Small Business News

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by reporter Phil Gianficaro and digital content producer Christine Sexton.

Decadent chocolate, fresh strawberries and nutty pistachio: Local businesses are latching on to a chocolate-y social media trend.

Tune in as 91.3 WLVR host Brad Klein interviews Lauren McChesney of Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre, which has recently found success with the 18-34 age group.

Teaming up, Mayhem Amusement Arcades and Mystery Box Games are creating a monster: a weekly pinball tournament which welcomes players from all over to engage in an arcade favorite.

These siblings make peanut butter to support finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. The chronic disease has affected one of their young sons and requires lifetime management.

Bethlehem native Michael Joyce spent 25 years working in restaurants in Philadelphia and New York City. After developing a passion for baking bread and studying local grain, he opened Bub's Breads within Lit Coffee Roastery & Bakeshop.

Restaurants will offer “an irresistible variety of soups" during the Emmaus Soup Crawl, scheduled to run from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

It's the season of love, and Easton's small businesses are paring up to offer customers special deals when they visit participating pairs with receipts during the 'Match Made in Easton' event.

With a new name and a new focus, the former Vineyard di Norma will reopen on Feb. 6 as 'Something Different.' It will feature a completely new concept at 605 North Fiot Street.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation shared statistics showing that salaries, among other economic indicators, are at a "new peak."

Lehigh Valley Wedding Café, connecting engaged couples with wedding professionals in various fields, will hold a grand opening celebration 4-8 p.m. Oct. 17 at 1403 Center St. in Bethlehem.

Ciao! Sandwich Shoppe continues to expand its Lehigh Valley footprint with a third location on in Easton’s College Hill neighborhood.

Mikey’s, named after Jamaican-born owner Michael Frazer, serves popular Jamaican entrees such as ackee and saltfish, brown stewed chicken, barbecue shrimp, curry goat, jerk pork and oxtail.

Halloween spending in the United States is expected to reach a record $10.6 billion, but Lehigh Valley stores offer ways to save money.

Rosanna’s Restaurant, which temporarily closed in February, is expected to reopen in the winter as a modern deli and bar, Rosa's Corner, at 2 E. Broad St. in Bethlehem.

Ms. Velvet’s Café, a walk-up eatery serving breakfast and lunch, held a grand opening Sept. 20 at 239 N. Fourth St. in downtown Allentown. The business is named in memory of owner Carlos Marrero's late sister, Ruby Marrero, who died as a result of a hit-and-run accident a few blocks away from the eatery in 2017.

There's room for everybody, one business owner says.

After the March 2020 pandemic shutdown of non-life-sustaining businesses, more than 42,000 businesses applied to the Wolf Administration to stay open.

Gov. Tom Wolf has called for an increase as all six states that border the commonwealth offer higher minimum wages.

Come Memorial Day capacity limits will be lifted in Pennsylvania. Keeping everyone safe seems to still be the top priority.

As part of our occasional series on how local businesses are overcoming the challenges presented by the past year, consider this local theatre that found, even in the pandemic, the show must go on.