Farm-to-table events venue grows its own food | Inquirer Chester County
Plus, SALT Performing Arts’ home is slated to go up for bid.
Hi, Chester County!
A new events venue is putting a twist on farm-to-table cuisine. Here’s how. Also this week, a Downingtown teen is sporting Team USA colors in the Youth Olympic Games; West Pikeland Township plans to put its municipal building, home to SALT Performing Arts, up for bid; plus the scoop on a new Korean chicken joint also serving bubble-style gluten-free doughnuts.
— Lisa Dukart (chestercounty@inquirer.com)
P.S. We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us back here.
Want to get Inquirer Chester County straight to your inbox every week? Sign up here for our guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in your community.
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Chester County’s newest events venue, Willowdale, is putting an agricultural twist on its menu.
In true farm-to-table fashion, the venue is growing produce and herbs on its Kennett Square property and serving them to guests. And ingredients aren’t just showing up on plates — they’re also being muddled for cocktails.
It’s a fitting nod to Willowdale’s roots, which was once a working farm.
Owners Michael and Katherine Bucklin are in the process of adding farm animals, including chickens that will produce eggs for the kitchen.
📍 Countywide news
Pennsylvania voters cast their ballots yesterday in the midterm election. See results here.
The statewide measles outbreak, which spread into Chester County, appears to be slowing down, but officials warn that numbers could spike with the colder weather.
The county is slated to get over 50 new electric vehicle chargers after Gov. Josh Shapiro announced $37 million in funding for charging stations throughout southeastern Pennsylvania last week. New stations will be installed in East Vincent Township, Frazer, Kennett Square, Malvern, Paoli, Phoenixville, Thorndale, and West Chester.
East Goshen and Penn Townships are hosting recycling events Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, both of which are open to non-residents. One will take place at East Goshen Park and the other at Penn Township Park. Registration is recommended.
A number of new projects are slated to get underway in the coming week, including on Caln, East Reeceville, and Westtown Roads, causing closures and detours.
💡 Community news
West Pikeland officials voted this week to put the township’s municipal building up for bid, a move that jeopardizes SALT Performing Arts’ home there. The bid, which is slated to be advertised today, doesn’t protect the community theater’s lease. SALT has invested nearly $400,000 into the building, and the decision to put it up for sale has drawn ire from its supporters.
West Pikeland officials also voted Monday on playground renovation plans that will keep “Cayden’s Corner” in its existing location at Pine Creek Park. The sandbox opened in 2023 to memorialize a local family’s son who died at 7 days old.
Main Line Health, which owns Paoli Hospital, is no longer accepting cash or checks for any transactions, including patient copays and gift shop purchases. Here’s why.
Downingtown native Abbey McGettigan has been tapped to cocaptain Team USA’s women’s rugby sevens team at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, which kicked off over the weekend. Get to know the 17-year-old and how she developed a passion for the sport.
Lincoln University was among the historically Black colleges to gather at Lincoln Financial Field over the weekend for this year’s One Philly HBCU Week. While the Lower Oxford Township school’s football team didn’t fare well on the field, the weekend was a celebration of HBCU culture that attracted no shortage of stars.
Uwchlan Township’s board of supervisors is meeting tonight at 7 p.m. to consider, and possibly take action on, a proposed 492-home community on the Lionville Station Road property.
Ellie Dermond was sworn in last week as the newest member of South Coatesville Borough’s council.
Chester County officials recently broke ground on a new affordable senior housing community in Paoli. Located at 29 Industrial Blvd., Cornerstone at Willistown will have 57 units for individuals 62 and older, with 48 of them being designated as affordable. It’s slated to open in 2028.
A new Giant grocery store is opening its doors on Friday. Located at The Shoppes of Sadsbury, the grocer joins retailers Burlington, HomeGoods, and PetSmart. A Target is slated to open there in May.
Willistown Township is hosting a tree giveaway on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Okehocking Preserve in Newtown Square.
🏫 Schools briefing
Tredyffrin-Easttown School District has adopted its academic calendar for the 2027-28 school year.
🍽️ On our plate
Restaurateur David Backhus and his partners recently launched a new restaurant at their former Collective Coffee & Bakery space in Glenmoore. The Inquirer’s Michael Klein has the details on Maru and its double-fried Korean chicken sandwiches, bao buns, and bubble-style gluten-free doughnuts.
Recently opened Kennett Square restaurant Opus is expanding its offerings today with the debut of its espresso bar. The upstairs space, open Wednesdays through Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., offers coffees and light bites.
🎳 Things to do
🧁 The Great Bake-Off: Sample and judge sweet treats as local bakers compete for bragging rights. ⏰ Friday, Nov. 6, 5:30-8 p.m. 💵 $15 for bakers, $20 for tasters 📍 The Hook Experiment, Oxford
🛍️ Holiday Craft Fair: Browse goods from over 70 vendors. ⏰ Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Church Farm School, Exton
📚 The Adult Book Fair: Inspired by Scholastic Book Fairs, this nostalgia-inducing take will feature books from local bookstores, local authors, vendors, a juice box bar, and more. ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 8, 1-5 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 The Creamery, Kennett Square
🇺🇸 West Chester Veterans Day Parade: Ahead of the holiday, recognize the region’s veterans and their service. ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Gay, Church, and High Streets, West Chester
🏡 On the market
This four-bedroom Newtown Square home features a columned entryway, an in-ground pool, two decks, and a patio. Inside, the living room has vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, and spiral stairs that lead to a balcony. There’s also a dining room, a library, a den with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, a gym, and a kitchen with an island and granite countertops. There’s an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
See more photos of the property here.
Price: $1,112,500 | Size: 3,700 SF | Acreage: 2
🗞️ What other Chester County residents are reading this week:
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
