When USA Today named Bethlehem's Main Street one of the best in America through their 10Best Readers Choice Awards, nobody who has walked these blocks was surprised. This is a street where the oldest bookstore in America sits across from a historic hotel, where a brand new dry goods shop channels the 1800s, and where every storefront seems to have a story worth telling.
The Anchors
The Moravian Book Shop at 428 Main Street has been selling books since 1745, making it the oldest continuously operating bookstore in America. Beyond books, it carries handmade beeswax candles, paper Moravian star kits, glass stars made by local artists, and an impressive selection of Bethlehem themed gifts. Across the street, The Shoppe at Hotel Bethlehem offers a curated boutique with accessories, gifts, and hotel branded merchandise.
The newest addition is the Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe at 505 Main Street, which opened in May 2024. Operated by Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, one side serves as a retail shop carrying goods from local vendors like Herberry Candles, Paisley and Co., and Mad Catter Coffee Roasters. The other side is the official Bethlehem Visitor Center. The shop is inspired by the original dry goods store owned by John and Maria Elizabeth Schropp in the mid 1800s, and thanks to well-preserved Moravian records, they know exactly what the original store sold.
The Discoveries
Main Street is full of surprises. Kaleidoscope Collective at 77 West Broad Street opened in October 2024 as a multi-vendor marketplace featuring over 20 women artisans showcasing handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and locally made goods. Manga Lane at 559 Main Street caters to the anime and manga community with figurines, apparel, and collectibles. Every few blocks bring something new.
Walk and Shop
The best way to experience Bethlehem's Main Street is on foot. Park once and spend the afternoon moving from shop to shop. Grab a coffee, browse the bookstore, pick up a candle, find a gift. This is not a strip mall experience. It is a Main Street that has been earning its reputation for nearly three centuries.
