The Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance has announced that it will create a small business incubator at 228 East Lincoln Highway, where the former Coatesville Army-Navy store was located. 

Aptly named, the Made In Coatesville Small Business Incubator will provide a physical location for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products and services, along with wrap-around business education programming. It will have regular shopping hours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. 

“With our offices recently moving to the former Army-Navy store at 228, we saw the abundance of space as an ideal opportunity to offer small businesses an affordable location to launch their enterprises,” said Amber Little-Turner, 2nd Century Alliance Downtown Manager. 

Applications are now being accepted for the program at the website, 2ndCenturyAlliance.org, and an in-person information session will be held on Monday, Sept. 19 at 5 PM at 228 East Lincoln Highway in Coatesville. 

There is no shortage of entrepreneur and small business support in the City of Coatesville. The Chester County Economic Development Council recently opened a Business Resource Center at 190 West Lincoln Highway, which is home to another incubator program, the nth Innovation Center. Furthermore, the City of Coatesville offers a Business Skills for Success program in partnership with Kutztown University’s Small Business Development Center. 

Sonia Huntzinger, Executive Director of the 2nd Century Alliance said, “We’re excited to be able to offer more opportunity for local entrepreneurs here in the city with the launch of the Made In Coatesville incubator.” 

Looker Books, an independent bookstore and the first tenant in the incubator, held their grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 13. Dana Looker, the shop’s proprietor said, “I am so excited to be a part of this program and to have a downtown location. The response from the community has exceeded my expectations.” 

The 2nd Century Alliance was founded in 2015 when the city celebrated 100 years of incorporation to ensure Coatesville’s “second century” is economically prosperous. As a public/private partnership funded in part by the Chester County Commissioners and private sector contributions, the organization’s mission is to drive economic development in the City of Coatesville that enables the community to thrive.