Good to Know: October 2026

Fresh Finds

West Chester welcomes two new stores this fall. Now open on East Gay Street, Setting the Bar offers curated vintage barware, custom bars, cocktail classes and private events. 153 E. Gay St. @SettingTheBar.Shop. Coming soon, West Chester Refillery Station will offer package-free (BYO container) organic and eco-friendly goods, from household and beauty products to pantry staples, coffee and tea, and even pet supplies. 54 E. Gay St. WestChesterRefilleryStation.com

Save Darlington Inn

Help save one of Westtown Township’s last remaining historic buildings. The Westtown-Brandywine Historical Society has proposed a historic preservation easement to protect the Darlington Inn, which could be sold at public auction. Built in 1823, the inn was a meeting place for the abolitionist Whig and Republican parties, featuring serpentine stone walls, period details, beehive oven remnants and remarkable carvings by local artist David H. Taylor. Sign the petition at Change.org.

Fall Reads

Add two new books by local authors to your reading list. Sue Weldon, founder and CEO of Unite for HER, presents “Heal Empower Restore,” a whole-person care guide for breast and ovarian cancer, with integrative therapies, recipes and inspiring stories. For kids, John F. Rappold Jr.’s debut, “The Little Ghost & The New Friend,” is a cozy autumn friendship story about a ghost named Wisp and his new neighbor, Penelope. UniteForHER.org/HealEmpowerRestore; JohnFRappold.com

A New Chapter

The Chester County History Center welcomes Kim Collison as its new president. With more than 20 years of museum and nonprofit experience, Collison most recently served as Curator of Exhibitions at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, spearheading major exhibitions including “Ann Lowe: American Couturier” and “Costuming The Crown.” She plans to expand CCHC’s cultural impact, strengthen community connections and ensure long-term stability. 225 N. High St., West Chester. MyCCHC.org

Look Closely

Historic London Grove Friends Meeting recently opened its newly renovated gallery space with “Faces in Quaker Trees,” an exhibit by nationally recognized nature photographer Atala Toy. Her photographs reveal images seemingly hidden in trees on the grounds of Quaker Meetinghouses throughout the region, including London Grove, Kennett, Birmingham, Swarthmore and Arch Street Meetinghouses. See them for yourself Sundays during Meeting events through December. 500 W. Street Rd., Kennett Square. LondonGroveMeeting.org