Hatboro officials are hoping for a small business renaissance within the coming months.
Guiding the trend is an expected influx of residents: Mayor Tim Schultz and borough manager Diane Hegele say a growing demand for food and retail will come as three new apartment complexes lease tenants.
Victorian Village at Loller Academy, a 55+ luxury rental community located at 420 S. York Road, has been gradually unveiling new buildings as they are completed.
“Those residents are wonderful. They’re all over our business community,” Hegele told Glenside Local. “I stop in and see them often, and borough staff meets with them once a quarter to keep them informed about what’s going on.”
Milliner Lofts, a 36-unit apartment complex at 24-28 S York Road, is expected to welcome its first tenants sometime this fall, and 110 forthcoming apartment units at 21-37 N York Road (the former Canalley Property) are expected to be ready by sometime in 2026.
“When these apartments open up, it’s going to create a demand. We expect between 500-800 new residents in town,” Schultz said. “We’re all about Hatboro. I think we’re due for a real renaissance. My goal is to promote Hatboro’s small businesses and the families involved. I think inside of a year, there’s going to be much more activity in street as younger people move in.”
In terms of local eateries, the 1.5-square mile footprint lost Hatboro Dish in February, El Limon in May, and Ross & Co. in June.
“The borough is fighting to keep El Limon open. We don’t want another empty storefront,” Hegele said, noting that the Zoning Hearing Board will likely make a ruling on August 13. “The owners are saying the location isn’t making them enough money, so for the time being their ‘ghost kitchen’ is being used for their other restaurants.”
As area residents mourn those departures, a number of new eateries are filling the void: Jones’n Bagels opened late last year at 315 N York Road, The Greek Korner at 133 South York Road launched in February, Pacitti Brothers Ice Cream & Hot Dogs opened at 105 N York Road in late June, Bleigh Street on York at 102 S. York Road opened in early July in the former Hatboro Dish space, and Silvio’s Deli, located at 100 N York Road, opened a couple weeks later.
In June, Hegele and company announced that the Hungry Hideaway Outdoor Dining Area on East Monument Avenue will be open for visitors as part of the borough’s revamped First Fridays. The outdoor seating areas will reopen in September.
Hatboro’s Newcomers
Sweet Baby’s Tea Room, located at 109 N York Road in Hatboro, is expecting to be open for business once their permitting process is finalized. Concordance Ferments, a new brewpub at 18 Horsham Road, is hoping to open sometime in September. A Philly Philly Cheesesteaks is expected to open sometime in the fall within the forthcoming Milliner Lofts. Castorina’s Chili bar and BBQ is expected to open for business at 325 S York Road in Hatboro (the former Whiskey Fox Hair Parlor) by late summer.
“A husband-and-wife team are bringing burgers, shakes, and beer. We’re excited, that’s right in the middle of town. Good pub food,” Schultz said of Philly Philly Cheesesteaks.
Schultz started out years ago in the borough’s Chamber of Commerce, an entity he now serves as president.
“Our goal is to promote all businesses in the borough. I think we’ve had our share of challenges. Ross & Co.’s closure kind of stunk,” Schultz told Glenside Local. “We’re hoping to have another tenant soon, but we’ve had a rash of new restaurants that have popped up, and we’re very excited about them. Bleigh Street on York is offering really good pub food without the pub. The Greek Korner is another family-owned restaurant came in and they’re doing quite well. The Pacciti Brothers are doing great work,” Schultz said.
Longtime Favorites
Familiar favorites for Schultz include Daddypops Diner (232 N York Road) and a wealth of pizza shops including Amy’s Family Pizzeria, Joe’s Pizza, and Hatboro Pizza, among others.
“Daddypops is legendary. They were taken over by new owners two years ago. We have die-hards that go there on a daily basis. It’s a local tradition for breakfast and lunch,” Schultz said.
Amor Ala Mexicana (134 S York Road) has been going strong since 2023, Trattoria Valona (420 S York Road) launched in 2021, and Steel Penny Cafe (451 Oakdale Avenue) opened in 2020.
“During the car show, Amor Ala Mexicana did their version of street corn, and it was a real hit for everyone at that event,” Schultz said. “Trattoria’s husband-and-wife team have such great food there. It’s a BYOB next to Borough Hall, and insanely good Italian food. Another big draw for everyone in town is the Steel Penny Cafe. They’re phenomenal. They have Detroit-style pizza with a cafe serving wine and the like. They’re a hidden gem.”
Hungry Moon Foods (36 South York Road) are “right smack in the middle of town at the former Village Pretzel. They have empanadas and Argentinian-style food,” Schultz said, highlighting Luhv Food and Towey’s Tavern as well.
“They do great food and they’re tremendous supporters of all things Hatboro,” he said.
“He’s Mister Hatboro,” Hegele said of Schultz. As borough manager, she says part of her job description these days is to keep people informed about borough developments.
“We have a bunch of weekly things that we do. This is our fourth week of doing Hatboro Happenings on our Facebook page, which talks about things that people might miss. On Tuesdays, we’ve been doing a ‘Meet the Team’ Tuesday, where we spotlight local leaders. On Wednesdays, we do an ‘Informed Citizen’ highlight. We now have 14 ways that people can be informed about what’s going on in town,” she said. “We have 10,000 residents, so it’s impossible to know everyone. We’re doing our best to get the word out to as many people as possible.”
Hegele, who has been with the borough since 1997, is encouraging area residents to keep a positive outlook.
“I’m very excited to be a part of this, because I think things are changing in Hatboro. I truly believe that more people will bring more business, and I think that will change the makeup of York Road,” she said. “We’re a small, busy borough. We have an awesome business community. I’d like to see more people come here. We have great events, a strong Chamber of Commerce, great youth sports. The small businesses are those that sponsor the local happenings, donating to marching bands and the like, and they’re the ones that need our support.”
We will be in touch with updates. Stay tuned.
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.