The Art of Renovation

Alice & Bud Bracken Breathe New Life into a Beloved Lititz Building

For decades, the old brick building that peeks at passersby from between The Bulls Head Public House and Main Street Peddler churned out newspapers, delivering daily headlines to the residents of Lititz. Today, the building stands tall as a proud reminder of print news’ heyday, but has an entirely new purpose.

Thanks to Bud and Alice Bracken, the old Lititz Record Express building is now Zum Anker Alley Shoppes, home to a wonderful variety of handmade treasures. The couple purchased the building in 2007 and went right to work on its restoration. While they’re certainly the stars of the building’s rebirth, even they’ll admit that often it’s their pup, Teeter, who steals the show. Visit the shop and you’ll likely find him laying in a patch of sunlight, ready to receive your greeting.

Bud and Alice came up with the concept for Zum Anker Alley Shoppes while traveling the country selling Alice’s unique silk floral arrangements at craft shows. At the shows, they often met other artisans whose work they admired. Now, they invite those artisans to sell their work at Zum Anker Alley Shoppes, where they offer a cheerfully curated collection of whimsical garden art, realistic birds for the bird lover, original works of art, carvings, and collectibles. Alice’s favorite? Molten Glass pieces.

The Brackens have been at their current location for 14 years and doing craft shows for more than 25 years. They chose Lititz as their shop’s location because it’s their home. “We’ve lived here 42 years and love it,” Alice says.

When Bud and Alice aren’t at the shop, you can find them enjoying their home in Lititz or traveling. Both are avid scuba divers!