It’s noontime at the bustling bisection of Routes 29 and 30, with a seemingly never-ending stream of vehicles pouring in and out of the nearby parking lots.
The Pub at Wegman’s is packed with hungry patrons. So are the other popular lunchtime options for grabbing a quick bite, including Smash Burger, Panera Bread and Snap Kitchen. Meanwhile, catty-corner to these eating establishments, the Sunoco station is doing a booming trade of its own.
Is this because Sunoco carries “The Official Fuel of NASCAR”? The Powerball lottery is at a record jackpot? Or, maybe this gas station sells a particularly appealing selection of air fresheners?
Delving beyond the effluvium – the windshield scrapers, energy drinks and rows of snack foods – this Sunoco holds a special secret for those in-the-know: It’s run by Three Crazy Ladies.
Who are they?
Debbie Goldberg, Bonnie Jackson and Cathie Josephs – three enterprising friends who, just three years ago, came up with the not-so-loco idea of opening a take-out (all-day) breakfast, lunch and catering business, and operating it from the rented-out back corner of an otherwise-nondescript Sunoco station in this busy part of Malvern.
There’s no sign out front heralding their business yet the ladies’ legion of followers – daily commuters and delivery drivers alike – have all discovered this clandestine haven. The delicious breakfasts and lunches are value-friendly, as the portions are copious. It’s all prepped, cooked and served by the three partners along with Cathie’s 19-year-old daughter, Amanda.
Three Crazy Ladies is a place where one can enjoy the expected – a yummy avocado-wedged turkey club sandwich or a belly-filling, romano cheese-dusted meatball grinder – and the exotic, including authentic Bahn Mi (the Vietnamese-style hoagie) or a vegan-sating curried tofu sandwich.
No, these ladies don’t serve any of that dreaded “gas station sushi,” but they do offer a Friday fish special of deliciously moist seared tuna or salmon, which comes directly from top seafood purveyor, Samuels & Son.
I sat down for a few midday moments, to chat with Cathie about the business, but even before we begin our brief interview the following occurred: a young woman with a deep cough walked by and a concerned Cathie comforted her. “Honey, you sound terrible! Can I get you some hot tea?”
Then a man strolled past and waved. “Hi Cathie!” “Hi Bob,” she waved back. Tell Carol I said hello!”
One minute later, an older couple carrying to-go bags heading back to their car stopped to thank Cathie. “We’ve heard how good this place is,” the man stated, “so we drove here from Havertown. Glad we did!”
“Havertown?!” Cathie exclaimed. “You win the prize for having traveled the farthest distance to get here today! Here –” She then proceeded to take a pretty hanging basket arrangement from one of the smattering of metallic tables out front of the station and presented it to the surprised couple, who thank her gratefully.
“I’m a full-blown mensch, I’ll be the first to admit it,” Cathie acquiesced about being so connected to that Yiddish word for a person of integrity who will do just about anything to make others happy. Italian-by-heritage and Jewish-by-faith, Cathie is a happily married mother of three who truly doesn’t stop mothering.
“Sorry, where were we?” Cathie asked, as we get back to the interview. “Oh, before we begin, do you want a soda? A bottle of water? Something to eat?”
PA Eats: How would you describe your business?
Cathie: It’s like walking into mom’s kitchen. There’s nothing to it. There’s an antique Vulcan range, a half-sized convection oven, a crepe machine, a fridge, a toaster…we have no freezer and no microwave oven. There are just a few tables out front, but drivers who want to eat right away don’t have any problems doing so in their vehicles. And gas pumps – we have lots of those!
How did this concept come about?
The three of us are friends and we all live nearby. Our kids played soccer together. We always seemed to congregate toward running concession stands at local events and charity benefits. Since Debbie and Bonnie bake, and I’m a collector of recipes and have years of restaurant experience, we decided to do something completely different – a catering business that’s run out of a gas station.
I’d been looking at other potential restaurant spaces. When I found this business advertised on Craigslist, I signed us up, without hesitation. Our friends thought we were crazy. But with our overhead as low as it is, it has been a no-brainer – one which happens to be in the perfect location.
What makes the Three Crazy Ladies so crazy?
For one thing, we each work about 18 hours a day. Also, we spread our mentality to our customers. Having a gas station catering your wedding? Buying an oyster po’ boy from a gas station? This place is the theater of absurd, but look closer – it all makes perfect sense.
Let’s talk food.
It’s an eclectic menu – stuff I grew up with and recipes I’ve collected from other restaurants. Sure, we have fresh-roasted turkey and homemade chicken salad and hearty breakfasts all day long, but we get eclectic, too – from Cajun to Asian to seafood. Have you ever had Vietnamese banh mi from a gas station before? A meatloaf sandwich? Vegan-friendly foods?
We also scratch-make our own desserts like Nutella cheesecake brownies and buttery lemon-blueberry muffin cake. All are made from simple wholesome ingredients.
Where is your food coming from?
Now that it’s summertime, our produce is mostly coming from farms in Lancaster County, and we also use Gentile’s Market. We get visits twice a week from Farmer John – he searches out only the best produce throughout Lancaster County from all of the most reliable farms. Farmer John just brought in the most gorgeous tomatoes, and he’s about to bring us beautiful orange and yellow watermelons.
We buy our hormone-free turkeys and chickens from Wegman’s. We roast about 120 pounds of chicken a day. Italian and Keyser rolls are from Conshohocken Italian Bakery. The multi-grain bread comes from Le Bus Bakery.
What are some of your favorites on your menu?
Well, the menu changes three times and year and, now that we’re getting into summertime, I like our grilled peaches with fried goat cheese with a raspberry sauce. I like the grilled brie and fig with caramelized onions. I’m a big fan of our crepes. And I love the fresh-roasted turkey when it’s right out of the oven. We put it on an Italian roll and top it with an orange cranberry aioli and sage and pecan stuffing. It’s called The Crazy Turkey Gobbler and it’s just this amazing thing served on an Italian roll. Oh, I also enjoy the fact that we carry a fish special every Friday.
What should people know about your catering business?
It’s a big part of what we do. We love coming to your house and running your event for you.
We did 42 graduation parties this spring, two weddings and a couple of funerals, unfortunately. We were here at 2:30 this morning preparing 60 pounds of chicken salad for a family heading down the shore for a holiday party. We’re crazy about making people happy, by providing them with great food.
Anything else you’d like Town Dish readers to know about Three Crazy Ladies?
Yes! You can find good food anywhere but, if you ask the locals, they’ll tell you ours is amazing.
Plus, we’re vested, meaning, we’re not going anywhere. Oh, and did I mention that we have gas pumps?
Three Crazy Ladies are open 6 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays. To keep up with the craziness (and lots of tasty food), follow them on Facebook.
Find Three Crazy Ladies at 7 Lancaster Ave. in Malvern; phone: (610) 640-0590.
- Photos: Debbie Goldberg
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