The region welcomed several new businesses, including one that ends a food desert in lower Luzerne County.
Here is a look at businesses that opened and shuttered as well as a recap of announcements of new businesses and opportunities.
Dollar General Market
In Huntington Twp., the Dollar General Market opened and offers fresh produce, meats and an expanded variety of grocery items along Route 239 in Luzerne County.
The new DG Market opened in early October several miles from the intersection with U.S. Route 11 next to the Sudsarific Car Wash and near the Huntington Valley Fire and EMS headquarters.
Since Thomas’ Foodtown Market in Shickshinny closed in October 2022, the closest grocery stores for people in this region were located in Nanticoke, Berwick and Benton, all more than 10 miles away.
Happy Health & Wellness
In Dickson City, a pair of certified physician assistants with roots in the region returned to open a medical clinic in Lackawanna County.
Mark and Amanda DeLeo welcomed the first patients to the new Happy Health & Wellness facility at 760 Scranton-Carbondale Hwy. in Dickson City in mid-October.
Their practice blends modern medicine with traditional primary care through preventive health, weekly IV therapy, ozone therapy, hormone therapy and weight-loss programs, Mark DeLeo said.
Five Below
In Taylor, Five Below opened inside the Taylor Commons shopping center. The store will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Five Below also has locations in Dickson City, 3910 Commerce Blvd.; Carbondale, 89 Brooklyn St.; and Wilkes-Barre Twp., 491 Arena Hub Plaza.
Pesto Restaurante
In Hazleton, Pesto Ristorante, specializing in the fusion of Italian and Latin cuisines, opened in downtown.
Robert Collado and Yohan Del Rosario are co-owners of the new dining establishment at E. E Broad St., the former site of the Dragonfly Cafe.
Elements Cafe
In Carbondale Twp., Jack and Nicole Curtis opened Elements Cafe as a place for people to interact and relax in the upvalley.
The cafe at 510 Main St. in Childs is open Tuesday through Sunday, starting at 8 a.m. It serves homemade food and baked goods along with fresh coffee roasted by Moka Origins in Wayne County.
A grand opening for Elements Cafe, 510 Main St., Childs, Carbondale Twp., was held in early Oct.. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
Nicole Curtis envisions hosting events on Friday nights involving trivia, music and art-related activities. She added the space is also set up well for private events.
The Curtises formerly established City Line, a dollar store they transformed into more of a coffee shop before it closed at the end of August last year.
Elements Cafe held its grand opening Oct. 3-5.
The Salt Barre
The Salt Barre, a yoga studio in Pittston, expanded into Moosic where officials believe the new studio will complement developments at Montage Mountain.
Co-owner Michele Casey said classes at the 350 Kennedy Blvd. studio in Pittston maxed out capacity, prompting the search for a second location.
Shawn Casey, her husband, will also expand Casey Dental in the new building they purchased at 75 Glenmaura National Blvd.
The Salt Barre’s Moosic location opened at the end of May. Community response has been positive, Michele Casey said, noting that members have access to both locations under one membership.
Amazon
In Hanover Twp., E-commerce and technology giant Amazon plans to invest $60 million to build a new distribution center that will serve as the hub for a fleet of 900 delivery vans.
Amazon purchased more than 125 acres along the border of Nanticoke for $24.75 million to construct one of its “last-mile” facilities where individual orders are prepared for deliveries.
Amazon describes its “last mile” facilities, or delivery stations, as the final stop in a package’s journey to a customer and different from fulfillment centers where mass inventory is stored for bulk distribution.
The Hanover Twp. delivery station will serve a 50-mile radius in the region.
Benny’s
In Scranton, Benny’s, a family-owned business with three locations throughout Lackawanna County, announced plans to open another in 2026.
A rendering of the planned design for Benny’s new restaurant on Jefferson Avenue in downtown Scranton. (Courtesy George Semian, Coldwell Banker)
Benny’s which established its first bar and restaurant at 1216 Main St. in Blakely in 2016, plans to open in downtown Scranton after purchasing the former Kildare’s Irish Pub/Railyard Restaurant & Bar property at 119 Jefferson Ave.
Co-owners Corey Bayo and Brandon O’Malley expanded their business to 916 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Twp. in July 2023 and the Green Ridge section of Scranton in March 2024 at the former location of Morgan’z Pub & Eatery, 315 Green Ridge St.
Hamam the Best Dough Show
In Wilkes-Barre, partners Ahmed Badran and Ahmed Hamam are poised to open a restaurant featuring Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine in the former Chill Grill at 100 Pennsylvania Ave.
Hamam the Best Dough Show plans to open within a month. It will feature a mix of Mediterranean, Turkish and Italian food, and also serve an American-style breakfast when it opens at 6 a.m.
Red Leaf
Red Leaf Salad Company plans to branch out into Lackawanna County. The new restaurant will be located at 808 Scranton-Carbondale Hwy., Dickson City, next to Mattress Warehouse.
The business features fresh, homemade ingredients and salads, wraps, grain bowls, and other custom creations.
Red Leaf opened its first location at 31 Tunkhannock Hwy., Dallas, in 2014 and three years later opened a second restaurant at 413 Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Twp.
Red Leaf’s social media pages inform followers to stay tuned for updates on the opening date. Construction work is ongoing inside the building.
Boot barn
Boot Barn, a western and workwear retailer, will open in the Viewmont Mall in the spring, the owner of the mall announced.
The 13,000-square-foot store will follow the recent additions of Carter’s and The Children’s Place, PREIT officials confirmed.
“(The) Viewmont Mall continues to be the region’s premier shopping destination, and the addition of Boot Barn, the nation’s largest western and workwear retailer, is another example of how we’re bringing new, exciting options to our community,” said Joe Aristone, chief revenue officer and executive vice president of leasing at PREIT.
Pizza Bella
In Mountaintop, Pizza Bella closed its 195 S. Mountain Blvd. location on Oct. 31.
The owners of the pizzeria were notified the building they lease has been sold.
Frank Doherty, who owns the restaurant with his wife Jackie, said they will seek another location, preferably in Mountaintop.
The Mountain Top location is one of six Pizza Bella franchises in Luzerne County, but the only one owned by the Dohertys. Others are located in Ashley, Dallas, Forty Fort, Nanticoke and Pittston.
Komensky’s
In Duryea, Komensky’s Market, a landmark business since 1920 known for its kielbasi and large selection of meats, permanently closed.
“All good things must come to an end …Yes it is true — we have decided to close the store,” owners of the business wrote on Facebook. “This was not an easy decision but at this time it is the best decision for us. We thank you for all of your support especially after my brother passed away in 2019 and we appreciate each and every one of you.”
The store remained open after the death of co-owner Robert Sepelyak in December 2019. His sister, Shari Sepelyak Zbegner, had been the owner since.
Perugino’s
In Luzerne, Andy Perugino’s Restaurant closed after 92 years.
Owner Ray Fedor posted on social media that he made the difficult decision to close due to health reasons.
Fedor purchased the iconic restaurant in August 2018 from the Perugino/Reilly family and retained the restaurant’s namesake. Andy Perugino, who died in 1989, founded the restaurant at 258 Charles St. in Luzerne in 1933 and later passed it down to his daughter Andrea Perugino-Reilly and her husband, Ron, who ran the restaurant many years with their children.