EASTON, Pa. - A delicious new business is brewing in Northampton County.
Heavenly Coffee Shop, offering 100% Colombian coffee along with other specialty drinks and freshly prepared food, is expected to open in May at 140B Northampton St. in downtown Easton, co-owner Daniela Mesa said.
The new cafe will operate in a renovated space on the ground floor of the Grand Eastonian Hotel & Suites.
The spot previously housed Green Harvest Food Emporium, a business offering gourmet wraps, sandwiches, paninis, salads, soups, smoothies and more, which closed in late 2023 after 16 years of business.
“We are very excited to open,” Mesa said.
“We live in Easton and are so happy to be opening our business here. It’s a great city, and we are getting a lot of support from our neighbors. They are very excited for us to open as well.”
Mesa will operate Heavenly Coffee Shop with her cousin, Yina Alvarez.
The partners are from Medellín, Colombiaand are excited to be partnering with and sourcing coffee from Colombian family farms that adhere to natural growing processes.
Labels on the coffee packages will detail the coffee’s flavor profiles, such as bergamot, floral and red berries, and the exact region and farm where it was produced.
Customers will be able to enjoy a wide array of specialty coffee drinks, including cappuccino and lattes, with a variety of roasts being available.
“We hope to do some of our own roasting down the line,” Mesa said. “That’s our future plan.”
Heavenly Coffee Shop also will serve other beverages such as tea, smoothies and juices, along with freshly prepared food such as bagels, salads, sandwiches and baked goods.
“We’ll probably also do a Colombian breakfast with hot chocolate,” Mesa said. “That is part of our culture, with some Colombian baked goods.”
The partners are planning to implement some cosmetic upgrades, including new wall paint, while also adding some new equipment and furniture.
The shop also will feature hand-crafted candles, soaps and other items made by local artisans.
“We’re going to support other local vendors and small businesses as much as we can,” Mesa said.
The partners are still finalizing exact hours, but they plan to serve breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday, Mesa said.
For the latest updates, including an official opening announcement, follow Heavenly Coffee Shop on Facebook and Instagram.
Foodie finds
'Super excited': Seasoned chef shares plans for new restaurant at historic Lehigh County property
MACUNGIE, Pa. — A tasty turnaround is on the horizon as fresh eats, flavorful drinks and fun times with friends are set to return to a landmark building in Lehigh County.
The 19th-century property that once housed The Pub on Main at 102 E. Main St. in Macungie has been undergoing extensive interior and exterior renovations since December in preparation for a new restaurant and bar tenant — Trading Post on Main — that is expected to open in June.
The full-service establishment will offer a wide array of made-from-scratch Mexican and American dishes along with a full bar. Full story here.
'Fresh, flavorful': Operator of popular Original Doughboy’s restaurant opening new food stand
BUSHKILL TWP., Pa. — A tasty new business dishing out cheesesteaks, tacos, ice cream and more is coming soon to Northampton County.
MoJo’s, a drive-thru and walk-up food stand offering freshly prepared eats such as burgers, hot dogs, gyros and sandwiches, is expected to hold a soft opening next week at 279 W. Moorestown Road in Bushkill Township, owner Mehmet “Mike” Zimmer said.
"We've been planning May 1 as our official opening date, but we will probably do a soft opening on Wednesday or Thursday of next week," Zimmer said. Read more here.
Chain offering all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue, hot pot opening 1st Lehigh Valley restaurant
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - A restaurant offering a “social and interactive dining experience” is coming soon to a prominent shopping center in Lehigh County.
KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot, a “unique, hands-on all-you-can-eat dining experience that merges traditional Asian hot pot with Korean BBQ flavors,” is under development in the Whitehall Square shopping center, at 2180 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township.
The new restaurant, located between Red Crab Juicy Seafood and The Vitamin Shoppe, is expected to open within the next few months, an on-site worker said. Read more.
Bethlehem area news
'Hanging up my apron': Beloved chocolatier to retire, close Lehigh Valley store
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A longstanding destination for handmade chocolate bars, fudge, truffles and other mouthwatering confections is set to end operations in the coming weeks in Northampton County.
Chocolate Lab, offering organic, clean and fair-trade chocolates that are "as uniquely beautiful as the people who purchase them," will close at the end of the month at 446 Main St. in downtown Bethlehem as owner, founder and chocolatier Arlene Brockel retires from the industry.
Brockel established the business in 2002, originally operating the shop a few blocks away on Bethlehem's Broad Street. Full story here.
Wawa opening new Lehigh Valley location next week, planning several others
BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. - Folks looking to fill up their vehicle's gas tank while fueling up on coffee, hoagies and "Sizzli" breakfast sandwiches will soon have a new spot to frequent in Northampton County.
Wawa, the Delaware County-based convenience store and gas station chain with more than 1,000 locations in six states and Washington D.C., will hold a grand opening of its newest regional location next week at 3608 Nazareth Pike (Route 191) in Bethlehem Township.
The site, just north of the Oakland Road intersection, was previously home to a Leiser’s Rentals and Sales building. Read more here.
New Christmas shop opens in downtown Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - We may be in the middle of spring, but Christmas bells are already ringing in Bethlehem.
A new shop called "Dear Santa" opened Friday on Main Street.
It offers unique Christmas gifts and decor, like hand-crafted nutcrackers, along with family-friendly, Christmas-themed activities. Read more.
After ‘draining few months,’ Bethlehem restaurant owner is beating cancer, reopening eatery
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A popular Bethlehem restaurant is set to reopen following a months-long temporary closure due to the owner’s cancer battle.
VegOut, offering plant-based sandwiches, burgers, mac and cheese and more, will reopen sometime in May at 1 E. Church St., owner and operator Mary Lopresti announced on the business’ social media pages.
Lopresti temporarily closed the eatery in the fall after being diagnosed with a rare cancer. Read more.
Allentown updates
Downtown Allentown Market more than half empty after recent closures, reduction of hours at market
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Downtown Allentown Market is looking a little sparse, with four tenants vacating after City Center's decision to reduce hours to just breakfast and lunch.
"From the beginning, the day that we opened the market, we start collecting data and what we started noticing, is the sales are concentrated at lunch," said Jill Wheeler, a Vice President at City Center.
Wheeler attributes that shift to lunch because most of the businesses downtown are back in the office at least a few days a week. She says that apartment residents are gravitating more toward the stand-alone restaurants on Hamilton Street in the evening. Full story here.
'Live fierce': Fast-growing gym franchise to open 1st Lehigh Valley location
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A popular fitness center franchise is bulking up its regional presence with a new gym in Lehigh County.
WOLF Fitness, offering top-of-the-line cardio and strength training equipment along with free weights, saunas, personal training, nutritional supplements and more, is set to open on June 1 at 1249 Airport Road in Allentown, franchise owner Jermaine Quinones said.
The space, which is undergoing renovations, is located in the Airport Plaza shopping center and was previously home to other businesses, including HIT Fitness Boxing and a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store, the latter of which moved to the nearby Airport Center in January 2021. Read more here.
Allentown venue launching weekly Pocono Raceway NASCAR Watch Party, with ticket giveaways
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A popular sports bar and entertainment venue in Allentown invites NASCAR fans to follow their favorite drivers as they compete in high-adrenaline races this spring and summer.
Sports & Social Allentown, a nationally acclaimed dining and entertainment concept, on Wednesday announced a new weekly Pocono Raceway NASCAR Watch Party fueled by Busch Light and in partnership with Pocono Raceway.
The Pocono Raceway NASCAR Watch Party launches on Sunday, April 21, for the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and runs weekly until the Sept. 1 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Read more.
Berks buzz
'Golden noodles': Popular ramen and sushi chain opens 1st Berks County restaurant
WYOMISSING, Pa. — A rapidly growing Japanese restaurant concept - known for incorporating 24-karat gold flakes into dishes - has opened its first full-service location in Berks County.
Kinya, offering "authentic Japanese foods and flavors with fun twists," opened on Thursday at The Block at Wyomissing Square, 945 Hill Ave., Wyomissing.
Kinya has around a dozen locations open or coming soon in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Florida, according to the business' website. Full story here.
Sweet and salty: Food trail features culinary treats throughout Berks
BERKS COUNTY, Pa. – Your taste buds will soon be able to take a journey through Berks County.
"We're really excited to roll out the 'Sweet and Salty Trail,'" said Lisa Haggerty of Pennsylvania's Americana Region.
Haggerty said there are 11 stops. Read more here.
'Empowering individuals': New facility offering jiu jitsu classes for all skill levels in Berks County
WEST READING, Pa. — A new jiu jitsu facility invites community members to unleash their inner warrior through expert martial arts training in Berks County.
10th Planet Reading, offering jiu jitsu classes for children and adults of all experience levels, will hold a grand opening event at 11 a.m. April 21 at 547 Penn Ave. in West Reading, according to a news release.
The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:15 a.m., followed by instructional seminars and an open mat training session. Read more.
New Kutztown home improvement store to celebrate grand opening
KUTZTOWN, Pa. - There's a new place to go in Berks County for your home improvement project needs.
A.D. Moyer Lumber will celebrate the grand opening of its store on Willow Street in Kutztown Saturday.
The event will feature games and crafts for kids and adults, as well as baby goats and live music. Full story here.
Odds and ends
‘Brand refresh’: The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley gets new name, upgrades
U. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – A prominent Lehigh Valley shopping center is undergoing some big changes, starting with its name.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, the open-air lifestyle shopping center in Upper Saucon Township, on Monday announced it has changed its name to “Promenade Saucon Valley.”
The new name drops the word ‘Shops’ from its moniker to reflect the center’s expanding tenant mix and evolving focus on becoming an increasingly popular community hub and gathering place, according to a news release. Read more here.
‘Let’s play’: Popular entertainers debut Lehigh Valley’s newest escape room, filled with fun
EASTON, Pa. - A new spot for immersive adventure games is now welcoming guests in Northampton County.
Off Center Escape Rooms, an escape room facility where groups complete puzzles and other tasks in order to "escape," is now open at 323 Pine St., Suite B002, in downtown Easton, according to the business' social media pages.
The renovated space, which previously housed Nxt Level Performance fitness facility, is a few doors down from the Crayola Experience's Pine Street entrance.
The "forward-thinking escape game company" houses themed escape rooms featuring various puzzles, codes and clues. Players must complete the objective before the designated time runs out. Read more.
