BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A family-run business has expanded with a new location in the Lehigh Valley.
Manga Lane, offering manga, Pokemon items, Marvel merchandise and more, on Thursday kicked off a soft opening event at its new location at 559 Main St., Suite 004, in downtown Bethlehem.
Manga Lane, offering manga, Pokemon items, Marvel merchandise and more, on Thursday kicked off a soft opening event at its new location at 559 Main St., Suite 004, in downtown Bethlehem.
The business’ new spot is on the lower level of the Main Street Commons, near LU Taqueria.
Manga Lane previously operated for about two years at the Slatington Farmers Market in Washington Township, Lehigh County.
The business is run by 19-year-old Kassidy Bond and her mother, Kristin Bond, and stepfather, Mike Lopato.
“The new Bethlehem location is about twice the size as our previous spot, and it’s our own independent space where we can be open five or six days per week,” Kristin said. “With the holiday season approaching, we’ll likely be open six days a week with pretty extensive hours.”
Manga Lane offers a wide array of manga - a Japanese style of comic books and graphic novels – along with manga- and anime-related items such as pins, keychains, lights, drinkware, T-shirts, collectible figures and plush characters.
Kassidy, a 2023 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School, became a fan of manga - a Japanese style of comic books and graphic novels - about six years ago.
"I love collecting the books," Kassidy said. "There's all different types of genres for everyone."
Customers can shop Pokemon cards and accessories, along with Marvel items related to popular characters such as Captain America, Deadpool, Spider-Man and Wolverine.
“We’ve been starting to bring in some Marvel products as well,” Kristin said.
“So, we have some really cool Marvel figures, along with a little bit of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings items sprinkled into the mix as well. So, we have more variety now that we have our own dedication location.”
The new store also is planning to host some activities in the space, including Kids Club events and College Nights for local college students, Kristin said.
Hours for the remainder of the soft-opening event are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 5 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6.
The business will then take a short hiatus before reopening with regular hours later this month.
“We plan to reopen on Oct. 24, and then our official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be on Nov. 1,” Kristin said.
For the latest updates, including an announcement regarding updated hours, follow the business’ Facebook page. Info: manga-lane.com.
