WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – The Lehigh Valley’s largest shopping mall has welcomed a tasty new addition as several other businesses prepare to join the lineup.
Nori Japan, a fast-casual eatery offering Japanese cuisine, opened on Sunday on the mall’s lower level near the main entrance.
Nori Japan recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
The restaurant, featuring banquette seating, fills the space previously occupied by Tasty Bitez.
Owner Qinzhi Chen and his team are serving up a full range of Japanese specialties, including teriyaki options freshly prepared in front of customers on a tepanyaki grill.
Teriyaki selections, starting at $11.99 and served with choice of rice and mixed vegetables, include chicken, beef with mushroom, shrimp with mushroom, chicken and shrimp, beef and shrimp with mushroom and beef, chicken and shrimp.
More than a half dozen ramen options (served with soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, ginger, bean sprouts and green onion) include popular picks such as chicken katsu, spicy miso, vegetarian, tonkotsu (ramen and thicky creamy pork broth with roast pork) and seafood (ramen in vegetable broth with jumbo shrimp and scallop).
Nori Japan recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Other menu highlights include “Dlite Meals” such as vegetable soba, chicken tender with rice and shrimp tempura with rice; and sides such as edamame, fried gyoza, spring rolls and tako yaki.
“Our dishes are prepared fresh daily with the finest ingredients,” an online description reads. “Our Japanese recipes are developed by master chefs with care to deliver the highest quality and authenticity.”
More recent additions
The Lehigh Valley Mall, at MacArthur Road and Route 22 in Whitehall Township, in recent weeks has welcomed multiple retailers and food vendors, and nearly a half dozen more are set to open soon.
L’Amour Visage opened earlier this month in a lower-level space next to Verizon Wireless.
The new facility, specializing in luxury facials, is an off-shoot of L’Amour, a nearby store offering premium Introstem skincare products for men and women, an employee said.
L’Amour Visage is coming soon to the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
“L’Amour Visage will serve as our second location, offering really great facials,” the worker said. “The salon will be more of a service point, while our original location will be more of a sale and retail point.”
At L’Amour, individuals can shop a wide array of body care products, cleansers, exfoliators, eye care, masks, moisturizers, serum and more.
“At Introstem, we are devoted to providing skincare products that deliver tangible results,” a business description reads.
“Our balanced formulas are gentle yet effective, combining star ingredient grape stem cell extract with proven botanicals, antioxidants, and humectants. We believe that maintaining beautiful, healthy skin requires a three-pronged approach; targeting genetics, environment, and behavior.”
Lina’s Ice Cream & Frozen Fruit opened in late April on the mall’s upper level near Against All Odds.
Lina’s Ice Cream & Frozen Fruit recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
The kiosk, offering pre-packaged ice cream and frozen fruit, fills the space that was previously occupied by Dino Sweets.
The stand will soon expand its menu to include 16 flavors of hand-scooped Hershey’s Ice Cream, milkshakes and other sweet treats, owner Ahmet Cakir said.
Lina’s is named after Cakir’s daughter.
Anime World, offering anime action figures, plush toys, apparel, stickers, collectibles and more, opened in late April on the mall’s upper level near JCPenney.
Anime World recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
The store, featuring vibrant anime artwork on the floor and walls, fills the space previously occupied by As Seen On TV.
Amazing Gifts, offering a variety of toys, figurines, collectibles and more, opened in late April on the mall’s upper level near Gertrude Hawk Chocolates.
Shoppers can browse a wide assortment of toy cars and trucks, decompression squeeze toys, plush toys, keychains, hats and other fashion accessories and various items associated with popular films, video games and media franchises such as Pokemon, Super Mario Bros. and KPop Demon Hunters.
Amazing Gifts recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Amazing Gifts fills the space previously occupied by World of Art.
Lehigh Mart, offering a variety of candy, snacks, drinks and convenience items, opened recently on the mall’s lower level near Express.
The kiosk offers candy such as M&M’s and Swedish Fish; snacks such as Doritos and pretzels; and beverages such as soda, juice and energy drinks.
Lehigh Mart recently opened at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Shoppers also can browse an assortment of personal care products such as deodorant and toothpaste and over-the-counter medicine such as Advil, Dayquil and Tylenol.
Coming-soon tenants
The first Lehigh Valley location of Pop Mart, a market-leading character-based entertainment company and a global champion of designer toy culture, is expected to open later this spring on the mall’s lower level near Boscov’s, according to store signage.
The new Pop Mart location will occupy an updated space that was previously home to Sugar Bear, a candy store now known as Sugar Dynasty, which relocated to the former Francesca’s space.
A new location of Pop Mart is coming soon to the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Pop Mart labels itself a “rising global force in pop culture and entertainment,” aiming to “celebrate daily moments and inspire through designer toys and fun experiences.”
Pop Mart has more than 500 stores in over 30 countries and regions, along with more than 2,300 roboshops and e-commerce.
“Our focus is IP incubation & operations, designer toys and retail, theme parks & experiences, also digital entertainment,” a company description reads.
“… We manage & represent incredible artists from all over the world. Our roster spans dozens of iconic characters, like Molly, Dimoo, Skullpanda, The Monsters, Hirono and more.”
OFFLINE by Aerie, an extension of the adjacent Aerie store, is expected to open in late June or early July on the mall’s upper level near the escalators, according to a store employee.
Aerie, a popular fashion retailer and sister brand to American Eagle, is expanding into the space previously occupied by Waikiki, a teen and women’s fashion retailer that recently moved to the upper-level spot that And Pose Selfie Salon vacated.
Aerie is expanding with a combination Aerie and OFFLINE by Aerie location on the Lehigh Valley Mall’s upper level.
Ryan Kneller
The soon-to-be expanded location, expected to open in late June or early July, will feature Aerie and its sub-brand, OFFLINE by Aerie, the employee said.
Aerie’s current store features a small section for OFFLINE by Aerie, which focuses on activewear, while the new expanded location will feature two distinct spaces for Aerie and OFFLINE by Aerie, the employee said.
The brands will have two separate entrances, but they will feature an interior connection, the employee said.
A location of Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian-American steakhouse brand offering a wide selection of flame-grilled meats carved tableside, is coming soon to a lower-level space near the mall’s main entrance.
The new Whitehall restaurant is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2026 or first quarter of 2027, according to a Texas de Brazil spokesperson.
Founded in 1998 as a family-owned business, Texas de Brazil is an authentic churrascaria (steakhouse) featuring a continuous dining experience that “combines the flavors of Brazil with the hospitality of Texas,” according to a company description.
A location of Texas de Brazil is coming soon to the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Texas de Brazil has expanded over the decades to become one of the largest Brazilian-American steakhouse brands in the world.
Today, there are 54 Texas de Brazil restaurants in 23 states, one in Puerto Rico and 10 international locations in countries such as Qatar, Panama and South Korea.
Another Pennsylvania location operates in Pittsburgh.
Texas de Brazil’s menu highlights a wide selection of flame-grilled meats, including picanha, garlic picanha, Brazilian sausage, barbecued pork ribs, leg of lamb, lamb chops, filet mignon, flank steak, chicken breast wrapped in bacon, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, spicy sirloin, parmesan-crusted pork loin, parmesan drumettes and beef ribs.
All meats are cooked the “gaucho way” – over an open flame with natural wood charcoal, and complimentary house-baked cheese bread, garlic mashed potatoes and fried bananas are paired with each experience, according to the business’ website.
The brand invites guests to “savor traditional Brazilian churrasco cooking served with the generous spirit and hospitality that Texas is known for.”
The all-you-can-eat dining experience allows guests to use place cards to communicate whether or not they’d like more of something.
When the card is turned green, carvers serve up generous portions of sizzling beef, pork and other meats.
Other recent changes
The coming-soon businesses will join a diverse lineup of Lehigh Valley Mall tenants that include late 2025 additions Dunkin’ and Drink Fresh by Djurdjura.
A location of Dunkin’, the country’s largest coffee and doughnuts brand, opened on Dec. 29 on the Lehigh Valley Mall’s lower level near the escalators.
The new Dunkin’ location occupies a kiosk that was previously home to a Starbucks location, which closed in 2024.
In addition to coffee and doughnuts, the chain offers a variety of other food and beverages, including sandwiches and Wake-Up Wraps, frozen drinks like Coolattas and frozen matcha lattes and baked goods such as bagels, croissants and muffins.
Drink Fresh by Djurdjura opened in early October on the mall’s upper level across from LensCrafters.
It occupies space that was previously home to other eateries, including Subway, Almost Vegan and, most recently, Spice N Shake.
Drink Fresh by Djurdura operates at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
Drink Fresh by Djurdjura customers can enjoy a wide variety of freshly prepared smoothies, juices, acai bowls, Dubai chocolate cups and more.
Several other businesses, including Madison Jewelers, Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery and Lehigh Home Décor & Curtains – opened at the mall earlier in 2025.
Over the past six months, the mall has also said goodbye to several tenants.
Star Park Indoor Playground & Party, a multi-level, indoor playground for children, on Sunday held its last day of business at the Lehigh Valley Mall as the facility prepares to move to a larger location – set to open on June 27 – at the South Mall in Salisbury Township.
A location of LOFT, a women’s apparel brand offering dresses, blouses and more in modern styles, closed in early 2026 near the Lehigh Valley Mall’s main entrance.
A representative from KnitWell Group, LOFT’s parent company, did not return a message seeking comment.
Another Lehigh Valley location of Loft continues to operate at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.
Also near the mall’s main entrance, a location of Chick-fil-A, a quick-service restaurant company known for its freshly-prepared chicken selections, ceased operations on Dec. 31.
Last July, Chick-fil-A, Inc. confirmed the location’s upcoming closure with a statement.
“It has been our pleasure to serve each and every Guest at this location for the past 27 years, and we look forward to continuing to serve the surrounding community at our nearby locations,” the statement reads.
Jennifer’s Unique Boutique, a business carrying handmade gifts, home decor, fashion accessories, personal care products and other items from more than 50 local vendors, shuttered its location at the Lehigh Valley Mall’s outdoor lifestyle center in late December as owner Jennifer Smith relocated the multi-merchant market to 16 N. White Oak St. in Kutztown.
Smith told 69 News that the move was primarily prompted by the mall management team’s requests to relocate her business to different spaces at the mall over the past several years. Each move was costly and confused customers, Smith said.
Other businesses leaving the mall over the past few months include Big Bank Couture, a business offering trendy and comfortable urban apparel for men, women and kids, which operated on the mall’s upper level near Kay Jewelers; As Seen On TV, a store carrying a wide assortment of unique products seen on TV, which operated on the mall’s upper level near JCPenney; Indigenous Hands by Kichwas Arts, a business offering handmade Ecuadorian goods such as specialty jewelry, alpaca blankets, alpaca sweaters and alpaca ponchos, which operated on the mall’s lower level near the main entrance; and And Pose Selfie Salon, a selfie facility featuring more than 30 content rooms offering unique backdrops for taking selfie photographs, which operated on the mall’s upper level near Macy’s.