RETAIL WATCH: WHAT’S THE BUZZ ON NEW SALONS?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Lehigh Valley — from the 106-foot-tall Peace Candle in Easton’s Centre Square to the sprawling craft booths at Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt to the dazzling light displays at Allentown’s Lights in the Parkway and Lehigh Valley Zoo’s Winter Light Spectacular.
Whether you’re looking to snap a photo with Santa, ride a horse-drawn carriage through historic Bethlehem or just catch up with old friends at a holiday gathering, a new Allentown salon wants to help you look your best in December and yearround.
Honor Family Hair Care, offering haircuts, coloring and more for men, women and children, opened Nov. 25 at 1424 Pennsylvania Ave. in Allentown.
Owner, barber and stylist Shannon Guarino of Bethlehem has more than 24 years in the hair care industry, having worked at popular local spots such as Oliver’s Day Spa & Salon in Lower Macungie Township and American Hairlines in downtown Bethlehem. Most recently, she cut hair for about two years at The Barber Shop at the Westgate Mall in Bethlehem.
“This is a dream come true for me,” Guarino said. “I get to make friends while making people feel better about themselves. I’m a master hair stylist, but I try to offer moderate prices. Everyone deserves to look their best without spending a fortune.”
The salon, occupying a roughly 500-square-foot space near Queen’s Nutritional Products, offers haircuts for men and women starting at $18, and children and seniors starting at $15. Other services include beard trims and coloring.
Honor, which accepts appointments and walk-in clients, is open 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mondays, 8:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. Info: 610-8492277.
More barbershop buzz
Another longtime barber plans to fulfill a dream of his own within a few months in downtown Allentown.
Michael Angelo’s Barbershop, offering haircuts, styling and more for men, women and children, is expected to open in February at 722 Hamilton St. (former Center Ice ice cream shop), according to owner Michael DiGregorio.
“It’s going to be a European-style barbershop,” DiGregorio said. “I vacationed in Italy not too long ago and was very inspired by some of the barbershops over there.”
DiGregorio, a 2008 graduate of Freedom High School, has been barbering for 12 years.
The downtown Allentown resident studied at the American Barber Institute in Manhattan and has worked at various New York City and Lehigh Valley barbershops, including Filthy Rich Barbershop in New York, Sports Cuts Barbershop in east Allentown and Jimmy’s Barber Shop in downtown Allentown.
“This is 100% fulfilling a dream of mine,” DiGregorio said.
The 1,089-square-foot shop, with five barbering stations, will cater primarily to men with services that include beard trimming and threading, hot towel shaves and steamed facials.
DiGregorio also developed his own personal care product line, Bello, and clients will be able to buy premium pomade, tea tree shampoo, conditioner and more.
Odds and ends
Also in Allentown, Plaza Azteca, a Mexican restaurant chain offering “traditional flavors combined with a Tex Mex flair,” will open its first Lehigh Valley location at the former Tilted Kilt building at 2835 Lehigh St., according to “coming soon” signs at the property.
The chain, with more than 40 locations in six states, was founded in Virginia Beach in the late 1990s by two men from Jalisco, Mexico, according to the company’s website.
Menus and pricing vary by location, but an online menu labeled “Pennsylvania & New England areas” features a wide variety of nachos, quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, tacos, sizzling fajitas, salads and vegan options.
Customers also can order chicken, steak and seafood platters such as chori steak (grilled 10-ounce T-bone with chorizo drizzled with cheese sauce), chipotle and shrimp pasta and grilled chicken breast topped with a creamy spinach and bacon sauce.
Appetizers such as chicken wings, assorted empanadas and tableside guacamole are $11 and under, while most other items are $11-$20.
Messages left at nearby Pennsylvania restaurants seeking a tentative opening date and other details regarding the Allentown location were not returned. Info: plazaazteca.com.
If you’re already formulating a game plan to fight the postholiday bulge, take note of a popular Lehigh Valley gym’s plans to have a new home in the new year.
Planet Fitness, at 4646 Broadway in South Whitehall Township, is expected to move by the end of February from its 11-year-old spot in the Tilghman Square to a larger unit in the Allentown Towne Center across the street, gym manager Wil Rocchino said.
The 24-hour fitness facility will occupy roughly 30,000 square feet of the Allentown Towne Center’s former Kmart space, next to the newly opened Orangetheory Fitness studio, Rocchino said. Its current footprint is about 19,000 square feet.
“We’re getting a bump in size and nearly all new equipment,” said Rocchino, noting members should expect little or no disruption of service.
Planet Fitness, offering a trademarked “Judgment Free Zone” where members can work out in a nonintimidating atmosphere, has more than 1,800 locations in North America, including eight in the Lehigh Valley area. Info: planetfitness.com.
A couple of businesses recently opened in the Slate Belt:
First, Persimmon Lane held a grand opening Nov. 30 at 501 Delaware Ave. in Portland.
The store, operated by Amanda and Alan Moyer, sells a mix of handmade and resale items, including bag and looseleaf teas, soaps, bath bombs, bath salts, essential oils, sage smudgers, crystals, jewelry, bags, journals and notebooks. Info: 570-242-5578.
Second, Karma Krafts , in partnership with the Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce, will
host a grand opening and ribboncutting ceremony 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Wind Gap Flea Market at 316 N. Broadway.
The business, operated by Paula Dalenburg and Laura Lessig, features stained glass, vintage button jewelry, wrapped crystals and stones and Avon products.
Closing notes
A longstanding Italian restaurant in Upper Macungie Township will serve its last Sicilian pizza on New Year’s Eve.
Paese Mio, which opened in 1997 at 6561 W. Tilghman St., will close Dec. 31 in advance of husband and wife owners Mike and Rosa Basile’s retirement.
Fans of the restaurant’s pizza, pasta and other Italian specialties should not fret though.
The couple’s two sons, Sal and Joe, who have worked at Paese Mio since they were teenagers, plan to open an eatery in the spring at a soon-to-be-renovated building a few miles south at Hamilton Boulevard and Newtown Road in Breinigsville (former Beers to You beer distributor).
The under-development restaurant, tentatively named 222 Boulevard Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen, would serve favorites from Paese Mio along with new specialties, Mike said.
“The community embraced us from the start, and we are forever grateful,” Mike said. “I’ll relax at some point, but first I want to help my boys get their business off the ground.”
Paese Mio, which means “my hometown” in Italian, has become a popular destination for authentic Italian cuisine, with many dishes stemming from long-held family recipes. Popular picks include chicken Parmesan, meat stromboli, “grandma pizza” with fresh mozzarella and various veal and seafood dinners, including veal Marsala and shrimp scampi.
The restaurant is BYOB, and complimentary wine is offered to all customers. Info: 610-4810400.
Another upcoming closure in Upper Macungie Township: Cycledrome Bicycle Shop is set to close in the next few weeks at 8150 Hamilton Blvd., according to owner Scott Fraser.
All merchandise, including bikes, clothing and bike parts and accessories, is discounted 40% off its original price.
“We’ve been here for 23 years and decided it was time for a change,” Fraser said. “So, we’re going in a different direction.” Info: 610-398-6631.
Retail Watch, appearing every weekend, keeps track of retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.