With Lehigh Valley temperatures expected to reach the low 70s on Sunday, many people will be on the hunt for decks, patios and other outdoor oases to soak in the spring-like warmth.

A new option for beer buffs can be found in the East Texas section of Lower Macungie Township.

Rising River Brewing, at 1955 Willow Lane, offers Adirondack chairs, fire pits and even a swing in a tranquil setting that includes abundant grass, shrubs and trees along the Little Lehigh Creek.

Co-owners Ron W. Beitler and Jason Mulligan are planning to open the brewery’s tasting room in the coming months — with a target grand opening date of May 28 — in a renovated, 120-year-old barn that will include a new, 2,500-square-foot deck with a partial awning.

Customers are welcome to sip on Rising River’s beers before then, however, via the 2-acre property’s outdoor set-up, which also includes a large tent.

The heated tent features string lights, games such as Connect 4 and Jenga, and barrel tables that guests can gather around.

“What I love most are the warm and sunny days where people just relax by the water,” said Beitler, a former two-term Lower Macungie commissioner who was elected to Lehigh County Board of Commissioners in November. “We also have live music and food trucks most Fridays and Saturdays.”

In 2020, Beitler and his father, Ron R. Beitler, purchased the former Willows Restaurant property, where area residents would come for Pennsylvania Dutch classics like scrapple and corn pie.

While the barn remains, the restaurant had to be demolished following a series a floods that forced its closure in 2017.

The barn, which originated as a livestock auction house before transitioning to a social hall and later storage space, will feature a 1,700-square-foot taproom that Rising River will share with Three Little Birds Distilling, a distillery operated by Greg Smith, owner of Hop Hill Brewing Company in Lower Saucon Township.

The businesses will have their own production spaces, with the shared taproom featuring new bathrooms, seating for around 80 customers and a glass garage door opening to the deck.

Mulligan, Rising River’s head brewer, previously worked for five years as a production assistant at Voodoo Brewing in Meadville, Crawford County. He also homebrewed for several years prior to his professional gig.

Customers can expect a variety of draft beers, including current offerings of Hex (Belgian-style witbier); Wild Skys (West Coast IPA); P.L.M. (American lager); and He’s a real Sidler (Belgian tripel brewed with cherries and raspberries). There are also rotating guest taps and spiked seltzers from Emmaus’ Triple Sun Spirits.

“We want to use ingredients from the property as much as possible,” Beitler said. “Our first beer, a collaboration that we did with Hop Hill, was called Hop River and featured 15 pounds of mulberries from a tree down by the bank. We’d eventually like to have some strawberries to make a strawberry rhubarb beer.” Info: facebook.com/RisingRiverBrewing.

Speaking of breweries, Emmaus’ Funk Brewing, which has operated out of 19 S. 6th St. since 2014, this week moved its taproom to 518 Bank St. — the former Yergey Brewing location, my colleague Jennifer Sheehan reported.

Funk’s Sixth Street location will continue to operate as its brewery, which will now have more space to grow with the taproom area moved out. The new taproom on Bank Street will also provide more space for guests.

In September, Yergey moved from its 4.5-year-old space at 518 Bank St. to a larger borough building a few blocks east at 235 Main St.

A final tid-bit from the East Penn area: Fortunoff Backyard Store, a chain of stores specializing in outdoor furniture and decor, is set to open April 1 at the Hamilton Crossings shopping center at North Krocks Road and Hamilton Boulevard in Lower Macungie, according to a news release.

The space, next to Old Navy, previously housed home goods retailer Pier 1 Imports, which closed in 2020.

With approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space, Fortunoff Backyard Store’s 28th retail location will feature the company’s extensive line of outdoor and patio furniture and accessories.

Collections include seating and tables in wicker, polymer, teak, cast aluminum and other materials, as well as accessories such as umbrellas, pillows and space heaters, “all designed for style, comfort and durability.” Info: fortunoffbys.com.

Jay’s Local, a two-year-old neighborhood eatery that prioritizes sourcing ingredients locally in Allentown’s West End, has launched a Pop-Up Restaurant and Ghost Kitchen Program to help new and established culinary entrepreneurs grow their brand.

Local businesses can utilize the fast-casual eatery’s commercial kitchen and restaurant facility at 2301 W. Liberty St. in order to experiment, test, and grow without the long-term financial commitment. Prices vary depending on the short- and long-term options.

Jenny’s Kuali, a Bethehem-based Malaysian restaurant, is kicking off the program with a pop-up event, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, at the Allentown eatery.

“A popular eatery among the Bethlehem locals and especially the Lehigh University student population, Jenny’s Kuali is aiming to introduce their authentic Malaysian eats to the West End of Allentown and the student population at Muhlenberg College,” Jay’s Local owner Lyell Scherline said.

Jenny’s Kuali, which opened in 2012 at 102 E. Fourth St., will be selling its vegan cookbooks, sauces and popular menu items at the pop-up event. Among the selections will be ginger garlic cream cheese fried wontons, Thai and bubble tea, Singapore rice noodles and roti paratha (Indian-style bread with a curry dipping sauce; chicken, vegetarian or vegan).

Participants of the new program can use a wide array of Jay’s Local equipment, including six gas burners, a 36-inch gas flat griddle, two-tier pastry and beverage display, full-size electric convection oven, two prep tables, commercial baking mixer, deli slicer, food processor and laundered aprons and towels. Info: 610-351-3100.

Another business is popping up in downtown Bethlehem: Home furnishings retailer Domaci, offering furniture, lighting, rugs and more, on March 16 will launch a Domaci Home pop-up event that will eventually lead to a permanent business addition at 521 Main St., directly next to the retailer’s year-old Domaci Market and Domaci Design Studio at 523 Main St.

The pop-up shop, featuring a fresh collection of furniture and home decor, is expected to run through much of the spring, Domaci co-founder Derrick Clark said.

“The building owner is doing some construction in that space in a couple of months,” Clark said. “So, we’re taking over that space until then. Once construction’s over, we’ll be back in that space, but it will look a little different.”

Domaci Home’s pop-up shop will be staffed by the business’ knowledgeable team of designers and home furnishings specialists, and customers will be able to shop new and “last chance” floor models that they’ll be able to take home the same day.

Domaci, which means “home” in Czech, was founded as an e-commerce company in 2015. Info: domacihome.com.

After the loss of two longtime tenants — Under Armour Bethlehem Factory House and Corningware Corelle & More — earlier this year and the announcement that another store — Charming Charlie — would be closing in the coming months, The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem is sharing some good news.

Trap Door Escape, which operates three escape room facilities in Bartonsville, Monroe County, and Red Bank and Morristown in New Jersey, is planning to open a fourth facility in September at the south Bethlehem outlet mall.

The 10,000-square-foot escape room will occupy what was previously three separate spaces (former locations of Christopher & Banks, Corningware Corelle & More and Go! Calendars, Games & Toys) on The Outlets’ lower level, Wind Creek Bethlehem spokeswoman Julia Corwin said.

The new facility will blend a traditional escape room with theater, production and massive sets, immersing guests into a nautical Cursed Pirate Tales-themed adventure.

It will feature multiple adventures, which participants will be able to visit separately via a single ticket ($25-$60 per player) or all together via a Day Pass ($162 per player). All experiences are private excluding the Madness Distillery Tasting Room’s Rum Bar. Info: trapdoorescape.com.

Also in Bethlehem, Nuts About Ice Cream, known for its homemade, natural and exotic ice cream selections, has closed after decades of business at 1124 Linden St., across from Liberty High School, according to a post on the business’ Facebook page.

The shop was established in 1988 by husband and wife Bharatkumar and Rohini Joshi, who are retiring. The couple, who are of Indian descent, incorporated some of the spices familiar to their culture — including cardamom, saffron and ginger — into their ice cream.

The shop “managed to barely survive” the past two years, operating on a limited basis with curbside pickup of pints only, according to a post on its Facebook page.

As for the future of the Linden Street property, Morganelli Properties, a residential and commercial real estate company, has purchased the building for its new headquarters.

The locally owned real estate company plans to renovate the interior and exterior of the building and open its new headquarters on the ground floor by summer, according to a news release.

Morganelli Properties is currently located at 1057 Main St. in Hellertown in space that it rented when the firm opened four years ago. The business is operated by brothers and John and Chris Morganelli, who serve as president and vice president respectively.

Lastly, Zekraft, which opened its first brick-and-mortar cafe in September at 306 S. New St. on Bethlehem’s South Side, is planning to open a second location in May at the Simon Silk Mill, 1247 Simon Blvd., N107, Easton, according to a news release.

The venture is a homecoming of sorts for owners Zeke Zelker, a local filmmaker, and his wife, Elaine Zelker, a photographer. The couple was among the first business owners to open studios at the Simon Silk Mill in 2016.

At Zekraft’s original location, customers can enjoy specialty beverages like organic fair-trade coffee, espresso, teas and frappes, along with inventive cuisine that includes soups, salads, tartines (open-faced sandwiches) and baked goods.

Zekraft, which also offers home meal delivery, will join several other Simon Silk Mill food and beverage vendors, including Böser Geist Brewing Co., County Seat Spirits, Easton Wine Project, Owowcow, Separatist Beer Project and Thrive Easton. Info: zekraft.com.

Retail Watch, appearing every weekend, keeps track of retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.