Stroll around the neighborhood: Warming up on the South Side

The Brown and White took a stroll around the neighborhood and spoke to community members about living and working on the South Side. 

(Grace Roche/B&W Staff

Ryan Blackburn

Blackburn is a former Bethlehem resident and a current stylist at Apotheca Salon. 

Q: Why did you decide to leave Bethlehem?

Ryan Blackburn: Real estate prices going up. Life happens, but I am trying to get back in the area eventually. 

Q: Do you spend a lot of time on the South Side outside of work?

RB: Oh yeah, I’m usually frequenting the Bethlehem area.  

Q: What do you like to do on the South Side?

RB: I’m very heavily involved with the local drag scene in the Lehigh Valley. So, I’m always over at ArtsQuest and Oktoberfest and all the different things with Musikfest with all the girls. 

Q: What are the people you interact with here like?

RB: It’s very diverse. We have a really colorful clientele, ages broadening from grade school all the way into their 90s. I work with everyone. So, it’s cool, especially in the idea that it’s not just colors but textures. And it’s a very fun atmosphere.

(Grace Roche/B&W Staff)

Marla Duran

Duren operates a fashion design studio on the South Side. 

Q: Why did you choose to locate your business in Bethlehem?

MD: I had a place in Allentown where I was working, and I just found this (space). I like this. I like my space. 

Q: What is your clientele like,?

MD: I don’t really cater to the local trade, but I do have some local clients, and usually they pop in if they see my lights on or they make an appointment. 

Q: Outside of work, how do you spend your time in Bethlehem?

MD: Walking my dog and sometimes eating out. Mister Lee’s has a restaurant called Bolete, which is a farm-to-table restaurant that got written up in Gourmet magazine. They’re really good. A step above everything else. 

Q: What do you wish was different about the South Side?

MD: Better food — that’s my biggest complaint. It’s OK, but it’s nothing great. 

(Grace Roche/B&W Staff)

Melanie Padilla

Padilla is a student who recently moved to the South Side from Florida.

Q: How long have you lived on the South Side?

Melanie Padilla: About two weeks now. I’m about to go to Northampton Community College. I just registered, so now I have to wait.

Q: What brings you to the South Bethlehem Greenway?

MP: Since I’m basically still new here, I like just walking around. I’m liking it here so far. It’s better than over there (in Florida). It’s peaceful. 

Q: Have you been able to connect with the community here?

MP: Yeah. Everybody’s nice here, so you could talk to anybody without feeling shy and whatnot, even though I’m still a bit shy.

(Grace Roche/B&W Staff)

Shayna Ford and Veronica Cruz

Ford and Cruz are South Side residents who met as co-workers. 

Q: What’s your favorite part about living on the South Side?

Shayna Ford: Probably the food. I’m walking right now to get ice cream and waffles.

Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about the South Side?

Veronica Cruz: I would probably say more activities for kids to do, because there’s not a lot for little kids to do around here. It’s harder to take my nieces and nephews to do things. It’s only in summer time we feel like we could do things ‘cause winter gets really rough around here.

Q: How did you two meet?

SF: We used to be coworkers. We’re waxers, so we worked at the same wax center. I work on Airport Road. I just switched locations.  

VC: I still work at Easton at the other one.

Q: Do you feel like there’s a good sense of community on the South Side?

VC: Yeah. I feel like a lot of my clients, even from Easton and even Phillipsburg, New Jersey, make their way over here a lot. And that’s something we hear often about other events that are going on that we didn’t even know about sometimes.