Small Business News

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.

Dan Shantz Greenhouse, a popular plant destination in Allentown, closed in December 2023. But now it's back, temporarily, and under new out-of-county operators.

Garlic Fest is back, and this year promises more of everyone's favorite Allium in a wealth of savory and sweet dishes, drinks, and more, including a special preview night on Friday.

Barley Creek Brewing Company is planting roots in the Lehigh Valley, opening a taproom at the Promenade Saucon Valley. The Pocono-based brewing company expects to serve customers with "100% Pennsylvania products" this fall.

The Wilbur Mansion transforms with Swift, a rebranded dining experience in the Fountain Hill District of Bethlehem, offering seasonal menus, handmade cocktails, outside dining, and historical flair.

Two Parkland High School graduates and longtime friends are looking to embrace the arts and culture scene in Bethlehem while bringing their own slice of life to their corner of the city at Paradise Kafé. The coffee shop opened mid-September.

Maingate Night Club, at 17th and Liberty streets, whose owner Dominic Germano for more than two years has sought a partner, has closed for good, Germano said in a Facebook post late Monday.

Just five months after officially being in business in their recognizable bright yellow teardrop-shaped trailer, co-owners Melinda Schneck and Josh Elmer are expending Roasties Mobile Cafe into a brick-and-mortar coffee shop. It'll take root where the couple says its heart is: Macungie.

Well over 1,000 fans descended on Palmer Park Mall in Palmer Township on Saturday to catch a glimpse of Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B, who made an appearance at Spin Me Round record store for her new "Am I the Drama?" album.

Foodies now have another late night option in Southside Bethlehem. The Barbecue Boys, which opened Tuesday, Sept. 16, offers a fast-casual dining setting that's open Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. from Thursday through Saturday.

A pair of North Whitehall auto repair shop owners have tapped a lawfirm to help them challenge a zoning decision — and the zoning code — they say was weaponized against them for a personal vendetta.

Upset residents packed the last Upper Milford Township Zoning Hearing Board meeting to voice concerns against a zoning variance request at the TG Countryside ice cream shop. The applicants have withdrawn their request to turn it into a cigar lounge.

Fisk Camera Shop at 2115 Birch St. in Wilson opened in the mid-1920s and has been stewarded by three generations of the Fisk family. Its run ends this Friday.

The owners of a childcare center looking into expanding the operation received a special exception from Allentown's zoning hearing board Monday evening, though in the end, that exception was not even necessary.