In time for Manayunk Arts Festival, Nicole Miller back in business

Two months ago, a 14-year-old boy inadvertently drove a Cadillac Escalade through the Nicole Miller storefront on Main Street in Manayunk on a Saturday afternoon, shuttering the store until renovations could be completed.

The Nicole Miller staff celebrated the re-opening of the store on Thursday night, with a day to spare before the Manayunk Arts Festival this weekend. Nicole Miller owner Mary Dougherty struggled to keep her staff of 12 full-time employees busy as Nicole Miller’s doors were boarded up for two months. “We work with some really high energy people, and the store was closed, they were going crazy,” said doughert.  “We didn’t want to lay anyone off, so we tried to keep them busy.” Dougherty says she and her staff promised to throw a big celebration for their re-opening at the low point of their morale.  “Anyone else would have gone out of business,” Dougherty said. Photos of the incident looped on monitors in Dougherty’s shop during the party, showing the incredulous scene of the black SUV’s grill sitting squarely in the storefront as it had just backed into garage. “The fact that no one was killed and hurt was my solace,” says Dougherty, who has owned the Nicole Miller Philadelphia store on Main Street for more than 25 years. Neighboring businesses like Bourbon Blue, Derek’s, Couch Tomato Café, Bella Trattoria and the newly-opened Sweet Elizabeth’s Cakes donated hors d’oeuvres and drinks for the occasion. “It’s typical of our district for tragedy or when something phenomenal happens,” says Manayunk Development Corporation executive director Jane Lipton. In addition to fully attaining permits and contractors and permits, Lipton says Dougherty also had to renovate her damaged storefront in compliance with Manayunk’s historic district regulations in the span of two months to be open in time for this weekend’s arts festival.

Brazilian-born artist Simone Lino’s paintings will be featured on behalf of Nicole Miller Philadelphia at this weekend’s arts festival. She has an unusual tie with Mary Dougherty through car crashes. Lino endured a car crash three months ago, shortly before the SUV took out the window of the Nicole Miller Philadelphia store. Lino received a skin graph on her right index finger, and will need physical therapy for a year before she can paint again.   But she used her left hand to paint smaller, abstract prints on display at the re-opening party on Thursday night. “She’s like Mother Theresa,” says Lino of Dougherty. Thursday night’s party at Nicole Miller Philadelphia spoke of Dougherty and her staff’s sense of humor. Once a casusalty of the Cadillac Escalade, the mannequin posing in Dougherty’s reconstructed left window, stood adorned in yellow police tape. Inside, people crowded around a white cake garnished with the scene of the crash in its icing which was donated by Sweet Elizabeth’s Cakes.  And Dougherty’s staff presented her with Cadillac handbag she brandished to guests as they greeted eachother. 

wo months ago, a fourteen year-old boy inadvertently drove a black Cadillac Escalade through the Nicole Miller Philadelphia’s storefront on a lively Saturday afternoon in Manayunk. Nicole Miller opened its doors once again in time for Manayunk’s art festival this weekend, and celebrated with a party on Thursday. Nicole Miller owner Mary Dougherty struggled to keep her staff of 12 full-time employees busy as her store boarded up its doors for renovations. “We work with some really high energy people , and the store was boarded up, they were going crazy,” doughert.  “We didn’t want to lay anyone off.”  So at the low point of their morale, Dougherty says she and her staff promised to throw a bgi celebration for their re-opening . “Anyone else would have gone out of business,” Dougherty said. Photos of the incident looped on monitors in Dougherty’s during the party, showing a mind-bending scene of the Escalade’s grill sitting squarely where the window front window of Nicole Miller as it had just backed into garage. “The fact that no one was killed and hurt was my solace,” says Dougherty, noting that the accident happened on a Saturday afternoon on another bustling day on Main Street. MAnayunk Development Corporation executive director Jane Lipton has lived in Manayunk for nearly thirty yearsand has known Mary Dougherty for that time as well. Lipton says she received five different text messages and phone calls within a minute on the Saturday of the accident. Neighboring businesses like Bourbon Blue, Derek’s, Couch Tomato Café, Bella Trattoria and the newly-opened Sweet Elizabeth’s donated hors d’oeuvres and drinks for the occasion. “It’s typical of our district for tragedy or when something phenomenal happens,” says Lipton. “A lot of people on Main Street have been here for 15 years and know when people need help/”

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Brazilian-born artist Simone Lino paintings and art works will be featured on behalf of Nicole Miller at this weekend’s arts festival, which is a first for Lino. She has an usual tie with Mary Dougherty through car crashes. Lino endured a car crash three months ago, shortly before the SUV took out the window of Nicole Miller Philadelphia. Lino’s received a skin graph on her right index finger, and will need physical therapy for a year before she hope to paint again.   But she used her left hand to paint smaller, abstract prints on display at the re-opening party on Thursday night. “She’s like mother Therese,” says Lino, a native of Minas Gerais, Brazil. And the re-opening spoke of Dougherty’s sense of humor shined through the celebration. Once a casusalty of the SUV backing through her window, the mannequin posing in Dougherty’s reconstructed left window, stood wrapped in yellow police tape. Inside, people crowded around a white cake showing an SUV crashing through the window, donatedby the recently opened Sweet Elizabeth’s bakery. And Dougherty’s staff presented her with Cadillac handbag she brandished to guests.

 

Two months ago, a fourteen year-old boy inadvertently drove a black Cadillac Escalade through the Nicole Miller Philadelphia’s storefront on a lively Saturday afternoon in Manayunk. Nicole Miller opened its doors once again in time for Manayunk’s art festival this weekend, and celebrated with a party on Thursday. Nicole Miller owner Mary Dougherty struggled to keep her staff of 12 full-time employees busy as her store boarded up its doors for renovations. “We work with some really high energy people , and the store was boarded up, they were going crazy,” doughert.  “We didn’t want to lay anyone off.” So at the low point of their morale, Dougherty says she and her staff promised to throw a bgi celebration for their re-opening . “Anyone else would have gone out of business,” Dougherty said. Photos of the incident looped on monitors in Dougherty’s during the party, showing a mind-bending scene of the Escalade’s grill sitting squarely where the window front window of Nicole Miller as it had just backed into garage. “The fact that no one was killed and hurt was my solace,” says Dougherty, noting that the accident happened on a Saturday afternoon on another bustling day on Main Street. MAnayunk Development Corporation executive director Jane Lipton has lived in Manayunk for nearly thirty yearsand has known Mary Dougherty for that time as well. Lipton says she received five different text messages and phone calls within a minute on the Saturday of the accident. Neighboring businesses like Bourbon Blue, Derek’s, Couch Tomato Café, Bella Trattoria and the newly-opened Sweet Elizabeth’s donated hors d’oeuvres and drinks for the occasion. “It’s typical of our district for tragedy or when something phenomenal happens,” says Lipton. “A lot of people on Main Street have been here for 15 years and know when people need help/”

Brazilian-born artist Simone Lino paintings and art works will be featured on behalf of Nicole Miller at this weekend’s arts festival, which is a first for Lino. She has an usual tie with Mary Dougherty through car crashes. Lino endured a car crash three months ago, shortly before the SUV took out the window of Nicole Miller Philadelphia. Lino’s received a skin graph on her right index finger, and will need physical therapy for a year before she hope to paint again.   But she used her left hand to paint smaller, abstract prints on display at the re-opening party on Thursday night. “She’s like mother Therese,” says Lino, a native of Minas Gerais, Brazil. And the re-opening spoke of Dougherty’s sense of humor shined through the celebration. Once a casusalty of the SUV backing through her window, the mannequin posing in Dougherty’s reconstructed left window, stood wrapped in yellow police tape. Inside, people crowded around a white cake showing an SUV crashing through the window, donatedby the recently opened Sweet Elizabeth’s bakery. And Dougherty’s staff presented her with Cadillac handbag she brandished to guests.

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