BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Nearly three years after a destructive fire, Paranormal Pizza is preparing to welcome community members to a new home on Bethlehem’s South Side.
The family-run restaurant, known for its scratch-made vegan pizzas, plans to open at 125 E. Third St., next to King Wing. Co-owner Marc Kubushefski said the final inspection is scheduled for Friday, and if all goes smoothly, the eatery will reopen within a week or two.
Paranormal Pizza originally opened in March 2022 at 554 N. New St. but was forced to close less than a year later after a fire damaged both the restaurant and the upstairs apartments.
At the new South Side location, the Kubushefskis and a team of contractors completed extensive renovations, including new drywall, flooring, ceiling tiles, restroom facilities and kitchen equipment. The 30-seat space will feature a dark, Gothic aesthetic with black walls, church pews and paranormal-themed decor, including UFO photos.
While rebuilding, the Kubushefskis kept their business active with pop-ups at local venues including Yergey Brewing in Emmaus, Sherman Street Beer Company in Allentown, Vegan Treats and Bonn Place Brewing Co. in Bethlehem, and Jay’s Local on Liberty Street in Allentown’s West End. They’ve offered a variety of menu items, from vegan cheesesteaks and chick’n sandwiches to seitan wings, fries and, when ovens were available, their signature pizzas.
The reopening has been made possible in large part thanks to community support. After the fire, the family started a fundraiser to cover the costs of rebuilding, surpassing their $20,000 goal.
“Without your support along the way, it would have been easy to call it quits,” the Kubushefskis said in the fundraiser.
Kubushefski described the journey as challenging, especially when unexpected inspection requirements this summer delayed progress.
“We had everything figured out, but the new inspector required modifications to a ceiling that had already passed inspection twice before,” he said. “It caused a month-long holdup.”
Despite the setbacks, the family is looking forward to reopening and serving their community again.
“The community is the entire reason why we’re reopening,” Kubushefski said. “It would have been easy to hang it up after the fire, but the support from our customers has kept us going. We can’t wait to see everyone’s smiling faces again.”
Paranormal Pizza’s full menu, including thin-crust and Detroit-style pizzas, smash burgers, sandwiches, calzones, wings and mozzarella sticks, will be available at the new location once it officially opens.
