• “An American Dream” Debuts at Longwood Gardens June 25 with Symphonic Salute to America250

    “An American Dream” Debuts at Longwood Gardens June 25 with Symphonic Salute to America250

    The making of the Brandywine Valley Symphony’s commissioned patriotic piece for America250, An American Dream by Iowa composer Aaron Fullan, was “a genuine serendipity,” in the words of Symphony Vice President Colin Hanna. The piece will debut at the Symphony’s annual concert at Longwood Gardens on June 25 at 7:30 p.m., capping months of work…

  • Redevelopment of Contaminated Kennett Square Industrial Site Stalls as Council Rejects Zoning Change

    Redevelopment of Contaminated Kennett Square Industrial Site Stalls as Council Rejects Zoning Change

    Plans to redevelop Kennett Square‘s National Vulcanized Fiber site into affordable housing stalled last week when borough council failed to secure enough votes to initiate a zoning change, writes Brooke Schultz for The Philadelphia Inquirer. With one vacant seat and another member absent, a reduced council voted 3-2 against an ordinance change that would have…

  • Government Quarantine Expands Kennett Mushroom Farm Protections to Combat Invasive Pest

    Government Quarantine Expands Kennett Mushroom Farm Protections to Combat Invasive Pest

    The Pennsylvania government has expanded its quarantine guidelines to help Chester County farms combat the phorid fly crisis, writes Jen Samuel for The Daily Local News. The invasive pest destroys roughly 40 percent of the region’s mushroom farms each year. The flies also appear inside homes and residential areas, causing further distress for residents. As…

  • Kennett Square’s New Bolton Center Slated For $94 Million Lab Addition

    Kennett Square’s New Bolton Center Slated For $94 Million Lab Addition

    The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine plans to add a $94 million laboratory to the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory project will consolidate two state-funded programs: the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology Research Laboratory and the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System.  The state is covering most of…

  • Kennett Square’s Genesis HealthCare Sells for $1 Billion in Fifth-Round Auction

    Kennett Square’s Genesis HealthCare Sells for $1 Billion in Fifth-Round Auction

    Kennett Square-based Genesis HealthCare has agreed on its sale to 101 West State Street for $1.02 billion following five rounds of bidding last week, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  The bid for the bankrupt nursing home operator is structured to include $343 million in cash, a $100 million promissory note, and the assumption of $572 million in existing liabilities.  101…

  • New Restaurant, Cocktail Bar from Square Roots Collective Coming to Kennett Square 

    New Restaurant, Cocktail Bar from Square Roots Collective Coming to Kennett Square 

    Square Roots Community Initiative, a nonprofit that supports the Kennett Square area, will open a new American restaurant and cocktail bar in Kennett this summer, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Opus will open in the two-story building at 201 Birch Street, previously home to Hank’s Place diner, which occupied the space while rebuilding its original Chadds…

  • Longwood Gardens Introduces New “Gardens by Day & Night” Ticket Upgrade

    Longwood Gardens Introduces New “Gardens by Day & Night” Ticket Upgrade

    Visitors to Longwood Gardens already have a more flexible way to experience one of Chester County’s most beloved attractions—by day and by night, all on the same ticket. The Gardens by Day & Night ticket option was introduced last year, giving guests the ability to enjoy the Gardens in two distinct moods, from bright daytime…

  • Former Landhope Dairy Farm in Kennett Square to Become New Wedding Venue

    Former Landhope Dairy Farm in Kennett Square to Become New Wedding Venue

    Jeffrey A. Miller Hospitality Group is partnering with the owners of the former Landhope dairy farm on a $6 million adaptive reuse project to transform the site into a new wedding and event destination in Kennett Square, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Named Willowdale, the new event space is slated to open…

  • Kennett Square’s Kicker Shay Barker Set to Follow Older Brother to Division I Football Next Fall 

    Kennett Square’s Kicker Shay Barker Set to Follow Older Brother to Division I Football Next Fall 

    Kennett Square kicker Shay Barker is set to follow his older brother Ryan Barker into Division I level next fall, when he joins Syracuse University, writes Isabella DiAmore for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  The brothers grew up constantly competing, but beneath it all, Shay admired his big brother and wanted to echo his talent. Over time,…

  • 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…

  • Kennett Square-based Genesis Healthcare Aims to Restructure After Filing for Bankruptcy

    Kennett Square-based Genesis Healthcare Aims to Restructure After Filing for Bankruptcy

    Kennett Square-based Genesis Healthcare filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this week, aiming to restructure the debt tied to facilities that it no longer operates, writes Harold Brubaker for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  The company has nursing homes in 17 states, including 42 in Pennsylvania and 11 in New Jersey. No immediate interruptions in resident care are…

  • World-Class Horticulture, Architecture, and Natural Beauty at Longwood Gardens

    World-Class Horticulture, Architecture, and Natural Beauty at Longwood Gardens

    Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square offers world-class horticulture, architecture, and natural beauty spread across more than 1,000 acres, writes Bridget Gleeson for the Islands.  The largest botanical garden in the United States features over 10,000 species of plants and flowers and is home to the nation’s biggest green wall with a total surface area of…

  • Longwood Gardens Named Best Botanical Garden in Nation

    Longwood Gardens Named Best Botanical Garden in Nation

    USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards has named Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square the Best Botanical Garden in the U.S. This recognition highlights Longwood’s breathtaking horticultural displays across 1,100 acres of gardens, woodlands, meadows, iconic fountains, and grand conservatories.  Joining Longwood Gardens in the top five are Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio), Fairchild Tropical Botanic…

  • Inside Kennett Square’s Long History with the Underground Railroad

    Inside Kennett Square’s Long History with the Underground Railroad

    As Juneteenth approaches, the Kennett Underground Railroad Center seeks to educate the community on Kennett’s history with the abolitionist movement, writes Madeleine Wright for CBS News Philadelphia. Historic buildings throughout Kennett Square served as stops along the Underground Railroad. The community as a whole was a vital space for abolitionist work throughout the nineteenth century.…

  • Kennett Square Pizza Place Named One of the Best Pizza Shops in the World

    Kennett Square Pizza Place Named One of the Best Pizza Shops in the World

    Kennett Square’s Mezzaluna Wood Fired Pizza has been named one of the best pizza shops in the world, writes Justin Heinze for Patch.  The recognition comes from the annual International Pizza Expo, a yearly contest that judges hundreds of pizzerias around the world in a category-specific competition. This year, over five hundred restaurants competed, a…

  • Thanks to $1 Million State Grant, Creamery of Kennett Square to Add Cocktail Bar, Event Space

    Thanks to $1 Million State Grant, Creamery of Kennett Square to Add Cocktail Bar, Event Space

    Thanks to a $1 million state grant, the Creamery of Kennett Square is preparing to add a cocktail bar and event space, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal. The Chester County restaurant and beer garden received the Main Street Matters grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development earlier this month.…

  • Longwood Gardens Welcomes Four Fellowship Program Recipients

    Longwood Gardens Welcomes Four Fellowship Program Recipients

    The renowned Chester County attraction, Longwood Gardens, has recently announced the four professionals who landed a spot in the competitive Longwood Gardens Fellows Program, writes staff for Chester County Press.  The 2025-2025 fellows are Nathaniel Cody from Norfolk, Virginia; Jennifer Dick from Waterloo, Ontario; Carmen Grey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and Yan Li from Shenyang,…

  • First Public Transit Route to Longwood Gardens Opens 

    First Public Transit Route to Longwood Gardens Opens 

    OurBus, America’s most highly-rated bus service, has arrived for a new and convenient way to reach the stunning Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square. Beginning March 29, travelers from New York City and Philadelphia can enjoy a comfortable coach ride to one of our nation’s most spectacular botanical gardens.  Buses will depart in the morning from both…