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Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites brings Bethlehem’s Retail History to Life on Main Street
May 3rd, 2024 |
As previously published in Network Magazine–
When it comes to the history of commerce in our country, the Moravians in Bethlehem play a prominent role. Opened in 1745, the Moravian Book Shop on Bethlehem’s Main Street is the oldest book retailer in America. Bethlehem’s Main Street is steeped in Moravian history, and Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, also known as HBMS, is committed to preserving the buildings and sharing the stories that have shaped our country.
The current Visitor Center and Goundie House are undergoing significant renovation to enhance the authenticity of the local and out-of-town visitor experience. Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe, opening in May 2024, will be a charming store inspired by the town’s original dry goods store, which was owned by John and Maria Elizabeth Schropp, Goundie’s daughter and son-in-law, in the mid-1800s. Thanks to the support of the Keystone Savings Foundation and Alloy5, the space will offer visitors an even more historical experience.
Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe will bring a unique retail experience to Bethlehem’s Main Street, where visitors can step back in time and explore the cultural and commercial heritage of Bethlehem’s past. The shop welcomes shoppers to experience the charm and genuineness of a mid-19th-century dry goods shop, where they can choose from a curated selection of modern goods reminiscent of the historical period. This transition preserves the site’s historical significance while providing patrons with a tangible and immersive shopping experience.
“Thanks to extensive and well-preserved records of both the original Schropps’ store and the boarding school for girls in Bethlehem, whose students were frequent patrons of the store, we have a clear picture of what was sold in the store in the 1800s,” stated Brett Peters, Curator of Collections & Exhibitions for HBMS. “Much of it was merchandise we still buy—everything from groceries and stationery to hardware, China, and kitchen supplies. Almost everything a 19th-century household needed could be purchased at the local dry goods store.”
The adjoining Goundie House, the home of Johann Sebastian Goundie, Bethlehem’s first brewer, will become the new Visitor Center, due to open in late summer 2024. Visitors will find information about HBMS tours, museum collections and other programming. Engagement and hospitality are among the organization’s top priorities, and Bethlehem’s visiting guests can shop, meet with HBMS staff and volunteers and wait comfortably for tours to begin while learning more about Bethlehem’s history.
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites’ goals for the revamped buildings are to provide a more mission-centric experience, grow retail sales and offer a taste of the organization’s other activities to draw visitors into the museums and onto historical tours.
“The newly restored historic site will allow us to share unique stories like the Cheese Incident of 1842,” said LoriAnn Wukitsch, CEO and president of HBMS. The story unfolds around a curious legal case involving a five-pound brick bat hidden in a lump of butter being sold to John Schropp. You’ll have to visit to learn more about the case, the Schropps, the Goundies, and Bethlehem’s retail history.”
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites partnered with Alloy5, a Bethlehem-based architecture and design firm. Their expertise allowed Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites to recreate the historic feel inside the buildings and improve the retail experience for local patrons and out-of-town guests.
“Transforming a historic space into a welcoming, visually appealing retail space has been enjoyable for the team at Alloy5,” said Michael Metzger, president of Alloy5. “We’re always happy to lend our creativity to support our community and proud to collaborate with Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites on the new Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe design.”
The organization plans to cut the ribbon and welcome the community to a grand reopening celebration for the Schropp Dry Good Shoppe in May. The renovation is being done in phases to allow one of the two buildings to be open throughout the process.
For more details, visit https://www.historicbethlehem.org and follow Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
