A Whitehall Township couple is experiencing a "full circle" with the opening of a new restaurant in Lehigh County.

Co-owner Juanita Mejia announced that the family-run Maraschino Diner, located at 1162 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, will open at 6 a.m. on Monday. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and supper every day.\

The Lehigh Valley Diner had been housed in the property for a long time. Mejia and her husband, Cesar Mejia, would frequently visit for late-night meals there after working shifts at the nearby City View Diner. At City View, where Juanita worked as a manager and Cesar as a line cook, the pair first met in 2004.

They have each worked in different capacities at other Lehigh Valley eateries for more than 20 years, but Juanita stated that their dream is to own their own business. Juanita remarked, "We had dreamed of starting our own restaurant for many years."

He held several positions as a chef, and I have managed other eateries. The more we had assisted others in starting restaurants, the more we desired to open our own. Over the years, there were a few opportunities, but the time was not ideal. We instantly realized this position was ideal as soon as we noticed it was open. We are extremely thrilled to be bringing all of our experience to our own diner at last. The Mejias have recently renovated the MacArthur Road building, which has housed a number of eateries since the Lehigh Valley Diner closed approximately 15 years ago, including Salt & Pepper Family Restaurant, Mayuri Indian Cuisine, and Jordan Parkway Diner.

With almost 100 seats available, Maraschino will have new counters, bar stools, wall paint, kitchen appliances, and other improvements. Red accents such as illuminated signage, vibrant wall tiles, and reupholstered booths will go well with the diner's cherry theme. "My two oldest pals and I have always adored cherries," Juanita remarked. Growing up, we used to gather everything that had cherries on it. We even have tattoos of cherries.

A wide range of made-to-order dishes will be available at the full-service Maraschino, including appetizers like cheesesteak egg rolls, sausage rolls, and pierogies; club sandwiches like turkey, tuna salad, chicken salad, and roast beef and Swiss; and specialty char-grilled burgers like the "Mauch Chunk," which consists of two mozzarella sticks topped with marinara sauce; "Mickley Road," which consists of carnitas, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and chipotle mayo; and "Schadt Avenue," which consists of bleu cheese crumbles, bacon, and sauteed onions. Eight-ounce black diamond steaks, 12-ounce prime ribs, 12- or 16-ounce Delmonico steaks, broiled crab-stuffed flounder, Cajun salmon, scallops, and shrimp are just a few of the options available from the assortment of steak and seafood meals.

Juanita stated, "We want to make sure that we have some really fantastic seafood dishes, therefore one of our greatest investments was our broiler." We will therefore provide a range of fish options, both fried and broiled, in addition to a number of excellent salads, one of which is the caprese salad, which is one of my favorite foods. We will be alternating between soups like seafood bisque, halupki, and pepper pot because my spouse makes amazing soups.

Numerous types of quesadillas, French fries baskets, gyros, wraps, sizzling fajitas, and Italian delicacies will be among the additional options. The couple's three children intend to assist as well. Juanita declared, "It will truly be a family-run restaurant." "My spouse will resume his duties in the kitchen, but I will take a more active role as the owner, mostly supervising the front of the house activities. We can hardly wait to help the community.

Maraschino will open everyday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and serve handcrafted cakes, pies, and other treats from bakeries in the Lehigh Valley, according to Juanita. The restaurant will launch late-night weekend hours in less than a month, she continued, remaining open until three or four a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. People are constantly pounding on our door, asking when we are opening, so we know the community is as eager as we are, Juanita said.

"We also have an amazing team in place, and I can not wait for them to succeed."

See Homes for Sale Near Maraschino Dinner in Whitehall Township, PA

Later this year, a well-liked family-run restaurant in Northampton County that served homemade tacos, enchiladas, and other Mexican specialties will close. The owners hope to continue providing some of their menu items in a different format.

By year's end, General Zapata, a full-service, bring-your-own-beer Mexican restaurant, will close its doors at 15 E. Fourth St. on Bethlehem's South Side. 

Co-owner Rick Garcia stated that a precise end date has not yet been decided. In 2009, Garcia and his spouse, Carmen Garcia, launched the eatery in a renovated location that had previously been Southampton Fish & Chips. Over the course of the company's 15 years, the Garcias have built a sizable and devoted following, but Carmen stated that they intend to "slow down" and convert General Zapata's business model to a mobile one. "In the end, it is primarily him and me running the show," Carmen clarified.

"We do have some employees that support us, including students from Lehigh. But we eat lunch and dinner here almost every day. I primarily run the front and serve, while he handles all of the cooking. There is a lot of effort involved, and our goal is to reduce it. Rick went on, "The Bethlehem couple is not retiring by any means." In fact, the Garcias plan to work with a packaging company once the restaurant closes to increase production of General Zapata's hot sauce, which has long been a favorite among patrons.

Customers currently buy the hot sauce in advance in pint, quart, and gallon sizes. They also order the "fire" (hottest) and moderate sauces, when available. According to Rick, the restaurant's most popular dish is the hot sauce, which is prepared from jalapenos. The duo is also thinking of launching a mobile format with a small range of made-to-order products, such as the company's well-known tacos. "We may still serve meals at festivals, but we are done with the brick-and-mortar model," Rick stated.

We have participated in a few events in the past, and we have always performed quite well. We reasoned that using a mobile device might be the best option. Not that we are ruling out operating a food truck. We are certainly considering that as a possibility. According to the Garcias, this past summer was one of General Zapata's slowest on record in terms of commerce. The recent decline in diner visits, along with the demanding workload, rising meat prices, overhead expenditures, and other essential expenses, was "a hint to proceed in a different route," according to Carmen. Rick continued, "Our restaurant sales have always fluctuated, and they would probably pick back up, but we are just kind of sick of the yo-yo effect, not to mention the growing expense of everything."

"Even though our consumers have been incredibly understanding, I can not keep raising the prices of our tacos because of how ridiculously much I spend on ground beef." We decided to just increase the demand for our hot sauce, as we already know it is in high demand. People add it to everything for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and use it as a condiment. Although the particular method of distribution is still being decided, it will most likely be sold online. General Zapata boasts a lively environment with orange walls and shiplap accents, and can accommodate up to thirty diners at four dining booths as well as adjacent tables and chairs.

In addition, there are framed pictures of the Garcias' kids and a picture of Zapata's Place, a well-known Mexican eatery that was open in Bethlehem from 1972 until the late 1990s near the intersection of Easton Avenue and Stefko Boulevard. At the location of the former Zapata's, there is currently a Wendy's restaurant.

Because Rick worked at the former Mexican restaurant for many years and learned the ins and outs of the company from owner Stanley Carreras, General Zapata has a tie to Zapata's Place. Rick worked as a mortgage broker for around ten years after Zapata's Placed closed, all the while harboring dreams of starting his own Mexican eatery.He saw the 2008 financial crisis as a signal to change course and go after his lifelong ambition. Rick stated, "I felt that it was finally time to just go for it after the economic slump."

"I had a great time assisting with the operation of Zapata's, and because we still utilize a lot of the same recipes, we still get customers from back then. I worked in a number of roles there, beginning as a server, and it was a really wonderful place to be employed. I worked as a manager, cook, and bartender as well. General Zapata has been serving a restricted menu consisting of the restaurant's most popular products because the Garcias have been taking up most of the workload themselves in recent months. A selection of tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, and flautas are available for patrons to enjoy. A few more standout items on the menu include the nachos with beef, chicken, or fish, the guacamole and chips, and the sides of Mexican rice, chili, and refried beans.

A tribute to Carmen's Puerto Rican heritage, there are also touches of the island, like tostones, beef pastelillos, and Caribbean rice. According to Rick, the "most popular menu item by far" at General Zapata is its beef tacos. On Tuesdays, there is a dine-in special called "Taco Tuesday" where customers may purchase one taco for $1.50. People go there in droves. Eight-inch flour tortillas loaded with chicken or beef are used to make the tacos, which are then deep-fried to produce a crispy, light exterior. "Our tacos are a fairly specialty product that are pretty unique in this area," Rick remarked. "People travel far and wide to see them."

According to Rick, the recently erected digital parking kiosks in front of the restaurant on East Fourth Street were a "minor influence" in the Garcias' decision to close. According to Rick, the previous parking meters on the street were positioned so that people could easily identify where the spots were. Since there are no longer distinct meters designating particular locations, a lot of people are parking their cars farther apart from one another, which reduces the overall number of slots, according to Rick.

Furthermore, according to Rick, before individuals can even reach their destination, they are required to park their cars, walk to a kiosk, and "click a bunch of buttons" (including the license plate numbers of their cars). These kiosks are spaced sporadically across the street. Rick stated, "We have heard from a lot of guests who say they do not even want to stop here anymore because they do not want to deal with the new kiosks. The parking issue in front of our restaurant has become so inconvenient and screwed up recently." Carmen remarked cynically, "This parking disaster was kind of the icing on the cake of a beautiful summer."

"To be honest, I have only heard complaints from customers—not one who enjoys these new parking kiosks. In addition, I have to go out and assist clients all the time, especially the older ones who are not tech-savvy. The Garcias are appreciative to all the devoted customers they have had over the years and want to meet some of them again in the upcoming weeks for a farewell dinner. Carmen remarked, "We have been here for 15 years, and so many of our clients have become like family."

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Dan Schantz Greenhouse is not going to wither away.

After the Schantz family closed its doors in December, the Lancaster-based Herr's Fruit Farm took over the operation of the greenhouse and farm market in the spring. Robert and Melanie Herr declared on Friday that they had successfully purchased the Dan Schantz moniker and the 2031 29th St. property.

They stated that they intend to keep it open and hold a big opening on Saturday, October 5.

Lehigh County property assessment documents show that Herr's at Dan Schantz LLC purchased the two-acre property in June for $1.65 million. The Herrs stated in a statement, "Our original aim was to lease the property for the spring flower season." But as soon as we opened, we realized we had to stay because of the tremendously great response we received from customers! "With Dan's approval, we will continue to operate under the Schantz name and provide the best assortment of premium annuals, perennials, tropical plants, cactus, and houseplants in the area.

Naturally, we will still be serving up other seasonal favorites like mums and pumpkins in the fall, Christmas trees, wreaths, and poinsettias in December, and roses for Valentine's Day. The Herrs, whose sixth-generation family business was established over 110 years ago, announced that they have expanded Dan Schantz to include farm-fresh fruits and vegetables from Lancaster County as well as handcrafted jams, pickles, and pure honey.

The Herrs claim that a large portion of the workforce is made up of former Schantz workers who have come back. "This has been a heartfelt endeavor," stated Melanie Herr. "We have painted, cleaned, and upgraded the facilities several times over the course of late nights. "We are incredibly grateful to our wonderful staff, our devoted clientele, and the city of Allentown for supporting this project."

Free food, door prizes, and special sales are all part of the grand opening celebration, according to the Herrs.

View Homes For Sale Near Dan Schantz Greenhouse in Allentown 

After undergoing a significant renovation at its original location in Bethlehem Township, the second Keystone Pub & Grill facility—which has been in business for more than ten years—has permanently closed.

In Whitehall Township, the Keystone Pub & Grill at 1410 Grape St. shuttered its doors for good on Sunday night. The owners on Saturday posted the statement on the pub's Facebook page.

"Being a part of the Whitehall community for the past 12 years has been a great honor for Keystone Pub & Grill's Grape Street location," the post said. "We have an incredible opportunity that will allow us to devote all of our attention to the recently restored Bethlehem Pub. We wish the new owners all the very best as this will be our last weekend here. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you, and we are grateful for your 12-year business relationship with Whitehall.

The message continued, praising the Whitehall staff as "diligent and devoted," adding, "We cannot thank them enough." It also speaks to the devoted regulars, referred to as "pub scouts." We are filled with excitement as we focus entirely on our initial establishment. We hope to see you at our Bethlehem location for the same delicious beers and wings! "Show up at the PUB!" the message continued.

The post had received roughly 215 reactions, 55 comments, and 59 shares by Monday morning. Many users mentioned how much they will miss the Keystone Pub Whitehall, how they would miss celebrating anniversaries there, and how much they would miss its wings mixed in a variety of sauces. The tavern was well-known for its salads, burgers, sandwiches, and tacos in addition to its wings. Half-price snacks and drink specials were offered during happy hour. With 51 beers on tap, the Whitehall location also boasted a massive assortment of craft beers.

What will happen at the Whitehall location next is unknown. On Monday morning, it was not possible to get in contact with Whitehall co-owner Savvas Kiprislis for further details. But he still owns the Whitehall building, he told WFMZ-69 News, and he intends to lease the space to a "known restaurant brand" that has other sites. Along with his sister Katerina Hronis and her husband, Gus Hronis, of the Harrisburg region, Kiprislis still owns the bar in Bethlehem Township. The Hronis family comes originally from Northampton Borough and Whitehall, respectively. The three of them launched their first restaurant in December 2005 near Bethlehem Township's Easton Avenue and Willow Park Road. In April 2012, they established a second Whitehall restaurant close to Whitehall's Lehigh Valley and Whitehall malls.

The previous owner of the historic Bethlehem Township land had held the reins for almost four years before the trio purchased the property. Gus Hronis was already well-established as an entrepreneur in the Lehigh Valley at the time. His parents previously owned Miller's Diner in Northampton Borough, and he was the previous proprietor of the former Dockside Inn in Catasauqua.

Kiprislis had no intention of opening a restaurant. Rather, he attended and completed Whitehall High School before attending Alvernia University in Reading, Berks County, to obtain a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. With the hope of becoming a doctor someday, he worked as a lab chemist at Allentown-based Air Products and Chemicals for three years. Not until he spent a summer in Ocean City, Maryland, did Kiprislis start to consider a different professional path in earnest. He happened to find the Fish Tales Bar and Grill on the waterfront there. His motivation for working as a bartender at Fish Tales was the excitement of the nightlife. According to a previous statement made to lehighvalleylive.com, Kiprislis knew he intended to start something comparable in the Lehigh Valley at that point. About two years ago, the structure from the early 19th century had a significant renovation at the Bethlehem Township location.

George Butz constructed the structure, which is today known as the former grain mill, in 1806. R. T. Schweitzer later transformed the mill into the Butztown Hotel. In the 1800s, it housed rooms on the top floors. After purchasing the land in the 1950s, Howard Searfass would often visit the location to play poker with friends while his daughters worked as bartenders. According to the company website, Charles and Nancy Eyster later acquired the building and named it "The Butz." "The Butz" changed its name to the Keystone Pub & Grill Bethlehem in 2000.

After a long break, pubgoers were welcomed back in the spring of 2022 to a larger location with an open floor design, more seats, an outside dining area, and speedier service. Just prior to the closure in March 2020, Kiprislis had planned to start major renovations and a 1,000-square-foot expansion to the 5,000-square-foot, three-story building that already stood. Before the coronavirus epidemic struck, his goal was to finish the five-phase project in one year.

But the epidemic had other ideas.

Kiprislis detailed a number of delays, difficulties, and obstacles, including shortages of supplies and the need for crews to take sick leave. Further delays resulted from an excavating team hitting rock while preparing the foundation for the addition. For sixteen weeks, the three of them waited for steel beams that were expected to arrive in four weeks. The renovation ultimately resulted in the Bethlehem Township site's temporary shutdown in June 2021. The renovation took two years to finish and cost close to seven figures overall. Without a doubt, Kiprislis had stated, if the crew that made it happen had not been so determined, it might have taken even longer. The Longacre Company, which is based in Bally, Berks County, Agentis Plumbing, and Ondra-Huyett Associates, Inc., all of Bethlehem, completed the work.

The new 6,000-square-foot structure can accommodate up to 120 people. There is a new dining space with a front porch on the second story, a larger bar on the main level, and an extended kitchen. There are at least ten tables on this new outdoor patio located along the west side. Upstairs are contemporary bathrooms. The tavern has at least twenty-five LED flatscreen TVs installed, and there may be more outdoors. Extra room is available for community and private activities. The cuisine of the Bethlehem Township location has always been comparable to that of Whitehall. Kiprislis had stated that there were roughly 36 to 40 taps.

Even more work has been completed in the past few months. It looks like workers are constructing an entertainment space on the grassy patch beside the patio on the west side. The owners host a number of community functions on the side patio, such as the pub's annual charity golf tournament held in the summer. Keystone Pub & Grill Bethlehem is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight or later.

View Real Estate Listings near Keystone Pub & Grill in Bethlehem

A $1.6 million lottery ticket was sold in Northampton County at a convenience store.

According to a press release from the Pennsylvania Lottery, the ticket successfully matched all six winning numbers in the drawing, 3-23-25-26-41-42, to win the jackpot reward, less any applicable withholding.

According to the news announcement, West Easton Grocery & Smoke Shop in Easton will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the large winning ticket.

Look Here to Find Homes in Easton, PA

As the last stage of the busy Bethlehem mall's rehabilitation project draws to a close, the former Westgate Mall will go by a new name. The developer, located in New Jersey, is responsible for the change.

February 2022 saw the original announcement of Westgate Mall's renaming when Onyx Equities of Woodbridge, New Jersey began a four-phase renovation of the 280,000-square-foot retail destination. In 2018, Onyx acquired the location, which is close to Routes 22 and 378 at 2425 Schoenersville Road, and three years later, the multimillion-dollar redevelopment got underway. The mall will now be known as "The Westgate," according to Marjorie Kaplan, vice president of public relations at Axiom Communications, based in Rutherford, New Jersey, who spoke with lehighvalleylive.com this week. The name is entirely devoid of "Mall" and is marginally different from simply "Westgate," as it was suggested two years prior.

It is unclear if mall directories and outside signs have yet to reflect the new name change. In a news release from 2022, Onyx talks about the name change without giving a cause; instead, it highlights the developer's modernization efforts for the project.

The multi-million dollar project has so far consisted of three phases: the relocation of Weis Markets from the end of the center to the larger, former Bon-Ton space in May 2021; the redevelopment of the former Weis space into two portions, one of which houses Harbor Freight Tools, based in Calabasas, California; and the demolition of approximately 50,463 square feet of existing interior mall space. At present, Onyx has almost finished placing tenants in a recently built outdoor shopping center. There are already three establishments there: Jersey Mike's Subs, Qdoba Mexican Eats, and Starbucks, which launched with a drive-thru in August.

SoFresh and Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be next. According to Nicole Vasque, vice president of asset management at Onyx, SoFresh is anticipated to open later this month, and Tropical Smoothie is scheduled to debut later this fall. Whereas Tropical Cafe has a "Coming Soon" banner across the top of its front door, SoFresh has already posted a menu.

In addition, a drive-thru freestanding Penn Community Bank is being constructed in between the new Weis Market and the new strip mall. According to Vasquez, the bank is anticipated to open later this month. Last month, the People's First Federal Credit Union had its grand opening in the mall on the location of Dempsey's American Kitchen. The diner closed in 2005, leaving the restaurant in the parking lot of the mall empty. After that, it was destroyed to provide room for the credit union.

The 4,540-square-foot McDonald's at The Westgate had a soft opening in March before having its official grand opening on April 25. There are ordering kiosks, an outside terrace, and a dual-lane drive-thru at this location. In front of the recently constructed Weis Market.

In June 2023, Oak Street Health, another new tenant, launched its 12th state clinic in the Rite Aid location. Previously vacant for two years, the 10,000-square-foot Rite Aid was located at the southernmost point of the shopping mall. It closed in May of 2021. After some renovations, Fine Wine & Good Spirits was also welcomed back to its old place at the shopping center. Beside the old Amateur Athlete space, the liquor store was temporarily occupying space. Before reopening in September 2023, the old location had a complete renovation and expansion, according to Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board spokesman Shawn Kelly.

Interior demolition took place before the strip building's construction. Additionally, it resulted in the relocation of at least six already-operating retailers, including Subway, Hawk Music, Westgate Jewelers, Holiday Hair, Fashion Nails, and Amateur Athlete. All of them have since found new sites, with the exception of Subway. In the end, Subway permanently closed at The Westgate.

The mall was constructed in 1973. The $50 million investment by Onyx Equities gave the mall its second major makeover in nine years. 2015 saw a $5 million renovation that included the addition of Sky Zone Trampoline Park. When Onyx purchased Westgate in October 2018, ownership changed.

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The Bethlehem Co-op Market, formerly known as the Bethlehem Food Co-op, took over ten years to develop and reach its current state.

Once finished, the 4,500 square foot community grocery at 250 E. Broad St. will be the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. It will feature free drinking water, a community room with wifi, a pet area, a bus stop, and bike racks outside.

The local community owns and runs the grocery.

Approximately half a mile east of Main Street, it is set to be a welcomed addition to the area, with roughly 1,600 Co-op member-owners signing up.

During a hardhat tour of the property on Tuesday, store general manager Eric Shamis told LehighValleyNews.com that there are still some tasks to be completed before the store opens to the public. Officials started the initiative two years ago.

The store was outfitted with a $2.9 million grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's Community Project Funding; however, the grant was awarded as a refund. Additionally, Shamis noted that as a startup, the co-op has experienced cash flow issues. He stated, "We are finishing out a few last financial details with our equipment book." We will be able to provide everyone with a much better timeline once those logistics are resolved. However, we plan to open soon.

On October 24, from 3 to 4 p.m., the public is encouraged to register for one of three guided tours of the store. When the "small but focused" business opens. 

Available in the New Bethlehem Co-Op Market:

-Meats, both fresh and frozen

-Seafood Daily Value section featuring various monthly featured goods

-A possible option to bring your own container for the bulk foods area 

-Prepared meal section with made-to-order and grab-and-go alternatives

-Chilled fruit displays for salads and fresh greens

-Cheeses made by artisans

-International cuisine

-Dairy products and substitutes

-Section on wellness

-Candies section

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the area where the shop is located is a food desert, which is defined as a census tract with a poverty rate of 20% or more or a median family income that is at or below 80% of the family income in the state or metropolitan area. Low access to food is also included in this classification because at least 500 persons, or at least 33% of the population in the tract, reside more than a mile away from a supermarket or other large grocery shop.

Before Ideal Food Basket opened at 410 Montclair Ave. this April, the western end of South Bethlehem was designated similarly. Shamis declared, "We are not going to be organic purists." Our emphasis is on natural, sustainable, and healthful foods, but we also want to make sure that our products are accessible and competitively priced. Because we want to provide the greatest possible service to the entire community, we will also carry some standard products.

According to their website, the store will take EBT and SNAP, have sale days, and even start a fresh produce subsidy program for low-income families.

Co-op Marketing Coordinator Cora Savage stated, "We are just locals who care about the initiative and want to establish a store for us and the neighborhood." A human resources specialist, an accounting specialist, a marketing coordinator, an assistant retail general manager, and a manager of prepared foods will join the company on Monday. When the team is fully staffed, the store will employ 30 to 40 individuals, including full- and part-time, according to Shamis. Two self-checkout lanes, two express checkouts with cashiers, and two classic lanes will all be available at the new store. The store intends to sell both canvas and paper bags, but plastic bags will not be available at the register.

Local muralist Matt Halm will create a mural to cover the grocery store's back wall. Afterwards, community paint days will be open to the public, who can help build the mural and leave their stamp on the store. The origin of the co-op began in 2011 when local Jaime Karpovich was searching for a red pepper inside the city limits. It took him an hour to locate one and make it back home.

Karpovich discovered she was not the only one in the city looking for a specific type of fresh food when she posted her worries on social media. The idea for the co-op was later conceived when more than a hundred people came together at the Bethlehem Area Public Library. "More than 1,500 member-owners have a voice in the co-op's operations and mission," stated Shamis. "Our means, not our aims, are profit.

"Any profit earned at the cooperative is returned to the member-owners in the form of patronage dividends, or it is retained earnings that remain within the cooperative to be reinvested." The cooperative building is four stories high and categorized as mixed-use. It has around 7,500 square feet of total space for the ground floor market and more than 40 flats spread across the three above stories.

Visit the co-op website for further details on the store's membership fees and benefits, merchandise, accessibility, and ability to accommodate special diets.

For individuals who want to participate and follow the store virtually, the website also offers recipes and a blog.

Click Here to Find Listed Homes Near Bethlehem New Co-Op Market 

Jim Lett started operating his door and window company out of his parents' house in the Lower Macungie Township neighborhood of Ancient Oaks when he was still a college student. He remembered, "I had a phone line set up in the bedroom, which was my workplace." "You could call it my warehousing, or storage, as I used my parents' garage for." On a Wednesday morning, fifty years later, he and his family ceremoniously cut the ribbon on the business' brand-new showroom at 6776 Hamilton Boulevard.

For A.B.E. Doors & Windows, it is like coming home. For many years, the business was housed in a family home that had been renovated. Most recently, when work was being done on the three-tenant strip mall that presently houses the showroom, it relocated into temporary quarters at the Shepherd Hills Center, which is close by. Lett said to the gathering, which included Pennsylvania Representative Ryan Mackenzie, "It is taken us 50 years to get to today, but we made it." Mackenzie also gave Lett a proclamation from the Pennsylvania House.

Mackenzie remarked, "We are happy you are still growing and expanding here, and we wish you all the best in the future." Proclamations from Lower Macungie Township and the offices of US Senator Bob Casey and US Representative Susan Wild were also given to the company. Lett did not hesitate to give his wife, Janet, credit for the company's success. "God bless her, she was taking care of the kids and helped pull doors off of vehicles during delivery," Lett remarked.

Jim Lett II, one of their three children, is currently A.B.E. Doors & Windows' president. His parents taught him the business as he grew up. "In the back of my mind, I always imagined myself here," he remarked. "Coming aboard just seemed like the right thing to do." For both residential and commercial clients, A.B.E. Doors & Windows offers sales and installation of all types of windows, entry doors, interior doors, and garage doors.

Lett stated that he was aware of competition when he established the company in 1974. He was resolved to stand out, though. "The first priority is always customer service," he declared.

See here for Homes and Properties near A.B.E Doors & Windows in Lower Macungie Township

The "America's Best Restaurants" team recently visited a family-run restaurant and bar in Lehigh County, and they left with nothing but positive compliments.

The goal of America's Best Restaurants, a nationwide marketing and media organization, is to highlight independently owned, locally owned eateries. The organization brought their "ABR Roadshow" to Catasauqua's Catty Corner Neighborhood Pub & Pie, located at 301 Mulberry St.

The episode debuted on the restaurant's Facebook page and can be seen on the YouTube account for the show. Theo Williams, presenter of ABR Roadshow, opens the show by discussing pizza, his "favorite food in the world," with Tyler Cimerol, co-owner of Catty Corner.

Some of the steps involved in creating a Catty Corner pizza are described by Cimerol, who also includes using house-made tomato sauce that is made by blending fresh tomatoes with garlic, basil, oregano, and other ingredients, and finishing the pizza with shredded whole milk cheese. The pizza dough is allowed to ferment in a cooler for up to 48 hours. Williams describes a freshly baked plain pizza as "wonderful" and praises the crust, pointing out that the "little air pockets" contribute to a crisp texture and "great crunch." Cimerol takes the pizza out of the oven. "That pizza right there is perfection!" Williams continued. "Delicious crust, attracting cheese." After that, Williams had the 8-ounce Royale Burger from Catty Corner, which is topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, fried egg, American cheese, and homemade bacon aioli, which, in Williams' opinion, "takes it to a whole other level." A brioche bread is used to serve the burger.

Williams remarked, "To start with, this pork patty right here is of excellent quality." "That is some great beef flavor, perfectly seasoned." Williams also sampled Catty Corner's cheesesteak, which is served on freshly baked bread that is delivered every day from Amoroso's Baking Company, a bakery in Philadelphia. It consists of a freshly shaved ribeye steak, sauteed onions, and Cooper cheese, all topped with housemade marinara sauce. According to Tyler, a local store cuts the meat every day, so it is also incredibly fresh.

Yes, that is what I am referring to. Williams took his first taste and shouted. "To start with, the ribeye is clearly freshly shaved; the quality of the flesh is excellent." That right there is a superb ribeye—nice and tender—I am not sure where you obtain yours. Eating this is indeed a dream come true. He continued, "Catty Corner hit every note that I could have hoped them to hit." "It is obvious that Tyler and his father, Jay, are well-versed in the industry and have excellent management skills for their restaurant and bar."

In September 2018, the Cimerol family purchased the Catasauqua restaurant and bar. A new name, menu, and appearance were added, along with the addition of "Neighborhood Pub & Pie," when the establishment reopened in November of the same year. The father and son launched a second The Catty Corner shop in Upper Nazareth Township in June at 398 N. Broad St. Ext.

The cuisine for the recently refurbished facility is the same as it was at the Catasauqua original. Self-described as "not your normal local corner pub," The Catty Corner is well-known for its hand-tossed dough used in more than two dozen unique pizzas, which are prepared every day. Pickle, pierogie, chicken carbonara, and "Catty Mac"—a combination of freshly seasoned burger meat, pickles, onions, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and 1,000 Island dressing—are popular types. There are pies in ten-inch and sixteen-inch sizes as well as gluten-free options.

Additionally, patrons have the option to customize their own 12-, 16-, or 20-inch pizzas with a selection of about two dozen toppings, such as sausage, bacon, grilled chicken, hot peppers, mushrooms, and pineapple. In Nazareth, the same menu items are available along with additional favorites such calzones, strombolis, burgers, and chicken wings.

A few more menu highlights are the following: tacos, quesadillas, nachos; Mexican dishes like tacos, jalapeño peppers, and barbecue sauce; charbroiled burgers like the "Iron Works" (sauteed onions, bacon, pepper jack cheese, jalapeño peppers, and barbecue sauce) and "Rough Rider" (bacon, hot sauce, pepper jack cheese, and onion rings); appetizers like mac-n-cheese bites, Old Bay shrimp, and Inner Harbor fries (fries topped with crab meat and house-made hollandaise sauce); sandwiches like chicken parm, cheesesteaks, and the Catty Corner Cuban)

Along with full bars, hundreds of TVs, and entertainment options like music bingo, karaoke, and trivia, The Catty Corner joins a number of other neighborhood eateries that have been highlighted on America's Best Restaurants over the years.

View Real Estates Near One of America's Best Restaurant, The Catty Corner Pub & Pie, in Catasauqua

A new enterprise in Lehigh County features prominent athletes from the Lehigh Valley, such as Michelle Marciniak, Saquon Barkley, Chuck Bednarik, and Larry Holmes.

On September 5, Valley Legends Sports Bar, located at 1061 N. Sixth St. in Whitehall Township, hosted a soft opening. The bar serves pub grub, pints of beer, and lots of pride in notable local athletes. For many years, a casual restaurant and bar called Park Inn was located in the recently refurbished space.

Owners of Valley Legends, Jose Ortiz and Veronica Thornton, made improvements to the area, including new wall paint, flooring, and lighting. The walls are covered in pictures of numerous Lehigh Valley athletes, and a vinyl bar top made by Express Sign Outlet, located in Lower Macungie Township, features more pictures of notable local figures.

"We are celebrating local players, which is why we call ourselves Valley Legends," Ortiz, a William Allen High School alumnus, explained. "Everyone who is on our walls is a person who grew up in the area, went to school there, or has local ties and became successful in a certain sport."

The roster of notable athletes is diverse and includes three-time Olympic silver medalist in shot put Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem Catholic High School, former world heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes (nicknamed "Easton Assassin"), and actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson of Freedom High School. Andre Reed, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who graduated from Dieruff High School, is also present.

In addition, guests can view framed pictures of former NFL running backs for the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers, Andre Williams, Michelle Marciniak, a graduate of Parkland High School who played basketball professionally in Puerto Rico before becoming a successful high school coach in the area, and Ray Barbosa, the all-time leading scorer at William Allen High School, who went on to play professionally in Puerto Rico before becoming a successful high school coach within the community.

"Our objective is to keep honoring the greats and packing these walls with legendary Lehigh Valley athletes," Ortiz stated. Additionally, we want to engage the community as much as we can. We therefore invite anyone to enter and say, "Hey, you forgot this person!" In reality, because we plan to add additional faces to them, that is the reason we left a lot of vacant wall space.

With space for about 60 people, Valley Legends has a complete bar with nine draft beers as well as a selection of specialty cocktails, such as the "Legendary" old fashioned, tropical martini, and blueberry margarita (vanilla vodka, mango puree, pineapple juice, and splash of passion fruit). Traditional and boneless chicken wings are offered on the menu, along with sides like tater tots and mozzarella sticks. Flavors include Buffalo, sweet red chili, and Legendary, a blend of garlic parmesan, hot, and honey recipes.

In the upcoming weeks, Ortiz stated that happy hour beer promotions and a weekly "Taco Tuesday" promotion will be launched. Ortiz declared, "We are tremendously excited." "We are doing this because we wanted to provide the community with an enjoyable and distinctive location. After just a few days of operation, I have already heard comments like "I can not wait to come back" and "This is my new go-to bar." In addition, he has achieved success as a realtor in the Lehigh Valley since leaving the United States Marine Corps in 2022 after 20 years of service.

"I had always fantasized of opening a sports bar, but I never really pursued it since I always had so much going on," Ortiz stated. "I told myself, 'Let us go for it,' when this space and opportunity presented themselves because it was the appropriate time for me."

Valley Legends offers weekly promotions including "Thirsty Thursday," which features $2 domestic bottles, $5 mixed cocktails, and six wings for $6 from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The restaurant has a digital jukebox and about a dozen TVs displaying sports games. There is space in the rear room for private events, overflow dining, and upcoming podcasts featuring local athletes.

View Real Estate For Sale Near Valley Legends Sports Bar in Whitehall Township