Business News

Local restaurants in the Lehigh Valley are already embracing 2025 culinary trends from the National Restaurant Association's annual report. From sustainability efforts to emerging Southeast Asian flavors, businesses have already given customers a taste of what's in store for the new year.

It all started with a collaboration between a local bridal shop and Historic Hotel Bethlehem. Since then, all successive members of the owner's family have celebrated their nuptials there.

If you're looking to entertain guests with delectable beverages sans alcohol this New Year's Eve, there are more — and better — options than ever, including some locally-made drinks.

At least a half-dozen popular Lehigh Valley restaurants permanently closed their doors or released plans to shift operations in the final months of 2024.

Instead of becoming home to 240 apartments as once proposed, the former IQE property at 119 Technology Drive will house the U.S. headquarters for GfM Bremen, a German pharmaceutical company.

Easton Winter Village, the city's holiday market centered around Centre Square, opened Sunday for the last time in 2024. Business was slower this year than in years past, according to vendors.

The annual Trees of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites exhibit is now on display through Jan. 12.

Big Lots announced going-out-of-business sales would start in coming days, as it no longer anticipates its purchase agreement with Nexus Capital Management to go through.

Easton residents came together at the community center Thursday night to question developers behind the Easton Commerce Park warehouse, with many speakers stating the community did not want the project due to environmental and traffic concerns.

The first phase of development at Bridgeview Estates replaced nine 1970s public housing buildings with six structures featuring 50 multi-bedroom apartments.

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.

The Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce's 2025 awards ceremony, held Tuesday, honored individuals and organizations that have changed the city for the better.

The Giant Company has made a $50,000 donation to the River Crossing YMCA to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.

Two land developers' requests to build residential units in phases were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.

City Center executives on Monday night presented scaled-back plans to revitalize the former Merchants National Bank at the southwest corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets.

Stop Wood Ave. Warehouse Coalition has purchased digital billboard time to fight the development the million-square-foot Easton Commerce Park project.

Trump said he reached the decision after a “thorough review” of Jared Isaacman’s “prior associations" but did not elaborate. Said Isaacman: "I’ll always be grateful for this opportunity and cheering on our President and NASA as they lead us on the greatest adventure in human history.”