Small Business News

The developer, with strong ties to the Lehigh Valley, plans to turn the corner property into a restaurant — with at least one hot dog on the menu.

Fat Jacks' has welcomed customers along Freemansburg Avenue for 32 years. Now owner Susan Kerbaugh says it's time for someone else to take the reins. The building and its liquor license went on the market this week.

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.

Emmaus has Let's Play Books, a shop that is now expanding to a second location. The new store, called The End: a bookstore, opens in Allentown on Saturday for Independent Bookstore Day.

Mad Dogs Hot Dogs in Macungie is no longer closing after owners announced a buyer of the restaurant.

"Mad Dogs Hot Dogs" in Macungie, a popular lunchtime spot known for its wide and creative variety of hot dog topping combinations, will close at the end of April, according to the owners.

FD Market, the eco-friendly refillery and houseware store, will be closing their original Emmaus location at the end of the month to better meet their customers where they are in Saucon Valley.

ArtsQuest and the Lehigh Valley Brewers' Guild teamed up to launch the Spring Beer Fest in Bethlehem Saturday. With more than 850 tickets sold, the festival is likely to make a return, organizers said.

FD Market, the eco-friendly refillery and houseware store, will be closing their original Emmaus location at the end of the month to better meet their customers where they are

Bethlehem Food Co-op, a local grocery cooperative, has hired its first ever general manager to bring life to an initiative that has been in the works since 2011.

At 1 Million Cups-Lehigh Valley event in Bethlehem, prospective entrepreneurs gain knowledge to help them realize their dreams.

Lauren and Juan Vargas, owners of Nowhere Coffee Co., expect their latest business venture — a roastery and coffee bar in the heart of Allentown — to be operational very soon, they confirmed Wednesday.

After over a year of both the local pub and Macungie Diner being empty, businesses are re-emerging in the borough to the delight of patrons whose options have been limited.

“The entire region is dependent upon the success of Hamilton Street in Allentown, of Main Street in Bethlehem and Centre Square in Easton,” Mayor Matt Tuerk said.

Willow Haven Farm farmer Reuben DeMaster and independent contractor Bill Kuklinski are partnering to open an organic grocery store at 8150 Hamilton Boulevard in Breinigsville.

The first Easton Sweet Stroll will combine the excitement of a traditional pub crawl with the irresistibility of freshly baked goods. It's planned for noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, and will feature 11 local sweet shops in Downtown Easton.

Following a hearing lasting nearly an hour, Easton's Zoning Hearing Board denied requests for a special exception and variances for a proposed South Side smoke shop.

Local business panel, networking strategies, discounts on art and more — it takes place from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Asante African Art in Palmer Park Mall.

As Foxy's Cradle celebrated the last batch of kittens aging out of the incubators, volunteers are looking forward to fundraising and the premier of their RV in the spring.

Ten farms in the Greater Lehigh Valley have joined the Lehigh Valley Food System Coalition to develop a sustainable food infrastructure for organizations in the region. The mission: Combat food insecurity throughout the Lehigh Valley. According to the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, 1 in 10 people locally are food insecure.

The restoration of the Macungie Pub continues, with a projected summer opening after a restaurant lease has been signed

A month after hosting President Joe Biden, Nowhere Coffee Co. has temporarily shuttered its second location due to water damage in its cafe.