The Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) has announced that its Business Resource Center has a new permanent home on the second floor of 357 E. Lincoln Highway in Coatesville. In its first year, the center was located inside nth Innovation Center. The center serves small business owners and entrepreneurs with free access to business coaching in areas such as financing, human resources and marketing. The center plans to partner with the City of Coatesville to further some of its efforts.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on the evening of Oct. 10, organized by the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce and attended by Coatesville officials as well as the Business Resource Center's primary partners - West Chester University and the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center.

Among those attending the celebration was Micah Holmes, head chef at The Butter Pecan Cafe, owned by his mother, Jamoca Harkins. The cafe, which specializes in Southern-style desserts, recently opened down the street from the CCEDC Business Resource Center and is a tenant of the Made in Coatesville Small Business Incubator program, an initiative of the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance. Through CCEDC's New Business Champions program, Harkins received thousands of dollars in free services, including business plan coaching, startup services and mentorship from subject matter experts.

Thirty-six Coatesville business owners have benefited from CCEDC's New Business Champions program since it launched in February 2022 to help small businesses develop critical entrepreneurial skills. Underrepresented businesses were given priority during the application process. Funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act served 87 businesses served across Chester County. The CCEDC Business Resource Center will also offer access to the Pennsylvania Loan Catalyst Fund, which provides low-interest loans to business owners who have not qualified for conventional bank debt.

Services at the CCEDC Business Resource Center are by appointment to accommodate the schedules of entrepreneurs who may be working additional jobs as they grow or get their new businesses off the ground. In addition to free, one-on-one coaching, the center holds workshops on financing, business development, marketing and management strategies.

Interested small business owners and entrepreneurs can set up an appointment at https://ccedcpa.com/business_resource_center/.