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    Bay Ragni

    Otci52tob20eoaaars 6 art 8:006a 1PM  · I wanted to say this publicly before I even sent Mike an email and tell him about my thoughts on this book!!!! I’m only halfway through it and it truly is an amazing story and life that Mike Smith, co-owner of The Balcony has lived!! From a young age and family problems and drama to opening a business and how it slowly grew and kept expanding over the years to again family and friend drama internally within the business to the music, drugs, parties, cockroaches, MOVE and more!!! And again, I’m only halfway through If you were a customer of The Balcony or a DelCo native this book and story will mean more to you, but you don’t need to be either to enjoy how well the stories and life that are shared from “My View from The Balcony”. I’m loving this and can’t say enough how this should be turned into a Netflix style show!!

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    frequent shopper    5.0 out of 5 stars Sign of the Times book – fascinatingReviewed in the United States on August 15, 2021Started reading and got swept up in the story. Lived in the area all my life; had no idea what was happening around me. Can certainly relate to the locale – 69th Street. The stores. The Tower Theater Concerts. But the story stands on it’s own. If you or anyone you know was around in the 60-80s, anywhere in the U.S., this is a great insight to life during those times. You will like it.

    Mary Martin 

    21Octob1t   · What a great book. Thanks Mike Smith for a walk down memory lane. Mike is an awesome dude and great realtor. And now an author.

    Jennifer5.0 out of 5 stars A unique look…Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2021I loved the flow of this book. The stories were interesting and well written. A very easy and fun read! I checked out the website and as promised, alot of fantastic pictures. It was fun being transported into Mike’s world in the 70’s – 80’s with a behind the scenes look into running a business, creating families and lifelong friendships during the Woodstock era in a small but thriving Pennsylvania town.

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    J. Bohrer5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read, highly recommend!Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2021Verified PurchaseImmensely enjoyable read about a fascinating period of American history vividly brought to life by the story of a young man, Mike Smith, who almost by accident in 1969 became a 1/3 owner in what became a thriving small business: a “head shop” in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania (a head shop is a business which doesn’t sell marijuana but sells the pipes and papers and bongs that people use to smoke pot — as well as rock music and clothing appealing to people for whom “the establishment” was a dirty word). At the same time, entwined with the story of the business, is the story of his family, a uniquely American family and the love and loss they experience. All of this is set against the fascinating backdrop of an America just entering a period in the late 60’s of profound social change: the rise of the counter culture. In short, sex, love, (drugs!), and rock and roll became the ethos of millions of young people and the author experienced the best and the worst of this era of liberation and excess.

    One of the great ironies of the book is that it’s a story about a business — sales and expenses, profits and losses, etc — but the business itself is all about the counterculture which (sort of) rejected capitalism. There is incredible detail throughout which really brings the story to life. Some of my favorite parts include when Mr. Smith closed his store for Bob Marley and his retinue and they all got high and sold lots of clothes! (the American dream to be sure!), hanging out with David Bowie (David Bowie!), acid trips (the good and the horrifying), getting raided by the Feds and NOT going to jail and, last but not least, pissing on Meat Loaf’s shoes!

    • Drug – Pipe law case
       In the late seventies early eighties, we started to hear the state was considering a new law pertaining to selling drug paraphernalia.  My mother was already a nervous wreck working in the police department while her sons owned a Head Shop. She had been working there long enough to have made friends with the officers and detectives.  […]
    • The Philadelphia Inquirer 2013
      -by Peter Fey Published Apr 5, 2013 Growing up in Upper Darby, from Wiffle ball to the Tower Peter Fey, a writer and producer with QVC in West Chester, is the older brother of actress/writer Tina Fey. In this essay, he recalls what it was like growing up in Upper Darby in the 1960s, ’70s, and […]
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