SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – A mom-and-pop business, known for serving up tasty drinks at venues across the Lehigh Valley, is brewing a new tasty venture in Lehigh County.
Onward Coffee, a mobile coffee shop offering a wide array of classic and specialty drinks, is expanding operations with its first brick-and-mortar location – tentatively set to open later this month – at 3900 Hamilton Blvd. in South Whitehall Township.
Onward Coffee, a mobile coffee shop offering a wide array of classic and specialty drinks, is expanding operations with its first brick-and-mortar location at 3900 Hamilton Blvd. in South Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
The new cafe will operate near Bixler’s jewelry store in The Shops at 3900 Hamilton, across from Dorney Park.
It will occupy a renovated space that previously housed the brick-and-mortar location of the paperbag, which is continuing to operate in a mobile format.
“We’re getting close,” reads an announcement on the business’s social media pages.
“We are tentatively hoping to be open 10/15 for a soft opening — 6:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. and then back open 4- 7 p.m. for the Fall Open House at 3900 Hamilton Blvd. For the fall open house, we’ll be collaborating with Udder Bar & will be pulling a complimentary shot of espresso over any sundae for affogatos. It’s going to be really tight, but we’re doing everything in our power to open our doors.”
Husband and wife Steve Kemper and Scarlett Allunis are pictured in front of their mobile coffee trailer, Onward Coffee.
Onward Coffee
Husband and wife Steve Kemper and Scarlett Allunis established Onward Coffee as a mobile operation in November 2024.
Over the past two years, the Emmaus couple has brought the coffee trailer to local businesses and various public and private events, garnering a large and loyal following along the way.
The duo looks forward to serving even more individuals with a brick-and-mortar location, tentatively set to operate from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, Allunis told 69 News earlier this year.
Onward Coffee
The new cafe will feature indoor seating, including lounge furniture and roughly six dining tables, along with a couple of outdoor tables, Allunis said.
“We’re very excited,” Allunis said about Onward’s forthcoming expansion.
“By starting mobile, we were able to find our community, and that’s been a really positive experience for us. We love serving such an amazing community that shows us so much support.”
Onward’s new brick-and-mortar location will offer the same drink menu that’s been featured on the trailer, along with rotating specials and a new food menu, Allunis said.
The business, which sources locally roasted coffee from Allentown-based Mad Catter Coffee Roasters, offers classic coffee drinks such as a cappuccino, cortado, Americano, latte, red eye and double espresso.
Customers can also enjoy specialty hot drinks such as a chai latte and honey lavender latte and iced drinks such as a PB & Shea Latte and an espresso tonic with dehydrated lemon.
“We are known for our banana foster blondie,” Allunis said.
“People definitely come for our banana foster blondie, as well as our Spanish latte and butterscotch cold brew, which are also top sellers.”
The new brick-and-mortar cafe will also offer matcha beverages as well as fruit-flavored refresher drinks, Allunis said.
Additionally, a new food menu has been developed by Kemper, a classically trained executive chef with more than a decade of professional culinary experience.
Onward Coffee, a mobile coffee shop offering a wide array of classic and specialty drinks, is expanding operations with its first brick-and-mortar location at 3900 Hamilton Blvd. in South Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Kemper previously worked in the kitchens of prominent local restaurants, including Mister Lee’s Noodles in the Lehigh Valley and GoFish! Seafood Market & Sushi Bar in Sinking Spring, and he plans to lead the new cafe’s culinary team in preparing various sweet and savory items for breakfast and lunch, Allunis said.
Individuals can expect a variety of made-to-order handhelds, among other items, Allunis added.
Baked goods sourced from a local baker will also be available.
“We’ll be open every day, from 6:30 to 2,” Allunis said.
“So, there will definitely be some breakfast sandwiches as well as some light lunch offerings, probably some salads and maybe some grain bowls and wraps, too,” Allunis added.
Kemper and Allunis plan to continue operating Onward Coffee’s mobile trailer following the brick-and-mortar location’s opening.
Currently, the couple sets up shop outside of popular local businesses such as Kiddie Academy and Swim-in Zone in Center Valley, along with other venues such as the Coopersburg Farmers Market.
They are good friends with Brittany Morse, owner of barre3 fitness facilities in Bethlehem and South Whitehall Township, where the trailer also regularly serves customers.
Morse had recommended Onward Coffee to the shopping center’s landlord, and “the rest is history,” Allunis said.
“After the cafe opens, we’ll likely reduce the trailer schedule, but we definitely plan on returning to the Coopersburg Farmers Market,” Allunis said.
“We have a really great community there. We’ll also continue doing events like weddings, showers and other events of that nature.”
Husband and wife Steve Kemper and Scarlett Allunis are pictured in their mobile coffee trailer, Onward Coffee.
Onward Coffee
Allunis and Kemper announced Onward Coffee’s forthcoming cafe in late May on the business’ social media pages.
The couple expressed their excitement in creating a “space where you feel welcome to stay.”
In a video posted Sunday on the business’s social media pages, Allunis noted that they are “almost at the finish line,” with a couple of construction revisions, equipment set-up, and final inspections remaining.
“If everything goes according to plan, which we now know in this process is a very tall order, but if the universe decides to just throw us a softball just this time, we are hoping to be open the week of the 12th,” Allunis said. “Tentatively, we’ll be having our soft opening Oct. 15. That is what we are shooting for.”
This week’s schedule for Onward Coffee’s mobile trailer is 7 a.m. to noon Oct. 8 and 9 outside Barre3 Allentown; 7:45 a.m. to noon Oct. 10 outside Barre3 Allentown; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 11 at Coopersburg Farmers Market.
For the latest Onward Coffee updates, follow the business’s pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: onwardcoffeepa.com.