Retail Watch: Allentown barbershop a 2nd chance for business, owner

When Raheim Whitehurst opened his barbershop, Imperial Cuts and Styles, this month, he was not only giving himself a second chance, but reviving an institution in one Allentown neighborhood.

The business at 31 N. 12th St. has long been a barber shop or beauty salon, and recently became available. At the same time, Whitehurst was looking for an opportunity to own his own business.

“I want to create some calm noise so that the neighborhood can see it’s back in business,” Whitehurst said.

Whitehurst, 41, who grew up nearby on Chew Street, said he lived a tumultuous life that had him in and out of prison as a teenager and an adult on drug and related charges. He ended up in state prison, where he earned his barber’s license. When he was released last summer, he went to work at a barber shop.

“It was a mixture of things” that made him want to turn his life around, he said. “Not being able to see my kids for so long. It was growing up and maturing and realizing that that ain’t the way. Nothing good comes out of the way I was living. And I took some programs and stuff and I realized, it’s not all about you. You’re hurting people. You’re destroying people’s lives.”

Whitehurst knew he wanted to own his own business, but finding a place he could afford was tough. Then he noticed the for-rent sign at 31 N. 12th St., just a few blocks from where he’s now living. Rent was only a few hundred dollars more than he was paying for his booth in the barber shop where he was working.

What’s more, Whitehurst quickly learned that the store had long been either a barber shop or beauty salon, since the 1950s.

“Everybody can remember it always being a barber shop,” he said. “Everybody knows about it, even though it’s a small little place. It’s home for the people that live around the area. And now that I’m the owner, I just want to get that out there. It’s a way that I can give back to the community after all these years.”

Whitehurst will celebrate his grand opening from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, with food and entertainment. On Sunday, Aug. 25, he’ll offer free back-to-school haircuts for kids.

Imperial Cuts and Styles is located at 31 N. 12th St. in Allentown. Find it on social media, @RahImperialCuts.

Popular Lehigh Valley bakery to close permanently after owner’s health challenges

And now, for some unfortunate retail news: A popular Lehigh Valley bakery will close its doors permanently at the end of August.

According to a Facebook post, Wicked Sweet’s last day of operations will be Aug. 31. Owner Jessica Pelletier shuttered the Whitehall Township bakery in June after suffering two severe heart attacks.

At the time, Pelletier vowed to reopen Wicked Sweet’s doors, but in a Friday Facebook post, Pelletier wrote that running the business while battling health challenges became “overwhelming.”

“I feel like I’m ready to live my life, instead of being consumed by my business,” Pelletier wrote.

She called closing her business “bitter sweet” and said she would miss serving loyal customers.

Pelletier opened Wicked Sweet in 2017 at 3010 S. Second St., offering an assortment of treats including brownies and cinnamon buns. She has a degree in culinary arts from Northampton Community College and started her business from home in 2014.

Wicked Sweet will be open for the final time Aug. 31, from 9 a.m. until the baked goods sell out.

Sky Zone opens in former FreeFall location in Bethlehem Township

Another indoor trampoline park has opened in the location that FreeFall in Bethlehem Township once occupied.

Sky Zone Easton opened earlier this month, according to a Sky Zone spokesperson. The location was once FreeFall, a trampoline park that abruptly closed in June. FreeFall did not offer an explanation for the closure other than saying it was because of “unforeseen circumstances.”

Franchisee group Tabula Rasa acquired the location, marking the 18th park across 10 different states, including Sky Zone Bethlehem, according to Sky Zone.

The location at 2800 Baglyos Circle in Bethlehem Township will repurpose some of the FreeFall attractions and will have new additions over the next few months. Those include Air Court, Ninja Warrior Course, Drop Court and Zip Line, Sky Zone said. More information may be found at skyzone.com/easton-lehigh-valley-pa/ .

FreeFall, which opened in 2015, was a popular attraction. It had more than 13,000 followers on Facebook. It had been sued four times since 2017, and three of those cases remain open in Northampton County Court.

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? Email Retail Watch at retailwatch@mcall.com .