAP]
Notes From The Road
The owner of the iconic but struggling Fat Boy diner in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has placed it on the market. The 61-year-old owner says he lacks the energy to keep it going. I hope somebody can step in fast and save it.
The Borscht Belt Jewish deli in suburban Philadelphia won’t get to keep its neon sign, a zoning board appeal hearing ruled, but the owners haven’t given up the fight. Newtown Township does not allow neon signage, and somebody complained to a zoning officer about the green neon sign in the deli’s widow. The zoning officer pressed the case, even as the deli’s owners insisted this was a case of discriminatory selective enforcement since other businesses in town used neon lights, and nobody had challenged their right to do so until the case against the Jewish deli. Patch reports that about 25 people turned out at the zoning board hearing on Feb. 1, bearing signs like “Equal Rights For Neon Lights" and “Jewish and Proud.” The township attorney said it was a simple case — that of a sign violating the code, rejecting any notion that discrimination drove the enforcement against the new Jewish business, as the deli has argued. Though the board came out against the deli 3-to-1, seeming to seal the deal, the owner isn’t done fighting. Stay tuned.
Heartbreaking. Al’s Deli in Evanston, Illinois, closes after 74 years, months after the co-owner, Bob Pottinger, died. His father, Al, opened the namesake deli in 1950. Here are some beautiful photos of folks with precious items from the store they were lucky to purchase after it closed.
In Colorado, a bowling alley that still featured manual pinsetters has been named as one of the state’s most endangered places.
Five years after the devastating Marcal paper warehouse factory fire in Elmwood Park, N.J., what is the fate of the property? Thirty of the 36 Marcal buildings were destroyed, along with the iconic neon sign, which I sadly never photographed. I’d pass it on I-80 — and always figured I could shoot it some other time — until there was no more time.
The Whiskey Wind Tavern in Greenport, New York, is reopening after a change of ownership.
A Volkswagen Beetle that stands atop a pole in Western Pennsylvania will not be taken down. The attraction has been around since the 1960s, according to the local CBS station, and new property owners have decided to keep the unofficial landmark.