Orr's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founder | Matthew Orr |
| Fate | Closed; locations repurposed |
| Headquarters | Easton , United States |
Area served | Pennsylvania, New Jersey |
| Products | Department store goods |
Orr's was a department store situated in the heart of downtown Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Overview
The Easton-based Orr's was originally established by Matthew Orr before being acquired by the Bixler family. In 1955, Orr's opened its Bethlehem branch, taking over the premises previously occupied by the Bush & Bull store, which had operated there since 1908. Prior to Bush & Bull, the Lerch & Rice Co. maintained a store at that location from 1821 until 1908.
During the 1970s, the downtown area of Bethlehem experienced a decline similar to that seen in neighboring cities such as Allentown and Easton. To revitalize the area, W. Broad Street was temporarily closed between Guetter Street and N. New Street to establish an outdoor pedestrian mall. However, this initiative was unsuccessful, leading to the street's reopening for vehicular traffic. Despite these efforts, Bethlehem’s downtown continued to deteriorate, culminating in the closure of Orr's Bethlehem store in 1993. Subsequently, the building underwent renovation and was transformed into an enclosed shopping center named Main Street Commons. The adjacent parking structure remained intact and continues to serve the mall. Similarly, the Easton location ceased operations and was repurposed into The Crayola Factory and Two Rivers Landing.
Orr's operated several locations, all of which have since closed:
- Bethlehem: 559 Main Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Easton: 306 Northampton Street, Easton, Pennsylvania
- Phillipsburg: Hillcrest Mall, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
- Chester: 179 Rt. 206, Chester, New Jersey
- Flemington: Flemington, New Jersey
References
Additional resources
- "Orr's Presence Goes Back to Irish Brothers". The Morning Call (Allentown, PA). February 6, 1993. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2012.