King Kone ice cream scoops up bigger space
Hoisted high by her mom, Rhea Layne Williams peered over the freezer case, smiling at all the choices.
With a denim top and bow to match, the 2-year-old made her choice: a dish of matching-blue cotton candy dusted with rainbow sprinkles. Clearly excited for her treat, she dove into it, mouth first.
“You know you have a spoon for that,” said her mom, Maria Williams of Northampton.
On this unusually warm mid-February day, the mother-daughter duo was among the crowd that came out to see the new location for a Whitehall Township ice cream institution.
King Kone relocated to 4128 Springmill Road last month and held a grand opening Thursday to celebrate.
“This new location is a huge improvement over where we used to be,” said owner Rick Safi.
For one thing, it’s in a new stand-alone building, which gives King Kone 500 square feet more than in its previous strip-mall location, which was directly across the street on MacArthur Road. There’s exponentially more parking and a new, larger outdoor seating area, including a deck.
But while the space and location are new, the menu is the same, which is welcome news to fans of this long-standing ice cream shop. King Kone features more than 60 flavors of Leiby’s and Nelson’s hard and soft-serve ice cream. You can get cups or cones (including homemade waffle cones), frozen yogurt, milkshakes and more.
Safi said because they have more space, they now offer 15 more flavors including caramel cookie (if you like Twix candy bars, this is for you) and orange sherbet. Later this spring, he’ll be offering vegan soft-serve and hard-serve ice cream. The new location also allows King Kone to make its own ice cream cakes on the premises and it has a full case of ice cream cakes, ice cream cookie sandwiches and more.
Directions to the new location: Those traveling southbound on MacArthur Road will be able to pull into the parking lot directly from the roadway, while customers traveling northbound on MacArthur Road will be able to access the business by turning left on Route 329, right on Spruce Street and right on Springmill Road.
Info: http://kingkonewhitehall.com/
Wondering about Wawa
Many of you reached out to ask what we have heard about the planned Wawa drive-thru in Lower Macungie Township. The drive-thru Wawa, which would be the convenience store giant’s second in Pennsylvania, is planned for the Trexler Business Center off Hamilton Boulevard. (For a point of reference, the proposed site is just up the street from the Movie Tavern.)
I checked in with Nathan Jones, Lower Macungie’s director of planning and community development, to find out the latest. He said the project is finishing up the last administrative processes and will then move forward to construction.
In more Lower Mac news …
My colleague Graysen Golter has been following the latest on the massive development project Lehigh Valley Town Center.
The township’s planning commission met last week to discuss the Jaindl Land Co. project, planned for land bordered by Schantz Road, Interstate 78 and Route 222. The parcel is made up of open agricultural land and property formerly owned by Eastern Industries.
Among the possibilities for the center: An aquarium, performance venue and an “experimental” sports retail establishment.
The development would be one of the biggest projects since Hamilton Crossings opened in 2016. It would include a Topgolf entertainment location, a 12,500-square-foot retail grocery store as well as retail, entertainment space and residential units.
Jaindl reps have said it’s too early to offer more details and specifics on possible tenants.
Sad news about a favorite vegan spot
The owners of the Lehigh Valley’s only vegan pizza shop, Paranormal Pizza, say they will rebuild after the eatery had a
fire earlier this month.
In their weekly newsletter, owners Marc and Joey Kubushefski thanked their customers for their support since the fire at the restaurant, which is at 554 N New St., Bethlehem.
“As of right now the plan is to rebuild and reopen once the rebuild is complete. Unfortunately there is no timeline,” they said in the newsletter. “I know a lot of people have been asking if we were calling it quits. We are not! We’re hoping to be up and running by the summer.”
Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote awareness about vegan living and animal rights and welfare, held a fundraiser and collected nearly $7,550 to benefit the rebuild. Along with that group, Vegan Treats held a fundraiser, using 100% of the proceeds of the sales of their soft-serve ice cream to benefit the pizza shop.
No one was hurt in the fire but the restaurant sustained smoke, fire and water damage.
The restaurant has been open just under a year and has gained widespread support from vegan and non-vegan pizza fans alike.
Another hot dog shop closes
The Lehigh Valley is about to lose its second legendary hot dog shop in less than a month.
Pete’s Hot Dog Shop, which has been at 400 Broadway in South Bethlehem for nearly 85 years, will close March 15.
“We are hanging up our hot dog fork,” said Effie Ramirez, daughter of the shop’s owner.
Ramirez said the family is ready for their next adventure and it’s time to move on.
“We’re going out on our own terms,” she said. “It’s not COVID-related or anything. Time for some new blood.”
This old-fashioned hot
dog shop is a favorite in the Valley, serving up their famous Hatfield brand hot dogs with scratchmade chili sauce known as “Greekers.” Tradition calls for ordering them with some fried Mrs T’s pierogis.
It’s the second hot dog shop to announce it’s closing this month. Willy Joe’s at 2407 Lehigh St. is set to close by April.
Info: http://peteshotdogshop.com/
Tips and more
Keep sending me those tips on new businesses and restaurants and those that have closed. Email me at jsheehan@mcall.com and put “Retail Watch” in the subject line.