News

Bobbie Cook's Bakery: A sweet new business joins the Hazleton Kitchen Incubator

Details

Published: Tuesday, 13 August 2024 18:32

Six years ago, Katherine Pawelski decided to make a career change to pursue her passion for baking and pastry-making full-time. While attending Lackawanna College, she worked full-time at a bakery in Port Jervis, New York. This experience honed her skills and reinforced her ambition to start her own business – Bobbie Cook’s Bakery.

“I worked for the bakery for five years and did some cake decorating while I was there,” she said. “About three years ago, I got the idea to start my own place. If I was going to make this big life change, why not just keep going with it?”

Read more ...

Kiera Kupsho receives Chamber’s Young Innovator of the Year award sponsored by CAN BE

Details

Published: Tuesday, 28 May 2024 16:41

Kiera Kupsho was recently honored by the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce as the recipient of the 2024 Young Innovator of the Year award. This award, sponsored by CAN DO's entrepreneurial arm, the CAN BE Innovation Center, has been presented annually by the Hazleton Chamber since 2018.

The award was presented to Kiera on May 28th at the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce’s 48th Annual Academic Banquet at Four Blooms.

Kiera, a Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences senior, was selected for her growth and commitment to innovation. In addition to participating in the Inaugural Management 215 Penn State Hazleton Dual Enrollment class, Kiera was also a finalist two years in a row for the tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition. This year, she and fellow schoolmate Kiara Vasquez dazzled the judges with their passion for an international cuisine-inspired meal subscription box dubbed “Global Grub.”

Read more ...

Retro Dough brings a taste of nostalgia to the Hazleton Kitchen Incubator

Details

Published: Thursday, 16 May 2024 13:28

The Hazleton Kitchen Incubator welcomes its newest client, Retro Dough: Pierogi and Specialty Foods LLC. Founded by John Carsia, his wife Alyssa, and his sister-in-law Celena, Retro Dough stands out in the area by bringing a nostalgic flair to the culinary scene, celebrating timeless flavors and community gatherings.

For John Carsia, a Hazle Township native, entrepreneurship has always been a dream, and opening a food business seemed like the perfect opportunity. "Ever since I was young, I can't help but 'pretend' whenever I am in the kitchen that I am running a bustling food establishment," he shares. With Retro Dough, this childhood dream became a reality, blending culinary creativity with cherished family values.

Read more ...

Corey Buchman, MMI Preparatory School, and Gabriel Garcia-Adon, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, named winners at 2024 tecBRIDGE Annual Award Ceremony

Details

Published: Friday, 10 May 2024 21:21

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving throughout the Greater Hazleton area, as evidenced by the remarkable performance of local high school teams during the 2024 tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition Award Ceremony. The event, which took place last week at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA, saw two teams from the Greater Hazleton area advanced to the finals, with one team scoring an overall win.

Read more ...