The Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle: a $4 Million Project With No Opening Date, Publicly Funded to Compete With Private Restaurants

Oct. 13, 2025

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

The Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle still has not set an opening date. That’s the main point from the Boondoggle’s Oct. 6 annual meeting.

The Boondoggle exists because of more than $3 million in public funding, but the public was barred from listening to the annual meeting. Still I was able to follow the Co-Op conclave.

Here are some of the main points:

— The Co-Op is now a $4 million project. Where is that $4 million? It wasn’t used to build a store, but to outfit rented space under three floors of new apartments, and who knows what else it was spent on.

— “So, springtime open?” was a question from a member. No, there is no opening date. That’s probably for the best, nobody would take a set date seriously anyway.

— Much of the work at 250 E. Broad St. is done, but as of Oct. 13 the Co-Op was looking for a refrigeration contractor, and once that contractor starts, another month of work has to be done.

— About $890,000 more expenses are projected.

— The Boondoggle plans to hire 30 to 40 people.

I may apply. Working at a place that never opens is appealing. The Co-Op has no general manager or assistant general manager, although it had a general manager earlier.

— The Co-Op is trying to raise $1.6 million through what it calls its “Sustainable Future” campaign. So after spending millions, it needs $1.6 million more to stay the course? What course?

— There was talk about selling prepared food, sandwiches and the like. So in a competitive market, a publicly funded boondoggle will be looking to draw customers from downtown Bethlehem restaurants.

These same restaurants paid taxes that helped fund the Boondoggle. This was supposed to be a Food Co-Op, now it’s a Co-Op market that will sell various things and have a cafe.

As I’ve noted many times, the Boondoggle was supposed to open in 2022, then 2023, then 2024, next 2025, then “this summer” 2025, and today is Oct. 13 and there’s a chill in the air and the Phillies have been knocked out of the playoffs and the Eagles are playing and there is no opening date.

The City of Bethlehem, which acted as a cheerleader for this publicly funded yet privately operated non-operating Boondoggle, is “strongly encouraging” the Boondoggle to set an opening date.

That still hasn’t happened. The City should be demanding more, and City Council should ask the Co-Op to attend a public meeting and answer questions.

Here are few of the excuses for the lost years:

— The Covid-19 pandemic was a problem. No doubt, but the pandemic was deemed not to be a public health emergency as of May 11, 2023.

— Costs went up. Yes, that happens when things get pushed back years. Meanwhile, a dozen or so Wawas have gone up.

— High rates on more than $1 million in debt. The Boondoggle wants members to lend money to the Co-Op at a rate of the members’ choosing: 0% to 4%. Loans of as little as $2,000 can be made.

The Co-Op can then pay off higher-rate loans if members accept below-market rates. Count me out.

— Funding complexities. Well, that’s their problem. If you ask for a grant and accept it, understand how it works.

It’s all a crock so far.

It’s time for the City of Bethlehem, the State of Pennsylvania and the federal government — all gave the Boondoggle money — to step up and demand accountability.

That includes:

— All contracts. Who has benefited from the Boondoggle?

— A full accounting of the use of public dollars. The City contends that the dollars were spent as required by law, but were they spent wisely? The biggest grant of $2.9 million came from the federal government but was administered by the city.

— Dollar figures for how much has been paid to the staff of a non-operating co-operative.

Now, someday it really may open, but how long can it last based on the Boondoggle’s record?

On Oct. 20, the Co-Op will hold a public meeting. I may be doing some real work at that time, but I will try to keep tabs on it via a recording or minutes.

I’m getting tired of this Boondoggle, which becomes ever more ridiculous.

It is not worth much more effort, and in the Lehigh Valley there are always new boondoggles to examine.