Chesco has seen ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ this year, with more new businesses to start 2026
Big-name retailers and large-scale manufacturers called Chester County home this year, as small businesses are continuing to grow.
As major retailers made Chester County home in 2025, start-ups were the fastest-growing group that the Chester County Economic Development Council found itself providing support for this year.
The region saw interest in expansions from big manufacturers — think chemical tech company Johnson Matthey, or coffee manufacturer Lavazza – and major retailers, like a Trader Joe’s in Berwyn and Exton, or even a Sheetz deep in Wawa country in Downingtown.
But in a continued trend from the pandemic, which saw a surge in “entrepreneurial spirit,” the county has seen a continuation of new, small businesses taking shape, said Mike Grigalonis, president and COO for the county’s economic development council.
“That’s our biggest area of growth, services that we’re providing to start-up businesses and entrepreneurs,” Grigalonis said. “That ranges from a salon, or a cafe, or a retail shop — any of those Main Street mom-and-pop businesses that you might think of — all the way to very kind of cutting-edge high tech, emerging tech — whether that be a new med device, a new drug, a new app, and everything in between.”
The county’s wide-ranging restaurant scene saw a number of businesses planning new locations.
Here’s a look around the county at some of the comings and goings in the final stretch of 2025.
New local spots
Expansions are on the menu. Stubborn Goat Brewing — which boasts craft beers, food, and a live music lineup — opened its doors this year in West Grove, and is planning an expansion into Kennett Square in 2026.
Our Deli & Cafe, which has enjoyed four decades in Paoli, opened a second location in Phoenixville this month at 498 Nutt Road.
The borough also recently welcomed The Local, a breakfast and lunch restaurant at 324 Bridge St.
In West Chester, Olive & Meadow, a business focused on charcuterie boards and grazing tables, opened its brick-and-mortar location at 1388 Old Wilmington Pike this month.
The business, which began in 2020 when Ariel LeVasseur dropped off charcuterie boards for her friends to enjoy while they chatted from afar on Zoom, grew from custom orders prepared in a commercial kitchen to a spot where customers can seek grab-and-go board items.
“I love Chester County. I’m from Delco, but I think Chester County is so historic and beautiful,” she said. “I feel like everybody is very welcoming, and I know that a lot of people like supporting small businesses.”
The new shop near the former Dilworthtown Inn offers all that, and everything else LeVasseur hopes will make hosting a breeze. Coming next year, she hopes to partner with local wineries and host workshops.
“I just want them to feel like they stepped into my home, and grab some gourmet cheeses and meats and like, share the love of charcuterie that I have,” she said.
Others close their doors
As new businesses enter the scene, the community is also losing some favorites: Bookstore Bakery, a bookstore that offers gourmet pastries at 145 W. Gay St., will be closing its doors by the end of the year after having opened in 2024.
LaCava Coffee, a neighbor on Gay Street, is also winding down its brick-and-mortar, but will continue selling its coffee beans online.
“I always wanted to create something that connects my roots and that I can be connected to my home country,” said its owner, Jose Oliva, who is from Honduras. “I started the dream of creating a brand, and by 2022 we were able to accomplish a dream, and by personal efforts, we opened a very beautiful store that we ran and operated into November 2025.”
Oliva said the increased cost of coffee, a lack of substantive foot traffic, and the initial difficulty in opening the location, which sapped his capital, ultimately led to the decision. He is eyeing a relocation to Virginia.
“In a business if you don’t have a working capital for innovation, for development, for marketing, it is very difficult. Even so, we did it for almost two years and a few months,” he said. “We did it very successfully and with a lot of pride and we always maintain our customer service at its fullest.”
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