Oct. 2, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
The Bethlehem Co-Op Boondoggle had a preview night yesterday, and blogger Josh Powell found it to be revealing.
And where did those millions of public dollars go?
Here’s a link to his report and be sure to look hard at the photographs:
I forgot about the preview night at 250 E. Broad St. It appears many others did too.
Money from these previews is supposed to help fund the full opening. That’s nonsensical.
Based on the Powell report, the store is becoming what I expected: the kind of place you’ll find in New Hope or Frenchtown, with high prices and a limited selection. It won’t have all the brands and items shoppers want.
What people say they want and what they really want are not always the same.
Shoppers want low prices and convenience. They want one-stop shopping and lots of parking and brands they know. The Boondoggle won’t provide those even it does open Dec. 5.
It will, again if it opens, provide what a small group of earnest folks say you should want, not what you really want.
I first talked to Powell about a month ago. He’s doing a lot of research on the Boondoggle and there’s more to come. We’ve compared notes and marveled a bit at the silliness of the Boondoggle.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Check out his work at Powell House Press.
