Happy New Year everyone! I swear, this year I will keep a promise to myself to regularly post “reports” here on our REPORT web section – at least once a week…and if you want more of me, give me a call (610-841-4866). I’m here for you!
We had a good Holiday season – our first here on Hamilton Street and our third in Allentown. We like to step back after each season and reflect on what worked, what we need to work on…and what we can let go. This year, the big change I think was a noticeable nostalgia (I’ll explain, I mean that in a good, positive, looking-forward kind of way) in downtown Allentown. We aren’t the Christmas City and, frankly it can be a little daunting as a retailer to operate next door to one of the “10 best Christmas towns in the country.” (And, congratulations, by the way…we love Bethlehem!)
But Allentown is a growing, diverse city with a very strong retail past. The Hess’s of our past are gone, but there is a new (still somewhat small, but enough to make it a destination) group of businesses who are bringing a unique perspective downtown. We shopped at Good Guy, Sorrelli, Token, Assembly 88, the Archive and IO Beauty. We got our Holiday haircuts at Jimmy’s and had drinks and food at a variety of restaurants.
Most striking to us was the very good customers, old and new, who made a point to come downtown to shop local in a town that’s kind of clawing (albeit with a lot of cash) it’s way back. That’s where the good nostalgia comes in…. People love, (some loved, as in the past), Allentown, many have fond memories of the days you couldn’t fit on the crowded sidewalks while shopping downtown, and a growing number of them are willing to give the new Allentown another try. It’s going to take time, but it’s happening. Come along for the ride!