"The Road in" Emmaus, PA
In Search of Rodale and Other "Sweet Memories"
When we visited the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, on our way back from Easton to our hotel outside of Allentown, we stopped in Emmaus for some tea and coffee. I have been fascinated with Emmaus for a long time, as I knew that J.I. Rodale founded what became a publishing giant there called Rodale Press. I have been fascinated with and interested in business success stories, particularly in publishing and media, since I can remember. Unfortunately, our brief visit to Emmaus didn’t turn up anything related to that, probably because his descendants sold the company and it was moved to New York.
We did find this gem of a tea shop in Emmaus called Sweet Memories. It is an eatery, bakery and gift shop. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. We were too full from our visit to Easton to eat anything else, so we settled for just tea in the “tea parlor”; although a lot of (seemed like repeat) customers were purchasing their delicious-looking pastries.
When we got back, I was able to find an out of print copy of a biography of J.I. Rodale. It’s very well-written, and tells the story, among other things, of how he ended up in Emmaus!
Sweet Memories, 180 Main Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
(610) 967-0296