Council recommends transfer of restaurant liquor license to proposed Cigar Page Bethlehem at 1010 Harvard Ave.

Cigar Page Bethlehem LLC’s request to move Pennsylvania restaurant liquor license R61034 to 1010 Harvard Avenue drew a public hearing and questions from council before a recommendation vote.

Attorney Anthony Brookta, representing Cigar Page Bethlehem LLC, told council the applicant seeks an intermunicipal transfer of license R61034 from Spring Mineral Restaurant and Bar LLC to operate a bar and restaurant with premium cigar retail at the Route 412/Harvard Avenue site. Brookta said the applicant submitted four exhibits (application letter; service/posting certifications; aerial maps; tentative renderings) and that the transfer would not be final until approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). "If the transfer is approved by council, the applicant would still obviously need to separately apply for and be approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board," Brookta said.

Brookta described the planned facility as a ground-level restaurant with a small second-floor mezzanine and an outdoor patio. The site would provide parking and dual access from Harvard Avenue and Route 412. Renderings show seating for approximately 200 to 225 patrons, with roughly 45 bar seats. Brookta said the menu will be "upscale American fare," and the business expects limited entertainment (TVs for sporting events and occasional indoor live music). The applicant told council it targets a tentative opening in October or November 2026 after construction, and anticipates creating about 25 on‑site jobs plus relocating corporate headquarters to the site, which the applicant said would bring roughly 50 additional jobs ("about 75 jobs in the city of Bethlehem at the site").

Brookta and CEO Keith Meyer said the business would sell beer, wine, cocktails and spirits alongside premium cigar retail. Because the concept depends on allowing cigar smoking inside, Brookta said the applicant intends to apply for the state clean‑air exemption that permits indoor smoking when certain conditions are met and expects the exemption to be granted: "I think we would need the exemption to operate... I think it's an integral part of what we're doing, but we we certainly expect to get it." Meyer said the plan calls for advanced air‑exchange and filtration systems to reduce smoke odor for staff and customers.

Council members pressed the applicant on smoking areas, proximity to residential backyards and whether to‑go alcohol sales would be significant; Brookta said to‑go sales are not anticipated to exceed 5% of alcohol revenue. The applicant also said the premises would be covered by security cameras and staffed with employees 18 or older trained under the Responsible Alcohol Management Program.

After public comment and council discussion, the council approved Resolution 10a recommending the transfer with a 5–1 roll call (Councilwoman Laird recorded a Nay). The measure notes that PLCB approval and municipal code compliance remain necessary conditions. The council’s resolution and the applicant’s representations do not themselves grant an operating permit; the applicant must complete PLCB and local permitting processes before opening.

Council commentary and staff remarks during the hearing stressed that code and building inspections, PLCB permitting and the city’s regulatory requirements will apply before the business opens. The applicant entered exhibits A1 through A4 into the record and offered to answer follow‑up questions from staff and council.