Plant parents are going to have a brand new shop to get plant babies and accessories for their burgeoning green thumbs.
The Wicked Botanist held its grand opening at 3022 Tilghman St. in South Whitehall Township. The shop — the third location for the brand — will be the biggest one yet, at over 2,000 square feet. (The Wicked Botanist opened its first location in 2021 at 707 N. New St. in Bethlehem, then opened a second location at 226 W. Main St. in Kutztown; the Kutztown location will close this month.)
The new Wicked Botanist location will also be the most interesting store yet for the brand. Owner Dawn Ash grew the business from propagations to what it is today and is excited to keep expanding with a full-service houseplant haven that will be a one-stop shop for those looking to add some green into their homes and lives.
One core feature of the new location will be a soil bar. Might sound gross, but green thumbs’ ears will certainly perk up.
“You can create your own packs of soil,” Ash said. “Let’s say you’re replanting your snake plant. We will have recipes to have the perfect soil mix, so you can take bags and build the perfect soil mix.”
Not in the mood to make a mess at home? “Just bring your plant and pot and you can repot it right then and there,” she said.
Ash said that she’ll expand her houseplant selection to include some collectibles for plant nerds and a selection of easy-to-care-for, beginner-friendly plants.
“I’m going to bring in some specialty plants that you wouldn’t normally see, some flowering and others not,” she said. “We’ll also have some patio plants and plants you can have outdoors, but they won’t be your typical gardening center plants.”
Grand opening day activities included entries to win a $50 gift card to the shop, plant care packages and other goodies, like rare mini Thai constellation plants at a special price of $40.
Ultimately, Ash hopes The Wicked Botanist offers something for everyone, even those who claim to not be able to have a green thumb.
“The majority of people who shop with me are just starting out with plants,” she said. “We’ll help you find the right plants for you.”
When you think of tanning, you probably think of neon beds, orange skin and that particular, chemical-y smell.
At BlushTan Easton, which opened Tuesday at 158 Northampton St., Ally Ball is trying to change that perception.
“We’re really transparent about the ingredients we use for spray tans,” she said. “They’re organic, paraben- and fragrance-free, and made with all-natural ingredients.”
It may seem small but Ball says that it makes a big difference for the tanning experience.
While BlushTan is a franchise, the Easton location is the first in the Lehigh Valley. Ball said she decided to open BlushTan after moving to Easton from Boston four years ago and leaving sales and marketing in the fitness industry. Ball wanted to get into the beauty industry but wasn’t sure what made sense.
Then, on a trip back to Boston, she heard about BlushTan and realized what she wanted to do.
“My goal overall is to create a comfortable and relaxing environment where everybody feels welcome and use ingredients that people feel good about,” she said.
That means that people can personalize the type of tan they are seeking — “Are you looking for a light glow or do you want to look like you’re back from vacation?” — along with skincare that celebrates different skin tones.
Ball said BlushTan is now ready to take appointments.
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On Monday, Nowhere Coffee announced that it will open a roastery and coffee shop at the former Garden Gate Natural Foods Inc. at 17 S. Ninth St. in Allentown. The space will host the $50,000 roastery the brand will use to roast its own coffee beans, and be the shop’s first foray into Allentown (it currently operates a coffee shop at 3127 W. Tilghman St. in South Whitehall Township). The shop plans to open Memorial Day weekend.
This week is a big one for the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley. J. Crew Factory opened Thursday, offering shoppers its signature blend of preppy clothes for men, women and children at discounts. On Tuesday, the Promenade also announced that Five Guys will come to the shopping center this fall, serving customers its famous burgers, milkshakes and hand-cut fries. Next up: The opening of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill in June.
The Mediterranean Grill at 22 W. Broad St. in Bethlehem will host its grand opening April 28 with free samples and music. The spot has been open for diners since December.
Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa has opened a franchise location at 300 Commerce Blvd. in Stroud Township. It’s the brand’s 49th location in Pennsylvania. This location will be owned and operated by John Beggs, who also operates spas in Dickson City, Lackawanna County, and Wilkes-Barre.
Finally, Tropical Smoothie Cafe will open in October at 210 Mission Drive in Stroud Township. The brand is also planning to open a location this fall at Westgate Mall in Bethlehem.
Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Tanya Basu at retailwatch@mcall.com.
