On Thursday, May 19 from 5:30–7:30pm, the Moravian Book Shop will host our next New Member Event, in partnership with Colony Meadery. The first five people who sign up for co-op membership at this event will receive a special gift from both businesses: a free flight tasting featuring five mead samples of your choice, and a Moravian Book Shop collectable ornament, specially created by Joy to the World just for the shop. We’ll also have a Gift Basket Raffle full of surprises and goodies.

Kristy Houston, Moravian Book Shop’s Event Coordinator, tells us about the famous store, its new downtown Allentown location, and the importance of community involvement. 

1. The Moravian Book Shop is a Christmas City institution year round. In your opinion, what is it about the store that makes it so popular with area residents and visitors alike?

History, independence, and customer service are three key factors that attract both visitors and residents. People love to connect with history and being the oldest bookstore still up and running since we opened in 1745 gets a lot of attention. It is a unique quality that goes hand in hand with our dedication to preserving the historic aspects of downtown Bethlehem. Many people today are also attracted to independent businesses and the “Shop Local” movement. It’s great to get that support from our community and we try to give that back by listening to what people want and giving them an interesting and personal shopping experience.

2.    Last year you opened a second location in downtown Allentown along the Arts Walk. This is the first time the bookshop has expanded into a second location. Why is now the right time to do it and downtown Allentown the right place for it? How is that location different that the Bethlehem one?

It is amazing to see the transformation of downtown Allentown and we are excited to be a part of that. To quote Neil Gaiman “A town isn’t a town without a bookstore,” so we were happy to step in and meet the need for that in another community. The only major difference is that the satellite location is a bit smaller, but we still offer many of the same products we sell in Bethlehem. It has been a learning experience, but as we get a feel for what people are looking for in that location, we will continue to adjust accordingly.

3.    Why did you want to host a member event for the Bethlehem Food Co-op?

Moravian Book Shop loves getting involved in the community. We often work with other businesses and groups in both of our locations, especially to promote small and locally owned businesses. That’s one of the reasons the Colony Meadery has been such a great asset to our shop in Bethlehem and why we immediately got them involved in hosting this event. The Bethlehem Food Co-Op shares many of our goals and principals, so it seemed like a natural fit to help expand on that.