Pharmacy That Was Raided Closes

The Hellertown Pharmacy, which was raided by federal agents last year, has closed, a borough official confirmed Wednesday.

A Hellertown drugstore that made headlines last year when it was raided by DEA and FBI agents is closed after its lease was terminated, the borough's zoning and codes enforcement officer, Kris Russo, confirmed Wednesday in an email. The all-day raid that took place at the Hellertown Pharmacy on Nov. 29, 2012 was the culmination of a federal investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar online prescription fraud scheme that spanned two years, according to published reports. Two pharmacists from the drugstore—Lena Lasher, 45, also known as Lena Congtang, and 59-year-old Peter Riccio—were subsequently named in an indictment that was unsealed in a New York federal court. The Hellertown Pharmacy opened in the Shoppes at Hellertown late in …

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Visions for Vacancies

Visions for Vacancies: 410 Main St., Hellertown

Built as a gracious home more than a century ago, 410 Main St., Hellertown has housed a gift/consignment shop and an interior design studio in the recent past. Share your ideas for future uses of this building by posting a comment below.

Editor's Note: An earlier published version of this story indicated that the property's address is 403 Main St., Hellertown. In fact, its address is 410 Main St. We apologize for any inconvenience the error may have caused.

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Downtown Jewelry Store Window Smashed

On Tuesday, Nov. 13 a sandbag was thrown through the display window at Klassic Gold, 650 Main St., Hellertown. Borough police are investigating the incident.

Hellertown Police are investigating an incident of criminal mischief that occurred at a well-known jewelry store last Tuesday evening. According to police and Klassic Gold co-owners Denise Knauss and Lynn Kemmerer, the store's sidewalk display window was shattered by a sandbag at about 8:30pm Nov. 13. By Wednesday afternoon, the window had been temporarily boarded up with plywood and the store was open for business. Klassic Gold is located at 650 Main St., in the middle of a busy downtown block, so Knauss and Kemmerer said they are hopeful that anyone who may have witnessed the incident will contact borough police. "Whatever information anyone could provide to the police would be helpful," they said in an email, adding that the incident "…

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Urgent Care Center May Reopen

A sign posted in the window of the former Premier Urgent Care center in Hellertown says the facility will soon reopen.

An urgent care clinic in Hellertown that's been closed for almost a year-and-a-half could soon reopen under new management, with new staff and physicians on staff, according to a sign that recently appeared in a storefront window. Premier Urgent Care, which was located in the Shoppes at Hellertown on Main Street until it closed its doors in May 2011, could reopen in its former space. The reopening was also alluded to at Hellertown Borough Council's Oct. 1 meeting. Over the summer the clinic's contents were scheduled to be auctioned at a sheriff's sale, according to public notices that were posted on the storefront. The sign that was posted in the clinic's front window as of early October referred visitors to Premier Urgent Care's website, …

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New Holistic Pet Store to Host Open House

Doggy Dao & Cat's Meow in Hellertown will host an open house on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 11am to 3pm.

A holistic pet store that recently opened on Main Street in Hellertown will host an open house on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 11am to 3pm, owner Julie Van Vliet has announced. What's a holistic pet store? According to Van Vliet, Doggy Dao & Cat's Meow offers "a focus on (pet) nutrition, but also (sells) eco-minded toys and accessories, most of which are USA-made." "We also have a dog training center and will begin our first classes on Sept. 15," she said. At the open house there will be free organic frozen yogurt for dogs, organic "pupcake" samples, free raffles for dog and cat-lovers, and lots of free samples, according to Van Vliet, who said Pocono Greyhound Rescue will be there as well. Doggy Dao & Cat's Meow is located at 1238 Main St., …

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Local Business Turns the Page With Inspiring New Offerings

Scrapbooking's Inn has changed its name to Creative Therapy by Scrapbooking's Inn to better reflect the wealth of services available to current and future clients, owners Amy Campbell Musser and Erika Krauthauser say.

Scrapbooking's Inn in Hellertown is no longer only about scrapbooking--a popular pastime in which participants use photos, text, crafts and their own imaginations to preserve their memories. Co-owners Erika Krauthauser and Amy Campbell Musser recently announced that they have changed the business's name to Creative Therapy by Scrapbooking's Inn to better reflect the broader array of inspirational and fun activities that they offer. In an interview with Patch, they talked about the things that inspire them, and how they're using their own inspiration to teach others about finding focus in life. Campbell Musser said that a turning point in her own journey toward inner peace was recognizing her ability to communicate with individuals who have…

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Mayor: Business's Contents to Be Sold at Sheriff's Sale

Premier Urgent Care, which was located in the Shoppes at Hellertown on Main Street, closed abruptly more than a year ago.

More than a year ago a representative for Premier Urgent Care told Hellertown Patch that the company's urgent care center in the Shoppes at Hellertown would reopen in the fall. Company representative Ben Bishop blamed the walk-in clinic's closure on staffing issues, and said it would probably reopen in September 2011. The center never reopened, however, and its contents are now scheduled for sheriff's sale, according to the mayor of Hellertown. Hellertown Borough Council member Mike McKenna asked Zoning Officer Kris Russo about the status of the property at Borough Council's July 16 meeting. He said it appeared that a notice that had been posted on the exterior of the building had been "ripped down." "It looks like somebody physically just…

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Kevin Branco is Main Street Gym’s Newest Improvement

Main Street Gym’s new owner, Kevin Branco, has given the gym a different look, some new equipment, and overall better customer service.

It’s officially bikini season--the time of year when many people force themselves out of their winter slumps and back into workout mode. And for those who don’t frequent the local gym, there's a convenient option on Hellertown's Main Street. Main Street Gym has had some work done in recent months. New classes are being offered, new equipment has been added, and even the gym’s logo is in the process of changing. This is all thanks to new owner Kevin Branco, who took over the fitness facility 18 months ago. Branco is familiar to many because he was a personal trainer at the gym for two years under the previous owner, Dano Guerrieri. When Guerrieri decided he wanted to spend more time with his children, Branco jumped at the opportunity to …

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gyminsight

6:02 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012

Thank you for sharing your insights Kevin! I too am an independent gym owner and find the need to connect with others in the industry that are not necessarily part of the franchise boom. As a small business owner I have dealt with trials and tribulations of owning my own gym. I would like to share my insight as to the secrets, procedures, and programs that have made my gym a success and my life …   more ›

NVS fx Salon Hosts Open House, Ribbon-Cutting

On April 28, the Hellertown salon hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting in honor of its new staff.

NVS fx Salon in Hellertown hosted an Open House Celebration in honor of its new staff on Saturday, April 28, from 5 to 8pm. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hors d'ouevres and door prizes, and was followed by a Hellertown Pub Crawl After Party according to an invitation posted on the salon's new Facebook page. The staff at NVS includes salon manager and stylist Kathy Lonardo and licensed stylist/makeup artist Brandy Hill.

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Rick Hartranft

9:19 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Good Luck Kathy! Ms. Kichline(Borough Mgr.) and I thank you for the invite. It was a great turn- out welcome to Hellertown!   more ›

Hellertown Curves Closes

The business was a victim of the sour economy, according to its owners.

Curves franchise at 410 Main Street in Hellertown has closed, according to an article published by The Morning Call today. A gym especially for women, Curves was struggling due to the lackluster state of the economy, according to co-owner Patty Johnson, who was interviewed for the story. Johnson had co-owned the gym with her sister, Vera Tidd, since 2005, when it was purchased from another franchisee, according to the report. The closure of Curves leaves Saucon Valley residents with fewer fitness options. The Main Street Gym in Hellertown is the only other commercial fitness center located nearby, however the exercise room at Saucon Valley High School is open to residents of the school district on a limited basis. And of course, for nature…

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Josh Popichak

11:16 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The link to the Curves page on Hellertown Patch is not an "ad" for Curves. It is a local directory listing, and it is to be marked as "closed" by Patch Directory staff, who have already been informed of the business's change in status.   more ›