Shula’s Steak House at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley in Center Valley will be relocating to center city Allentown next summer, local owner Kostas Kalogeropoulos announced Tuesday.
The popular high-end restaurant will open on Seventh Street across from the Allentown Arts Walk and is slated to open in July, the Express-Times reported.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley is a lifestyle center located in Upper Saucon Township (FILE PHOTO)
Kalogeropoulos told the Easton newspaper the decision to relocate was prompted by the economic renaissance occurring in the area around the new PPL Arena, which he said he wants Shula’s to be part of.
The Morning Call reported that Shula’s plans to move its 65 employees to its new 60,000 square-foot space adjacent to the PPL Center.
The new Shula’s will be about 1,000 square feet smaller than the current location, and will have less space for private parties but will feature outdoor dining, the Morning Call article indicated.
On its Facebook page, Shula’s at the Promenade Shops thanked customers for their support during this time of transition and answered questions.
In response to a question about parking, the restaurant responded that “we will continue to offer valet parking for our guests just as we currently do at the Promenade Shops. The one thing that many people don’t realize is just how much parking there currently is, and the additional amount of parking that will be coming not too long from now. If we weren’t 100 percent certain that parking wouldn’t be an issue, we would not have made this decision.”
Most of the comments posted on the thread expressed support for the move, although a couple of people said they were unhappy–or at least uncertain–about the decision.
“The Promenade is going to find another high end restaurant to fill that space,” wrote Jerry Walter. “With the decor in place it will most likely be another steakhouse (i.e. Morton’s). Wouldn’t it be better to keep the Center Valley location and try out Allentown first? Remember, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know. There is a hell of a lot of money in Center Valley that you guys will be missing out on.”
TELL US: What do you think of Shula’s Steak House’s planned move to Allentown? If you’re a current patron, will you continue to dine there?
