MAIDENCREEK TWP. Pa. - A family of animal, coffee and plant lovers is planning to unite its passions at a new business in Berks County.
Kitt's Café & Gandalf's Garden, a cat cafe and houseplant shop, is expected to open in the fall at 8520 Allentown Pike (Route 222), Suites 13 and 14, in the Blandon section of Maidencreek Township, owner Kimberly Pryor said.
Pryor will operate the business, named after her two cats, with her three children – Jordan, Rhiannon and Noah.
“We’re super excited,” Pryor said.
“My whole family and I are animal lovers. As the children were growing up, we always had a lot of pets, all kinds of pets. Currently, we have two cats at my home, and my oldest daughter has two cats that she and her husband have at their home as well.”
Kitt's Café&Gandalf's Garden will partner with local animal shelters and rescue groups to help cats find their forever homes, Pryor said.
Customers will be able to hang out with 10-20 adoptable cats of various breeds and ages on any given day while enjoying freshly prepared food and drinks and also browsing a wide array of houseplants.
“The space will allow the cats to socialize more with humans and get ready for their forever homes,” Pryor said. “It’ll be a relaxing space, and people will have an opportunity to really get to know the cats because their personalities will shine through. So, it’ll be a win-win for everyone.”
Kitt's Café&Gandalf's Garden will operate in a 3,000-square-foot space at the Business Park at Maidencreek.
The spot was never occupied, and Pryor and her family are planning a fit-out that includes new kitchen equipment, dining space and retail displays.
The team is still finalizing the menu, but individuals can expect made-on-site items such as cookies, muffins, pastries, avocado toast and sandwiches, Pryor said.
Espresso, lattes and other specialty coffee drinks also will be available, along with a variety of other beverages.
“We’ll have a lot of teas as well,” Pryor said.
“I’m a huge tea lover. So, I want to offer more teas than the average cafe might have. We also have a homemade lemonade recipe, and we’re planning to sell some flavored lemonades as well. We want to have a nice mix of offerings, a little something for everybody.”
Customers also will be able to shop a variety of houseplants, including spider plants, lithops and hoyas.
Plants that are non-toxic to cats will be identified as such.
“We want to have all of the plants labeled to make it really easy for customers to know what is safe to be around cats,” Pryor said.
“You don’t want your cats to eat your houseplants ever, even if they are safe. So, we are also going to be selling cat grass, which is a plant that cats can eat on a regular basis.”
Kitt's Café&Gandalf's Garden is named after Pryor’s two cats – Kitt, the family’s “regal Bombay”; and Gandalf, a “chirpy tabby.”
Both cats were regularly hanging around outside Pryor’s house, and after taking them to a local veterinarian to make sure they weren’t microchipped and belonging to someone else, they made their way into Pryor’s home and heart.
The business’ logo, created by Jordan, incorporates images of both Kitt and Gandalf.
“Kitt is the very first cat that came to us at our house,” Pryor said.
“He would come up to us for pets and began hanging around more and more. After we took him to the vet and found out that no one had claimed him, we ended up letting him come inside. We let him come and go as he pleased for a while through a cat door. And then he just decided to stay indoors and be pampered and loved by us. We feel so lucky because he’s such a sweet cat.”
Kitt enjoys being brushed and will meow and lead the family to the brush every morning, Pryor said. He also loves having his ears and chin rubbed, and he will wait until you put a blanket on your lap before lying down for lots of pets.
Gandalf was very skinny when he started hanging around outside Pryor’s home, Pryor said.
Initially, Noah would yell to Gandalf, who would come and then be fed food.
“We eventually got him neutered and microchipped, and now he’s at home with us loving all of the attention,” Pryor said.
Gandalf enjoys following family members around the house as they water houseplants, often sticking his nose into the pots as they do so. He also loves to taste test unattended glasses of water, sit amongst the plants and eat his cat grass daily.
"This whole concept is something that’s very near and dear to our hearts," Pryor said.
"We have a love for cats, and we also have a love for cafes. My stepdaughter, who I call my bonus daughter, is a trained pastry chef with cafe experience. And we all love houseplants. So, we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to bring our loves together for the area?'"
Individuals looking to receive updates regarding Kitt's Café&Gandalf's Garden’s progress can submit their e-mail addresses on the business’ website, kittscafe.com.
Updates will also be posted on the business’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
Lehigh County news
‘Everything’s delicious’: Lehigh Valley’s new family-run eatery, bakery satisfying appetites
COPLAY, Pa. – A new business is serving up a wide array of sweet and savory treats in Lehigh County.
Los Tulipanes Restaurant & Bakery, a family-run eatery and bakery offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, held a soft opening on July 29 at 123 Chestnut St. in Coplay.
The renovated space previously housed other eateries, including Raadical Restaurant and, most recently, Gigi’s Pizza Pasta & Grill.
Los Tulipanes is operated by husband and wife Fernando Muñoz and Wendy Benitez, along with Benitez’s brother, Rigoberto Benitez. Full story here.
Promenade Saucon Valley’s new tenant to offer handmade gifts, art supplies, pottery classes and more
U. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – Promenade Saucon Valley’s retail lineup continues to grow with a forthcoming artist market and maker space designed “to make creativity accessible to everyone.”
SmARTivities Showcase, offering handmade gifts, art supplies and a pottery studio providing opportunities for classes, camps and more, is coming soon to the open-air lifestyle shopping center at 2845 Center Valley Parkway in Upper Saucon Township, according to a news release.
The new 3,023-square-foot SmARTivities Showcase location, situated between Elite Salons & Suites and The Promenade Pop-Up Shop, is expected to open in October, founder April Tennille Khalil said. Read more here.
‘Perfect opportunity’: Father and sons breathing new life into Lehigh County auto repair shop
COPLAY, Pa. – A well-known Lehigh Valley auto repair shop will continue operations under new ownership.
Three members of the Herstine family have purchased Coplay Auto Repair at 3 N. Second St. and will reopen it later this month, according to a news release from Lehigh.
The business temporarily closed following seller Michael Dopsovic’s retirement.
Antonia Trigiani of Lehigh Financial Group LLC in Allentown arranged the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan that allowed Jeffrey Herstine, and his sons, Zachary and Brian, to acquire the auto repair business. Read more.
Expanding chains
Raising Cane's fans line up in droves for debut of chain's 1st Lehigh Valley location
LOWER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. — Devoted fans of a fast-growing fast-food chain – known for its hand-battered, cooked-to-order chicken fingers – flocked to the opening of the company's first Lehigh Valley restaurant on Tuesday.
Raising Cane's, which has more than 800 locations worldwide, opened its newest Pennsylvania restaurant at 10 a.m. Tuesday at 6240 Hamilton Blvd. in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
More than 100 people were in line shortly before 9 a.m. for the restaurant's opening festivities and promotions. Full story here.
'More convenient': Harbor Freight Tools opens new Lehigh Valley location
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - A popular retail chain has built a larger local footprint with a new store in Lehigh County.
Harbor Freight Tools, a California-based chain carrying a wide selection of tools, hardware and other items for the home, garden and car, on July 30 held a soft opening of its new store at 2647 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township.
The store fills a renovated MacArthur Commons space that was previously home to arts and crafts chain A.C. Moore, which announced the closure of all of its stores in late 2019 due to a difficult retail environment. Read more here.
Ocean State Job Lot, known for ‘crazy deals,’ expanding regional footprint
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – A growing discount retail chain is planning to open its 11th store in Pennsylvania later this year.
Ocean State Job Lot, the Rhode Island-based retailer with more than 150 stores in the Northeast, will open a new store this fall at 799 N. State St. in Pottstown, according to a news release.
The nearly 40,000-square-foot store, in the Pottstown Plaza, will be Ocean State Job Lot’s second Montgomery County location, supplementing a store at 980 Bethlehem Pike in Montgomeryville. Read more.
Hawaiian-themed restaurant to open on Lehigh U. campus in Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A taste of Hawaii is coming to the Lehigh Valley.
Pokemoto is set to open soon on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem.
The chain offers a variety of Hawaiian-style poke bowls and dishes. Read more.
Transitioning businesses
'Prime opportunity': Iconic Allentown restaurant property up for sale as owner plans food truck
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The owner of a beloved Lehigh Valley restaurant – known for its cheesesteaks, burgers and hoagies – is looking to sell the property and continue serving the eatery’s dishes via a mobile format.
Mike Sewards, the second-generation operator of Sewards Steak Shop at 202 S. 17th St. in Allentown, has put the business’ property and an attached home up for sale.
Following the sale, he and longtime Sewards employee Nelson Villanueva plan to transition the family-run business to a fully mobile operation in the form of a new Sewards food truck, which would make appearances at local businesses along with public and private events throughout the Lehigh Valley region.
Until the property is sold, though, it’s “business as usual” at the 66-year-old restaurant, Sewards said. Full story here.
'Really excited': Lehigh Valley winery moves tasting room from Bangor to Easton
EASTON, Pa. – A popular winery is making moves in Northampton County.
Clever Girl Winery, which produces dozens of unique wines and sangrias using domestic and international grape juice, last weekend held a soft opening of its new tasting room at 116 Northampton St. in downtown Easton.
The new location is operating on the ground floor of The Commodore, a newly constructed seven-story, mixed-use development near the Easton-Phillipsburg free bridge.
In opening its new Easton location, the winery closed its nearly four-year-old tasting room at 15 Broadway in Bangor. Read more here.
Monroe and Schuylkill counties
‘Treat yourself’: Popular shop serving bubble tea, waffles opening 5th regional location
A business known for its Taiwanese drinks and street food continues to expand its footprint in the region.
Hocaa Bubble Tea, specializing in freshly prepared bubble tea and bubble waffles, is planning to open its fifth location – its first in Monroe County – in late August at the Stroud Mall in Stroud Township, owner Xi “Tony” Cheng said.
Hocaa’s new kiosk will operate near JCPenney at the mall, 344 Stroud Mall Road. Read more.
How you can help Mount Airy Casino Resort claim top casino hotel ranking from USA Today
MOUNT POCONO, Pa. -- Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono has been named a finalist in a USA TODAY list.
The “Top 10 Best Casino Hotels” lists the Pocono destination as a finalist for a second consecutive year.
In 2023, Mount Airy came in fifth among the nation’s elite gaming destinations. Also making the list in 2023 were Atlantic City and Las Vegas properties, including the Borgata and Bellagio. Full story here.
Schuylkill Co. farmers awarded $100,000 to launch farm-to-table grocery store in downtown Pottsville
POTTSVILLE, Pa. - Two Schuylkill County farm owners got a big boost to help with their plans to bring a farm-to-table grocery store to downtown Pottsville.
On Thursday, the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce hosted its IGNITE Schuylkill Final Event where Angela and Josiah Meck were awarded $100,000 in startup capital to launch The Farm Store. The store will be located at 113 E. Norwegian Street, Pottsville.
Together, Angela and Josiah Meck own Honey Brook Farm located on Deiberts Valley Road in South Manheim Township. Read more here.
Contests and events
Scrapple-loving appetites encouraged to enter upcoming eating contest
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The Great Allentown Fair is looking for lovers of scrapple to take part in the annual eating contest.
The Scrapple Eating Contest will take place on Aug 31 at Astound Broadband Farmerama Theater at 3 p.m.
Fair organizers are looking for hungry appetites to take part in the event, sponsored by Stoltzfus Meats. Read more.
Tickets on sale now for 'Taco & Margarita Festival' at Coca-Cola Park
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Tacos will fill Coca-Cola Park in Allentown for a Taco and Margarita Festival.
The event is scheduled for Aug. 16 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will host the festival that will include various taco trucks. Full story here.
RiverFest returns to Jim Dietrich Park Aug. 23 - 25
MUHLENBERG TWP., Pa. - An annual three-day festival of music, food and artisan crafts returns to Muhlenberg Township later this month.
RiverFest 2024 will take place August 23 - 25 at Jim Dietrich Park. The vibrant food and music festival features 20 musical acts on two stages, showcasing a variety of genres to keep everyone entertained.
Attendees can savor delicious offerings from over 30 food vendors, providing a wide range of culinary as well as explore the creations of numerous artisans and crafters, including a mesmerizing chainsaw sculptor. Read more here.
Opening day at the 2024 Kutztown Fair
KUTZTOWN, Pa. - Organizers say there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy at The Kutztown Fair.
"It's just a great family atmosphere," said Ginger Schappell, vice president of the Kutztown Fair Board.
As the Kutztown Fair celebrates 153 years...
"We want people to keep coming out and having a fun family, you know, event to come to," said Schappell. Read more.
Closing notes
‘I appreciate all of the customers’: Lehigh Valley sports bar closes its doors
FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. – A destination for beers, burgers and fun times with friends has ended operations in Lehigh County.
Game Time Sports Bar & Grille, a sports bar offering cheesesteaks, chicken wings and other pub favorites, has closed at 1028 Broadway in Fountain Hill, according to an announcement posted Monday on the business’ social media pages.
The dining establishment opened in 2021 at the site of the former French fine-dining restaurant Saranda’s on Broadway.
The renovated building also was once home to Benner Street Restaurant, which was featured in a 2013 episode of “Restaurant: Impossible” with celebrity chef Robert Irvine. Full story here.
‘Changed my mentality’: After 2 heart attacks, popular baker to close Lehigh Valley shop
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - Following a recent health scare, a Lehigh County bake shop owner plans to end business operations, a move that she labels “bittersweet.”
Wicked Sweet, offering a wide array of freshly made treats — from cupcakes and cinnamon rolls to danishes and doughnuts, will hold its final day of business on Aug. 31 at 3010 S. Second St. in Whitehall Township, owner Jessica Pelletier announced Friday on the business’ Facebook page.
Pelletier, who suffered two heart attacks in the spring, invites the public to join her in “closing this chapter of life as a bake shop owner.”
For the shop’s last day of business, from 9 a.m. until “sell out,” she plans to fill the cases with several customer favorites, including crumb cakes, cookie cups, doodles, cupcakes, doughnuts, turnovers, danishes, muffins and more. Read more here.
