“This building asked us to work with what was already there \u2014 the light, the structure, the memory of the place,” Alex Gauzza, principal at ISA, said in a statement. “The Chocolate Factory shows what’s possible when adaptive reuse isn’t just about preserving a facade, but about giving a building back to the neighborhood it was built in \u2014 this time as a home for the organizations that serve it every day.”<\/p>\n
\nThe site was originally built in 1922 for the Blumenthal Brothers Chocolate Company, which were among the country\u2019s leading manufacturers of candies, chocolate liquors and cocoa powder. The company was eventually sold in 1984 to Nestl\u00e9, who closed the Philly factory that same year. The building, which has remained empty since, was added to the National Register of Historic Places<\/a> in 2023.\n<\/p>\n ISA restored the building’s terracotta detailing and original signage and also preserved the steel-frame windows, masonry, brick walls and an 80-foot water tower jutting from the roof.\n<\/p>\n “The Blumenthal Chocolate Factory adaptive reuse project is a model factory-to-commercial conversion project, repurposing a well-built but long vacant and decaying historic industrial building into productive and attractive workspaces,” Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, said in a statement. “We hope that it serves as an example for owners of other similar historic buildings in Philadelphia and elsewhere.”<\/p>\n \nThe Chocolate Factory is one of several Philly businesses that have recently begun a new phase. Here are other announcements that have been made over the past couple of weeks:\n<\/p>\n Openings \n2300 S. Croskey St., Girard Park \nProudly branding itself as the first Japanese cutlet restaurant in the city, Panco kicked off its soft opening on Thursday, Sept. 24. A grand opening date is slated to be announced soon, the restaurant said on social media.<\/p>\n \nChef and owner Ryo Igarashi, a longtime Philadelphia restaurant worker, specializes in katsu, which is Japanese for cutlet. Panco’s small menu offers chicken, vegetable and pork katsu as well as kasudon, which serves the cutlets over eggs and rice.\n<\/p>\n “Panco is about spreading positive energy through culinary experiences to the world,” its website says. “Driven by passion, grounded by values \u2026 Panco is hoping to keep making a small contribution to the world.”<\/p>\n Recess Film Lab <\/a><\/p>\n \n1901 S. 9th Street, Lovely \nA full-service film lab will be joining the lineup of tenants at the Bok Building, offering color and black-and-white developing, high-resolution scanning and printing services.\u00a0Recess will make its debut during Bok Building’s open studio event on Friday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n Manzanita<\/a><\/p>\n \n711 S. 4th St., Queen Village \nUniversity City-based vintage clothing boutique will open its second location across the river in Queen Village later this fall on Fabric Row.\n<\/p>\n “We’ve been bursting at the seams \u2014 with excitement, fear, possibility and all the feelings that come with doing something NEW,” owner Dorit Avganim wrote on Instagram<\/a> on Sept. 23. “… To be featured in the company of so many of our favorite vintage heroes, on a street we’ve loved, shopped and been inspired by for years makes the whole thing feel even more surreal.”<\/p>\n \nAvganim, who opened the original location in 2023, told\u00a0Philly Mag<\/a> that she hopes to make the South Philly spot more of a community space with events, rather than solely a retail spot.\n<\/p>\n Brothers Florin, left, and Marco Matranxhi will open their second restaurant at 738 S. 11th St. in Bella Vista, the former home of the Lodge by Two Robbers.<\/p>\n \nRavello<\/a><\/p>\n \n738 S. 11th St., Bella Vista \nThe brothers behind Adoro in Queen Village will open another Italian<\/a> BYOB at the former Two Robbers tasting room. An opening date hasn\u2019t been set yet, but the owners said they are looking to get the restaurant running as soon as possible.\n<\/p>\n \nOn social media, the owners said the new location would have a “completely different concept and menu.”<\/p>\n “We’re growing. A new second location is officially part of our journey,” they wrote<\/a>. “More space, more memories, and the same passion for Italian food and hospitality.”<\/p>\n \nThese businesses also opened in the past few weeks:\n<\/p>\n \u2022 Gateways Cinescape: 1203 Germantown Ave. Suite 103, North Philly \n29 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township, New Jersey \nThe vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free fast-casual restaurant will close its flagship location in Haddon Township after 11 years. The last day of its full kitchen will be Friday, Oct. 9, and limited offerings will be available through the end of the month.\n<\/p>\n \nAshley Coyne, owner and founder of the restaurant, announced the closure in an Instagram<\/a> post on Tuesday, Sept. 22, adding that the restaurant industry is “not for the weak.”<\/p>\n “This isn’t a goodbye \u2014 goodbeet will be around in some capacity,” she wrote. “Doing pop ups \/ some wholesale accounts \/ whatever else I can dream up once I have a clear head and for the first time in eleven years, some real days off.”<\/p>\n Ten7 Brewing<\/a><\/p>\n \n510 Beaver St., North Wales \nAfter eight years in business, Ten7 Brewing in Montgomery County will close its taproom in the coming months. A final closure date has not been made public.\n<\/p>\n “Over the years, we have felt an incredible amount of love and support from so many of you,” the brewery wrote on Instagram<\/a> on Sept. 23. “Ten7 has been so much more than a brewery to us, and we hope that you have felt the love from us in return.”<\/p>\n mother.<\/a><\/p>\n \n202 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown \nThe elevated Mexican restaurant in the heart of Downingtown will close Saturday, Oct. 10, exactly one week after its one-year anniversary.\n<\/p>\n “Since its beginning, mother. was never about us and what we could gain,” the restaurant wrote<\/a> on Instagram. “From day one, it was all about what we could give to the town we love. \u2026 However, not everything we give is expected to be received and received in the right way. We may not have been everyone’s choice, but we are proud of everything we put forth and the amazing staff and culture we’ve cultivated here.”<\/p>\n \nThe restaurant will remain open during regular hours leading up to its closure.\n<\/p>\n The Fire, the Northern Liberties music venue housed inside the Philadelphia Bar & Grille, is closing after 27 years on Girard Avenue.<\/p>\n \nThe Fire<\/a><\/p>\n \n412 W. Girard Ave.
\nPanco<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
Opening soon<\/p>\n
Opening in October<\/p>\n
Opening Saturday, Nov. 7<\/p>\n![\"Ravella](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Ravellos_Bella_Vista.original.width-704.jpg\")
Michaela Althouse\/PhillyVoice<\/p>\n
\n
Opening soon<\/p>\n
\u2022 Curaleaf: 1321 N. Front St., Kensington
\u2022 Madis Coffee Roasters: 828 N. Second St, Northern Liberties
\u2022 Haraz Rittenhouse: 1822 Chestnut St., Rittenhouse
\nClosings
\ngoodbeet<\/a><\/p>\n
Closing Oct. 31<\/p>\n
\n
Closing soon<\/p>\n
Closing Oct. 10<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/The_fire_closing.width-704.jpg\")
Michael Tanenbaum\/PhillyVoice<\/p>\n
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Closing soon<\/p>\n