Small Business News

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 The applicants have withdrawn their request to turn it into a cigar lounge.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.

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.