Centre County sees wave of business openings, closings & changes in March. Here’s a look
The Centre County business landscape saw some big changes in March, with a longtime downtown State College shop preparing to close its doors, while new restaurants, an Amazon warehouse and an arcade opened up.
From a shoe store’s final sale to a Korean barbecue spot’s first day, below is a look at Centre Daily Times business stories from the past month.
• Barefoot shoe store at 130 E. College Ave. in State College is closing at the end of May with a progressive markdown sale, as 76-year-old owner Art Fine retires after 51 years in retail. The FedEx Ship Center on Fox Hill Road will also permanently close May 4 after more than 30 years, though FedEx’s Office Print & Ship Center on North Atherton Street will stay open.
• Northland Bowl, State College’s only bowling alley, is listed for sale as one owner prepares to retire, but the 32-lane complex, restaurant and motel have no plans to close.
• The Great Mish Mosh antique store in Bellefonte will see its owners retire this summer, though they hope to sell the business to someone who will keep it running as an antique shop.
• Burkholder’s Country Market in Penns Valley was named a 2026 IGA USA Centennial Retailer of the Year, one of nine stores chosen from more than 2,600 U.S. grocers.
• Amazon’s 125,000-square-foot delivery station opened in Benner Township in early March after about a year of construction, bringing over 100 jobs to the area.
• New dining and entertainment options are arriving: Manna Korean BBQ & Hot Pot launched at 542 Westerly Parkway, a third Chipotle with the area’s first drive-thru lane opened March 18 on South Atherton Street, and the Clubhouse Family Fun Centre arcade debuted with roughly 70 game cabinets at Nittany Valley Sports Centre.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.