Though the primary purpose of the book store is to help fund the pensions of retired Moravian ministers, it might surprise you to learn that it is actually a for-profit corporation. Rick and his fellow board members, all of whom are volunteers report to their stockholders. They happen to be the provincial elders of the Moravian Church.
Though the Book Shop is technically a for-profit corporation, Santee jokes that it the "most not-for-profit, for-profit corporation you'll ever want to see."
At the same time, Santee stated that the book shop is a business and that it must be guided by business principles. He stated no decision will be made quickly, but the Board is considering several options. One includes expansion. Another includes relocation. He stated that Moravians do not operate in secrecy, but asked for a little privacy so the Board can do the right thing.
He hinted slightly at a possible reason. In 2008, Moravian Book Shop was one of several Main Street businesses to help fund a traffic study that resulted in a recommendation for a new parking deck. He noted that access problems still exist, as any weekend main Street shopper can attest.
Bethlehem's DCED Director, Alicia Karner, stated that Mayor Donchez is disappointed that Bethlehem could lose the anchor store for its Main Street shopping district. Calling the Moravian Book Shop synonymous with Bethlehem, she stated there's "very little the communities surrounding Allentown can do to compete with the NIZ." She is also concerned that this could have a ripple effect on other retail businesses in Bethlehem.
So I will give the Moravian Church the privacy it seeks, but have to pass on a story that Santee told me yesterday. As you might have guessed, the Moravian Book Shop gets more than its fair share of tourists. According to employees at the store, they are often asked about where they can go to see "living Moravians."
Will the book shop continue selling Moravian Stars in Bethlehem or will it start selling hockeypucks in Allentown?
We'll see.
Parking??? I remember back in the day when the Hotel Bethlehem would allow patrons of the bookstore to park in its deck. That was a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteExcellent reporting on this, Bernie. You're out there making a difference, while Lehigh Valley Nobody grouses about things he can't change in the past, Shidt makes snarky comments, and TM spends all day trying to get the stains out of her briefs.
ReplyDelete@1:42 Was that in the 90's? Sounds familiar.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like they have already made their decision and just need more time to get their legal ducks in a row. I'm betting that by the time we hear anything more of this all the papers will be signed and the moving vans packed.
ReplyDelete@1:43 how does Bernice's chocolate starfish taste?
ReplyDeleteWord on th3e street is that they have problems working with the city's new ED leadership. Hopefully the head didn't drop an F-bomb with the Moravians.
ReplyDeleteA great business which will divert patrons from downtown Bethlehem when they open a second location in Allentown. How many Moravian stars can folks buy in the Lehigh Valley?
ReplyDeletesay what you will, but Callahan was right. No provisions in the NIZ to prevent it from poaching other Lehigh Valley businesses. The NIZ is a great tool, but have any out of state, businesses located there?
ReplyDelete@3:39
ReplyDelete"word on the street" is well known to the readers of this blog and loosely translates as "complete bullshit, made up in my own twisted bitter little mind"
Maybe Moravian can take over the STILL EMPTY Johnny Mananas spot in the newer PPL building. That spot has been vacant forever - why?? It is right next to a parking lot, but that parking lot is always full during the day, and ThinkLoud wants to put a performing arts center on that footprint, if memory serves.
ReplyDeleteMoravian had better be careful. The grass is always greener. Wait until they move and then have to deal with an unexpected bill for police overtime.
or the self loving assholes that run allenswamp
ReplyDeletethis is sad news..... but on another front do you know when jim gregory will be released? my understanding is he should be out already with time served. I would be interested to hear his opinion on this.
ReplyDeletethanks for giving us a free hockey rink!
ReplyDeleteBethlehem is dying. Again.
ReplyDeleteSo now the City is starting to realize the impact of the NIZ. Karner in her former county role thought it was a great idea. Too bad Johnny Ballgame and his council didn't see fit to join the NIZ litigants.
ReplyDeleteNow who was the visionaries?
i know Alicia and she pretty much felt the same way about the NIZ that Callahan did. It is too big and allows poaching. I am opposed to nearly all these tax gimmicks, including the CRIZ. About the furthest I'm willing to go is a TIF, and I am having second thoughts.
ReplyDeletePlease don't go!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the panic over this. It is remotely possible but most unlikely that they will close the Bethlehem operation. An opportunity in Allentown may or may not exist, but if it does why should they not expand there? I have known Rick Santee for years and am a client of his law firm. There is no more honorable attorney anywhere in the Lehigh Valley and Rick has always been a huge supporter of the Bethlehem community. Please continue to support the Bethlehem store and let the business side play out into a potential win-win for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP legislature knows what happened to Corbett. Wolf's plan reduces property taxes and raises income taxes. That's what the old bastards want and the old bastards vote.
ReplyDeleteAs for "fucking the poor people" as you eloquently put it, before the NIZ there was no tax base. After the NIZ, there is now massive development and new business and employment all paying into the system all while attracting other business outside the NIZ.
But I understand you'd like to just keep it the way it was - a struggling district in a dilapidated city with absolutely no future. Good plan.
Karner was for the NIZ before she was against the Niz. It is tough juggling politicians. Jennings was for the Niz and she agreed at the time.
ReplyDeleteI doubt they will close up their Bethlehem location despite the city Admisntration. They really need to stand in downtown Allentown on any given day and get an idea of what their "foot traffic" will be like.
They're not moving. I think they'll open a satellite location and then shutter it after 3 years because it's not profitable. There are a lot of tour busses plus musikfest traffic in Bethlehem. If anything, I thought they'd open a place by the PBS building on southside.
ReplyDelete"Moravians don't operate in secrecy."
ReplyDeleteBullshit, I watch them operate through the land deal at the Johnston estate.
Just try to find out how open umbrella corporation, BAM is.
The fact that they're not outright denying this rumor means it's certainly possible. Perhaps this is a ploy to garner favors from the city. I don't know. But this is a big deal if Bethlehem is looking at potentially losing Moravian.
ReplyDeleteSantee confirmed that the Board is considering several options, including relocation. This is big news.
Such humble religious people - working the city over for favors. The hypocrisy of religious humility rears it's head again.
ReplyDeleteA big "TO DO" about nothing. If the MBS moves out of Bethlehem it will fail in the NIZ. It will be eaten up by the big Book Stores and will not survive in Allentown. Customers will not go to Allentown to patronize the store. They will shop locally. The Moravian Book Store owners want The City of Bedlam to give them tax breaks like the NIZ does. They are just being whores and selling themselves, and can you blame them. That is what the NIZ was designed to do.
ReplyDeleteThe quaint religious Moravians play the $$$ game way better than most.
ReplyDeleteThe NIZ was designed to turn a wasteland into something better. It's obviously working even though it's not perfect. The downtown looks like an actual city where things are happening. An overall positive.
ReplyDelete