U. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – Following a successful year and holiday season, a creative hub is expanding operations at Promenade Saucon Valley.
Smartivities Showcase, a woman-owned and family-operated artist market and creative space offering handmade gifts, art supplies, pottery classes and more, later this winter will move from its current Promenade location – totaling around 3,000 square feet – to a larger location that spans more than 4,000 square feet, owner April Tennille Khalil told 69 News.
Smartivities will continue operating in its current Suite 803 space until late January, and Khalil anticipates the business reopening at its new Suite 103 spot, next to L.L.Bean, in mid-February.
SmARTivities Showcase operates at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.
SmARTivities Showcase
Suite 103 was previously occupied by Dolly’s Dressing Room, a business offering a stylish, trend-driven selection of prom dresses, wedding apparel and more, which is also making moves at Promenade Saucon Valley.
Dolly’s Dressing Room is expected to reopen within a few weeks in its new Suite 703 space, which previously housed tenants such as Handmade Mystic and T&T Boutique, according to Madeleine Convery, Promenade Saucon Valley Valley’s marketing manager.
A new tenant has signed a lease for the space that Smartivities is vacating, and that will be announced in the coming weeks, Convery said.
To ensure a smooth move for Smartivities, the following deadlines have been established for the current location:
Jan. 20: Final day to shop the Artist Market.Jan. 25: Final day for pottery painting, DIY projects and pre-booked classes.Jan. 26: Temporarily closed to move to new location.Jan. 29: Final order pick-up deadline. Customers are notified when their pieces are ready. All orders, pottery made in classes, and painted ceramics must be picked up prior to move.
“We’re excited to be moving to a new, larger space at the Promenade,” Khalil said.
“It’s larger, and we’ll have more room for our activities, parties and artist market. We’ll also have a larger pottery studio as well and will be offering memberships for people to do wheel-thrown pottery and ceramic painting.”
Smartivities Showcase was founded in 2018 and previously operated in downtown Easton until operations shifted to Promenade Saucon Valley in 2024.
Since its founding, Smartivities Showcase has become known for unique artisan gifts, cork handbags, novelty candles, DIY activities and educational art classes.
SmARTivities Showcase
The upcoming move allows for a reimagined artist market, a dedicated celebration space for parties and an expanded pottery studio featuring a brand-new community membership program.
“We are so grateful for the community’s response this past year,” Khalil said.
“This larger space allows us the opportunity to showcase more creativity and finally offer the studio time our artists and students have been asking for.”
In advance of the move, Smartivities is hosting a moving sale alongside its annual winter clearance event, and customers can find deep discounts on nearly all in-store items including select handmade pieces. Art supplies are discounted up to 70% off their original prices.
Smartivities’ new location will feature an expanded pottery studio with more tools and storage for projects, as well as a new membership program allowing local pottery enthusiasts unique access to pottery wheel throwing and clay working materials.
SmARTivities Showcase
In addition to the make-your-own pottery offerings, makers of all ages and abilities will have the opportunity to create their own art in the larger Creation Station space including a wider selection of walk-in DIY projects including canvas painting, mosaic making and paint-your-own pottery ceramic pieces.
A larger space will be dedicated to art classes, groups and birthday celebrations which will include tables for project activity making as well as snacks, cake, and decorations for parties.
The ever-growing artist market will continue to feature a wide assortment of unique items, including handmade jewelry, candles, pottery, glass items, paintings, tableware and home décor, from a rotating selection of 25-50 artisans.
Shoppers can browse unique pieces from local, national and international makers, including artisans from Egypt and Portugal, Khalil said.
“We’re definitely excited,” Khalil added.
“It’s always good when there’s expansion happening, and we had a good response here last year. We’ve done a lot of parties and welcomed a lot of people to our studio. So, I feel like we’ve just outgrown the space. Now, we’ll have a larger pottery studio and larger artist market with unique, handmade gifts.”
More Promenade changes
Other tenants are coming soon to the Upper Saucon shopping center.
A new location of Sephora, a popular retail chain selling makeup, skincare, fragrances and more, is expected to open in late March or early April near Athleta, Convery said.
Courtesy Promenade Saucon Valley
Sephora, headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, was founded in 1969.
Today, the company is in 35 markets worldwide with more than 3,200 points of sale and over 30 e-commerce sites.
“Serving our customers has been our passion since the beginning,” a message on Sephora’s website reads. “Our joy comes from delivering a curated, innovative and personnalized prestige beauty experience, giving people the freedom to explore their beauty.”
Sephora carries more than 300 premium brands, including its own brand, Sephora Collection, which play a fundamental role in “providing an accessible and inclusive prestige beauty experience for new and experienced customers alike.”
Other popular brands include Armani Beauty, bareMinerals, Burberry, Chanel, Clinique, Crown Affair, Estée Lauder, Glossier, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Lancôme , Living Proof, Murad, Olaplex, Ralph Lauren and Versace.
Additionally, a new location of Norman’s Hallmark, a retailer offering Hallmark cards, Keepsake Ornaments and a wide selection of gifts, home décor, fashion, books, stationery, games and gourmet items, is expected to open in the spring in a 5,290-square-foot space between Capital Blue Cross Connect and Bath & Body Works, Convery said.
Norman’s Hallmark, an employee-owned company with 85 years of experience, operates 100 locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
A Norman’s Hallmark store operates in Richland Township, Bucks County.
Ryan Kneller
Beginning as a single Trenton, New Jersey shop, the company has become a leader in the cards and gifting industry, featuring Hallmark cards for every occasion, Keepsake Ornaments and a wide selection of gifts, home décor, fashion, books, stationery, games and gourmet items.
Partnering with popular brands such as Vera Bradley, Nora Fleming, Willow Tree, Mud Pie, Life is Good and Scout Bags, Norman’s provides memorable gifts for birthdays, weddings, holidays and everyday celebrations.
“We are thrilled that Norman’s Hallmark has chosen Promenade Saucon Valley for its newest location,” Turner said in a recent news release.
“With its reputation for high-quality meaningful gifts, Norman’s fits perfectly with our commitment to offering a premier shopping and lifestyle experience. The addition of Norman’s Hallmark enhances our Main Street-style atmosphere and gives the community even more reasons to visit and celebrate life’s special moments here at Promenade Saucon Valley.”
“Norman’s Hallmark has been interested in becoming part of Promenade Saucon Valley for many years,” added Howard Henschel, Norman’s president and chief executive officer.
“This is a high-quality lifestyle center in a phenomenal location with a quality assortment of nationally recognized restaurants and retailers. It’s an exciting place for us to be as we expand Norman’s store portfolio in the Lehigh Valley market.”
Another coming-soon tenant is Mental Strength Ritual, which will be opening within the next few months in Suite 610, next to Altar’d State.
Mental Strength Ritual is coming soon to Promenade Saucon Valley.
Ryan Kneller
Mental Strength Ritual will be a “unique wellness destination specializing in an FDA-cleared technology called Transcranial Mental Stimulation,” according to a recent news release.
Designed to help guests reset and restore their physical and mental well-being, the studio will provide a guided experience for those looking to enhance their health through cutting-edge recovery methods.
Mental Strength Ritual, Norman’s Hallmark and Sephora will join Promenade Saucon Valley’s growing roster of tenants.
In recent months, the center welcomed six other new additions: The Kawaii Shop, Barley Creek Taproom Saucon, Sunglass Hut, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, Color Me Mine, Relux and Luxe Events & Designs.
The Kawaii Shop operates at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.
Promenade Saucon Valley
The Kawaii Shop, offering authentic Japanese gifts, snacks and more, opened in late 2025 in Suite 814, near Carter’s and OshKosh.
Shoppers can browse a wide assortment of items, including artwork, handbags, plush figures and candy.
Barley Creek Brewing Company, a popular Poconos-based microbrewery offering Pennsylvania-made craft beer, spirits and wines, in November opened its new Barley Creek Taproom Saucon at Promenade Saucon Valley.
The new 3,119-square-foot taproom, operating between Melt and Kome, brings Barley Creek’s award-winning craft beer, small-batch distillery products, scratch-made food and signature hospitality to the Lehigh Valley.
Barley Creek Taproom Saucon
The new location features a full restaurant and bar, with guest favorites including wood-fired pizzas, burgers, appetizers and hearty pub fare.
In late October, a new location of Sunglass Hut, a destination for premium, luxury and sport eyewear, opened in a 797-square-foot space between American Eagle and Bath & Body Works.
Sunglass Hut, founded in 1971, has grown into a global brand with more than 3,000 retail locations and a robust online presence.
A new location of Sunglass Hut is now open between American Eagle and Bath & Body Works at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.
Promenade Saucon Valley
The retailer is known for carrying an expertly curated mix of iconic designers and emerging labels, including Prada, Versace and Ray-Ban, and for delivering a shopping experience that combines fashion, quality and innovation.
Also in October, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation opened a new, 4,700-square-foot outpatient physician practice at Promenade Saucon Valley.
The new outpatient practice, which is located at 2845 Center Valley Parkway (Suite 450) across the street from Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, is home to Good Shepherd’s Physician Group, according to a news release.
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation
Good Shepherd’s physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors, also known as physiatrists, specialize in caring for people with disabilities, as well as patients recovering from or needing care for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, orthopedic injuries, chronic pain and more.
Additionally, Color Me Mine, a contemporary paint-your-own pottery franchise, held a soft opening in late August, and Luxe Events & Designs, a premier event planning and design studio, hosted a grand opening week from July 22 to 29.
Other businesses opening at the lifestyle center over the past year include Relux, Smartivities Showcase, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Dolly’s Dressing Room and The Hive.
Promenade Saucon Valley has also recently bid farewell to some businesses, including Lucky Brand, Go! Calendars, Toys & Games and Lashes by Gab, the latter of which vacated its three-year-old Promenade Saucon Valley location to focus on its Allentown location.
Additionally, FD Market, a sustainable goods shop and zero-waste refillery, closed its brick-and-mortar store at Promenade Saucon Valley on May 18; a location of Bar Louie, a chain of full-service restaurants offering freshly prepared drinks, sandwiches, entrees and more, closed in late August; and GailGray Home Furnishings and Design, a full-service interior design studio and home furnishings store, closed in late summer.