Lehigh Valley Business Honors the Region’s Fastest Growing Companies

EPS Financial, LLC has been named the 3rd Fastest Growing Company in the Greater Lehigh Valley.  The award program produced by Lehigh Valley Business, the region’s premiere business news publication, is presented by ParenteBeard and sponsored by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Group, Lehigh Valley Carpenter’s Union and Fitzpatrick, Lentz and Bubba.

The Lehigh Valley Business Fastest Growing Companies awards program celebrates the Greater Lehigh Valley’s most dynamic companies who progressively contribute to the success of the region’s economic growth and stability.  To qualify, companies had to meet selection criteria that included a revenue size of at least $500,000 within the past three out of four years and revenue growth over a four year period, dating from fiscal year 2009 to 2012.

Presenting sponsor, ParenteBeard, calculated the nominations and then ranked the companies according to revenue growth over the four-year period. Both dollar and percentage increases were taken into consideration.

Lehigh Valley Business and the program sponsors honored this year’s fastest growing companies and announced their ranking during an awards luncheon on Wednesday, October 9 at the Agri-Plex Expo center in Allentown, Pa. The honorees are also be highlighted in a special supplement to Lehigh Valley Business released today, October 14, 2013.

For more information about the Lehigh Valley Business Fastest Growing Companies awards program or to register for the event, please visit www.lvb.com/events or contact Kayla Reppert via e-mail at kaylar@lvb.com or by phone at (610) 807-9619.

Check out the Lehigh Valley Business publication supplement release.

 

Check out all the revitalization efforts that Easton Main Street Initiative and the City of Easton are making in Downtown.

In conjunction with Drinky’s Skate Jam, Easton Main Street Initiative is teaming up with local artists as they each create a 4′ x 8′ Easton Streetscape themed work of art.

Featuring the talents of:

>>Steven Leibensperger

>>Matt Martnick

>>MOP$

>>Matt Nixon

>>Elyse Rivera

>>Tatiana Troxell

Come out and watch the artists work from 3-6pm in Centre Square.

Take home a piece of Easton! A Silent Auction will be held that day, concluding at 6:30pm. Part of the sale of artwork will be donated to Easton Main Street Initiative.
(Cash or check only.)

Find more info on the Skate Jam at:
http://drinkysdowntownjam.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DrinkysEaston

Find the Street Art event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/234239133394909/

Read the official press release HERE.

Check out the story on Lehighvalleylive.com

22 new businesses have opened in 1st 5 months of 2013

Author: 69 News, (follow: @69news), news@wfmz.com

EASTON, Pa. – As many downtowns are dying, one Northampton city is seeing a revitalization boom in its downtown.

In the first five months of 2013, 22 new businesses have opened in downtown Easton.

According to the Easton Main Street Initiative, a volunteer-driven revitalization program, nine additional businesses plan to open in the coming months.

These new businesses include restaurants, retail and service businesses, which are creating 80 full-time-equivalent jobs.

This is a huge growth spurt, since only 26 new businesses opened during the entire calendar year of 2012.

Downtown Easton, which is defined as the area from Rt. 22 south to Washington Street and Larry Holmes Drive west to Sixth Street, has seen a resurgence in the business district over the last several years.

Easton Main Street Manager Kim Kmetz credits several key components to cultivating the business growth:

“We’ve seen more people living in the downtown and the addition of 100+ market-rate apartments. The City’s “Clean & Safe” initiatives and the Easton Ambassador Program has proven to make the town more attractive and welcoming. The Easton Farmers’ Market draws 2,500-4,000 visitors every week and the newly remodeled Crayola Experience anticipates 450,000 people every year. We are the restaurant capital of the Lehigh Valley. People are taking notice of Easton and businesses are saying, ‘Hey, I want to be a part of that scene,’” added Kmetz.

The 31 newly opened businesses are:

As Is, 431 Northampton St.
Bank Street Studio, 7 N. Bank St.
Batuque, 152 Northampton St.
Briva Coffee, 526 Northampton St.
Cooper & Cole Insurance, 64 N. Third St.
Crayton’s Creations, 249 Northampton St.
Downtown Dawgs, 77 N. Fourth St.
Downtown Shoe Repair, 116 S. Third St.
Easton Hospital Community Care Center, Pine St.
Elite Boutique, 21 S. Second St.
FGI Agency, 22 N. Fourth St.
Frozenlandia, 24 Centre Square
j.morgan salon and home, 252 SpringGarden St.
Lift Yoga Studio, 54 S. SecondSt.
Q&D Income Tax, 158B Northampton St.
S&K Creations, 345 Ferry St.
Susan Kolar Couture, 400 Northampton St.
Swaye Boutique, 14 N. Third St.
Sydlexstyles, 353 Ferry St.
Treasure Chest Thrift Boutique, 466 Northampton St.
Used Grooves, 401 Northampton St.
Vizion, 355 Ferry St.

The nine new businesses that plan to open soon:

3rd & Ferry Seafood, S. Third St.
Cheeburger Cheeburger, 336 Northampton St.
Coal Fired Pizza & Pub, 1 Lehn’s Court
Downtown Laundromat, 527 Northampton St.
For the Birds, 121 N. Third St.
Get Free Mobile, 135 Northampton St.
Mellow Hookah Lounge, 17 S. Third St.
PT Center, LLC, Pine St.
RE:find, 467 Northampton St.

Source: WFMZ News http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/businesses-are-booming-in-downtown-easton/-/132502/20513884/-/vr9qftz/-/index.html

By: Colin McEvoy | The Express-Times

A nonprofit organization that aims to enhance Easton‘s central business district has received national recognition for the sixth straight year.

The Easton Main Street Initiative was accredited by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Out of 61 communities considered, the Easton initiative was one of 25 in Pennsylvania to be accredited this year by the center, according to its acting director, Valecia Crisafulli.

“Accredited Main Street programs are meeting the challenges of the downtown in the economy head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable,” Crisafulli said.

Kim Kmetz, the Easton initiative’s main street manager, said she is proud of the accreditation, which she said shows the organization is on the right track for continued success in revitalizing Downtown Easton.

“The slow, steady and impactful changes we have been making over the last seven years have helped to make this downtown a place that people now want to use as their ‘third place,’ after home and work,” Kmetz said.

The Easton Main Street Initiative was chosen based on several accomplishments, such as downtown beautification projects that resulted in more than 100 plantings, three artist-designed bike racks and a 107-foot Lafayette Hotel mural.

Other accomplishments include the launching of a Downtown Easton mobile app, and its marketing efforts that included the printing of 50,000 maps and guides, according to the center.

The Easton Main Street Initiative also organized 19 summer music concerts at the Riverside Amphitheatre and Centre Square through three concert series: Live in the Square, Live at Riverside and Tunes at Noon.

The initiative logged 1,557.5 volunteer hours in 2012. At a value of $21.25 per hour, that means about $33,100 was given back to the community, according to the center.

“This accreditation means so much to the volunteers who continue to work diligently with the staff to take all of the fresh ideas, transform them into well thought-out plans and ultimately, successful events and projects,” Kmetz said.

The Easton Main Street Initiative is a subsidiary of the Greater Easton Development Partnership.

The center uses evaluation criteria to identify communities building comprehensive revitalization efforts. Evaluation standards include forming strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking economic progress and preserving historic buildings.

 

Contact reporter Colin McEvoy at 610-258-7171 ex. 3631 or cmcevoy@express-times.com.

Source: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2013/05/easton_main_street_initiative_7.html