On Labor Day 2013, The Gas House Dance Hall opened its doors to area residents interested in various types of dance instruction, from western swing to belly dancing. The instructional program attracts a diverse customer base interested in a fun way to keep fit.

The dance hall was recently cited by Lehigh Valley Style Magazine as the area's top non-gym instructional workout center.

"There really aren't that many dance halls around that are open to the public," co-owner Hanna Nour told The Press.

The Gas House is on Front Street, across from the former Fuller plating mill, now owned by the Borough Catasauqua and being promoted for development into a residential and commercial area, dubbed The Iron Works of Catasauqua.

"We are banking that the plans for the Iron Works and the marketing that goes in there will only improve our business," said dance hall co-owner Robyn Shannon.

Hers is one of three Catasauqua businesses that have received a round of applause from clients who voted them Best in the Valley in recent regional contests.

Julia's 4 Seasons is a high-end consignment shop that has seen an sizeable increase in clientele since Melissa Jacob took over the business nearly one year ago. Jacob received two Best in the Valley Awards from Lehigh Valley Style Magazine, thanks to votes from the magazine's readers. She has a following of budget-minded, fashion-conscious clients.

Another Front Street business, Blondies, is a bakery and restaurant which has been featured on Cupcake Wars, a television show on the Food Network, where owner Rebecca Gillespie duked it out with other contestants. The always-crowded eatery has a menu of comfort food based around hot dogs in more mouth-watering configurations than spaces on the menu. However, it was the cupcakes that garnered another Lehigh Valley Style Best of Award.

"The people in the community continue to support us and they are the reason for our success," Gillespie said.

Specialty businesses of this type did not come to the downtown business district completely accidentally. They are the types of businesses sought after by downtown property owner and borough council member Vincent Smith, who leases space to the three businesses in buildings he owns. He took the advice of consultants who offered tips on how compete with the shopping malls and big-box stores along nearby MacArthur Road.

"When [the borough] had [planning consultants] Taggart and Associates in here to discuss how to market the Iron Works, they said that retail shopping was close by and it would be difficult to compete with the stores on MacArthur," he told The Press. "They recommended that we encourage unique businesses to set up in the borough to attract people in the Valley." said Smith. "The businesses along Front Street are showing that they are attracting customers. There aren't other business like these in the Valley."

On Sept. 13, the dance hall celebrated its first anniversary with a performance by the Ultra Kings, the same band that opened for them a year ago.

As they began a second year of business at the anniversary celebration, the dance hall staff did what they do best, offering a free dance lesson so attendees were ready to hit the dance floor when the band began to play.