Photos: Braving a Chilly, Rainy First Friday

Even though the weather was not very spring-like, folks still headed downtown for First Friday.

The Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce held three ribbon cuttings to welcome new businesses to town.

Penn Solar Store and Community Eco Center were first, and Dave Bonta, president of USA Solar Store, came all the way from Vermont to welcome the 26th solar store in the country and the second in the state. The store's purpose is to make renewable energy easy to understand and affordable for ordinary people, Bonta noted. The store will hold a grand opening celebration Sat., April 2 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Next up was Strawberry Fields, and the store was already bustling when Chamber representatives showed up to do the honors. Co-owners Susan Barrett and Rob Nagy were on hand to cut the ribbon and serve up smoothies.

Bridge Street Chocolates also held its ribbon cutting, and owner Gail Warner had her parents there to celebrate with her. Chocolate goodies are made mostly on site, and some are shipped in from Vermont. The store's chocolate-covered blueberries have been a big hit, Warner said.

Out on Bridge Street, two churches, Green Tree Church of the Brethren and The Baptist Church of Phoenixville, set up shop, along with State Rep. Warren Kampf and his representatives. The groups joked that only churches and politicians would be out in that weather and noted the lack of separation of church and state, as the tables were close together in the 200 block of Bridge.