Casinos, wedding venues, large retailers and more: More than 50 businesses that opened in central Pa. in 2021

It’s been a topsy-turvy year for midstate businesses, coping with pandemic driven lockdown, staffing shortages and supply chain disruptions. But that didn’t stop new stores and other businesses from opening in 2021. Not by a long shot.

In 2021, we saw new casinos, huge warehouses, a new hospital and stunning wedding and special events venues open in the midstate. And a number of retail stores opened as well. Hershey Square in Derry Township, the Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township and Kline Plaza in Harrisburg all welcomed a number of new tenants.

We’ve compiled a list of new business locations that opened in central Pennsylvania this year. It’s not a complete list but does include 50 entries (55 businesses). Twenty-four of the businesses are in Dauphin County and 20 are in Cumberland County, with others in Lancaster, York, Lebanon and Berks counties. Restaurants and grocery stores are not included on this list.

Here’s our list:

50. Get Air Harrisburg

It was a long time coming. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Get Air Harrisburg was planning to move from Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township to its new location in Lower Paxton Township. The indoor trampoline park closed during the state shutdown last year and then reopened in October at the former Babies R’ Us store at the Paxton Towne Centre at 5125 Jonestown Road. The new park has trampolines, a kiddie court, dodgeball, a foam pit, Slamball, a ninja course, inflatable toys, jungle gym equipment and slides, silk swings, a battle beam and a bungee surf board.

49. Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania

OIP has opened a new, 30,000 square-foot facility at 250 Alexander Spring Road in South Middleton Township. The office, which was previously located nearby on Dunwoody Drive, offers a variety of services including general orthopedic care, pain management, podiatry, rheumatology and physical therapy.

48. West Connection Beer Vault

This is the first of a number of new tenants at the Hershey Square shopping center that made the list. West Connection Beer Vault, a beer distributor, opened in the former Pet Valu location between a state liquor store and Mattress Firm and offers a selection of beer and malt beverages. The store is located at 1164 Mae St. in Derry Township.

47. Puma

The sports brand, Puma opened at Tanger Outlets Lancaster in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. The store sells footwear and sportswear for men, women and children.

46. 32nd Street Mercantile of Camp Hill

The new retail store opened on Sept. 25 at 515 S. 32nd St. in Camp Hill, off of Columbia Avenue and in the same complex as Liberti Church and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. The store features items from more than a dozen midstate artisans with various handmade creations including home decor, handmade pottery and custom woodworking as well as antiques, collectibles and gifts.

45. Amma Jo

Amma Jo, which was previously located inside Strawberry Square, opened a new fashion storefront and showroom outside the mall at the Shops on 3rd at Strawberry Square at 7 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg. The store offers handbags and accessories, beauty and jewelry collections and fashion-forward clothing. The new store also includes a men’s corner. Owner Amma Johnson began selling her handbag line in 2014 at the former gift shop at Hollywood Casino.

44. HomeCentris – Central Pennsylvania

HomeCentris Healthcare acquired Multi-Care Services in Lower Paxton Township and changed the name to HomeCentris – Central Pennsylvania. The company moved the office to 330 East Park Drive in Swatara Township. HomeCentris – Central Pennsylvania serves clients in Adams, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, New Cumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, and York Counties. The company offers home care, transitional services, ancillary products and services and veterans home care.

43. Tucker Arensberg

The law firm signed a long-term lease in July to relocate its office from Lemoyne Drive in Lemoyne to the Camp Hill Corporate Center at 300 Corporate Center Drive in East Pennsboro Township. Tucker Arensberg leased 8,526 square feet of space. Tucker Arensberg has a number of practice areas including criminal defense, personal injury litigation, workers’ compensation, real estate, business and finance, and estate and trust planning.

42. Urban Outfitters

The store opened at the Park City Center in Lancaster this year. Urban Outfitters offers a mix of women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, beauty products and home decor.

41. Blue Moon Games

Board games anyone? This new store doesn’t only sell them but you can play games at the shop for free. The retailer opened in July on the lower level at 875 Market St., Suite 101 in Lemoyne. The store features trading card games, miniature games, board games, and dice games including Catan, Ticket To Ride, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon among other options.

40. Blitz45 Functional Training

The fitness studio opened on June 28 at 3445 Simpson Ferry Road in Hampden Township. Blitz45′s training program includes 45 minutes of functional exercises, from pushing and pulling to hinging, squatting, rotating, and carrying.

39. Leggings New York

Leggings New York opened in November at Tanger Outlets Hershey in Derry Township and offer a selection of discounted leggings and accessories. The retailer is located between Hanesbrands and Vera Bradley in the former home of the American Girl Outlet store.

38. Where the Wild Things Play

Where the Wild Things Play, a 4,000-square-foot indoor play space, opened at the Hershey Square shopping center on the site of the former Kmart store at 1170 Mae St., Suite 160 in Derry Township. The space includes seven play zones, including a farm stand, a sweet shop, a pet rescue, a park, a camping corner, a discovery zone and a construction site. There is also an active play fort with two enclosed turbo slides as well as interactive STEM screen, a magnetic building wall, an interactive light table and a toddler center.

37. Macy’s Backstage

Macy’s added its Macy’s Backstage outlet store to its location at the Capital City Mall. Macy’s Backstage sells discounted items including clothing, school items, home décor, skincare and bath products, food, toys, pet care and pet food, workout great and more. Not all of the different categories will appear at the same time and Macy’s says that new items will appear daily.

36. Dogtopia

Dogtopia, which offers daycare for dogs, opened at the Hampden Centre shopping center at 4900 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township. The facility doesn’t only provide daycare for dogs but also provides boarding, and spa services.

35. Penn State Health Cocoa Outpatient Center

Penn State Health Cocoa Outpatient Center opened the 20,000-square-foot outpatient center at the Cocoaplex Center at 1150 Cocoa Ave. in Derry Township. Two internal medicine practices that were operating on the east and west side of the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus, as well as adult endocrinology and nephrology, which were located at the University Physician Center, have moved to the new center. The center is located in the space previously occupied by The Cocoaplex Cinema, which closed at the end of 2019 after more than 20 years of operation.

34. Amazon delivery station

There’s a reason why Amazon is able to get your packages to you so quickly. It’s because they’re everywhere including Lancaster County. Amazon Logistics opened a delivery station in a vacant warehouse in Rapho Township near Mount Joy at 1156 Four Star Drive. The “last mile” delivery station is the last place packages go to before being delivered to customers. Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, and then loaded into vehicles for delivery to customers.

33. 15toKnow

The company, 15toKnow opened in a tent in the parking lot of the Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township in January to provide COVID-19 testing. The drive-thru location is open by appointment only. And the company’s name, 15toknow is based on the 15 minutes it takes for individuals to learn the results of their tests.

32. Sephora

Sephora and Kohl’s first announced their partnership in December to open around 850 Sephora locations inside its stores by 2023 eventually replacing the Sephora stores found in JCPenney stores. Sephora opened stores inside the Kohl’s stores at Paxton Towne Centre, 5125 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township and at 6444 Carlisle Pike in Silver Spring Township. The 2,500-square-foot stores have more than 100 beauty brands. The stores have a range of makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance brands. Sephora-trained beauty advisors are available for personalized beauty consultations and assistance with finding products. Testing and discovery zones feature a rotating assortment of new, emerging or trending products.

31. Steel Works Construction

Steel Works Construction opened this summer at 430 N. Front St. in Wormleysburg and at 216 N. Front St. in Steelton and will provide construction services to private and public entities in residential, commercial, industrial, site, and rail.

30. Amazon sortation facility

If you’ve driven from Harrisburg to Baltimore on Interstate 83, you’ve seen the construction of a large warehouse for Amazon. The sortation facility is on Goodman Drive in Fairview Township, York County. The facility will employ around 1,200 people.

29. ModWash

ModWash plans to open in 25 car wash locations in Pennsylvania by the end of next year, including one that opened at 6465 Carlisle Pike in Silver Spring Township in the former location of Quick Quality Car Wash. The location features a wide range of the latest technology and amenities including free vacuums, air tools, automatic mat cleaners, microfiber towels and more. The company offers a monthly membership that includes unlimited washes, and ModWash also has family plans.

28. Inch & Co.

The construction company, Inch & Co. is now in the real estate business, acquiring real estate earlier this year for a new home for the company — Elmwood Mansion at 400 Elmwood Blvd. in Spring Garden Township, York County. The real estate division, which was launched earlier this year offers commercial and residential real estate services. The mansion, which was built in 1835, was purchased from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

27. PaulB Hardware

The 25,000-square-foot hardware store opened in September at 121 Gettysburg Pike in Upper Allen Township. The building was previously occupied by a furniture store, a Giant Food store, and a Planet Fitness, which relocated next door. PaulB Hardware is a heavy-duty hardware store that serves contractors, industrial and agricultural sectors, and homeowners. The store features a number of departments including paint, tools, automotive, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, home and outdoor. The store will also include repair shops for tools and equipment.

26. Chewy

The 732,000-square-foot fulfillment center is located at 100 Goodman Drive in Fairview Township, York County. The new facility is expected to employ 400 full-time workers. Chewy is an online retailer that sells a variety of pet supplies ranging from pet food and toys to aquariums.

25. Sally Beauty

Sally Beauty opened in the former GNC space at Hershey Square shopping center. The store sells a variety of hair and beauty items as well as nail products.

24. Ardene

Women’s clothing retailer, Ardene opened at the Park City Center in Lancaster on May 14 in the Boscov’s Wing of the mall between MetroPCS and Christmas Tree Hill. Ardene sells apparel, footwear, and accessories for women.

23. Joseph Jacob Jewelers

Joseph Jacob Jewelers opened in the former Littman Jewelers space in Center Court at the Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township.

22. Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts opened another location in Dauphin County, but this store at Union Square Shopping Center at 3823 Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township is 24,000-square-feet – about three times larger than a standard Advance store. The company calls it a “super hub” because it’s similar to a mini-distribution center, and it supports nearly 50 stores and several hundred commercial accounts in Pennsylvania as a small-scale distribution center for Advance. Advance carries a full assortment of automotive aftermarket parts and products. Advance also offers same-day services including same-day delivery in the Harrisburg area through DoorDash, plus in-store and curbside pickup.

21. New tenants at Kline Plaza

A number of new tenants opened at the Kline Plaza shopping center near the John Harris Campus of Harrisburg High School at 101 S. 25th St. in Harrisburg.

• Exceptional Hearts Insurance moved into the former Sweet Home Healthcare office, which is between the two spaces that will be occupied by Crisp Café and Rapid Sandwiches & More.
• O’lee De Lux Hair Salon moved from its Walnut Street location in Penbrook to Kline Plaza.
• Butler’s Pet Feed and Supplies, a pet supply store that carries dog, cat, fish and turtle food.
• All American Home Care opened offers home healthcare services.

20. Norman’s Hallmark

The greeting cards store opened in October at the Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace at 2541 Brindle Drive in Susquehanna Township in the former New York & Company space. Norman’s Hallmark sells greeting cards, gifts and ornaments. The store was previously located at the Colonial Park Mall.

19. Crunch Fitness

Crunch Fitness Mechanicsburg opened at the former Staples stores at 5850 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township in November. The $4 million facility will offer classes, cardio, weights, hydromassage, riding studio and more. The fitness chain says that it embraces a “No Judgments” philosophy and everyone regardless of fitness level is welcome. Ben Midgley, CEO of Crunch Franchise told PennLive back in 2019 that while the “No Judgments” tagline may sound familiar to Planet Fitness’ “Judgement Free Zone” tagline, Crunch Fitness has been using the “No Judgements” tagline since 1995, which he said was years before Planet Fitness’ “Judgement Free Zone.”

18. AutoZone

AutoZone in Summerdale Plaza in East Pennsboro Township. The store carries parts and accessories for cars and trucks, maintenance items and accessories. AutoZone and Tractor Supply opened on the site of the former Kmart store at Summerdale Plaza.

17. Hollywood Casino York

A former Sears store was transformed into a $120 million casino at the York Galleria Mall at 2999 Whiteford Road in Springettsbury Township, York County. The 80,000-square-foot casino has 38,000 square feet of gaming with 510 slot machines and 24 table games. Sports betting also has a huge presence at the casino, which is home to the state’s first Barstool Sportsbook.

16. Xfinity

An Xfinity store opened in June in the Hershey Square shopping center at 1154 Mae St. Customers can receive product demonstrations at the 1,600-square-foot store, access services and purchase equipment and accessories for mobile devices. Comcast’s new Digital Playground Experience, an augmented reality activity, is part of the new store. Comcast opened five Xfinity stores in the midstate in the last year.

15. Sleep Number and Mattress Warehouse

The mattress stores opened in the former Pier1 Imports in front of the Colonial Commons shopping center at 5104 Jonestown Road.

14. Burlington

Burlington, formerly the Burlington Coat Factory, opened at the former Stein Mart space at 5600 Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township. The store sells clothes, shoes and accessories, home décor, pet care and toys. Burlington’s layaway program is offered all year-round.

13. Susquehanna Union Green

The first phase of Susquehanna Union Green, a mixed-use development at the corner of Progress Avenue and Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Township opened in December. Susquehanna Union Green, a 58-acre site will eventually include 17 acres of open space, 24 commercial/retail buildings; a hotel with 110 rooms; Presbyterian Senior Living, a senior-living community; restaurants; shops; offices; 120 luxury apartments and 40 single-family homes; as well as Central Green, with events such as outdoor movies, yoga, food truck festivals, and a pop-up winter village with an ice skating rink.

12. King Mansion

The King Mansion at 2201 N. Front Street in Harrisburg is one of the most iconic structures along the Susquehanna River. The structure, built in 1923, was transformed into a wedding and special event venue and opened to the public in March. The event spaces can accommodate up to 250 guests. There is a bridal salon with a sitting room, a lounge with a mini-fridge and five hair/makeup stations. The gentlemen’s lounge features a flat-screen television, billiard room and adjoining kitchenette.

11. Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center

The $300 million hospital, located at 2200 Good Hope Road, has 110-private inpatient beds. The state-of-the-art medical center provides expert 24/7 emergency medical care, inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical care, and labor and delivery services.

10. Hollywood Casino Morgantown

The $111 million Hollywood Casino Morgantown, opened in Caernarvon Township, Berks County in December. The casino s located at the intersections of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (exit 298), I-176, and the Morgantown Expressway (Rt. 10). The 80,000 square-foot facility features 750 slot machines and 30 table games, a climate-controlled outdoor gaming terrace, a Barstool Sportsbook with a jumbotron, and dining options.

9. REI Co-op

REI Co-op opened 22,400-square-foot store at the Silver Creek Plaza on the Pike shopping center at 6391 Carlisle Pike in part of the space once occupied by Toys “R” Us. REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) offers an assortment of outdoor gear and apparel for camping, hiking, climbing, cycling and paddling. REI Mechanicsburg also has a bike, ski and snowboard shop to tune and repair equipment.

8. Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness was the first of several businesses to open at the former Kmart site at the Hershey Square shopping center. The 20,000 square-foot Planet Fitness officially opened at 1170 Mae St., Suite 400, in Derry Township. The club has 100 pieces of cardio machines, flat screen televisions, a wide array of strength and free weight equipment and a spa with hydro massage lounges, tanning beds and massage chairs.

7. The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion

The Ashcombe Mansion in Upper Allen Township has been transformed into The Willows at Ashcombe Mansion, a wedding and special events venue, after a three-year of renovation. The venue also plans to host banquets, private parties, fundraisers, corporate events and luncheons.

6. T.J. Maxx

T.J. Maxx opened a 22,702-square-foot store at the Hershey Square shopping center at 1170 Mae St. in Derry Township in May. T.J. Maxx sells clothing, home décor, furniture, kitchen items and office items.

5. Crate & Barrel Outlet

The nearly 30,000-square-foot Crate & Barrel Outlet opened in May at the Shops @ Rockvale in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. Crate & Barrel Outlet sells modern and traditional furniture, kitchen items, home décor, lighting, bedding, bath and rugs. The store is located in Suite 1808 near The Children’s Place|Gymboree.

4. The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company opened a new 800,000-square-foot massive fulfillment center in late October off of Killinger Road in South Annville Township, Lebanon County. The center will eventually expand to one million square feet of space. The new site will support nearly Hershey’s entire portfolio of confectionery products.

3. Five Below

Five Below opened at the Hershey Square shopping center at 1170 Mae St., Suite 100, in Derry Township in March. The 8,515-square-foot store sells items between $1 and $5, and some items above $5 across several categories.

2. Tractor Supply

In November, Tractor Supply opened on the site of a former Kmart store at the Summerdale Plaza shopping center at 495 N. Enola Road in East Pennsboro Township. The store sells livestock and pet food and supplies as well as garden supplies, home supplies.

1. Big Lots

Discount retailer, Big Lots opened a 27,788-square-foot store at the Hershey Square shopping center at 1170 Mae St. in Derry Township. The store sells mattresses, furniture, food, seasonal items, cleaning and beauty products. Big Lots was one of five tenants that opened on the site of the former Kmart and is one of nine new tenants at the shopping center this year.

—Business Buzz

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