Palmerton Public Market Celebrates Grand Opening

New marketplace aims to expand offerings and meet customer needs in Palmerton, PA

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Palmerton Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly opened Palmerton Public Market. Owners Karen and Allen Smith, who also run the AK Farms business, purchased the property that previously housed Shea's Hardware and have transformed it into a bustling marketplace featuring a variety of local vendors and offerings.

Why it matters

The opening of the Palmerton Public Market represents a shift in the local retail landscape, as the community embraces a new community-focused marketplace model over the traditional hardware store that had operated in the space for nearly 70 years. The market aims to support local businesses and provide residents with access to fresh, homemade, and specialty products.

The details

The Palmerton Public Market currently features vendors such as AK Farms LLC, The Shutter House, Beautiful Floral, S&E Natural Soaps LLC, JW Farms & Homestead, River Rock Bean + Brew Mobile Bar, Sleepy Cat Urban Winery, and KupKake Kandi. The market also recently added a deli and plans to bring in frozen seafood. Some vendors are expanding their booth spaces to offer more products, and the market is hosting mini classes for the community, such as a seed-starting class and a floral vase decoration workshop.

  • The Palmerton Public Market held a soft opening in November 2023.
  • Shea's Hardware, which previously occupied the space, closed its doors on October 14, 2023 after nearly 70 years in business.
  • The Palmerton Area Chamber of Commerce held the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Palmerton Public Market recently.

The players

Karen and Allen Smith

The owners of the Palmerton Public Market, who also run the AK Farms business in Northampton, PA.

Payton Marunich

The owner of River Rock Bean + Brew Mobile Bar, one of the vendors at the Palmerton Public Market.

Shirley Pargas

The owner of Beautiful Floral, one of the vendors at the Palmerton Public Market.

Bernie Shea

The former owner/president of Shea's Hardware, which previously occupied the Palmerton Public Market space.

Donald Shea Jr.

The father of Bernie Shea, who bought the Shea's Hardware business in 1954.

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What they’re saying

“I think it was a huge success, all the vendors were highlighted in the ribbon cutting. We had great support from the community, the delegates and the Palmerton Area Chamber of Commerce.”

— Karen Smith, Co-owner, Palmerton Public Market (tnonline.com)

“We're thrilled to have so many businesses under one roof; it's nice to have a variety. We've seen lots of traffic both on weekends and on weekdays, which we are happy about.”

— Payton Marunich, Owner, River Rock Bean + Brew Mobile Bar (tnonline.com)

What’s next

The Palmerton Public Market is still accepting applications from additional food vendors who may be interested in joining the marketplace. Interested parties can contact the market at 610-248-0396.

The takeaway

The opening of the Palmerton Public Market represents a shift in the local retail landscape, as the community embraces a new community-focused marketplace model that supports small businesses and provides residents with access to fresh, homemade, and specialty products. The market's success highlights the demand for this type of community-oriented shopping experience in the Palmerton area.