During the first 11 months of 2025, total downtown foot traffic in Wilkes-Barre was up by 2.1% compared to the same period in 2024, and up by 6.5% compared to the same period in 2022, according to Diamond City Partnership Executive Director Larry Newman.
“In other words, Downtown Wilkes-Barre is becoming busier – and for downtowns, busier is better,” he said.
2025 saw 11 new storefront businesses open in the downtown: Adelina’s, La Pequena Colombia, Florology, House of Mona Lisa, Imperio Barber Shop, J’Adore Beauty Supply, Margarita Urban Beer Garden, Shinjiru Ramen, the Stegmaier Mansion, Main Street Wonders, Time Walk Game, Imperio Barber, and Shop and Stelladora.
Newman was also pleased about the continued growth of the downtown’s residential population.
“Today, almost 900 more people are living within the boundaries of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Improvement District than was the case in 2020,” he said.
The Downtown office market also improved.
“In July, Amazon Web Services temporarily leased 10,000 square feet at 60 Public Square to house employees overseeing the construction of AWS’s data centers throughout the region, while Building Blocks Learning Center opened its new corporate offices at 10 West Northampton Street,” Newman said.
As far as upcoming projects go, Newman highlighted PennDOT’s rehabilitation of the Market Street Bridge, with work scheduled to begin in 2027 and wrapping up before the bridge’s centennial in 2029.
An informational meeting about that project was held in Nov. 12 at Holy Redeemer High School.
“Next year, I’m looking forward to the next phase of the effort to refresh Public Square, and to a new beginning for the “Sphere” development site at West Northampton and South Main Streets,” Newman said.
Other business news
Pour Coffee House, located at 53 N. Main St., got a new owner in September 2025, South Wilkes-Barre resident Tony Monteleone, who plans to continue growing the brand and expanding hours.
Following a fire at Adelina’s in Mountain Top, the business opened a second location within Genetti’s on Market Street.
Also this year, Philly’s Phinest, located at 610 Carey Ave., celebrated 30 years in business.
Longtime businesses close
As new businesses celebrated their openings, and staple businesses celebrated milestone anniversaries, others announced closures after years of service to the community.
Norm’s Pizza & Eatery in Wilkes-Barre announced its closure on May 4 after 30 years in business following the owner’s retirement.
Meanwhile, the Bee Hive Gift Shop in the Midtown Village will close its brick and mortar location on Tuesday.
Owner JoAnne Zarick will be semi-retiring from retail, although customers will still be able to purchase items online.
Hotel Sterling Project
A long-awaited hotel and convention center originally planned for the former Sterling Hotel site will now be located in a vacant office building on Public Square, project officials announced on May 15.
During a press conference at Wilkes-Barre City Hall, Mayor George Brown, along with developer Hysni ‘Sam’ Syla and project engineer George Albert, unveiled plans to use the old Martz Trailways building at 46 Public Square as the location for the $20 million project.
“The hotel will be a milestone for Wilkes-Barre. The project will attract tourists, business travelers and large events, while creating good jobs for our residents. It’s the perfect fit for our city’s vibrant downtown and strategic location, making Wilkes-Barre a go-to destination for Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Brown said at the time.
Newman also remained hopeful that the change in plans will lead to progress on the long-awaited project during the coming year.
“However, this also means that work must still be done to ensure a positive future for the former Hotel Sterling site – Downtown’s most prominent development parcel,” he said.
This story is part of a year-in-review series running in the Times Leader heading into the new year.
