BORN IN STEEL, THE CITY IS REEMERGING AS AN ENTERTAINMENT, RESTAURANT AND RETAIL CENTER Edwin Malet
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OING WEST ON LINCOLN AVENUE, PAST Downingtown, past Thorndale and Caln, past a very, very long commercial strip, is downtown Coatesville. Darlene Jenkin-Walls of the Chester County Economic Development Council says there’s a lot happening here. A railway station is being rebuilt. Construction of a sports complex has begun. Restaurants, retail … it’s just getting started. Since 2019, over 30 businesses — for example, Máquina, a coffee roaster; John Belli, a custom furniture maker; The Stem’s End, a floral arrangement company; and CZ Woodworking, specializing in handcrafted, custom-made furniture — have taken residence in the Midway Arts building at 139 East Chestnut Street. The fivestory space is already filled. According to Amber Little-Turner, Executive Director of the 2nd Century Alliance, the building has “a consistent waitlist.” On Lincoln Avenue, The Record Kitchen + Bar and The Iron Eagle Bar and Grille, have been open and operating since last year. Several small retail businesses — Looker Books, West Branch Herbs & Tea, The Butter Pecan Café, Stingy Brims, Mimi’s Favorite Things and Closet Babe — are incubating at the Made in Coatesville Market. Others — Steel City Brewing, 30 Prime Seafood and Chophouse, Andrea’s Jazz Café — are still under
Máquina
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County Lines | February 2024 | CountyLinesMagazine.com
construction and scheduled to open this year. In short, though some of Coatesville’s future still remains a dream — for instance, a performing arts center at the Gateway Project is still seeking partners — after years of positive forecasts and prom-
