Business News

Lower Macungie Township’s planning commission voted Tuesday to recommend approving a mixed-use project at 617 N. Krocks Rd. set to include a 318-unit apartment complex, a 160-room hotel and nearly 20,000 square feet of retail space.

United Natural Foods Inc. operates a distribution center in the North Valley Trade Center in the Schnecksville section of North Whitehall Township. The company says 716 jobs will be affected.

Stahley's, a family restaurant and sports bar established in Allentown in 1968 by Don Stahley, has been for sale for years. For the past two months, the family has begun navigating a change in hands as the restaurant nears being "99.9 percent sold."

Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners unanimously approval a developer's request to construct 57 townhomes and 59 single-unit homes along Rural Road in two phases, not one, as was originally proposed.

Weyerbacher Brewing, which has been in Easton since its founding in 1995, will open a tap room in the former Pines Dinner Theater space adjacent to Fairgrounds Hotel in Allentown, the building's owner said.

A "team of experienced food entrepreneurs" purchased the former Buca di Beppo restaurant at 714 Grape St. for $1.15 million, Sultan Property Group LLC, which completed the acquisition.

The $13 million contract was with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, commonwealth farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

Excitement at Target, Best Buy, and GameStop for the release of Switch 2, Nintendo's newest game console. While fans in New York City and Philadelphia reported longer lines, some local gamers were lucky enough to buy one before it sold out on Thursday.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Thursday for a 145-room Courtyard by Marriott at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. The hotel is expected to open late next year or early 2027.

Birdsong, the managing director of the Allentown-based Adept Group and a former vice president of advertising at The Express-Times, will lead the Bethlehem nonprofit and its media outlets PBS39, 91.3 FM WLVR and LehighValleyNews.com.

BEDCO Executive Director Sean Ziller said, "We’re thrilled to receive these funds, which will directly benefit our small businesses in ways that put their needs at the center.”

Members of the Stop the Wood Ave. Warehouse coalition returned to Easton City Hall to raise issues related to variances they felt were necessary for the project on Wednesday.

The initiative to overhaul Allentown's zoning ordinance and map has been in the public-review phase for more than a year.

The quaint shop on North New Street sells stones from South America, Mexico and the Middle East, as well as locally themed artwork.

Northampton County and Northampton Community College will offer a free workplace safety training later this month aimed at employees of municipal governments, nonprofits and similar organizations.

Easton officials announced Thursday that the city will begin leasing public parking from the county lot and the Social Security building lot to address access to public parking.

As tariff talk raises concerns over the impact on the fireworks industry in America, retailers and production companies report this year is going well, but the future may not be so bright.

In a move that Santander Bank said aligns with the financial institution's digital shift nationwide, seven Lehigh Valley branches will be sold to Community Bank. Branches will remain open and employees will be offered continued employment during the transition, which is expected to complete by the end of the year,

Allentown Zoning Hearing Board unanimously approved a special use application request by City Center Group to perform partial demolition of the former Merchants National Bank at Seventh and Hamilton streets. The revitalization project will include office and retail space, and a restaurant.

June was a one-month grace period for Allentown residents to learn the new yard-waste-collection routine, with citations to be written starting July 1.

Fourth Fridays are back in Easton, promoting locally-owned businesses and bringing the community together with the return of the Cash Mob.

Turkish candy company Kervan celebrated a groundbreaking for a new warehouse, manufacturing, and office space off Commerce Park Drive at the border of Bethlehem and Lower Nazareth townships.