Eat, Sip, Shop: Former Pro Footballer Opens Fitness and Sports Training Center in Coopersburg

COOPERSBURG, Pennsylvania – Are you deciding to live a more active life in 2023? A new fitness center in Coopersburg might be just what you need.

Perfect Touch Sportsoffering a variety of athletic and fitness training programs, is nearing completion of a 2,400 square foot facility at 112 Springfield St. near the Saucon Rail Trail.

Owner Matt Baker, a former professional football player, established Perfect Touch nearly a decade ago and rented facilities throughout the Lehigh Valley to conduct his football practices and other programs.

Services include private, small group and team training for soccer and lacrosse, as well as a cross-training program, SportFit, which improves the speed, strength, agility and overall performance of athletes from all the sports.

“We’re excited to continue helping people in important ways,” Baker said. “We love what we do, and what we do hasn’t changed much. However, this new facility gives us a home base and another space for the community to develop their fitness and skills.”

Baker, who lives in Coopersburg, purchased the old pole barn in July and has spent the past few months overhauling the structure with new concrete and grass flooring, insulation, lighting and more.

He has painted on one of the walls a company motto, “hustle every day,” and he plans to complete a lobby with bathrooms in the coming weeks. Equipment such as kettle bells, medicine balls and push sleds will also arrive in time for the facility’s official opening in January.

“Our goal is to help change lives through sport and fitness,” Baker said. “We’ve been blessed to do what we love for almost 10 years now and we can’t wait to see the impact we can have in the future.”

Baker has been playing football since he was 3 years old and has been a member of several local traveling and top teams including Lehigh Valley United.

After playing Division 1 soccer at the University of Pittsburgh, he continued his professional playing career with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USLPRO.

He later joined other teams such as Cardosa Moriera in the Brazilian 2nd Division and the Philadelphia Union reserve team of Major League Soccer, but a torn ACL forced him to change course and pursue his passion by developing Perfect Touch Sports.

Along with his wife, Brielle, Baker also operates Refinery Fitness, a three-year-old fitness studio offering personal and small-group training, on Station Avenue in Coopersburg.

“Perfect Touch Sports has a team of about 12 coaches, and we all love what we do,” Baker said. “Now we will have the opportunity to do more. By having coaches here and continuing to rent space in other venues, we could run programs in multiple locations on the same night.”

The new venue, which has a garage door that can be opened in good weather, can also be rented out for team practices, birthday parties and other functions.

To stay up to date with Perfect Touch Sports events, including a grand opening announcement, follow the company’s social media pages, facebook.com/perfecttouchsoccer and instagram.com/perfecttouchsoccer. Info: 610-442-5039; perfecttouchsports.com.

Gourmet finds

Family restaurant with authentic Mexican cuisine and decor opens in Easton area

PALMER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A new destination for chalupas, chiles rellenos and other Mexican favorites has joined the list of restaurants in the Easton area.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant, a family restaurant serving authentic Mexican cuisine, opened Thursday at 755 S. 25th St. in Palmer Township, next to Jill’s Hallmark. Read the full story.

New ‘Tacos & Coffee’ restaurant serving unique creations from two delicious worlds in Quakertown

QUAKERTOWN, Pennsylvania – Cappuccino, carne asada and a gripping story of redemption can be found at a new business in upper Bucks County.

Tacos and coffee, a take-out restaurant offering Mexican cuisine, specialty coffee drinks and more, opened Saturday at 240 S. West End Blvd. in Quakerville. Learn more here.

New Easton-area pizzeria brings Italian favorites back to a familiar place

PALMER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A longtime destination for calzones, cannolis and marinara calamari continues to bring Italian specialties under a new name in Northampton County.

Love Pizzeria, a family restaurant offering home-cooked Italian cuisine, opened Nov. 14 at 3502 Greenway St. in Palmer Township. Read more.

News from Bethlehem

A brewery in four years of creation sets the opening date in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Just in time for the holidays, a new destination for locally brewed lagers, IPAs, and other beers is set to debut next weekend in South Bethlehem.

Country Club Brewery, a craft brewery serving its house beer alongside other locally produced beverages such as wine and cocktails, will hold its grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 323 Pierce St., the co-founder and head brewer said. Mike Kromer. Read the full story.

Personal training gym adding jiu-jitsu program, tripling footprint at new Bethlehem site

BETHLEHEM, Pennsylvania — Just in time for New Year’s resolutions, a personal training gym is expanding its footprint and services to Bethlehem.

36th Fitness, which opened in early 2017 at 559 Main St., Suite 005, will move within the next two weeks about two miles northeast to 1450 Stefko Blvd., owner and trainer Evan Robinson said. Learn more here.

Lehigh County News

Owner of now-closed Brass Rail restaurant in Allentown speaks to 69 News after plans to sell the property fell through

ALLENTOWN, PA – Thought of Mark Sorrentino The brass rail would be long gone.

“Unfortunately our sales deal with Royal Farms, they decided to walk, basically,” Sorrentino said. Read more.

After losing the fashion retailer, The Promenade Shops will gain a new tenant in 2023

UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — One business has closed while another prepares to open at The Promenade Shops in Saucon Valley.

The Upper Saucon Township Mall at 2845 Center Valley Parkway, a recently lost fashion retailer All Weather Selvedge Denim Co. (AW). Read the full story.

Closing notes

‘New chapter’: Main street in downtown Bethlehem will lose its retailer after the holidays

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A home furnishings retailer bids farewell to its storefront in downtown Bethlehem.

Domestic, selling furniture, area rugs, lamps and more, will close its store on Main Street after the holiday season, the company announced on its social media pages on Tuesday. Learn more here.

Flaming Crab closes in Bethlehem Square and will reopen as a Korean barbecue

BETHLEHEM TWP., Pennsylvania – Flaming Crab Cajun Seafood closed its location in Bethlehem Township, but the restaurant will reopen in January as a Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurant.

88 K-Pot will open next month, said manager Eddie Zhang. Read more.

Closure of Apple Tree Plaza Lounge in Hanover Township

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, Pennsylvania – A salon in Hanover Township, Northampton County, has closed for good.

Noah Beauty Housea salon at Apple Tree Plaza just off Route 22, closed as of December 1. Read the full story.

Wells Fargo closes branch in Norristown area as customers shift to digital banking

TOWNSHIP OF LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA – Wells Fargo is closing a branch in Montgomery County as customers shift to digital banking and move away from traditional brick-and-mortar offices.

The branch located at 2740 W. Ridge Pike in the Trooper section of Lower Providence Township will close February 22 at noon. Learn more here.