Lehigh Valley's newest McDonald's to celebrate opening with $1 ...

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Local dignitaries will join Grimace and the Hamburglar to celebrate the Lehigh Valley's newest McDonald's restaurant this week. 

The newly constructed McDonald’s restaurant, at 2441 Schoenersville Road in Bethlehem, will hold its grand opening celebration on Thursday, according to a news release. 

The new McDonald’s location, which held a soft opening on March 14, totals more than 4,500 square feet and operates at the Westgate Mall’s northeast corner (in front of Weis Markets) at Schoenersville Road and Westgate Drive.

The public is invited to celebrate the restaurant’s grand opening from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, when an exclusive Dollar Menu deal will be offered.

Customers will be able to purchase a small fry, 4-piece chicken McNuggets or small fountain drink for $1 each.

In addition to the lunchtime values, attendees will have the opportunity to take photos with Grimace and Hamburglar, enjoy live music from local vocalist and guitarist Scott Samuels and win valuable prizes.

Essential workers (police, fire fighters, EMS, and hospital staff) in uniform or with a badge will receive a free small drink of their choice with the purchase of any sandwich.

A VIP reception, reserved for media and local dignitaries, will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and will include a check presentation and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new restaurant is owned by local McDonald’s franchisee Robert Hughes, who also operates several other regional McDonald’s eateries, including those on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem and Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township.

Hughes is passionate about giving back to community members and local organizations and, in honor of the grand opening, he will donate $3,000 to six community groups in Bethlehem including Bethlehem Police Department, Bethlehem Fire Department, Bethlehem Area Public Library, Ronald McDonald House and local historic and humane societies.

The grand opening will include appearances from local dignitaries and elected officials, including state Sen. Lisa Boscola, state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott.

The new McDonald’s eatery features a dual-lane drive-thru, a dining room with more than 50 seats and an outdoor dining patio. Customers can place orders at the counter or at one of four self-order kiosks. Free wifi is available.

Hospital workers (with ID) can take advantage of the following promotion: free small coffee, soft drink or sweet tea with the purchase of any breakfast or lunch sandwich or McNuggets.

Also, grand opening specials, available in March and April, include $1 small coffee and soft drinks on Mondays, $1 4-piece McNuggets on Wednesdays, $1 hash brown and small fries on Fridays and $1 warm apple pie on Sundays.

The new McDonald’s restaurant is the latest chapter in an ongoing, multi-million dollar renovation project at the 50-year-old shopping center.

Onyx Equities, a New Jersey real estate investment and property services firm, purchased Westgate in 2018, with several rounds of renovations taking place over the ensuing years.

The latest phases of redevelopment include the recent demolition of approximately 50,000 square feet of the shopping center’s interior to allow for construction of two new structures: a freestanding Penn Community Bank with a drive-thru (next to relocated Weis) and a strip mall that will be home to five food and beverage chains – Starbucks, Jersey Mike’s Subs, QDOBA Mexican Eats, So Fresh and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. A drive-thru is planned for the Starbucks.

Additionally, another new building that will be home to People First Federal Credit Union is under construction at the shopping center’s southeast corner, at the site of a recently demolished former Dempsey’s restaurant, which closed in 2005.

Marjorie Kaplan, vice president of public relations for Axiom Communications, which is handling communications for Westgate, provided the following tentative opening dates for the forthcoming tenants: Starbucks (summer 2024), People First Federal Credit Union (summer 2024), QDOBA (fall 2024), Jersey Mike's Subs (fall 2024), SoFresh (fall 2024), Tropical Smoothie Cafe (fall 2024) and Penn Community Bank (fall 2024).

"Our vision for Westgate has been validated over and over by the interest from esteemed stores, banking institutions, restaurants and varying lifestyle uses,” Onyx Equities representatives said in a written statement.

“We are gratified to be part of the revival of the property and its service to the local community and the greater Lehigh Valley.”

More room for additional tenants remains, according to a mall brochure from Metro Commercial, the center’s leasing agent.

On the center’s ground floor, a space totaling more than 13,000 square feet is available between Harbor Freight Tools and Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and six smaller spaces - each under 4,000 square feet - are available at the southern end of the shopping center.

Second-floor space, totaling more than 13,000 square feet, also is available.

The new quick-service establishments and financial institutions will follow a host of other updates at Westgate in recent years.

One of the center's biggest changes occurred in 2021, when Weis moved from its 32,000-square-foot store near the middle of the center to a remodeled, 63,000-square-foot space in part of the former Bon-Ton department store at the north end of the center.

Other recent changes include Lehigh Valley Health Network opening facilities at the back of the former Bon-Ton; California-based tools and hardware chain Harbor Freight Tools opening in part of the former Weis space; Oak Street Health primary care medical facility opening in the former Rite Aid space at the south end of the center; and a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store reopening in its original, remodeled space.

When facing the forthcoming strip mall from the parking lot, the dining establishments will be situated from left to right as follows: Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, So Fresh, Jersey Mike’s and QDOBA.

In order for these new eateries to arrive, other mall tenants had to leave. 

Last winter, several tenants received notifications to vacate their spaces from Onyx Equities.

Salon chain Holiday Hair was the first to leave, merging with a nearby location about three miles away in the Pointe North shopping center, 5510 Crawford Drive, Hanover Township, Northampton County, in January 2023.

Cuong Nguyen, owner of nail salon Fashion Nails, purchased Nail Trix in South Whitehall Township and is continuing business at the 1536 N. Cedar Crest Blvd. site.

Amateur Athlete, a popular retailer selling skateboards, longboards, casual wear, swimwear, shoes and accessories like sunglasses, reopened last April at its new space in Bethlehem's Lehigh Shopping Center, 2110 W. Union Blvd.

Westgate Jewelers, offering new and estate jewelry along with custom jewelry and jewelry and watch repair, reopened last April at its new location on the upper level of the United Steelworkers of America building, 53 E. Lehigh St., Bethlehem.

Hawk Music, which had been operating at the mall since its opening in 1973, temporarily closed at the end of March 2023, and new owner Jason Marish reopened the business - offering instrument sales, rentals, repairs and lessons – in November at the former Mac's Hobby Hall property at 721 Linden St. in Bethlehem.

Lastly, sandwich shop chain Subway closed last April.

Built in 1973, Westgate Mall has been home to many businesses over the years, including prominent former tenants like Art & Drafting Connection, Beef House, Bookarama, Candy Carousel, Hourglass Hallmark, McCrory and Toy Tunnel.

More than a dozen businesses continue to operate at the mall, including Country Rose Florist, Grand China Buffet & Grill, Johnny’s Bagels & Deli, Westgate Pizza, Outlooks for Hair, Panda Cleaners and Sky Zone Trampoline Park, among others.