Phillip J. Shade (Credit: Broad Street Grind Facebook)
Phillip J. Shade has also been removed as treasurer and partner of Broad Street Grind in Souderton
The father of a former co-owner of a Souderton coffeehouse, who is facing possible convictions on more than 90 felonies related to child sexual abuse, has self-disclosed inappropriate behavior towards his son 30 years ago and has been removed immediately from his roles as treasurer and partner of Broad Street Grind and deposed as deacon of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word.
“On Feb. 4, 2025, I received disturbing information regarding actions of inappropriate behavior involving Phillip J. Shade towards his son over 30 years ago. Phillip made a self-disclosure and after the required canonical investigation by the diocese, I have made the decision to depose him from the ordained ministry of the church,” wrote Diocesan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs in a statement released Tuesday. Anglican Diocese of the Living Word is a jurisdiction of the Anglican Church in North America, a Christian-Reformed Episcopalian denomination headquartered in Beaver County, Pa. with more than 128,000 members and 1,000 congregations.
Shade was a deacon and assistant to the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Souderton.
“This is a deeply painful moment for our diocese, but it is imperative that we address such serious matters with integrity and transparency,” wrote Dobbs. “We have not found any evidence of abuse occurring with relation to these matters in any of the congregations, missions or church plants within our diocese.”
Dobbs said the diocese takes any allegations of abuse or wrongdoing very seriously and it is dedicated to fostering a secure and safe environment for all.
“If you or someone you know has experienced abuse with the Church, or if you wish to report any incidents, I urge you to visit our website at adlw.org. There, you will find comprehensive information on how to confidentially contact and report your concerns to our designated reports receiver,” wrote Dobbs. “You can also reach the reports receiver directly at 267-406-0680.”
Dobbs wrote that it was priority to ensure that the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word remains a safe place for worship.
“Let us place our trust in God, believing that He will bring forgiveness, healing and restoration even from the most painful circumstances,” wrote Dobbs.
On Tuesday, Broad Street Grind/Liberty Hall Coffee LLC Vice President Pamela Nalbach and Liberty Hall Roasters LLC Vice President Zachary Taylor released a statement on social media regarding Shade:
“We were made aware today by the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word that Phil Shade was formally deposed from ordained ministry in relation to events which occurred over 30 years ago, to which he made a self-disclosure of. As a business committed to integrity and trust, and in light of recent events, we have requested that Phil step down from his role and partnership in the business, which he has agreed to do,” stated Nalbach and Taylor.
“While we respect due process and the importance of gathering all relevant facts, we want to assure our customers and the community members that we remain committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment. We are actively reviewing the situation and will take any necessary actions to uphold the values and trust that our business is built upon,” stated Broad Street Grind. “Our priority remains serving our customers with the same dedication and care they have come to expect from us.”
However, the Shades still have a stake in the business: Broad Street Grind is the storefront face for Liberty Hall Coffee LLC, which is still overseen by Heather Shade as president, who is the wife of Phillip and mother of Doug Shade. The LLC is also registered to Phillip Shade’s Berkshire Drive residence.
Liberty Hall Coffee LLC has a sister company called Liberty Hall Roasters LLC.
In a now-hidden Facebook comment, Broad Street Grind wrote it was working to remove the Shades from a connection to the business entirely.
Phillip Shade, has no criminal or civil cases on record in Pennsylvania, according to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.
In 2019, Pennsylvania amended its statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases. Under the new law, victims of childhood sexual abuse have until their 55th birthday to file a civil lawsuit for sexual assault. Furthermore, victims between 18 and 24 years old now have until their 30th birthday to file a civil lawsuit.
However, this only applies to cases of sexual abuse occurring after Jan. 1, 2019. Any sexual abuse or assault that occurred prior to 2019 must abide by the previous statute of limitations. Thus, if a victim was 18 or older when the abuse occurred, then they have two years from the date of the last incident to file a lawsuit. For minors, the two-year statute was delayed until the age of 18, making the age of 20 the cutoff to file a civil claim.
Douglas Phillip Shade, 44, of Main Street, Lower Salford, will go before Common Pleas Judge Steve T. O’Neill on March 4 for a pre-trial hearing on 85 felonies and 10 misdemeanors of child sex offenses – including numerous counts of aggravated indecent assault of a child, corruption of minors, indecent assault of a child under 13, and possession of child sexual abuse materials, according to court documents.
Shade is accused of recording, participating in, and selling of child sexual abuse material via the Telegram app, authorities allege in an affidavit. The offenses allegedly occurred at an apartment in Lower Salford Township in July 2024.
Shade is charged with 33 felony counts of possession of child pornography/CSAM, according to charging documents.
Shade is also charged with the following felonies, at 10 counts each:
He is charged with six felony counts of knowingly depicting on a computer or phone a minor engaged in a sex act on photograph or film. The final 10 charges are for misdemeanor Indecent assault on a person less than 13 years of age, according to court records.
On July 25, 2024, Lower Salford authorities investigated a report of sexual assault involving a girl under 13 years of age on at least 10 occasions, according to the affidavit. Authorities allege Shade recorded his encounters on his cellphone, while kissing and indecently assaulting the girl.
Once authorities obtained a search warrant for Shade’s personal and work phones, they were able to download a large amount of child sexual abuse material, including pictures and videos of juveniles under 18 in various stages of undress and performing sexual acts, according to the affidavit.
All in all, investigators found 20 videos of CSAM, three of which included Shade, recorded in May 2024, police said.
Further examination of Shade’s phone located a large amount of photos of CSAM, including 891 photos of children under 13 engaged in sexual acts; 499 photos of children between 13 and 18 engaged in illicit acts; 318 photos of nude juveniles; 12 bondage photographs; and 11 photos of bestiality, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities said the Telegram app is often used to produce and distribute CSAM.
In 2023, Shade’s minority shares in the business were purchased, as he had not been actively involved in the operations of the business for several years, according to Broad Street Grind.
Shade was a former partner of a six-owner stake in Broad Street Grind, founded in 2016. When it opened at the historic Liberty Hall property at 117 E. Broad St. in 2017, it had six co-owners: Chad and Monica Gehman, Franconia Township residents Phillip and Heather Shade, and their son, Doug, and his wife. The Gehmans left as partners after three months in business.
It poised itself as a place for the community to gather, with special events like live music and meeting room accessibility for groups, businesses or reading groups, like the St. Peter’s Anglican Church Bible study sessions. Its meeting space offers a 25-person capacity and can be booked at 215-723-8220. Broad Street Grind also does catering.
“Broad Street Grind knows how important that first cup of coffee or tea is to their customers. They specialize in unique coffees and teas, as well as a full bistro which is open for breakfast and lunch six days a week ... with delivery, pick-up, and curbside service, as well as catering onsite and off-site,” stated an article on Valley Forge’s tourism website.
Its menu features fresh-made American Fusion, with locally-sourced produce and cage-free eggs. There are no processed, pre-packaged or frozen foods with preservatives at the coffeehouse. It offers specialty curated and roasted whole bean coffees via in person or subscription, with fans as far as Wyoming.
Other food offerings include homemade scones, muffins, cakes, brownies, and syrups. In the summer, they sell vanilla honey lavender, made from food-grade local lavender and peppermint. The menu is updated every six months to keep customers aware of seasonal tastes.
Broad Street Grind is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
