Special Presentation
June Milestone Awards Meeting
At this special Milestone Awards Meeting, we proudly celebrated 53 Lancaster small businesses marking anniversaries from one to 125 years. Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively was joined by Mayor Jaime Arroyo, to honor these remarkable recipients for the vision, perseverance, and dedication that have helped shape the City of Lancaster across generations.
Together, these businesses tell the story of Lancaster itself – a story of entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience, and community. Some are just beginning their journey, while others have served our city for more than a century, yet each has played an important role in creating the vibrant, welcoming, and economically strong community we enjoy today.
Their continued investment in Lancaster and belief in the future strengthen the fabric of our City every day. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to all of our 2026 Milestone Award recipients for helping write the next chapter of Lancaster’s ongoing success story.
One-Year Milestone Awards
Clockwise from top left, our 2026 One-Year Milestone Award recipients: Alchemy Ramen; Bad Garden Kitchen; Dog Sense; HQ Water Solutions; Hypnotic Pole Fitness; KEEL Salon Co.; La Cajita; LanCATster Cat Café; People & Things; Sahara Bistro Shawarma; South County Brewing Lancaster; This Is Happiness Studio; West Art Coffee Bar.
Not able to join us: Deposit Coffee Corner; Lancaster Piano Studio.
Five-Year Milestone Awards
Clockwise from top left, our 2026 Five-Year Milestone Award recipients: Built Supplements; Empanada Gourmet; Furdunkin; Inna’s Pierogi Shop; Lancaster Distilleries at Lancaster Central Market; Longevity Lancaster; Nord; Psychedeli; Shady Maple at Lancaster Central Market.
Not able to join us: AJ’s at Market; Deerfoot Downtown; Endo Café; Home 1st Realty; House of Tacos; Norbu; Ritual Tattoo Collective.
Ten-Year Milestone Awards
Clockwise from top left, our 2026 Ten-Year Milestone Award recipients: A Day In The Life Records; Beautiful Sin Tattoo; David Lyall Home & Design; Ellicott & Co.; Lancaster Improv Players; Lancaster Sweet Shoppe; Passenger Flagship Café; Sprout of Rice & Noodles.
Fifteen-Year Milestone Awards
Clockwise from top left, our 2026 Fifteen-Year Milestone Award recipients: Miesse Candies; Typothecary Letterpress; Wellness In Hand LLC; Zig’s Bakery at Lancaster Central Market.
Not able to join us: Edward Jones; Fraiche Salon.
Twenty-Year Milestone Awards
Clockwise from top left, our 2026 Twenty-Year Milestone Award recipients: Annie Bailey’s Irish Public House; Red Raven Art Company; Taylor Brand Group. Not able to join us: BellaBoo; Rachel’s Café & Creperie.
Twenty-Five Year Milestone Award
Pictured left to right, our 2026 Twenty-Year Milestone Award recipient: Mayor Jaimie Arroyo with Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively accepting the 25-Year Milestone Award on behalf of Paul Gibbs Studio, with Dave Aichele, Executive Director of the Downtown Investment District.
Thirty-Year Milestone Award
Pictured left to right, our 2026 Thirty-Year Milestone Award recipient: Mayor Jaimie Arroyo with the Zoetropolis Cinema team accepting their 30-Year Milestone Award with Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively,and Dave Aichele, Executive Director of the Downtown Investment District.
Fifty Year Milestone Award
Pictured left to right, our 2026 Fifty-Year Milestone Award recipient: Mayor Jaimie Arroyo with Tom Englert of Historic Lancaster Walking Tours, accepting a 50-Year Milestone Award with Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively, and Dave Aichele, Executive Director of the Downtown Investment District.
One-Hundred-Twenty-Five Year Milestone Award
Pictured left to right, our 2026 125-Year Milestone Award recipient: Mayor Jaimie Arroyo with the Groff Family, accepting a 125-Year Milestone Award with Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively, and Dave Aichele, Executive Director of the Downtown Investment District.
Our 125-Year Milestone Award honors a business whose history is deeply intertwined with the history of Lancaster itself.
In 1892, David and Lisa Groff’s great-grandfather, Fred Groff, began a tradition of service in Quarryville that would span generations. Just a few years later, he relocated the family business to Lancaster—first to the back of a drugstore on Manor Street across from Christ Lutheran Church, and soon after to West Orange Street, where the Groff name became synonymous with compassion, dignity, and care.
Today, 125 years later, that legacy continues through Lisa and David Groff and their family. Few businesses can claim such an extraordinary record of service to their community, and we are honored to celebrate Groff Funeral & Cremation Services for a century and a quarter of helping Lancaster families through life’s most meaningful moments
Special Recognition: 290 Year Anniversary Award
Pictured left to right, our 2026 Special Recognition 290-Year Milestone Award recipient: Lancaster City Alliance President Marshall Snively, with the Reverend Dr. Dominique Denman and congregants, accepting a 290-Year Milestone Award with Lancaster City Mayor Jaimie Arroyo and Dave Aichele, Executive Director of the Downtown Investment District.
At the June Milestone Awards Meeting, we had the rare privilege of recognizing an institution whose history reaches back beyond the founding of our nation itself.
This year, First Reformed Church celebrates an astonishing 290 years of service to Lancaster. Founded in 1736 – more than four decades before the signing of the Declaration of Independence – the church has stood as a witness to nearly three centuries of American history and community life. From generations of worshippers and civic leaders to its enduring commitment to serving neighbors in need, First Reformed Church has remained a steadfast presence in the heart of our city.
While many organizations measure their impact in years, First Reformed Church measures its legacy in centuries. It is our honor to recognize and celebrate this remarkable 290 – Year Milestone.
The Reverend Dr. Dominique Denman joined us to accept this special recognition on behalf of the First Reformed Church congregation and its remarkable legacy of faith, service, and community leadership.
