Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle to Meet Monday as the Organic Odyssey Extends Into Its 15th Year

June 12, 2026

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

The Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle will meet Monday as the Happy Boondogglers continue to boondoggle ahead.

Sorry, I’m repeating myself.

There may be drama. Will the Boondogglers set an opening date? Will they introduce their second boondoggle general manager? Will The Boondoggle solve the problem of world hunger? Will there be refreshements at the meeting?

Enquiring non-Boondogglers want to know.

The Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle, which calls itself the Bethlehem Co-Op Market, has spent about $3.1 million in tax dollars, perhaps twice as much total, and has broken promises to open in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Based on the taxpayers’ contribution, each Boondoggler has benefited from about $1,700 in public largesse, though the money is being wasted on an empty store at 250 E. Broad St. Who got the money is a good question, but while the Boondoggle likes taking public money, it doesn’t make all of its finances public.

The Boondogglers say they will open, but wisely, based on past history, they have declined to set a date. Their social media comments indicate they’re working hard to open this year.

The year 2026 is almost half over. Hey, it was founded in 2011, what’s the hurry?

The Boondoggle is in debt, it owes back rent and lenders want to see some marketing numbers before they talk about refinancing the Boondoggle’s future boondoggling. Darn, there I go again!

The Happy Boondogglers of the Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle will discuss boondoggling at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Northampton Community College Fowler Center, 511 E. Third St., Bethlehem. The boondoggle meeting will also be available online, here is a link to the boondoggle bacchanalia.

The meetings are the best thing about The Boondoggle. They are brief and to the point, and the Happy Boondogglers are as earnest as can be. They haven’t been very effective so far, but again, have patience!

The Boondoggle might just announce its second general manager. The Boondoggle has never been open, so I don’t know what the first one did but he was there for about a year.

I wish I had a job like that. I can be a Boondoggler for a price. I have standards, but they’re low. I’m willing to boondoggle for dollars.

The Boondoggle might even announce an opening date. We boondoggle watchers are on the edges of our seats.

Boondoggle On!