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Signs of spring business

Eateries, prom shop and therapeutic massage greet Abingtons.

Nathan Urie and Don McGlynn Abington Journal Staff

ABINGTONS - In recent months, the Abington area business owners have bucked the challenging economic climate and delivered several new commerce to the area, each providing a unique service.

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Something Blue 2, owned and operated by Heather Johns and Michele Brown, is a full-service prom shop.

Abington Journal/Nathan Urie

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Summit Coney Island, at 406 South State St., is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Abington Journal/Don McGlynn

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Body and Soul therapeutic massage

Two months ago, Edward Smith gave those in the area looking for a way to treat themselves a new destination.

After seeing the success of his business Body and Soul Therapeutic Massage location in Vestal, NY, Smith decided to open a second location at 318 Davis Street, Clarks Summit.

“I love the small- town atmosphere,” said Smith as to why he chose to set up shop in Clarks Summit. “I love the community, and the clientele that’s been coming so far have been wonderful.”

Smith, who was trained at the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca, NY and licensed in massage therapy in New York, as well as nationally certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work, said he is pleased with the initial response of business, which he described as slow but steady.

At the moment, Body and Soul sports no signage to indicate the business is there, leaving Smith to rely heavily on word of mouth. While Smith is planning on adding a sign, he is making it a point to let his presence be known.

He will be offering chair massage at Everything Natural in Clarks Summit during their Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 18, from 1 to 4 p.m.

“I’ll be doing complimentary chair massage just to meet people and greet people and give them some of this therapeutic touch and help their day,” said Smith.

He is also planning an open house to be held soon.

Massages start at $60 for a one-hour session. In addition to massage, Smith also performs paraffin dips, dry brushing and hair and scalp oil infusion. He also offers body scrubs at his Vestal location.

To make an appointment, call 607-759-2480 or 877-548-7404, for more information visit www.bodyandsoulstudio.com.

Something Blue 2

With prom dates approaching, a dress shop opened its doors about one month ago on 321 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Township. Something Blue 2, owned and operated by Heather Johns and business partner Michele Brown, is a full-service prom shop.

“We have a full -service shop in Tunkhannock,” Johns said, referencing her other location on 22 E. Tioga Street which deals in bridal, proms and special occasions. “We take most of our tailoring to the Tunkhannock store and bring it back,” she said.

The South Abington Township store can be contacted at 586-3800 and in Tunkhannock at 836-5857 or by visiting www.somethingbluebridal.net.

Basilico’s

The Abingtons will also see its share of new restaurants. Basilico’s Pizza, which is located in Dickson City, will be opening a satellite location in Clarks Summit on 100 Highland Avenue, former location of Cobbie’s Deli and Convenient shop.

“I’m from the area. I always wanted to open up in Clarks Summit,” said owner Peter Montana.

Montana said the new location will be nearly identical to the Dickson City location, with the exception of an outdoor patio. The traditional eat-in, take out restaurant with salads and soups is planned to open by the end of May.

“I couldn’t do it without my wife, Helene,” he said. “I think it will do really well.”

Bambu

Next door to Woods and Co. in South Abington Township on 639 Northern Blvd., a Japanese cuisine restaurant to be known as Bambu will be opening up in about a month and a half, according to owner Vinny Lam.

“I like Clarks Summit,” Lam said. I feel they are more open- minded to new concepts.”

Bambu’s open kitchen will specialize in both broth and noodle soups, stir fry, rice and seafood. Lam said a close comparison of what to expect would be similar to the Republic Restaurant in New York City which sells nearly the same foods.

“A lot of flavor and seasoning goes into it. It’s almost like New York style, like Manhattan,” he said.

Bambu will be open for both lunch and dinner and can seat approximately 55. Lam also owns Kyoto in Clarks Summit and Blu Wasabi in Dickson City.

Summit Coney Island and Subs

For those in the area still missing Daddy Moe’s, formerly at 406 South State St., Tammi and Allen Henry are doing what they can to fill the void.

The two opened the Summit Coney Island and Subs there on Sunday, February 15, the day after handing out free samples during the Clarks Summit Festival of Ice on Saturday, Feb. 14. People apparently liked what they tasted because Tammi said business has been great.

“All we’ve heard is ‘Finally somebody’s open past three o’clock and you deliver.’ We had the manager down at the Hampton Inn order food, she called back and said it was phenomenal and asked us to send down about 100 menus and said they were going to recommend us to all their customers; everyone’s been supportive,” said Tammi.

While Tammi and Allen are the owners and operator of the business, Tammi credits the building’s owner, her stepfather, Lawrence Young with idea for opening the shop.

“My stepfather came to me and asked me if I wanted to open a sub shop up, because we had been taking about it and he said ‘Only if you do Coney Island because I wanted to do it my whole life.’ That’s how we got the idea,” said Tammi.

“When my stepfather mentioned Coney Island, I even said, ‘How are we going to do this when there’s one in Scranton.’ And he said ‘No there’s one in New York, Detroit, they’re all over the place.’ Coney Island is just the style of the hot dogs our hot dogs are different, they’re cooked differently, they use the small wieners and we use Nathan’s 100 percent beef, Kosher hotdogs. .”

Summit Coney Island, located at 406 South State St. is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 585-0145.