Small Business News

The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market officially added The Brass Rail to its list of merchants Thursday morning — the first time the eatery has been in operation since it shuttered on Lehigh Street in June 2022.

The North Street spot has been known locally for its affordable, yet classic, early morning and lunchtime eats, including pork rolls, pancakes, cheesesteaks and more. The news of the sale comes after 41 years of business.

Even though independent, family-owned hardware stores may seem harder to come by in the days of Aces and Home Depots, Center City has had a homegrown, “personal service store” down on the corner for decades.

It might feel early, but some local farms are gearing up to begin their fall festivities. Most pumpkin patches, corn mazes and hay rides open to the public this month. Find out when.

Four years into his massage therapy career, Jared Skinner set out to master a relatively "new" technique to the practice — rolfing. It's a 10-step practice on a weekly basis that aims to relieve the body naturally of pain for upwards of five to 10 years. Only 2,000 body workers professionally practice it worldwide.

Lana's Comforting Pawsibilities offers training for pets in the Lehigh Valley via positive reinforcement, saving owners of cats and dogs alike from having to give up their precious furry friends.

Both this year and last year, in its “April in Paris” shopping event, Marché Maison was joined by Phoebe Floral with its “Parisian-inspired” flower cart for shoppers to build fresh bouquets.

The Lehigh Valley's newest bagel shop is officially in full swing, holding its grand opening Wednesday Aug. 28. Customers have continuously raved about the bagel spot since its soft opening mid-July.

Easton City Council held a parking summit Tuesday night, inviting the public to share their own ideas on how to address one of the city's biggest issues for residents and visitors alike.

Stuffed Puffs, founded in Bethlehem, filed a WARN notice in August with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. On Tuesday, a Texas-based food manufacturing company announced it acquired Stuffed Puffs.

Fat Jacks' has welcomed customers along Freemansburg Avenue for 32 years. Now owner Susan Kerbaugh says it's time for someone else to take the reins. The building and its liquor license went on the market this week.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Emmaus has Let's Play Books, a shop that is now expanding to a second location. The new store, called The End: a bookstore, opens in Allentown on Saturday for Independent Bookstore Day.

Mad Dogs Hot Dogs in Macungie is no longer closing after owners announced a buyer of the restaurant.

"Mad Dogs Hot Dogs" in Macungie, a popular lunchtime spot known for its wide and creative variety of hot dog topping combinations, will close at the end of April, according to the owners.

FD Market, the eco-friendly refillery and houseware store, will be closing their original Emmaus location at the end of the month to better meet their customers where they are in Saucon Valley.

ArtsQuest and the Lehigh Valley Brewers' Guild teamed up to launch the Spring Beer Fest in Bethlehem Saturday. With more than 850 tickets sold, the festival is likely to make a return, organizers said.

FD Market, the eco-friendly refillery and houseware store, will be closing their original Emmaus location at the end of the month to better meet their customers where they are

Bethlehem Food Co-op, a local grocery cooperative, has hired its first ever general manager to bring life to an initiative that has been in the works since 2011.

Esmirna Jiménez's work is an example of what culturally-competent tax services could look like for a segment of the population that isn’t often thought of when it comes to tax time.

The Lehigh Valley Brewers Guild met at Lost Tavern Brewery on Tuesday to begin preparations for Lehigh Valley Beer Week on April 29-May 6.

Linnette Ruiz-Perez said she hopes to welcome her first customers to Eminence Luxury Beauty Studio in May.