Roadside bakeries are gaining popularity | Inquirer Chester County
Plus, a teahouse is relocating to Exton this month.
Hi, Chester County! 👋
Microbakeries are popping up around the county. Here’s where you can find some. Also this week, a teahouse and community space is planning to relocate to Exton, a former Malvern business owner has been sentenced to prison for deceptive practices, plus a new jazz cafe is opening in Coatesville.
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A small but growing number of home bakers in Chester County are looking to fill a void in the community — and in people’s stomachs.
Microbakeries are slowly growing countywide, with 28 licensed as of last year. They’re selling goods like breads, cookies, cinnamon buns, and pancake mixes from stands outside their homes or through online ordering.
While some of these bakers prioritize premium ingredients, many are also putting in something you won’t find on the label. “I like to put a lot of heart and soul into it,” said one baker. “I feel if you’re going to put good energy into that, people are going to feel that.”
The Inquirer’s Brooke Schultz recently visited some of these microbakeries.
A Coatesville business, whose name is inspired by the Norwegian term for contentment and coziness, is relocating to Exton this month.
The goal of moving Koselig Nook is to ensure more Chester County residents have access to the teahouse, which also functions as a third space. Visitors can reserve a time in the relaxing atmosphere — which has a no-shoes policy — for select weekday or weekend slots.
The idea is to give people a calming place to go between work or school that’s not a bar.
Read more about what inspired Koselig Nook.
📍 Countywide News
Residents expressed anger after Enforcement and Removal Operations agents allegedly made what some described to 6abc as “violent” arrests in Phoenixville last week. Video from the confrontation shows agents dragging a person from a vehicle before being taken into custody. Shortly after the incidents, the Chester County District Attorney and the Chester County Police Chiefs Association released a joint statement saying that no police departments in the county have been deputized to carry out ICE actions, nor do they enforce immigration orders. They also noted that they will investigate any major incident to ensure no local laws were violated, adding that “Chester County law enforcement is dedicated to protecting the public, regardless of their immigration status.”
In case you missed it, last week the county publicly presented findings from an investigation into the error that left independent and unaffiliated voters off November’s poll books. After the report, some residents called for greater accountability and noted it fell short of addressing problems that could happen again.
A Democratic campaign manager was charged last week in Chester County for allegedly filing fraudulent nomination petitions in the 2024 primary race for auditor general, including the forged signatures of a Chester County judge, Coatesville city council members, and the West Goshen Township supervisor.
💡 Community News
The Winter Olympics are underway, bringing curling back to the global spotlight and a familiar face along with it. Taylor Anderson-Heide, who’s competing for Team USA tomorrow night, trained at the Philadelphia Curling Club in Paoli and graduated from Marple Newtown High School. Planning to catch the action? Here’s a primer to the sport.
A Downingtown dog involved in four attacks since 2023, including one that seriously injured a neighbor’s 4-year-old son, was euthanized last week after the case escalated to district court. The owner has several other dogs who’ve been accused of being aggressive, leaving the boy’s parents frustrated that additional action hasn’t been taken.
A Coatesville couple has been found guilty of third-degree murder in the death of their 8-year-old son, who died from ingesting fentanyl, morphine, and cocaine. Mousa Hawa, 43, and Holly Back, 42, were arrested in June 2024 after an investigation found drugs and drug paraphernalia near their son’s body.
A Massachusetts man was arrested and charged last week after an alleged armed robbery at the Santander Bank in London Grove Township. Nicholas Casaburri, 44, is accused of taking $11,350 before fleeing in a vehicle and eventually crashing on Clay Creek Road, where he was apprehended by state police. Casaburri’s charges include robbery, fleeing and alluding, and aggravated assault.
The former owner of Malvern furniture store M. Kaplan Interiors was recently sentenced to six to 23 months in prison and required to pay back over $530,000 in restitution for defrauding dozens of customers. Matthew Kaplan, 37, of Rydal, previously pleaded guilty to deceptive business practices and other charges for allegedly never fulfilling paid furniture orders.
Heads up for drivers: PennDot has approved a new four-way stop at the South Valley Road and East and West Circular Avenues intersection in Tredyffrin Township. Work to install the stop signs and road markings is expected to take place this spring.
Last week, Kennett Square borough council passed a resolution declaring a phorid fly infestation and hydrogen sulfide emissions emergency, noting they are dangerous to public health and the local economy. The council addressed the phorid fly issue in 2024, resulting in a quarantine order. The borough is now urging state and federal agencies to fund mitigation research and implement additional emergency steps to address the issues that impact mushroom farming.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Reminder for families: Most schools are closed Monday for Presidents’ Day and a few districts — Great Valley, Tredyffrin/Easttown, and Unionville-Chadds Ford — won’t have classes Tuesday in observance of Lunar New Year.
Students at Phoenixville Area High School staged a walkout Friday to protest ICE actions. A district spokesperson told NBC10 that with the help of staff and law enforcement, the district “monitored and supervised the walkout” and that students returned to class afterward.
Phoenixville Area School District is hosting a kindergarten information night on Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center.
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District will form a redistricting steering committee this spring as it gears up to make changes to its elementary school boundaries ahead of Bear Hill Elementary opening next summer. Applications for the committee are expected to open in April.
Coatesville Area School District middle school students are set to benefit from a new initiative at West Chester University that will work with seventh and eighth graders through their first year of college. The seven-year program is being supported by a $10.26 million federal grant and is aimed at boosting graduation rates, preparing students for college, and developing “essential” skills. The grant is expected to help more than 1,800 students, including in the Chester and William Penn School Districts.
Last week, Kennett Consolidated School District released a draft of its Comprehensive School Counseling Plan for 2026 through 2029, which would replace the guidance counseling model with a new one requiring more data-focused planning and outcome measurement. Changes include renaming guidance counselors as school counselors and hiring one elementary counselor next school year, followed by a second counselor the following year. Families can provide feedback through March 3.
🍽️ On our Plate
A new bagel shop is opening in Phoenixville on Saturday. Street Cart Bagels, which took over the former Boston Market at 240 Nutt Rd., specializes in malt-boiled, slow fermented bagels, which are available as singles or by the half-dozen or dozen. It also offers bagel sandwiches, melts, fish salads, and coffee. Street Cart is cashless and accepts credit and debit cards as well as mobile wallet payments.
A new jazz spot is officially opening next week. Andrea’s Jazz Cafe, located at 236 E. Lincoln Highway in Coatesville, is hosting its grand opening on Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Victory Brewing Company has teamed up with Visit Philadelphia to launch a new beer celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Philly First is a crisp, 4.8% ABV ale with notes of citrus, floral, tropical fruit, and pine. The Downingtown-based brewery will offer it in its taprooms starting Sunday, including in Kennett Square and Parkesburg. It will then be available at other bars and liquor stores starting around mid-March.
🎳 Things to Do
🌿 Garden Glow: Explore Longwood Gardens’ conservatories and Main Fountain Garden after hours when they’ll be lit in ways that show off sometimes overlooked features. ⏰ Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Feb. 13-March 8, 5-10 p.m. 💵 $15-$25 for members, $25-$45 for non-members 📍 Longwood Gardens
🎙️ America’s Sweethearts: The Andrews Sisters-inspired swing band will transport listeners back in time. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. 💵 $46-$60 📍 Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center, West Chester
🎶 Ruben Studdard: The American Idol winner and Grammy-nominated singer is bringing “The Masterpiece Tour” to town. ⏰ Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. 💵 $42-$96 📍 Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center, West Chester
🏡 On the Market
Located in the Daylesford Lake community in Berwyn, this three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom, end-unit townhouse provides waterfront views and outdoor living space thanks to a wraparound deck. The home’s first floor features an open-concept two-story foyer, living room, and dining room; an office; and an eat-in kitchen, complete with an island, quartz countertops, and a butler’s pantry. There’s also a first-floor primary suite with deck access, a sitting or office area, a bathroom with a double vanity, and two walk-in closets. There are two additional bedrooms upstairs, and a partially finished walk-out basement downstairs. There’s an open house Friday from noon to 2 p.m.
See more photos of the townhouse here.
Price: $895,000 | Size: 3,658 SF | Acreage: 0.06
🗞️ What other Chester County residents are reading this week:
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