Small Business News

Love's Restaurant and Lounge was designed to bring something entirely new to the Lehigh Valley — a former diner revamped and built up out of passion.

After 36 years of business, what owner Richard Samar calls "the last original downtown business" is set to close at the end of the month. A coffee shop will take its place.

By a 3-1 vote, the Bethlehem Planning Commission approved on Thursday night a project for a 517-space, 64-feet-high, nearly 200,000-square-foot Walnut Street parking garage to replace the old one currently being demolished. The structure is expected to open sometime in 2025.

The Lehigh Valley continues to be among the nation's leaders in economic development, it was revealed at the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Development Outlook event on Tuesday in Allentown.

The former president is holding a campaign rally Saturday at Schnecksville Fire Company — the same day nearby Shankweiler's Drive-In had planned its anniversary celebration. With road closures imminent, operators of the nation's oldest operating drive-in adjusted plans.

Ashley Pizarro harnessed her love of beauty in the creation of her business, Lovelyy Faces Spa Lounge & Master Academy, an esthetic salon that opened in 2021 at 813 Linden St.

Megan Campbell and her son Finley have just released their first storybook, "Home is Where the Heart is," which features some of the young man's favorite spots in Easton.

The Canalside Cup has been a community staple for classic drive-up fare, including burgers and soft serve, for 20 years. It reopened for the season this week.

To thrive in an oversaturated market, business owners say providing an experience is key — and it's what their newer clientele keep asking for.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail has returned for its 7th year, taking Pennsylvanians on a tasty tour of the Keystone State.

Visitors can sample a wide variety of local craft brews while enjoying barbecue and a Grateful Dead tribute band this 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 1. Samples are included in ticket prices: $40 in advance; $45 at the entrance.

True Motion — a German-engineered running shoe — is available for the first time in the United States through an Allentown-area startup, with Keystone Running Store as the first official retailer.

The nonprofit Emmaus Community Foundation looks to support borough arts, historical preservation and recreation projects by raising money from local donors.

A development project to create more than 400 apartments at the vacant Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough took another step toward fruition at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meeting on Thursday night.

The president of the Midway Manor Community Association says the money will be used to update playground equipment and a snack stand, as well as buy youth sports uniforms and equipment.

Mi Casa Restaurante in Easton serves traditional dishes from Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.

The Coopersburg Farmer Market will be open on Sundays starting June 2 through Oct. 27.

Easton Public Market will celebrate its eighth anniversary on Friday, May 17, with a special party featuring vendors, the band A Few Good Men, and a fundraiser benefiting Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.

The rise of streaming platforms and labor unrest in Hollywood has forced Roxy Theatre in Northampton to change its business model. It started airing first-run films for the first time on Friday.

The Easton Chamber of Commerce held its first Easton Street Eats Festival in the West Ward on Saturday.

Hellertown's Aloha Jay's has taken off. In a matter of days, the Hawaiian donut shop has received such an immense amount of support that its sold out since its opening, resulting in owner Jay Losagio cutting back business hours to adapt to the unexpected demand.