Moravian Book Shop
| Company type | Bookstore |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Books) |
| Founded | 1745 |
| Founder | Samuel Powell |
| Headquarters | Bethlehem , United States |
Area served | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; formerly Allentown, Pennsylvania |
Key people | Leo Atkinson (former employee who petitioned for independent management) |
| Products | Books, textbooks, apparel, gifts, stationery, art supplies, confectionery, personal care products, Moravian Stars |
| Owner | Moravian College |
| Parent | Barnes & Noble College Booksellers (management) |
| Website | moravianbookshop |
Moravian Book Shop is a bookstore situated in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Established in 1745 by the Moravian Church, it asserts the distinction of being the longest continuously operating bookstore in the United States and ranks as the second-oldest worldwide, following Livraria Bertrand in Lisbon, Portugal, which began operations in 1732.
Since June 2018, the Moravian Book Shop has also served as the student bookstore for Moravian College. That year, the Northern Province of the Moravian Church approached Moravian College with an offer to transfer ownership of the bookstore, aiming to preserve its heritage within the "Moravian Family" and maintain its commitment to supporting their 85 congregations. Presently, Moravian College holds ownership of the bookstore, while daily management is conducted by Barnes & Noble College Booksellers.
18th century
In 1745, Bishop Augustus Spangenberg of the Moravian Church commissioned Samuel Powell, a Bethlehem innkeeper on the South Side, to establish and manage a bookstore. Initially, this shop primarily supplied devotional and liturgical literature intended for church members, missionaries, and students.
19th century
Throughout the 1800s, the bookstore relocated multiple times, including a period in Philadelphia, where it functioned as both a bookseller and printer.
By 1871, the shop settled near Central Moravian Church on Main Street in Bethlehem. It remains at this location today but has undergone several expansions over the past 140 years. Currently, it occupies approximately 14,000 square feet (1,300 m2) across four adjoining buildings. Ownership resides with the Ministers' Pension Fund of the Northern Province of the Moravian Church, with governance provided by a board of directors appointed by the church.
20th and 21st centuries
In 2015, the bookstore launched its inaugural satellite branch within the Two City Center development located in Center City Allentown. This location ceased operations in May 2017 as the focus shifted back to the main Bethlehem store, with remaining inventory transferred there.
Between 2015 and 2018, the bookstore also housed a tasting room for the Colony Meadery, a local Allentown mead producer, alongside Bone Appetit, a manufacturer specializing in dog treats. In April 2018, Moravian College, situated nearby, announced it had acquired the bookstore. The college indicated plans to assess all associated properties to identify opportunities for partnerships with regional vendors; however, it was determined that neither the Colony Meadery nor Bone Appetit aligned with these objectives. Ultimately, no appropriate vendors were selected, and the historic bookstore transitioned into the college’s student bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. During this transition, employee Leo Atkinson initiated a petition requesting that the existing staff be allowed to manage the store independently without Barnes & Noble’s involvement, but this effort did not succeed.
Features
The Moravian Book Shop offers a diverse selection of books, including independent bestsellers, trade publications, and carefully chosen titles that explore the history of the Moravian Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Bethlehem Steel, the Lehigh Valley, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, the shop buys and sells student textbooks. Shoppers can also find Moravian College branded apparel and gift merchandise, along with reference materials, stationery, art supplies, greeting cards, confectionery, and personal care products. The inventory further features traditional gifts inspired by Moravian and Bethlehem heritage as well as books authored by College faculty and alumni. The store regularly organizes weekly reading groups and monthly author events.
Moravian Stars
A key specialty of the store is its extensive collection of Moravian Stars—also known as Advent Stars—originally crafted in 19th-century Germany. These iconic 26-point stars come in a variety of designs and are made from different materials. Production of these stars has persisted through changes in store ownership.