Home Care In Stockertown, PA

It’s a tall order, but a group of brothers and friends are looking to bring the “greatest of all taverns” — or GOAT, for short — to Stockertown.

The GOAT Pub & Pie, featuring high-quality tavern fare with a focus on Detroit-style pizza, is expected to open within the next few months at 700 Main St., co-owner Sam Ashton said.

The borough building previously housed Devery’s Pub & Grill, which closed last year.

“We were throwing a bunch of names around when we bought the place, trying to decide what we wanted to go with,” Ashton said. “And the idea of the ‘greatest of all time’ or ‘greatest of all taverns’ acronym started catching a little steam.”

The GOAT, featuring a full bar with a new 12-tap draft system, will be operated by Ashton and his two friends, brothers Matthew and Tim Cosover.

The trio became close while bartending together at Rip Van Winkle’s Pub in Easton a few years ago.

“The three of us were looking for something new to do and got the idea in our head that maybe it’s time to run our own place,” Ashton said.

After purchasing the Stockertown building last year, Ashton, a 2009 graduate of Freedom High School, and the Cosovers, both graduates of Easton Area High School, began mostly cosmetic renovations. Improvements will include new flooring, wall paint and a bar top.

The menu is still being finalized, but future patrons can expect “a little bit of everything,” featuring dishes made with locally sourced meats, produce and other ingredients, Ashton said.

“We’re definitely going to have a smaller menu focusing on fresh, really good stuff,” Ashton explained. “We want to make a burger, and we want it to be one of the best burgers you’ve ever had. We want to have some wings, and we want them to be the best wings you’ve ever had. So, we’re looking to offer classic bar and pub food, but we want to try and elevate it a little bit so it’s not like you’re getting something that was frozen, tossed in a deep fryer and thrown on a plate.”

The GOAT’s main attraction will be its Detroit-style pizza, which Ashton became familiar with after enjoying the dish at various restaurants in Philadelphia, his residence of nearly two years.

The pizza, which is baked in square pans, traces its origins to the mid-1940s, when Buddy’s Rendezvous pizzeria and bar in Detroit began making pies in industrial blue steel pans that were readily available from local automotive suppliers.

After Tim and Matthew also gave their stamp of approval on the unique pizza, the trio decided to make it a highlight of The GOAT’s menu. Customers will be able to order plain pies, customize them with traditional toppings and choose from a selection of specialty varieties.

“We love pizza, but we wanted our pizza to be a little bit different than what is already in the area and market,” Ashton explained. “With Detroit-style, it’s not a deep-dish, but it has a thicker, breadier crust and base. The toppings and sauce go right up to the edge, and the cheese along the side forms almost a caramelized wall of crispy deliciousness.”

In addition to food, The GOAT will serve a wide array of draft and bottle beers, including options from local breweries, along with wines and classic and signature cocktails.

Renovations are still underway, and a tentative opening date has not yet been announced. However, the partners are targeting to open “right around March or April,” Ashton said.

Individuals can follow The GOAT’s progress on the business’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages (TheGoatPubPie).

“We’re hoping to bring something new to the area, and we’re hoping everyone likes it,” Ashton said.

Fire crews worked into the early morning Friday fighting a stubborn mulch blaze at a Northampton County cement plant.

Firefighters were called at 7:18 p.m. Thursday to the Buzzi Unicem USA’s Hercules Cement plant, 501 Hercules Drive in Stockertown, and found flames in a huge barn-type structure filled with mulch, Forks Township Volunteer Fire Co. Chief Michael Vinci said.

The mulch had pieces of ground up rubber tires in it, similar to what you may see on a playground, the chief said.

“We had lots of fire when I arrived,” Vinci said, and that included mulch piled up in an electrical room with a conveyor belt behind the structure.

Plant personnel had immediately notified emergency services when smoke was detected coming from the building use to store alternative fuel materials that include wood chips and shredded tires, according to Jennifer Morgan, coordinator of training, development and communications for the company based on Brodhead Road outside Bethlehem in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

The Forks Township fire marshal was called and the cause of the blaze is under investigation, Vinci said.

Staff at the plant have been in contact with the local fire investigator, as well as the federal Mine Safety & Health Administration, Morgan said.

There were no injuries to plant personnel, though the fire damaged the building’s siding and some electrical equipment, she said. The plant did not lose electrical power, and an evaluation is ongoing as to the exact extent of the damages.

“I want to thank all the emergency responders for their quick response and professionalism in getting the fire under control swiftly,” Stockertown Plant Manager Rad Slavov said in a statement.

Fire departments from Nazareth and the townships of Palmer, Plainfield, and Upper Nazareth also responded.

It took two hours to initially knock down the blaze, and then crews started using an auger, front end loader, and a bulldozer to pull everything out and hose it down from ladder trucks, the chief said.

It took a lot of manpower over the six hours, and the chief said they rotated firefighters through jobs. Because of the hot weather, a rehab area was set up to help responders cool down.

A firefighter suffered a minor injury and was checked out by EMS, Vinci said.

Crews faced water supply issues fighting the flames, when the hydrant closest to building was not in service and firefighters had to run hose lines from about a thousand feet away, Vinci said.

Firefighters were at the scene until 1:30 a.m. Friday. There was a minor rekindling at about 7 a.m., the chief added.

Opened in 1916, the Stockertown facility manufactures Portland cement in a dry kiln process, according to Buzzi Unicem.

The Hercules plant employs more than 130 in its cement manufacturing and the associated quarry operations, which are closely regulated by federal and state agencies, the company said; operations are routinely inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and federal Mine Safety & Health officials.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Local celebrity ghost Marvin has been responsible for more than a few shenanigans.

Neighbor

|Updated Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 11:56 am ET

The story goes something like this:

Way back when, a couple hundred years ago, the restaurant currently known as was an inn and stagecoach stop.

A man who worked at the inn, Marvin, fell in love with a woman who also worked there. The owner forbade their relationship, and Marvin was fired.

A short time later, Marvin was found hanging in the entrance to the servants' quarters. Whether he hanged himself or was hanged was never known.

But what they do know is -- he never left.

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Even the owner of The Widow’s Tavern & Grille isn’t 100 percent sure how old the tavern is, but the fact that it was once a stagecoach stop puts it at more than 200 years old, which is perhaps why the place has attracted so many paranormal investigators over the years.

Experts agree that there are at least four spirits roaming the floors of Widow’s, but the most active -- and physical -- is Marvin.

Two employees of the restaurant claim to have seen him, both saying that he stood at the top of the stairs looking down at them. Although the owner, Jody Stahley, hasn’t laid eyes on him herself, she’s experienced plenty of bizarre occurrences firsthand.

“He likes to play with the TVs,” Stahley said. “He’s notorious for turning them on and off.”

Other reports include turning doorknobs, locking doors, knocking signs from the walls, flickering the lights, and occasionally breaking a glass or bottle.

“Things fall off the shelves, but like they’re pushed… I think he’s a jokester,” Stahley said.

Backing up Stahley’s theory is bartender Felicia Brunner, who had a few amusing stories about Marvin’s antics. She said that he likes to tug waitresses’ ponytails, and occasionally, pats or grabs a rear end.

“One day I was here and I was talking to someone, and I felt something poke me in the butt,” Brunner admitted with a smile. “It’s happened twice! Apparently, he’s a butt man.”

Others have claimed that Marvin has grabbed their shoulders, or they’ve heard him stomping around on the second floor.

“More things happen on the second floor,” according to Stahley. “Some people are afraid to go to the upstairs bathrooms.”

These occurrences happen three or four times a week at Widow’s -- it has become a part of the business. While some people are spooked by the specter, others get used to having him around.

The precise location of Marvin’s death, which was once a staircase up to the second floor, is now a storage closet. Open the closet door, and you’ll see a plastic skeleton hanging there.

According to Stahley, the skeleton has been there since she took over, and she’s never moved it, leaving it as homage to their resident spirit prankster.

It’s nowhere near the Motor City, but a recently-opened restaurant in Northampton County has forged a culinary connection with it that’s already winning rave reviews.

Est. Read Time: 6 mins

It’s nowhere near the Motor City, but a recently-opened restaurant in Northampton County has forged a Motown culinary connection that’s already winning rave reviews.

The GOAT Pub & Pie in Stockertown opened in late April with Detroit-style pizza as a focal point of its menu, after co-owner Sam Ashton picked up on the crusty square pie trend while living and working in Philadelphia.

Detroit-style pizza is unique in part due to its rectangular shape, which comes from being baked in steel automotive part pans; a tradition that pays homage to Sicilian-style pizza and began in the mid 1940s, according to the GOAT’s menu description of it.

The GOAT offers seven different types of Detroit-style pizza, with the most popular–according to Ashton–being classic plain; their Hot & Honey Pie, which is topped with house-made marinara, mozzarella, provolone, pepperoni, jalapenos and honey; and their 700 Main Pie, which is topped with house-made marinara, mozzarella, provolone, Italian sausage from Giacomo’s in Easton and roasted peppers.

Sourcing local ingredients from businesses like Giacomo’s is something Ashton said he and the GOAT’s other owners are happy to do, and was possible because of connections they developed while working as bartenders at an Easton area establishment: Rip Van Winkle’s, which was located inside Palmer Township bowling alley Bar-Don Lanes.

“Rip’s” was where Ashton, a Bethlehem Township native, first met brothers Matt and Tim Cosover, who grew up in the Easton area and also tended bar there.

With a degree in journalism from Penn State, Ashton had moved on from bartending to working in marketing by the time the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020.

Three of the GOAT Pub & Pie’s signature cocktails are Brax & Bray’s, Nola & Tay’s and The Ella. Owners Sam Ashton, Tim Cosover and Matt Cosover all met while tending bar at Palmer Township bowling alley. Their friendship ultimately led to a business partnership with fourth co-owner, Jonathan Quayle. (Contributed photo)

He lost his job, and around the same time the Cosover brothers found themselves out of work because of the government-mandated shutdown of bars and other businesses that were deemed “non-life-sustaining.”

“At that point, we had this idea that we would open our own place,” Ashton recalled.

He admitted there was apprehension due to their decision to plan a business opening in the midst of a pandemic, but things ultimately worked out in their favor.

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A post shared by The GOAT Pub & Pie (@thegoatpubpie)

The GOAT Pub & Pie welcomed its first customers on April 26, 2021 at 700 Main Street in Stockertown, not long after the state eased many of its remaining restrictions on indoor dining and re-allowed bar seating for the first time in more than a year.

“We ended up getting pretty lucky with the level of restrictions by the time we opened,” Ashton said.

Located in a building that previously housed a different establishment, the concept for the GOAT (which Ashton said is an acronym for “the Greatest of All Times”) was basic.

The goal was to provide customers with a limited menu featuring freshly-prepared, high quality food in an atmosphere that was equally comfortable for a family night out or watching a game at the bar.

“We figured if we could do our main basics but do them great, then people would come back,” Ashton said.

The kitchen is the domain of head chef Matt Gonzalez, who was known to Ashton and the Cosovers from their time working at Rip Van Winkle’s and was eager to take on a new challenge at the GOAT.

“We do your classic pub/tavern fare,” which at the GOAT includes items such as onion rings, fried mozzarella, wings, a burger, a pulled pork sandwich and a cheesesteak, Ashton said. On top of that is the focus on Detroit-style pizza, along with a couple of desserts, including their unique Oreo Grilled Cheese.

All of the sauces, dressings and other ingredients in the dishes are made fresh on-site.

“Our fries are cut fresh every morning,” Ashton said. “We want to have good food. There are a million places where you can get a drink.”

Due to its location on a somewhat narrow lot, the GOAT doesn’t offer outside dining, however there is ample seating inside its dining room and adjacent bar area. Parking is available behind the restaurant, and takeout is offered at off-peak times, Ashton said.

In addition to a specialty cocktail list, the GOAT offers a draft list that includes beer, cider and even hard seltzer.

A rotating draft list is written on a chalkboard behind the bar at the GOAT Pub & Pie in Stockertown.

Ashton said the Stockertown community has embraced the GOAT since it opened, but he and his partners–a fourth co-owner is Jonathan Quayle of Bethlehem–are also seeing faces from further afield on a regular basis. All of the owners are actively involved in running the business, and Ashton said they have received “a ton of support,” including from friends who are part of the local restaurant industry such as the Bayou Boys.

“We try our best,” Ashton said. “We want to make sure that people not only come in here and have a good time, but that they want to come back.”

The GOAT Pub & Pie is open Tuesday through Sunday from 3 to 11 p.m. More information along with their menu may be found on their website, and regular updates are posted on their Facebook and Instagram feeds, which Ashton maintains.

The Oreo Grilled Cheese dessert at the GOAT Pub & Pie has proved popular, Ashton said. (Contributed photo)

You might not always get a trick, but you’ll definitely be in for a treat when you dine in at the supposedly haunted Widow’s Tavern and Grille in Stockertown.

Est. Read Time: 5 mins

Widow’s Tavern and Grille in Stockertown is reputedly haunted by a ghost named Marvin.

You might not always get a trick, but you’ll definitely be in for a treat when you dine in at the supposedly haunted Widow’s Tavern and Grille in Stockertown. Marvin, the friendly resident ghost, has been haunting Widow’s for almost as long as it’s been built (think back to when stagecoach stops were a thing). You can read the full story about Marvin on the restaurant’s menu and on its About Us webpage, but let’s just say you may experience some spooky happenings if you stop in at Widow’s.

Conveniently located right off of Rt. 33, the historic tavern building is hard to miss when you drive down Main Street. The restaurant was decorated nicely for fall with pumpkins and seasonal flowers when I visited. When I first walked in I could easily tell that Widow’s is a favorite with locals, seeing that almost every seat at the bar was full. We were seated at a large table in a room next to the bar, right next to an old fireplace. Widow’s has preserved many of the historic features of the building.

Fried Mozzarella

Homemade Pierogies

The menu at Widow’s is quite large, but the variety was welcome. To start, we had the Homemade Pierogies ($6.50), Fried Mozzarella ($8.50) and Warm Homemade Chips ($5) with ranch.

All the appetizers came out quickly, and it was hard to pick a favorite among the three. The pierogies definitely tasted like they were house-made. Sauteed with butter and onions, they hit the spot on a chilly fall night. I was especially excited to try the fried mozzarella, since the cheese is from Calandra’s in Nazareth. It did not disappoint, either. The mozzarella was fried perfectly golden on the outside, and gooey on in the inside. Lastly, the homemade chips seemed like a simple choice for a starter, but I could have eaten the whole basket myself! Every chip was perfectly crisp and salted.

It’s hard to believe, but even after all these appetizers there was no way I was saying no to a cup of signature She Crab Soup ($6.50), which is crab meat simmered with celery, cream and a hint of sherry.

She Crab Soup

Being that it was so creamy and rich I’d suggest getting this as a single appetizer (not in addition to many others, like I did). I could taste the sherry in the soup, but it was not overwhelming. And there were lumps of crab meat in every single spoonful.

For my dinner I went with the English Burger ($11), which was topped with a mixture of mayo, diced bacon, mustard and jack and cheddar cheeses served on an oversized toasted English muffin.

English Burger with fries

I was more than happy to find that the delicious mixture of toppings was formed into a patty, and seemed to be grilled on the flat top before being placed on top of my burger. This creamy, cheesy combo was the perfect topping for my burger; no ketchup needed. I opted to pay extra for french fries with my burger, but I regretted not getting the housemade chips instead. They’re much tastier than the fries, and of course nothing beats house-made.

One of my guests got a slightly fancier option for dinner: the 8 oz. Filet ($28.50) with a Chesapeake mixture on top that included crab meat, mozzarella and crumbled bleu cheese, baked golden brown ($6 extra).

Eight ounce filet with a Chesapeake topping

All entrees come with a dinner salad and it was surprisingly much tastier than your typical house salad.

Dinner salad

What set the salad apart from the rest were the crispy shredded sweet potatoes on top. A little personal touch like this makes it stand apart from your typical greens, tomatoes and onions. The filet was the standout meal at the table. It was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and melted in your mouth. This filet was actually better than those I’ve had at actual steakhouses! The cheesy crab sauce poured over the top was filled with flavor, and did not overpower the steak, either.

This probably won’t come as a surprise, but I had no room for even one bite of dessert after this meal. It’s rare that I go to a restaurant and have everything I order be a hit. Widow’s Tavern and Grille served up nothing but delicious, homemade food on a busy Friday night. Hopefully next time I stop in, I’ll get to finally meet Marvin the friendly ghost.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

Address: Widow’s Tavern and Grille, 200 Main St., Stockertown, PA 18083

Phone: 610-365-8890

Website: www.widowstavern.com

Facebook Page: Click here

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11:30 am – 11 pm; Friday & Saturday: 11:30 am – 11 pm; Sunday: 11:30 am – 8 pm.

Kristina Gonzalez is a lifelong Lehigh Valley resident who works in the publishing industry. She enjoys dining out regularly and trying new restaurants in the area. Do you have a local restaurant review suggestion for Kristina? Please email it to jo**@sa**********.com.