Thinking about starting a business in Hazleton, Pennsylvania? This step-by-step guide walks you through the major decisions you should consider before opening a new business in Hazleton.
Which Business to Choose?
An important decision is what kind of business you want to start. You might get some good ideas about what kind of business to start by reading Free Business Ideas.
For in-depth how-to guides on how to start specific businesses, browse our Good Businesses to Start section of our site. For example, you might be interested in our Starting a Hypnotherapy Information & Referral Services Business guide or our How to Start a Process & Industrial Pipe Dealers Business guide.
Always keep in mind that your new business will be in Hazleton. Think about what needs are currently being underserved in Hazleton. A critical consideration is whether Hazleton demographics mesh well with your startup concept.
Hazleton, Pennsylvania Demographic Information
Hazleton has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Hazleton demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Hazleton.
| Business Size | # of
Businesses |
| 1-4 Employees |
5037 |
| 5-9 Employees |
1989 |
| 10-19 Employees |
1665 |
| 20-49 Employees |
909 |
| 50-99 Employees |
450 |
| 100-249 Employees |
324 |
| 250-499 Employees |
63 |
| 500-999 Employees |
18 |
| 1000+ Employees |
9 |
| All Hazleton Businesses |
10464 |
As a new Hazleton entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Hazleton for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get
a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that
you are pursuing.
| Business Type |
# of
Businesses |
| Adhesive Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ambulance Services |
2 |
| Anthracite Mining |
1 |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
2 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
1 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
2 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
14 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
1 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
1 |
| Beauty Salons |
20 |
| Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
7 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
1 |
| Book Stores |
2 |
| Bowling Centers |
2 |
| Broadwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business and Secretarial Schools |
1 |
| Business Associations |
2 |
| Cable and Other Program Distribution |
1 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
3 |
| Carpet and Rug Mills |
1 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
4 |
| Charter Bus Industry |
2 |
| Child and Youth Services |
1 |
| Child Day Care Services |
6 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
2 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
2 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
1 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
3 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Community Food Services |
2 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
2 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
1 |
| Consumer Lending |
3 |
| Convenience Stores |
10 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
1 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
1 |
| Credit Unions |
5 |
| Crown and Closure Manufacturing |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
2 |
| Dental Laboratories |
2 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
2 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
1 |
| Direct Title Insurance Carriers |
3 |
| Discount Department Stores |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
14 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
2 |
| Educational Support Services |
1 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
4 |
| Electrical Contractors |
6 |
| Electronic Shopping |
1 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Emergency and Other Relief Services |
1 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
3 |
| Engineering Services |
3 |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring |
1 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
1 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
2 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
2 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
5 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
6 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Florists |
4 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
1 |
| Food Service Contractors |
4 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
2 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
45 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
5 |
| Furniture Stores |
6 |
| General Automotive Repair |
11 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
6 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
6 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
3 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
1 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Hardware Stores |
2 |
| Hat, Cap, and Millinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Heating Oil Dealers |
4 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
2 |
| Home Centers |
2 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Home Health Care Services |
6 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
1 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
4 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
1 |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing |
2 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
17 |
| Internet Service Providers |
1 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
5 |
| Jewelry Stores |
6 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
1 |
| Land Subdivision |
1 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
1 |
| Landscaping Services |
5 |
| Lead Pencil and Art Good Manufacturing |
2 |
| Libraries and Archives |
1 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
32 |
| Limousine Service |
1 |
| Locksmiths |
3 |
| Machine Shops |
3 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
1 |
| Manifold Business Forms Printing |
1 |
| Manufactured (Mobile) Home Dealers |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
2 |
| Masonry Contractors |
1 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
1 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
2 |
| Medical Laboratories |
2 |
| Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mineral Wool Manufacturing |
2 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
3 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
1 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
1 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
1 |
| Nail Salons |
1 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
2 |
| New Car Dealers |
5 |
| News Dealers and Newsstands |
1 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
1 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
1 |
| Nonwoven Fabric Mills |
1 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
2 |
| Office Administrative Services |
1 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
2 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
9 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
14 |
| Offices of Dentists |
25 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
25 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
4 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
5 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Packing and Crating |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
1 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
8 |
| Paper (except Newsprint) Mills |
1 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
1 |
| Periodical Publishers |
2 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
1 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
12 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
4 |
| Plastics Bottle Manufacturing |
3 |
| Plate Work Manufacturing |
2 |
| Political Organizations |
1 |
| Portfolio Management |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
1 |
| Printing Ink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
1 |
| Radio Stations |
1 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
2 |
| Residential Remodelers |
6 |
| Retail Bakeries |
1 |
| Roofing Contractors |
1 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| Securities Brokerage |
2 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
1 |
| Sewage Treatment Facilities |
1 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
4 |
| Siding Contractors |
2 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
3 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
9 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
3 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
1 |
| Support Activities for Coal Mining |
1 |
| Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing |
1 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
4 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
1 |
| Temporary Help Services |
12 |
| Testing Laboratories |
1 |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
5 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
2 |
| Tobacco Stores |
2 |
| Travel Agencies |
4 |
| Truss Manufacturing |
1 |
| Used Car Dealers |
4 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
1 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
3 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
4 |
| Veterinary Services |
3 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
4 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
1 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
1 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
2 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
3 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
5 |
What About Franchising Opportunities?
As you drive around Hazleton, you'll conclude that many business owners have opted to buy a franchise, rather than starting a business on their own. Is it perhaps smarter to franchise a business instead of doing it from scratch.
Most business experts recommend that you investigate buying a franchise. We have many articles on franchises, such as Buying a Franchise. Become a franchising expert of sorts by reading more of our Articles on Franchising.
To learn about specific franchise opportunities, check out our Franchise Directory.
Sample franchise opportunities include Business Advisers International and Jamaica Blue. Alternatively, you can browse franchise categories, such as Healthcare Franchises and Miscellaneous Franchises.
Note on Hazleton Franchise Opportunities: You will need to contact franchisors directly to see if their franchises are available in Hazleton.
Have You Considered Buying an Existing Hazleton Business?
If you have some capital to play with, you may want to Buy a Business in Pennsylvania. Follow that link and you can assess several good businesses for sale in Hazleton.
Before buying a business, be sure to read this article: Buying a Business.
Marketing Your New Startup
Whether your goal is to attract Hazleton customers or you plan on selling elsewhere, you need a solid marketing plan.
You can learn all about marketing on our site. Advertising on the Web is a good read to get your marketing thoughts flowing. There are many more articles on marketing on our site. Visit our Small Business Marketing resource section to see them all.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
Good business owners recognize that they need to continually improve.
Given that you are starting a business in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, you should investigate some of the learning programs at local Pennsylvania educational institutions. You should also check if there are any Hazleton networking organizations.
Moving Forward
You have a dream -- starting a business in Hazleton. To achieve your dream, you have to persevere, even when the odds are against you.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
This site is all about helping entrepreneurs in Hazleton and elsewhere to achieve real success. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Hazleton entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Hazleton.
Starting-a-Business Guides for Other Cities in Pennsylvania
Starting a Business in Hawley
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