The JCPenney store at Christiana Mall has changed ownership in a $13.5 million transaction, according to Delaware Business Times.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 4, 2026. Full details are in the original article.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/jcpenny-christiana-mall-trades-hands-for-13-5m/
Verified 2026-08-13
The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille at Christiana is now available for leasing opportunities. Listed by DSM Commercial, the 6,600-square-foot restaurant and bar at 425 Stanton Christiana Road is advertised as a turnkey restaurant opportunity, and as a flexible concept for casual or family dining or franchise conversion.
The Greene Turtle at Christiana is still open and there have been no notices of closure. In November the chain abruptly closed its Middletown location in the Westown Shopping Center, one of several closures last year that also included Towson, Bel Air and Westminster in Maryland.
The Greene Turtle is a Mid-Atlantic casual dining and sports bar chain that opened in Ocean City, Maryland in 1976 and began franchising in 2002, with around 30 locations across the region. DSM brokers Dann Gladnick and Dan Wham listed the property and declined to comment.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 12, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/greene-turtle-lease/
Verified 2026-08-13
Delaware State University and the Biggs Museum of American Art have launched a pilot program at the historic Schwartz Center for the Arts in downtown Dover, pairing the university-owned theater with the museum’s arts programming.
The monthly series runs through March 2027 and brings music, dance, film, comedy, lectures and other programming to the venue every third Thursday of the month.
DSU executive director of communications Michael Nicholls-Pierce told the Delaware Business Times the goal is twofold: showcasing what both organizations offer, and “primarily to be able to showcase all that the city of Dover has to offer.” The Schwartz Center at 226 S. State St. was originally built as the Dover Opera House in 1904, later became the Capitol Theater, closed in 1982 and was restored and reopened.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 11, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/dsu-biggs-schwartz-center/
Verified 2026-08-13
Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union will offer low-interest loans to graduates of West End Neighborhood House’s Launcher Entrepreneurship Program in Wilmington, expanding capital access for entrepreneurs who may not qualify for a traditional bank loan.
The loans are backed by $469,000 in state funds awarded by the Delaware Community Investment Venture Fund, created to expand capital access in low- to moderate-income communities and small businesses. Capital One has also committed a $250,000 capital deposit at CDFI Stepping Stones to back the program. Loans are capped at $10,000 per Launcher graduate and carry a 2% interest rate.
West End Neighborhood House is a nonprofit providing financial coaching, housing stability and youth development programs. Launcher, its core entrepreneurship program, runs 14 weeks of courses in business planning and financial projections.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 11, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/launcher-grad-loans/
Verified 2026-08-13
Titan Hospitality Group opened The Farmhouse Middletown on August 11 at Westown Town Center, taking over a former Greene Turtle location.
The farm-to-fork restaurant features scratch-made dishes and locally inspired ingredients, with a menu of hand-tossed pizzas, steaks, seafood, seasonal dishes and handcrafted cocktails plus beer and wine. Chefs create rotating specials based in part on ingredients from local farms, butchers and seafood suppliers.
Titan is primarily based in Howard County, Maryland and operates concepts across Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia and Delaware. The company told the Delaware Business Times that The Farmhouse Middletown attracted more interested job applicants than nearly any Titan opening in the past 18 months.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 7, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/titan-hospitality-middletown/
Verified 2026-08-13
Currito, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in bowls, salads and smoothies, has opened its first Delaware location at 511 Grove Lane in The Grove near the University of Delaware.
Franchisee Piyush Patel, a Newark-area businessman with prior multi-unit experience operating Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Dunkin’ Donuts locations, plans to bring three additional Currito restaurants to the area. The Newark restaurant is expected to employ 15 to 20 workers across full and part-time roles.
Currito vice president of franchise development Scotty Geiger told the Delaware Business Times that The Grove “has got the visibility, the traffic, and the growth trajectory we look for when selecting new franchise locations.”
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 10, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/currito-delaware-debut/
Verified 2026-08-13
The Delaware Division of Small Business began accepting applications for the fall EDGE Grant competition on August 11, and hosted an informational webinar the same morning. Registration is at de.gov/edge.
EDGE – Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion – is the Division’s flagship funding program. Over the past six years it has awarded $10.3 million to 136 small businesses. The current version has $1.15 million available plus post-award support for finalists and winners.
This year’s competition is a one-day pitch and award event on November 10, including education, networking with small business vendors and a chance for high-impact small businesses to meet venture capital firms.
Eligibility: individuals who have not yet opened, or businesses operating less than seven years, majority located in Delaware (51% or more) with 15 or fewer full-time employees. Applicants choose the Entrepreneur track (a portion of $400,000) or the STEM track (a portion of $750,000). Up to 10 Entrepreneur and up to 8 STEM finalists will pitch.
Reported by Delaware Business Times, August 7, 2026.
Source: https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news-briefs/fall-2026-edge-grant-competition/
Verified 2026-08-13
Governor Matt Meyer and the Delaware Prosperity Partnership have launched Innovate Delaware, an effort to attract start-ups and emerging companies to the state.
The initiative focuses on financial technology, next-generation chemical products, clean energy, sustainable advanced materials and biopharma manufacturing. The public-private Prosperity Partnership will receive an additional $1.36 million over two years to roll it out.
DPP vice president of innovation Noah Olson said the pilot stems from an assessment that found the state’s legal structure, proximity to large metro areas and research institutions are underutilized by startups: “Delaware needs one authoritative front door for innovation.” Innovate Delaware’s initial project will be the Delaware Rural Health Challenge; Meyer said one in two new jobs created in Delaware is in healthcare.
Reported by Delaware Public Media, August 3, 2026.
Source: https://www.delawarepublic.org/business/2026-08-03/gov-meyer-delaware-prosperity-partnership-launch-new-effort-to-attract-businesses-to-first-state
Verified 2026-08-13
The application portal is open for Wilmington’s Affordable Housing Development Subsidy Program. Mayor John Carney announced the opening of the portal, where developers and community development partners can apply.
$8.4 million is available. City officials say the funding is intended to strengthen neighborhoods, expand housing opportunities and promote long-term neighborhood stability across Wilmington. Projects should increase the supply of affordable housing, preserve existing affordable units and support stable neighborhoods.
Complete funding proposals must be submitted no later than Monday, August 31.
Reported by Delaware Public Media, August 10, 2026.
Source: https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2026-08-10/wilmington-affordable-housing-subsidy-program-starts-taking-applications
Verified 2026-08-13
Wilmington-based Aternium has selected the Garrison Oak Technical Park in Dover for what it describes as the nation’s first production center for clean hydrogen and heavy water, a $226 million factory.
CEO Andrew Cottone said the company is not counting on federal subsidies or on orders from the other nine members of the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2). The federal government has promised $23.3 million toward the $226 million cost, of which the company has received $510,000 so far.
Dover is expected to see about 50 permanent direct jobs paying in the low six figures. Cottone said he aims to close on the real estate in the fourth quarter of 2026, complete engineering by February 2027, make a final investment decision by March 2027 and break ground later that year, with operations beginning by mid to late 2028. In mid-July, Dover City Council approved an enabling ordinance.
Reported by Delaware Public Media, August 4, 2026.
Source: https://www.delawarepublic.org/business/2026-08-04/aternium-plans-clean-hydrogen-plant-in-dover-but-isnt-counting-on-federal-help
Verified 2026-08-13