Kit Anstey Real Estate Team

If you've spent enough time in West Chester, you've probably had a parking complaint at some point.

I know I have.

In fact, I was getting parking tickets here long before apps, kiosks, or smartphones existed. Parking has been a challenge in the borough for as long as I can remember.

The easy answer is to say we need more parking. The difficult part is figuring out where that parking goes in a historic and densely developed downtown.

What I think deserves more attention is making the existing system easier to understand and use. Many people, especially older residents and visitors, still expect to see traditional parking meters. When they don't, they often assume parking is free or unrestricted and end up getting a ticket because they weren't aware of the app-based system.

The borough has been discussing parking quite a bit recently, and from what I've heard, there are efforts underway to improve the experience.

It's an important issue because parking affects both the people who live here and the people who come here to enjoy everything West Chester has to offer.

Let's see where the conversation goes.

One of the things I enjoy most about real estate is that it's really about people and communities.

This week I spent some time on Gay Street sharing a few stories from my own history in West Chester.

Before real estate, I owned two clothing stores in the Borough. One was a fine men's clothing store on one side of the street, and the other was Kit's Country Threads across the way. Both are long gone now, replaced by businesses that are part of today's vibrant downtown.

Standing there reminded me just how much this town has changed over the years.

What many people don't realize is that there were once three major department stores within a block of where I was standing. Places that were part of everyday life for generations of Chester County residents.

West Chester continues to evolve, but what makes it special remains the same: great people, local businesses, walkable streets, and a community that continues to thrive.

I'd love to hear from longtime residents. What businesses do you remember from downtown that are no longer here?

Thank you to our veterans and from us here at The Kit Anstey Team to you all, happy Memorial Day Weekend! 🇺🇸