The Moon Gazing Rabbit named Business of the Month
Main Street shop offers unique gifts
>> November’s winner of the Lansdale Business of the Month award is a unique shop that defies description, yet the name somehow says it all.
“The Moon Gazing Rabbit” and owner Jill Childs received the monthly borough award from councilwoman Rachael Bollens in November.
“Walking past a small, empty shop on the end of Main Street one day, Jill describes looking in the window. Through the looking glass, Jill saw dreams of Lansdale’s Main Street manifest,” Bollens said.
“She didn’t know what the vision for the store would be yet, but she knew it would be hers. Jill jokes that the process happened so quickly and surely that she essentially went home to her husband Mark and said, ‘Honey: I have a store now!’”
Located at 831 West Main Street, The Moon Gazing Rabbit offers cards, crystals, jewelry, incense, and much more, largely from local artists. After working for more than four decades for local engineering firms, Bollens told council on Nov. 16, Childs found herself pondering her future during the pandemic.
“Like many of us, she had a revelation about her work situation, finding that she wanted to retire, and pursue her dreams, and work for herself,” Bollens said.
After finding the perfect spot on the western end of Main Street, then came the business idea: a coffee shop, then a gathering space, when what you see now, what she calls a “groovy little shop” displaying sculptures, fixtures, attire, and much more. The fixtures and décor were built by Mark, who owns his own restoration business, and a green touch came from home.
“Those signature trees that you see sweeping across the inside of the room and ceiling, are authentic Lansdale trees from Jill and Mark’s own backyard,” Bollens said.
“The trees and décor lovingly crafted by family help add to the otherworldly vibe and earthy ambience that
Jill’s shop is quickly becoming known for,” she said.
Walk in and it’s easy to shop for anyone, from a hostess to a parent, child, boss, coworker or anyone else.
“Eclectic jewelry, handblown glass and pottery, and even hand-drawn, hand-cut, enamored stained glass, one piece which had been repurposed from over 100-yearold art deco panels from an old building in Philly,” Bollens said, showing council slides of the interior of the store.
Some of what you’ll see for sale is local, and much spans different regions or cultures, with consignment sales offered and several local artists featured, including a potter from Franconia, a teenage jewelry maker saving up for college, and a local macramé artist.
“The establishment of a store like this, that can yearround, house local artisan wares is truly a gift for residents and artists of Lansdale,” said Bollens.
“In addition to stained glass, crystals, macramé, pottery, lamps, décor, blown glass, and jewelry, Jill offers other smaller items,” including handmade greeting cards, and “a truly awesome incense selection”. Packaging is recyclable, and the door is always open for friendly faces to stop in and chat.
“Mark lovingly describes The Moon Gazing Rabbit as ‘the literal manifestation of inside of Jill’s head’ Well Jill, your head seems like an awfully nice place to live,” said Bollens.
“Stores like The Moon Gazing Rabbit, where you can pick up, hold, touch and even smell rare and unique local pieces, these kinds of shops are the stalwarts and bookends to our main street.”
Why did she pick Lansdale? The friendly atmosphere, Bollens told council, with visitors stopping in often to see what’s new, ponder the nature of things, or look for new conversation pieces.
“Jill described her love of the walkable town and the burgeoning main street, and looks forward to the expansion of Main Street, with dreams of a West Ward arts festival or international food festival. So stay tuned,” Bollens said.
As she received the award to a round of applause, Childs told council that “this has been the easiest thing,” setting up shop in town.
“I didn’t have some big long dream. I saw a shop that was for rent, I rented it, I went home, I said ‘Mark, I just rented a shop.’ And everybody has made it so easy.”
“Lansdale has really embraced me. I really hope that Lansdale will get more little shops like this, that we can become a town like Phoenixville and Ambler and Doylestown. I really, really look forward to that. It’s a great town,” Childs said.
“Support your local business’ is more than a sticker on your car, or a Facebook post, or something we say to each other. You need to come in and spend money in small businesses. You get a paycheck, regardless of how the economy is. You are my paycheck,” Childs said.
The Moon Gazing Rabbit is located at 831 West Main Street and is open from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays, and 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with extended open hours until 9 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 23. For more information call (215) 692-3360, visit or search for “The Moon Gazing Rabbit” on Facebook.