• LionCage Pitch Competition Offers Entrepreneurs Exposure, Chance for Cash Winnings

    LionCage Pitch Competition Offers Entrepreneurs Exposure, Chance for Cash Winnings

    Invent Penn State LaunchBoxes at Brandywine and Great Valley and the Ideas x Innovation Network (i2n) are partnering to deliver the 2025 LionCage Pitch Competition on Friday, Nov. 14, from 8 AM to 5 PM at the Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley.  LionCage is a one-day gathering that offers exposure, connections, and access for creators…

  • Fate of Iron Hill’s Beer Stock to be Decided in Bankruptcy 

    Fate of Iron Hill’s Beer Stock to be Decided in Bankruptcy 

    When Iron Hill Brewery abruptly closed all of its locations last month, including those in Chester County, and filed for liquidation bankruptcy, it left the fate of its beer stock uncertain, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  When they shut their doors on Sept. 26, some Iron Hill locations still held inventory, including thousands…

  • Plan for Major Data Center at Former Pennhurst Site Faces Resident Opposition 

    Plan for Major Data Center at Former Pennhurst Site Faces Resident Opposition 

    A plan to redevelop the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital site in East Vincent Township into a large-scale data center is meeting resistance from nearby residents, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  Megan Heiken, who recently purchased a home near the site, recently launched an online petition, urging her neighbors and local officials…

  • Former Pennhurst Site in East Vincent Considered for Data Center, Plant Development

    Former Pennhurst Site in East Vincent Considered for Data Center, Plant Development

    East Vincent Township officials and activists are looking at the potential for the former Pennhurst State Hospital property to be developed as a data center or tire-burning plant, writes Evan Brandt for The Daily Local News.  During a recent special town hall meeting, officials said that the property owners have suggested both potential uses, but…

  • State Parks Across Pennsylvania Adding Glamping Options, Including in Chester County 

    State Parks Across Pennsylvania Adding Glamping Options, Including in Chester County 

    With glamping rapidly gaining popularity, state parks across Pennsylvania are introducing the option of going glamping, including in Chester County, writes Damon C. Williams for the Bucks County Courier Times.  Glamping is a more comfortable form of camping, where a person is camping while still enjoying certain luxuries and amenities.  “Glamping is where stunning nature…

  • After Closing in Philadelphia, Popular Restaurant Finds New Life in Wallingford 

    After Closing in Philadelphia, Popular Restaurant Finds New Life in Wallingford 

    The popular Philadelphia restaurant Fond, which closed in 2021 after 12 years in East Passyunk, has found a new life in Wallingford, following its patrons to the suburbs, writes Jason Sheehan for Philadelphia Magazine.  The newest version of Fond opened in October last year. Chef Lee Styer is once again making all of the favorites,…

  • Great Valley School District Acquires Malvern Office Building for $7.5 Million

    Great Valley School District Acquires Malvern Office Building for $7.5 Million

    The board of Great Valley School District has authorized the $7.5 million purchase of an office building in Malvern, adjacent to the existing high school campus, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Known as the Westbrook Corporate Center, the nearly 190,000-square-foot building sits on 21.9 acres at 41 Moores Road. The price is a…

  • After Closing All Locations, Including West Chester and Exton, Iron Hill Officially Files for Bankruptcy 

    After Closing All Locations, Including West Chester and Exton, Iron Hill Officially Files for Bankruptcy 

    After closing all its locations last month, including West Chester and Exton, and after nearly three decades in business, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has officially filed for bankruptcy, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  The company filed under Chapter 7, allowing the chain to liquidate. This is different from Chapter 11, which permits…

  • Martha Stewart Debuts New Fall and Winter Apparel Collection at QVC

    Martha Stewart Debuts New Fall and Winter Apparel Collection at QVC

    Martha Stewart recently traveled to Chester County to debut her new fall/winter 2025 apparel collection at West Chester-based QVC, as she writes for The Martha Blog.  Stewart appeared on QVC several times throughout the day, with a special live appearance that came from Kennett Square’s Longwood Gardens. Stewart came up with the idea of broadcasting…

  • Local Restaurateur Pursues Newest Food Venture in Exton

    Local Restaurateur Pursues Newest Food Venture in Exton

    L’Olivo Trattoria, a new Italian restaurant, opened last week at 570 Wellington Square in Exton, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  The new eatery is located in Eagleview Town Center, Hankin Group’s mixed-use development.  Restaurateur and chef Francis Pascal owns the latest addition to Chester County’s dining scene. He also operates the Birchrunville…

  • Chase Bank to Open Seven New Branches Across Region, Including Two in Chester County

    Chase Bank to Open Seven New Branches Across Region, Including Two in Chester County

    Chase Bank will open seven new branches across the Philadelphia region over the next three months, with two located in Chester County, writes Jeff Blumenthal for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  The bank has already opened three retail branches in the area earlier this year, bringing the total number of new openings to ten and the…

  • Square Roots Collective Opening Francis Hotel in Kennett Square

    Square Roots Collective Opening Francis Hotel in Kennett Square

    Square Roots Collective is redeveloping an 18th-century building in Kennett Square into an eight-room boutique hotel, Francis Hotel & Suites, that is expected to open in early 2026, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Square Roots Collective is a nonprofit focused on advancing the Kennett Square community. Stephanie Almanza, the organization’s President and…

  • Five Chester County Companies Among Greater Philadelphia’s Fastest-Growing in 2025

    Five Chester County Companies Among Greater Philadelphia’s Fastest-Growing in 2025

    Five Chester County companies are on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2025 list of Greater Philadelphia’s fastest-growing companies based on average two-year revenue growth, according to a staff report from the Philadelphia Business Journal.  To qualify for the list, the companies needed to have a minimum revenue of $750,000 in 2022 – the first year of…

  • The Rum Isn’t Always Gone: Cutter and Cannon Spirits Sets Sail for West Chester

    The Rum Isn’t Always Gone: Cutter and Cannon Spirits Sets Sail for West Chester

    Cutter and Cannon Spirits, a new rum-focused distillery, is set to open in West Chester as early as November, by local entrepreneurs Cole Bauer and Matt Mowatt, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Bauer, based in Chester Springs, and Mowatt, a Broomall resident, are looking to fill a gap in Chester County’s distilling…

  • Chester County First to Approve Ordinance That Protects Against Discrimination

    Chester County First to Approve Ordinance That Protects Against Discrimination

    The Chester County Board of Commissioners this week passed an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, writes Katie Bernard for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  The Democratic-controlled Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 along party lines to adopt a comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinance protecting LGBTQ residents, alongside established protected classes including sex, race, and age.…

  • Redevelopment of Exton Mall Among Mixed-Use Projects Reshaping Philadelphia Suburbs

    Redevelopment of Exton Mall Among Mixed-Use Projects Reshaping Philadelphia Suburbs

    The redevelopment of the Exton Square Mall by Abrams Realty & Development is among the growing number of projects reshaping Philadelphia’s suburbs, writes Paul Schwedelson for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  The 75-acre property was originally owned by PREIT, which sold a smaller section of it to Hanover, leading to the development of a 350-unit apartment…

  • Birchrunville Native Scores Resalable Treasures Among Trash from Wealthy Shore Towns 

    Birchrunville Native Scores Resalable Treasures Among Trash from Wealthy Shore Towns 

    Tucker Upper, a Birchrunville native known to his scores of followers by that name, discovers resaleable treasures among trash from wealthy Jersey Shore towns, writes Lini S. Kadaba for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  James Graeff, his given name, films GoPro videos of his trash picking and posts them on his YouTube channel with over 220,000 subscribers,…

  • West Chester-Based Verrica Gets Medication Approval in Japan, Triggering $10M Milestone Payment

    West Chester-Based Verrica Gets Medication Approval in Japan, Triggering $10M Milestone Payment

    The regulatory approval of Verrica Pharmaceuticals‘ Ycanth in Japan has triggered a $10 million milestone payment to the West Chester-based company by its overseas partner, Torii Pharmaceutical, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Verrica CEO Jayson Rieger said that the dermatology therapeutics company expects to receive the payment within the next several weeks…