Eat, Sip, Shop: The Cheesecake Factory to open 1st Lehigh Valley location

WHITEHALL TWP. - One of the nation’s most popular full-service restaurant chains is planning to slice into the Lehigh Valley’s dining scene.

The Cheesecake Factory, known for its expansive menu of freshly prepared dishes and indulgent desserts, is planning to open its first Lehigh Valley restaurant at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.

Job listings for restaurant and kitchen managers have been posted for a location coming to 250 Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall on the chain’s website, but no other details have been announced.

"NEW LOCATION OPENING!!" the job postings reads.

Lehigh Valley Mall

A Cheesecake Factory spokesperson did not immediately return a message seeking further information, including a tentative opening date or general time frame for when this location is expected to open.

It’s also unclear what space the new restaurant will occupy at the mall.

When informed about WFMZ readers’ inquiries regarding a possible Cheesecake Factory opening in Barnes & Noble’s original space near the mall's main entrance, Elizabeth DiDuca, the mall's director of marketing, provided the following response:

"At this time, we cannot confirm plans for the Barnes & Nobles space,” DiDuca said in a written statement. “However, we'd be more than happy to share all the exciting movement and details upon confirmation."

The Cheesecake Factory, which dubs itself “a leader in experiential dining,” features a menu of more than 250 dishes – freshly prepared and made from scratch daily – along with over 30 cheesecakes and desserts.

Diners can enjoy small plates and snacks such as chicken taquitos, cheeseburger spring rolls and Korean fried cauliflower; appetizers such as avocado eggrolls, Thai lettuce wraps with chicken and pretzel bites with cheddar cheese fondue; sandwiches such as a Cuban, grilled chicken and avocado club and Renee’s chicken-almond salad sandwich; pastas such as cacio e pepe pasta, cajun jambalaya pasta and spicy rigatoni vodka; steaks such as grilled rib-eye, filet mignon and carne asada; and fish and seafood selections such as Jamaican black pepper shrimp, seared ahi tuna and miso salmon.

About two dozen Cheesecake Factory specialties include chicken and biscuits, chicken parmesan “pizza style,” fish tacos, shepherd’s pie, Thai coconut-lime chicken, truffle-honey chicken and “Famous Factory Meatloaf.”

Other menu highlights include salads, flatbread pizzas and “Glamburgers,” made with certified angus beef.

Cheesecakes and specialty desserts include chocolate tower truffle cake, dulce de leche caramel cheesecake, mango Key lime cheesecake, Hershey’s chocolate bar cheesecake, Cinnabon cinnamon swirl cheesecake, coconut cream pie cheesecake, tiramisu cheesecake, fresh banana cream cheesecake, pineapple upside-down cheesecake, strawberry shortcake and warm apple crisp, among others.

On National Cheesecake Day, July 30, The Cheesecake Factory introduced its newest flavor: Cookie Dough Lover’s Cheesecake with Pecans.

For every slice of Cookie Dough Lover’s Cheesecake with Pecans sold through July 29, 2024, The Cheesecake Factory will donate 25 cents to Feeding America, a national hunger-relief organization dedicated to ending hunger through a network of food banks and meal programs.

The Cheesecake Factory traces its origins back to the 1940s, when Evelyn Overton found a recipe in her local Detroit newspaper that inspired her Original Cheesecake, according to the restaurant’s website.

The recipe was a huge hit, and Overton decided to open a small bakery in her basement kitchen and offer cakes to local restaurants, while raising her children, David and Renee.

In 1972, Evelyn and her husband, Oscar, relocated to Los Angeles and opened The Cheesecake Factory Bakery, supplying her cheesecakes to restaurants throughout L.A.

“In 1978, David was inspired to open a restaurant in Beverly Hills with his mother’s cakes showcased in the lobby and a made-from-scratch menu big enough to offer ‘something for everyone,’” the online description continues. “The restaurant was an immediate hit on opening day with a line out the door that many say has never stopped.”

Today, more than 40,000 staff and managers provide upscale-casual dining experiences at over 200 locations worldwide, including other regional locations at King of Prussia Mall in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County; Willow Grove Mall in Abington Township, Montgomery County; and in Center City Philadelphia.

In total, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated owns and operates more than 321 restaurants under brands including The Cheesecake Factory, North Italia and a collection within its Fox Restaurant Concepts business.

The Cheesecake Factory’s forthcoming Lehigh Valley location is welcome news for the Lehigh Valley Mall.

In recent months, the mall welcomed two chains but it also bid farewell to some tenants.

Face Foundrié, a chain of all-inclusive focused facial bars, opened July 21, in the mall’s outdoor lifestyle center, next to Warby Parker.

Additionally, Kendra Scott, a lifestyle brand with gemstone-inspired collections that include fashion jewelry, fine jewelry, home goods and beauty, opened June 30 in the outdoor lifestyle center.

Store closures in recent weeks include All Weather Selvedge, a business specializing in denim jeans made from proprietary Japanese selvedge fabrics; and Track 23, a fashion company offering modern men's and women's apparel and accessories for all seasons.

Other Lehigh Valley Mall businesses are on the move.

The Unique Boutique, a store carrying handmade gifts, home decor, personal care products and other items from more than 50 local vendors, held a grand opening in May in the mall's outdoor lifestyle center.

The space previously housed Williams-Sonoma, a worldwide kitchenware, dinnerware and home furnishings retailer that closed its Whitehall location in January after 15 years of business.

The Unique Boutique, formerly known as the Small Business Gallery, originally opened in November 2021 on the mall's lower level, near Macy's, owner Jennifer Smith said.

The Unique Boutique, a store carrying handmade gifts, home decor, personal care products and other items from more than 50 local vendors, held a grand opening Saturday, May 6, at the Lehigh Valley Mall's outdoor lifestyle center in Whitehall Township.

Its move to the lifestyle center is temporary as Victoria's Secret has moved into The Unique Boutique's former storefront as renovations take place in the fashion retailer's original space.

Smith anticipates moving The Unique Boutique back into its original space in early fall, "probably in October," she said.

"It's really great to see the store doing so well and the community continuing to support these small businesses," Smith said. "When I first opened the storefront in late 2021, it was only supposed to be for two months during the holidays, but I decided to keep it going year-round because it did so well."

Victoria's Secret, the longtime retailer known for its signature bras, panties, lingerie, sleepwear and athleisure and swim apparel, is expected to move back into its original lower-level space (a few doors down from its temporary location) following the completion of renovations in late summer, manager Julia Malave said.

The transition will include Pink - Victoria's Secret's sister brand - moving across the hallway from its current location to part of the redesigned space next to Victoria's Secret, Malave said.

To allow for Pink's upcoming relocation, Blue Monkey Vapes - a store selling e-liquids and vaping devices and accessories - recently moved to the mall's second-level space that was previously home to Things Remembered, which closed earlier this year.

Blue Monkey had been in its lower-level space for about four years and before that, it operated as a mall kiosk for another four years, store associate Chris Naegel said.

Blue Monkey, with roughly two dozen locations in several states, offers hundreds of flavors of e-liquids. Popular brands include Hi Drip, Bad Drip, Sad Boy and Juice Head.

In its new, second-level space, Blue Monkey expanded its merchandise mix to include candy, chips and other snacks.

Also on the move at the Lehigh Valley Mall is Cloud City, which moved this past week from its roughly year-old spot on the mall's second level (former Disney Store space) to a newly renovated, second-level spot near Macy's.

The store's new location previously housed VR Cafe, an entertainment facility offering virtual reality gaming options, which closed in April.

At its new location, Cloud City - which buys, sells and trades games, comics, toys and collectibles - has about 800 square feet of additional floor space for its retail displays as well as tournaments and other organized play events for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Dungeons & Dragons and other games, an owner said.

Cloud City was established in 2013 and previously had a couple of Emmaus area stores before moving its Lehigh County operations to Whitehall last year.

A second location of the business opened at the Palmer Park Mall in April 2021.

Finally, Barnes & Noble, the largest retail bookseller in the United States with roughly 600 stores across the country, temporarily closed its Lehigh Valley Mall store last month, before a temporary store opens in the fall in the former Tracker 23 space.

Following the temporary store location, the bookseller expects to then reopen in its original, lower-level space near the mall's main entrance next year.

"Our temporary bookstore will be located just a few hundred yards away and is expected to open in early October," a post on the store's Facebook page reads. "Our last day before we start our redesign will be Sunday July 23, 2023, with plans to reopen in the same space in 2024."

"This move offers us a huge opportunity to feature our stunning new store design and revamped B&N Café. Our shelves will be stocked with all the bestsellers and hidden gems you know and love - our world-class book selection, the best toys and games, expansive vinyl collection and more."

All of these transitions follow other recent Lehigh Valley Mall moves, including wireless carrier T-Mobile, which moved from its lower-level spot near Boscov's to a larger lower-level space between Better Life with Bry and L'amour; toy store Toys Toys, which moved from its lower-level space near the mall's main entrance to T-Mobile's former lower-level space; and Pepper Palace, a retail chain selling all-natural hot sauces, barbecue sauces, wing sauces, salsas, seasonings and dry rubs, which relocated from the mall's outdoor lifestyle center to an interior space on the first level, between Verizon and Hamsa Exoticz.

The departures of All Weather Selvedge and Track 23 follow a string of other closures at the mall over the past year.

Retailers that left the mall in the winter and spring include Things Remembered, a retailer of personalized gifts; Country Memories, a store selling country collectibles, gifts and home decor; VR Cafe, a "modern-aged arcade" offering virtual reality gaming; and Vera Bradley, a designer of women’s handbags, backpacks, tote bags, luggage, fashion and home accessories and unique gifts.

A couple of other storefront vacancies have also popped up in recent months.

First, Time After Time, a store offering sales of watches and watch accessories along with watch repair, has closed on the lower level near Swarovski Crystal.

Second, T-Mobile, offering a variety of wireless plans, cell phones and accessories, recently closed on the mall's upper level near Claire's Accessories. T-Mobile continues to operate a location on the mall's lower level.

Other mall vacancies include the former Bravo!, Almost Vegan and Ruby Tuesday spaces.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A popular Carbon County doughnut shop - dishing out unique varieties like caramel churro, Nutella maple bacon and pistachio raspberry cheesecake – is almost ready to welcome customers at its second regional location.

Donerds Donuts, specializing in handmade, artisanal doughnuts at 76 Broadway in Jim Thorpe, will hold a grand opening of its new shop at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at 3 E. Fourth St. in south Bethlehem. Full story here.

Donerds Donuts, specializing in handmade, artisanal doughnuts at 76 Broadway in Jim Thorpe, will hold a grand opening of its new shop at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at 3 E. Fourth St. in south Bethlehem.

PLAINFIELD TWP., Pa. – A prime destination for pizza, pasta and other Italian favorites is coming soon to Northampton County.

Prime Pizzeria & Restaurant, a family-owned and -operated pizzeria and restaurant, is expected to open within the next couple of months at 6221 Sullivan Trail in Plainfield Township, co-owner Samantha Krasniqi said.

The building previously housed another restaurant, Three Brothers Pizza. Read more here.

Prime Pizzeria & Restaurant owners Lavdim and Samantha Krasniqi pose with their children outside of their under-development restaurant in Plainfield Township. The couple hopes to open the restaurant within the next couple of months at 6221 Sullivan Trail.

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A longstanding Northampton County restaurant will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants later this month.

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focused on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its “ABR Roadshow” to Hanoverville Roadhouse, at 5001 Hanoverville Road in Hanover Township, on Aug.15, according to a news release.

Hanoverville Roadhouse, located about a mile north of Bethlehem, is known for its "fine American country inspired dishes," according to the business' website. Read more.

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focused on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its “ABR Roadshow” to Hanoverville Roadhouse, at 5001 Hanoverville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County, on Aug.15.

EASTON, Pa. – See what all of the fuzz is about this weekend in downtown Easton.

Peach Day, celebrating one of summer’s most popular fruits, returns to the Easton Farmers' Market 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.

Locally grown yellow and white freestone peaches, donut peaches and nectarines (the peach’s fuzz-less sibling) will be available for purchase from Scholl Orchards and Phillips Farm, according to a news release. Full story here.

UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. – Another business is set to join The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley’s growing tenant lineup later this year.

Club Champion, a custom golf club fitting company with more than 120 locations worldwide, is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2023 in a 2,668-square-foot space between Torre and GailGray Home Furnishings & Design, the Upper Saucon Township shopping center announced on Wednesday.

The space previously housed athletic footwear chain New Balance, which closed its Upper Saucon location in December 2021. Read more here.

Attic Mice 2, carrying a wide array of collectibles, clothing, toys and more, on Tuesday opened a second location across the hallway from its current store at the South Mall in Salisbury Township.

SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - A popular retailer has broadened its footprint at the South Mall in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County.

Attic Mice 2, carrying a wide array of collectibles, clothing, toys and more, on Tuesday opened a second location across the hallway from its current store.

The new location, occupying a former shoe store, carries items from around 50 vendors, and more small businesses are welcome to display their goods in the space, co-owner Dale Gerry said. Read more.

Sweet Diehl Boutique, offering women's clothing, shoes and accessories, is set to open 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.

UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. - Fashionistas looking for unique clothing, shoes and accessories will soon have a new store to frequent at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley.

Sweet Diehl Boutique, offering “flattering, comfortable and affordable on-trend pieces,” is set to open 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the open-air shopping center, 2845 Center Valley Parkway, Upper Saucon Township.

The women's fashion boutique, owned and operated by Andrea Diehl of Alburtis, is the first business to occupy The Promenade Shops’ new dedicated pop-up space, Promenade Pop-Up Shop, next to Carter’s. Full story here.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A popular chain offering gas, custom food and drinks and various convenience items is expanding its footprint in the Lehigh Valley.

Sheetz, the Blair County-based chain with nearly 700 locations across six states, will open its seventh Lehigh Valley location to the public at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at 2901 Lehigh St. in Allentown, according to Harry Hammel, spokesperson for Sheetz.

A grand opening celebration will then be held at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, Hammel said. Read more here.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Wawa due to open in Bethlehem, near the Hellertown border, is seeking city council approval of a liquor license transfer that will allow it to sell beer and wine.

Bethlehem City Council will review the request Tuesday for the convenience store that will open at 770 Hellertown Road (Route 412) just north of the I-78 intersection. Chris's Restaurant operated at that site for many years.

"The new convenience store will include a vast array of food options to dine-in or take to-go, as well as an offering of beer and wine which will be primarily sold to-go," according to a letter to the city from Flaherty & O'Hara, representing Wawa. The Pittsburgh-based law firm specializes in liquor law. Read more.

L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – A Southern-based fast-food restaurant received preliminary/final land development plan approval from the Lower Macungie Board of Commissioners on Thursday night.

Raising Cane's has proposed a 6,240-square-foot fast food establishment to occupy the remaining site of the Trexler Business Center, adjacent to Movie Tavern, the approved Wawa drive-thru and the First Commonwealth Credit Union headquarters.

The Raising Cane's restaurant will be the Lehigh Valley's first, with the closest other locations in lower Bucks County, Philadelphia and New York City. The chain has establishments largely in the southern and western U.S., and exclusively serves chicken. Full story here.

SOUTH HEIDELBERG TWP., Pa. — A quick-service chain is coming soon, and another is proposed on a main thoroughfare in Berks County.

Construction on a Popeyes restaurant is underway on Lot No. 5 of the Members First Subdivision on Route 422 in South Heidelberg Township. The site is located just west of Green Valley Road, next to the recently approved Tommy's Car Wash, according to an announcement on the township's Facebook page.

The 2,311-square-foot eatery, with a single-lane drive-thru, is expected to open in the fall or early winter of this year. Read more here.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A multi-merchant market, featuring clothing, collectibles, household items and more, has welcomed more vendors in downtown Bethlehem.

The Market, featuring a rotating lineup of 15-20 Lehigh Valley area vendors, opened July 11 and will continue through Aug. 20 on the upper level of the Main Street Commons, 559 Main St., Suite 110.

"We'll be operating right through Musikfest, which is very appealing to vendors,” organizer Kyle Edwards said. “They'll be operating in a very prominent downtown Bethlehem space, just steps from all of the outdoor action, during those very busy weeks." Read more.

The Market, featuring a rotating lineup of 15-20 Lehigh Valley area vendors, opened July 11 and will continue through Aug. 20 on the upper level of Bethlehem's Main Street Commons, 559 Main St., Suite 110.

The Lehigh Valley's new Aldi will open later this month at the Bethlehem Plaza shopping center in Bethlehem Township.

"We are excited to confirm that we are planning to open the new Aldi store in Bethlehem on Aug. 24, and we plan to hold a grand opening ceremony to commemorate the store opening," Bob Grammer, Aldi divisional vice president, said in a statement.

More details will be released as the opening date approaches, according to Grammer. Full story here.

The Hive at 107 N. Seventh St. in downtown Allentown

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A trio of businesses will begin welcoming customers in the coming months in downtown Allentown.

The pop-up shops - Malaguetona Boutique, AFK Gaming, and Levant Jewelers - will operate out of The Hive retail bays, 107 N. Seventh St., according to an announcement from City Center Investment Corp., which owns the building.

Malaguetona Boutique, a women’s apparel pop-up shop, is expected to open later this month in Suite 120. Read more here.

L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – The Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners granted conditional use approval for the Lehigh Valley Town Center project, which features a Topgolf entertainment center, Thursday night at the administration building. The vote was unanimous.

The 58.8-acre site, officially located at 361 Schantz Road and 4511 Cedarbrook Road, includes a mixed-use center with 165,000 square feet of retail; a grocery store; 180,000 square feet of office space; smaller retail spaces; a 180-room hotel; a residential complex featuring 514 units; a public plaza; and a 1,340-space parking deck along with 913 surface parking spaces and 61 street parking spaces. The plan is offered by Jaindl Land Co. Read more.

HANOVER TWP., Pa. - The Lehigh Valley's Christmas Tree Shops will shut it doors for good on Sunday, but not before hosting a big closing sale.

The store at 916 Airport Center Drive in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, will be done at its close today, according to the company that is disposing of the chain's assets. The final sale is being promoted as a "November in July" event. Full story here.

TATAMY, Pa. - A Lehigh Valley baker known for crafting artisanal breads such as jalapeno cheddar, parmesan basil and rosemary asiago is bidding farewell to the baking world.

Matthew Robles, owner of Matty’s Marvelous Makery at 13 Bushkill St. in Tatamy, Northampton County, is planning to end business operations later this summer.

Matty’s Marvelous Makery has been supplying foodies with freshly baked breads, scones and cookies for nearly seven years. Made-from-scratch spinach dip and balsamic bruschetta are also popular picks. Read more here.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A store selling school uniforms is set to close next month in downtown Allentown.

Straight A Uniforms, at 26 N. Sixth St., Suite 130, will close Sept. 16 due to the recent change to Allentown School District’s uniform policy, according to a spokesman for City Center Investment Corp., which owns the building.

A clearance sale recently began, and further discounts will be applied after Labor Day. Currently, most items start at $9.99. Read more.

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