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19th Century dry goods shop being recreated in Bethlehem
April 28th, 2024 | In The News
Written by Stacy Wescoe
Visitors to Bethlehem will soon be able to take a shopping trip back in time.
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites will open Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe at 505 Main Street, Bethlehem in May.
The shop will be located in the Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe & Museum Shop, which is currently undergoing renovations.
The Schropp Shoppe is inspired by the building’s original purpose as a dry goods store in Victorian Bethlehem.
The organization is attempting to create a retail experience featuring the atmosphere of a mid-19th-century dry goods shop with a curated selection of modern goods reminiscent of the historical past.
“Thanks to the 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.”
HBMS partnered with Bethlehem-based architecture firm Alloy5 to design the space. The firm is known for incorporating a building’s history.
“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.”
Read the article on Lehigh Valley Business.
