Spotlight

By Sara Hodon

Foster Jewelers

1859 Main Street  l  Northampton, PA 18067-1588  l  610-262-4068  l  fosterjeweler.com

If you’re looking to add some sparkle and shine to your jewelry collection or repair a treasured family heirloom, Foster Jewelers has just what you’re looking for.

Founded by Foster G. Longenbach in 1947, Foster Jewelers has been owned and operated by John and Lucy Schneck since 1993. Foster’s specializes in custom engagement rings. “What sets us apart is all of our diamonds are loose, so we customize each ring according to the customer’s specifications,” Lucy Schneck explains.

Foster’s in-house repair services include pearl restringing, chain and clasp repairs, and ring sizing. Some of their more popular product brands include Gabriel & Co., ArtCarved, and Benchmark, as well as watch brands ESQ by Movado, Bulova, and Citizen.

Lucy Schneck says the team at Foster’s feels fortunate to have so many longtime customers, as providing top-notch customer service is a main priority. “What most customers tell us is that the time we take with them is appreciated. They like the fact that we’re very knowledgeable, very up front and honest, and we do everything here. We don’t send anything out. If a piece of jewelry is very precious to them and they’re having it repaired, they know they can leave it here.” Foster’s has recently added gold buying as an added service.

Granite Transformations

6886 Chrisphalt Drive  l  Bath, PA 18014  l  610-837-4900  l  granitetransformations.com/nepa

Whether you are looking to redo a single room or planning a multi-room makeover, your home can have a beautiful new look with help from the installation team at Granite Transformations. Granite Transformations’ templates are designed to fit right over existing surfaces like countertops, backsplashes, bathroom vanities, shower stalls, tub surrounds, fireplaces and flooring–all without the demolition and installation headaches of regular slab granite.

Blake and Linda Kennedy started Granite Transformations of Southeast Pennsylvania in 2003. In 2004, David and Joy Flood opened a second franchise servicing customers in Northeast Pennsylvania, as well as in Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. Granite Transformations uses a number of different Trend products, including Trend Stone, Trend Glass and Trend Mosaic, to provide a fresh, updated look to your home or business. Trend Stone and Glass are lightweight, non-absorbent, and heat and wear resistant. Trend Mosaic, transparent glass tiles available in a variety of colors and styles, gives your home an Italian look. Their Acrylic Bath Systems line of products, including shower bases, sinks, and wall coverings, can be installed in as little as one day. The team at Granite Transformations is also active in the community. Besides being members of numerous business and trade organizations, they have supported Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen in Bath, sponsored and participated in fundraisers for the Lauren’s Hope Foundation and have sponsored little league baseball teams in Lower Nazareth and Bushkill Township.

Something Different Home Décor & Gifts

351 Town Center Boulevard  l  Easton, PA 18040  l  610-515-8006  l  giftshomedecor@aol.com

Something Different Home Décor & Gifts is the perfect place to find that one-of-a-kind item to give your home or wardrobe that finishing touch.

Stop in and find the perfect gift for your best friend, mother, sister, daughter or yourself. Something Different sells a wide selection of designer and celebrity-inspired handbags, jewelry, and women’s accessories, plenty of wine- and martini-themed items and other “girly” gifts. You can also find collectibles like Boyd’s Bears, Chamilia jewelry and home décor items like picture frames, lamps and wall hangings.

Owner Debbie DeRogatis has been in her Easton store for nine years and says it’s important to her to have items that customers won’t find anywhere else. “I try to buy my décor from small companies so it’s not something you see everywhere. I also buy items made in the US whenever possible,” she says. DeRogatis works with a few local artists and designers who create items especially for her store.  She says her personal attention to each customer and helping them select just the right item brings a lot of return business.

The owner also believes in giving back to the community. She sits on the board of the Business and Commerce Association of Forks Township (an affiliate of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce), and the economic development committee of Forks Township. She has also done fundraisers for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, the American Cancer Society and has donated numerous fundraising items to school, church and sports groups.

Splitendz Salon and Spa

3017 W. Tilghman St.  l  Allentown, PA 18104  l  610-770-1055  l  splitendzsalon.biz

Strong customer focus and a team-based philosophy are the guiding principles for Debra Pulaski and her staff at Splitendz Salon and Spa in Allentown.

Splitendz offers a full line of services for head-to-toe pampering. Salon services include hair cut and color, Keratin straightening, highlights, and conditioning treatments, as well as manicures and pedicures. Spa services include massage, facials, waxing and makeup styling.

Pulaski has over 30 years’ experience as a stylist. She studied at Allentown School of Cosmetology and opened her first salon in Whitehall. She opened Splitendz at a location on 19th St. in Allentown and after eight years she decided to grow the salon one last time,  moving to the current location on Tilghman Street.

Putting  customers first and fostering positive camaraderie among the associates are the keys to Pulaski’s longevity, she says. “My staff, to me, is the most talented there is,” she says. “When you come into the salon, there is a lot of energy. We all get along and work well with each other, but we make sure the client is taken care of first.  Because we all get along, when the client comes in, they get that same feeling. That positive feel keeps people coming back,” she says. Customers also drive the salon’s community involvement. Pulaski and her staff hold an annual fundraiser for area animal shelters each spring, and donate a number of gift certificates to local organizations for benefits and fundraisers.

Spectrum of Floors

3700 William Penn Highway  l  Easton, PA 18045  l  610-253-6020  l  spectrumoffloors.flooringplus.com

If you want to give your home a boost, a new floor covering might do the trick, and Spectrum of Floors should be your first stop.

Spectrum of Floors is a full-service carpet and flooring store, offering all styles of floor coverings including carpet, tile, laminate and vinyl, hardwood and customized coverings, such as special rubberized flooring for gymnasiums and hospitals. With over 25 years’ experience as a family owned-and-operated business, owner Billy Koch says, “Anything to do with the floor—we do it.”

Customers can visit the store’s retail showroom and learn more about the possibilities for their home or business. Spectrum of Floors also has an on-staff interior designer who works out of their showroom and can offer some professional insight for your building or remodeling project. While most of Spectrum of Floors’ residential customer base is in the Lehigh Valley, Koch says they work with a number of commercial clients in other areas of Pennsylvania as well as a few out-of-state customers.

Koch says the staff’s professionalism and commitment to building relationships with their customers has been the key to Spectrum of Floors’ longevity and success in the business community. “We go the extra mile for people,” he says. “Once we build relationships with people, we always keep them. We want to give them a good product at a good price.”

Spectrum of Floors, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, is active in the community  and supports many local sports teams.

JSA Window Warehouse

6201 Acorn Drive  l  Emmaus, PA 18049  l  610-282-5000  l  jsawindowwarehouse.com

Whether you’re looking to replace your existing windows to give your home a fresh look or installing new ones as part of a full-scale home building or remodeling project, Jeff Adams and his team at JSA Window Warehouse can help.

Adams has over 20 years’ experience in the window installation industry. He started JSA Window Warehouse as a sole proprietor in 1989, and the company has now grown to include four full-time employees. They have expanded their services, as well. “It used to just be me, and I only did vinyl windows. Now we do a lot of Pella windows,” he says, adding that JSA did the highest volume of installations for Pella windows in the Philadelphia region in 2011. The company works primarily on residential window installations, and Adams says they have been taking on more high-end projects. Every installation is a custom job, made specifically to fit the need of the customer. “We install windows in new walls, where there may not have been a window before, or we can install a new window in an existing wall. We also do sales and service in addition to  installations.”

The reason for Adams’ longevity in the business is simple: he works with the customer. “I return people’s phone calls, and what I tell them is pretty much what happens. If I tell them I’ll be there on a certain day, I’m there. We do the best job we can do, and if a problem arises, we take care of it right away. We treat the customer the way we would want to be treated. First and foremost, communication is key.”