Sugar Bear opens first Pa. location at Lehigh Valley Mall as new shops arrive

A popular confectioner has opened its first Pennsylvania location at Lehigh Valley Mall and at least five other businesses have already opened or are coming soon to the Whitehall Township shopping destination.

Sugar Bear Candy Store opened on April 12 on the main level, across from Lush and Pandora. The site previously occupied candy and gift retailer Lolli & Pops, which closed amid the coronavirus pandemic in July 2020.

The sweet shop is known for its selection of chocolates, gummies, novelty candies, truffles and assorted nuts. Sugar Bear Founder and CEO Gauhar Zhaukesh confirmed to lehighvalleylve.com the regional site as her first Pennsylvania location. She has more than a half dozen other Sugar Bear Candy Stores across New Jersey and New York.

Asked if there are any other plans to expand in Pennsylvania, Zhaukesh said it could be possible in 2026.

Shannon Mae Palzer, the mall’s director of marketing and business development, told lehighvalleylive.com this week two more new stores have since joined the roster at the Whitehall Township shopping destination: Waikiki and Dry Goods, as well as the previously announced D’Colombia Restaurant & Bakery; Dunkin;’ and Star Park Indoor Playground.

Those tenants follow about a half dozen departures in recent months: Forever 21; Pocono Brewery Company; Starbucks; air soft shooting gallery, Battlestar; Indian Bite; Hairitage Beauty Salon; Icing; and Face Foundrie.

Pocono Brewery Co. closed in February at the mall’s Lifestyle Center, next to the Apple store. The 2,200-square-foot anchor space remains vacant.

It’s unclear what led to the closure. Co-owner and head brewmaster Jean-Luc Vitiello at the time didn’t immediately return a request for more information. Pocono Brewery, however, remains in operation in the Swiftwater section of Pocono Township.

Starbucks abruptly shuttered in late August on the main level. The Tea Lady temporarily hosted a pop-up location at the site during the holiday season.

Battlestar was on the lower level, next to Bath & Body Works, and shuttered in January. There were reportedly plans at one point for the air soft gallery to relocate to another section of the mall. However, those plans never came to fruition, Sherry Smith, the mall’s area marketing administrator, had said.

Indian Bite, an eatery open for the past two years on the mall’s main level, shuttered for good on Oct. 6. Hairitage Beauty Salon also left sometime in October after about four years in operation on the mall’s upper level, across from Lenscrafters.

The salon didn’t renew its lease and relocated to Front Street in Catasauqua, where it plans to expand its offerings. The salon also continues to operate a second site on Wood Avenue in Wilson Borough.

Icing, known for its jewelry, hair, beauty and bridal accessories, closed at the end of October on the mall’s lower level. The Icing store and Indian Bite never provided reasons for their departures, Smith had said.

Face Foundrie, which opened in late July 2023 at the Lifestyle Center, also closed suddenly by early September. The vacant space remains next to trendy eyewear company Warby Parker.

Now open

A new women’s fashion boutique becomes the mall’s second most recent tenant to open after Sugar Bear.

Waikiki opened April 18 in the the space the formerly occupied Forever 21 on the mall’s upper level. The teen and women’s fashion retailer is known for its trendy clothing and accessories.

Signs in February initially went up at Forever 21, announcing the mall’s pending closure.

F21 OpCo, LLC, which operates the national Forever 21 chain, last month announced it filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and was expected to close all U.S. stores. The company cited fierce competition by Chinese fast-fashion e-tailers Shein and Temu for its demise, according to multiple published reports.

Also new to the mall are Address For Him; Miniso; and Carter’s/OshKosh B’gosh.

Address For Him opened on March 1 in the spot that formerly occupied Jennifer’s Unique Boutique on the upper level. The boutique in early February moved back to the space it previously occupied briefly at the outdoor Lifestyle Center. Prior to the boutique, the spot occupied Williams-Sonoma.

Address for Him is known for its formal men’s apparel. Think weddings, job interviews, religious functions and more.

The long-awaited Miniso finally opened its doors on Feb. 26 after several months of renovation delays. The variety store chain sits next to Bath & Body Works on the main level.

Miniso specializes in household and consumer goods. The chain was founded by Jack Ye, who was inspired to launch the business after seeing the success of Asian-inspired specialty stores that offered a variety of affordable items.

Carter’s/OshKosh B’gosh also opened on Feb. 26 in the former Battlestar space, next to GameStop and near Macy’s. The popular children’s clothier is known for apparel for infants and toddlers, as well as young boys and girls. Stores also sell swimwear, outerwear, socks, shoes and accessories.

Additionally, Joseph & Co. Jewelers opened on Feb. 11 between Torrid and Game Box Arcade on the mall’s main level. The jeweler is known for pieces that emphasize “equality,” according to the mall’s website.

Coming soon

Shoppers soon will be able to see some new establishments filling empty storefronts on the main level.

Dry Goods is expected to open on the main level, near the escalators, in space that previously occupied fashion retailer Austin 5, Palzer said. She didn’t have a concrete timeframe, however, as to when.

The retailer is known for its trendy women’s fashions, as well as shoes, loungewear and accessories.

Signs have already gone up for D’Colombia Restaurant & Bakery to indicate the eatery would be opening soon. It’s moving into Indian Bite’s former space on the main level, near the mall’s main entrance.

While Smith, the mall’s area marketing administrator, in February anticipated a quick opening for the bakery and restaurant, it’s clear there’s been some delays. Palzer also didn’t have a concrete timetable for D’Colombia’s opening.

The same goes for Dunkin’ and Star Park Indoor Playground & Party.

A large banner stating,“Dunkin’ Coming Soon,” is draped across the kiosk that formerly occupied Starbucks on the main level.

Star Park Indoor Playground & Party this week remained under construction on the main level, next to Sunglass Hut, in the space that formerly occupied Track 23 and Modell’s Sporting Goods. It’s being designed for youth ages 12 and under to climb, play and explore.

Star Park Indoor Playground also plans to host birthday parties and other private events, the mall’s website states.

Just a few vacancies remain at the mall, along a bustling retail corridor at MacArthur Road and Grape Street.

Aside from the former Face Foundrie and Pocono Brewery Company spaces at the Lifestyle Center, there’s spots next to the Pink store on the main level; at the former Hairtage Beauty Salon space; and a handful of others on the upper level, according to mall directory maps.

Additionally, there’s the longstanding former Ruby Tuesday space. That eatery closed in June 2020, shortly after the March 2020 shutdown.

Fit Leggy in early November filled the former Icing space on the mall’s lower level, near JCPenney. The retailer is known for its high-quality leggings in various shapes and sizes for women, offering both comfort and style.

More tenants are likely to soon fill these spaces.

“Our focus remains on introducing an extensive mix of contemporary shopping, dining and experiential options that resonate with our community,” Palzer said. “We’re committed to providing a dynamic and engaging destination for our visitors and look forward to sharing additional news as it becomes available.”

Lehigh Valley Mall opened in the 1970s and added on its 120,000-square-foot outdoor Lifestyle Center in 2007. Today, the mall is home to over 100 businesses and dining establishments.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at [email protected].