The Cosi restaurant in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley has closed. It is unclear when it was shuttered, however numerous other locations in the Cosi chain have closed without warning in recent days, according to published news reports from around New England and the Mid-Atlantic region.
Note: Since publishing this story Saucon Source has learned that another Promenade Shops business–Crepe Soleil–closed as part of a relocation in late December.
A restaurant known for its “cozy” atmosphere and fast-casual soup, salad and sandwich offerings is no longer operating its location in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley as well as other stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Saucon Source was alerted to the closure of the Cosi eatery in the Upper Saucon Township lifestyle center in Facebook comments about another store that closed this weekend there: Portrait Innovations.
In both cases there was no sign posted on the front door of the business to alert customers to the closure.
On Sunday afternoon, when Cosi should have been open for business, its doors were locked and most of its interior lighting was turned off.
Most of the interior lighting was turned off inside Cosi, which should have been open for business Sunday afternoon, according to the store hours posted online and on the door.
It isn’t clear when the Center Valley Cosi closed, however the business no longer has a listing in the Promenade Shops’ online directory.
The Cosi website still has a listing for the Promenade Shops store, which was normally open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Cosi company Facebook page makes no mention of any store closings, however in a review posted to the page Dec. 31, Adriana Paz wrote, “You close your shops without letting your employees know. They haven’t heard from a single person in management. They are owed pay and don’t know what to do. Shame on you!”
A Google News search turned up the following stories published in recent days in other states:
- Cosi Closes in Ballston (ARLnow.com, Northern Virginia, Dec. 30)
- Cosi Restaurant in Mansfield Closed (Sun-Chronicle, Massachusetts, Dec. 31)
- Cosi Closes Its Doors in Morristown (Morristown Green, New Jersey, Dec. 30)
- Cosi Abruptly Shuts Down Restaurants in Boston, Elsewhere (Boston Business Journal, Massachusetts, Dec. 30)
- Several Boston-Area Locations of Cosi Are Closed; Exact Status of Chain Unknown (NBCBoston.com, Massachusetts, Dec. 30)
Cosi is based in Charlestown, Mass., and has 60 locations throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, the Midwest and parts of Mexico, according to the company website.
The Promenade Shops store was the chain’s sole Lehigh Valley location, although it operates a handful in the Philadelphia area, according to the site.
On Friday, Lehigh Valley Live published a story in which it was reported that there are currently six or more vacant storefronts in the Promenade Shops. That count, however, did not include Portrait Innovations–a photo studio which closed Friday–and Cosi.
The news site reported that Promenade Shops management declined to comment about possible plans for the vacancies.
Over the fall, Playa Bowls and Bath & Body Works both opened in the Promenade Shops, which first opened for business in the fall of 2006.
