There was plenty of turnover in the local business community throughout the year, with some treasured shops and restaurants closing and newcomers being welcomed into the fold.

One of the first announcements came in February, when the longtime co-owners of Chestnut Hill Sports said they were hanging up their jerseys and closing the store for good. Tom Amodie and George Chiodo have known each other almost their entire lives, meeting at Our Mother of Consolation School when they were in kindergarten. In the 1970s, the duo worked at a local sporting goods business as teenagers. By 1985, they had opened their own. The first iteration of their business was located in Malvern before moving to a spot on Bethlehem Pike in 1989. In 1995, Amodie and Chiodo settled in at 8628 Germantown Ave.

In March, Bone Appetite closed after being in Chestnut Hill for more than a decade. The business announced the news on its Facebook page, calling the closure a “difficult decision” and thanking “our human and furry friends.”

Another tough loss came in May, when fine-dining restaurant Jansen said it would close in September. The upscale “Center City” restaurant at 7402 Germantown Ave. in Mt. Airy had been a magnet for fine-dining aficionados for a decade. Chef-owner David Jansen, executive sous chef Jason Burke and general manager Zach Bourne said they were taking their skills to “Jansen at Whitemarsh,” opening Nov. 1 at the Whitemarsh Valley Country Club in Lafayette Hill.

Two other businesses, whose founders are married, announced they were closing after ownership of a building on Germantown and West Willow Grove avenues changed hands. According to public records, Balance Building LLC purchased 12 W. Willow Grove Ave., so Christopher Plant, founder of Kismet Cowork, and Jessica Meeker, founder of Vitality Studio, decided to shut down.

Over the spring and summer, a number of other businesses said goodbye and hello. Hoser’s served its final dish on July 1, ending a four-year adventure that started with an opening in the Market at the Fareway. Hoser’s kitchen attracted an array of great reviews and loyal customers, serving local, seasonal vegetarian and vegan food. Another loss to the Fareway was Made by ME, a shop that until May 31 sold wonderful handmade chocolates. In an email to the Local, Made by ME owner MaryEllen Salamone thanked customers for their support during her decades as a pastry chef and chocolatier.

“It’s all part of the retail life cycle, especially in a district like ours, where many businesses are small, independent and personally run,” said Ann Nevel, the Chestnut Hill Business District’s retail advocate. She noted that Chestnut Hill had seen 50 business openings since January 2022.

Another business, AR Workshop, at 8607 Germantown Ave., moved away from a brick-and-mortar model, closing its location to continue hosting DIY craft workshops. And PTK Gallery, at 8002 Germantown Ave., which once had locations across the tri-state area, closed along with its other remaining locations.

Tasco Art Salon, at 8113 Germantown Ave., owned by master electrician Robin Tasco, closed, while across the street at 8100 Germantown Ave., local chain Doggie Style Pets opened its 13th location, filling a need left by the closing of Bone Appetite.

A particularly sad loss on the Avenue was a longtime Chestnut Hill restaurant. For more than 50 years, Campbell’s Place, which closed in July, had served the community under the stewardship of Jim and Mary Campbell, and starting in 2008, as a casual-dining pub under Rob and Vanessa Mullen.

Shortly thereafter, a new name came to the Fareway: The Borscht Belt Delicatessen, dishing out sandwiches and American Jewish deli food. Named for the resort region in New York’s Catskills mountains, The Borscht Belt is “a love letter to classic New York delis and the Catskills resorts,” said Mike Dalewitz, the company’s co-founder and executive chair. Dalewitz and celebrity chef Nick Liberato — who has appeared on the Bravo, Food Network, and Spike TV channels — began The Borscht Belt in New Jersey in 2021.

One popular restaurant decided to double its presence. Matines Café opened in a second location, this one at 23 W. Highland Ave., in addition to its original cafe at 89 Bethlehem Pike. The new cafe is for adults while the original site now caters to families with children.

Perhaps one of the biggest shockers was the abrupt closing in September of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. In a press release, the company announced it was closing the Chestnut Hill location along with its Newark and Voorhees locations “as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to adapt to a changing business landscape while focusing on strengthening its long-term growth and success.” But that didn’t last for long, as the entire chain shut down and filed for bankruptcy. A new owner planned to reopen 10 of the shuttered spots but Chestnut Hill was not among them. By the end of the year, equipment, fixtures and supplies were being hauled out of the store.

Other late-year business news included Kathy Provost Jewelry + Design moving from 8617 to 8012 Germantown Ave. and the opening of FavAUrite, a lifestyle boutique, at 8409 Germantown Ave.

Rounding out the year was the opening in November of Ka–Nom Nom, a Thai bakery, at the Market at the Fareway, and the closing of Zsa’s, Mt. Airy’s beloved ice cream shop, with a joint birthday and farewell party on Dec. 13. The party provided the proverbial cherry on top of a yearlong celebration of the business.