{"id":265866,"date":"2026-08-15T11:40:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T11:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265866\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T11:40:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T11:40:44","slug":"retail-watch-downtown-allentown-welcomes-new-life-with-winery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265866\/","title":{"rendered":"Retail Watch: Downtown Allentown welcomes new life with winery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Downtown Allentown\u2019s food and drink scene continues to grow with a local winery opening a new sister location there.<\/p>\n

Soaked in the City held a grand opening Thursday at 932 Hamilton St., owner Shannon Birosik previously said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township and serves wine, beer, cocktails and foods such as flatbreads and charcuterie boards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see the life that is beginning to form in downtown Allentown,\u201d Birosik said. \u201cI really think it\u2019s becoming the next hot spot \u2014 a fun place to go and find a couple of places to go out and get a good cocktail, enjoy an evening, so it\u2019s really the growth that has been brought to there recently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Birosik told The Morning Call that before the wine business, she worked in food science, specifically research and development for candymaker Just Born, but wanted independent work that would allow for a more flexible schedule as a parent with young children. She started as an at-home alcohol maker whose neighbor once asked her to make hard cider with his pressed apples.
\n\"Seating<\/p>\n

Seating areas Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Soaked in the City winery in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Owner<\/p>\n

Owner Shannon Birosik pours a Soaked Sour, featuring bourbon and wine, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, at Soaked in the City winery in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Seating<\/p>\n

Seating areas Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Soaked in the City winery in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A variety of wines are available at the new Soaked in the City winery in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13, 2026. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 4<\/p>\n

Seating areas Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Soaked in the City winery in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSo we made hard cider, then we made beer, then we made wine. We never distilled \u2026 so [I] was kind of doing this as a hobby, and I really started to enjoy it, and then one day when I was out at another local winery, I just felt, you know, I think this is what I need to do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She went on to purchase the now-closed Calvaresi Winery in 2014 in Penn Township, Berks County, and opened Soaked Winery in 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe new Soaked in the City winery Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Allentown. The winery, which is a sister location to Soaked Winery in Lehigh Township, held its grand opening Aug. 13. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy, I feel like I\u2019ve made the right decision,\u201d Birosik said about her wine career and the new location. \u201cI have no regrets. I learned a lot of things I didn\u2019t know I was going to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Birosik said the Allentown location operates 4-9 p.m. Wednesday, 4-10 p.m. Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.<\/p>\n

Lehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief<\/p>\n

Gigi & Alex Restaurant: The new restaurant will open by the end of the month at 605 Main St. in Hellertown, the former Wings on Main Sports Bar & Grille<\/a> property.<\/p>\n

It will serve breakfast through dinner with dishes such as pancakes, eggs, French toast, burgers, pasta and gyros.<\/p>\n

Dunkin\u2019: A location for the doughnut chain received a forbidden use and closure notice from the city of Easton as of Wednesday at 54 Centre Square, according to signage at the restaurant entrance.<\/p>\n

Jarrad Schantzenbach, the administrator for the city\u2019s health department, said he suspended the Dunkin\u2019 restaurant license for that location due to the need for flooring repairs. Reached Thursday, a spokesperson for Dunkin\u2019 told The Morning Call they were working to gather additional information.<\/p>\n

Black River Farms: The winery and vineyard will hold its last day of tasting room operations<\/a> Aug. 30 at 2472 Black River Road in Lower Saucon Township.<\/p>\n

dd\u2019s DISCOUNTS: The discount retailer will open soon at the Whitehall Square shopping center at 2180 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, signage at the building said.\u00a0It will replace the Staples store that closed in early January<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Savers: The thrift chain opened a new store Thursday at the Lehigh Shopping Center on Union Boulevard in Bethlehem, as announced online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Paws & Claws Boutique: The pet store and grooming service announced online its soft opening<\/a> for Aug. 1 at 1382 Hanover Ave. in Allentown.<\/p>\n

In other news<\/p>\n

The 37th annual Uptown Northampton Street Fair<\/a> will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 on Main Street in Northampton, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce announced online.\u00a0The event will host craft vendors, food trucks and live music.<\/p>\n

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? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com. Sign up for our weekly Retail Watch newsletter at mcall.com\/retailwatchsignup.<\/p>\n

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