Rev. Bob Stephens, pastor of Zion’s Reformed United Church of Christ, the “Liberty Bell Church” in center city Allentown, said it best.

“On behalf of the oldest church in Allentown, we’re happy to welcome the oldest book store in America,” Rev. Stephens told a reporter for Lehigh Valley Press at the Sept. 30 ribbon-cutting at the Moravian Book Shop, Two City Center, 645 W. Hamilton St., Allentown.

“This is beyond anything I could have hoped for,” Stephens added.

Indeed, the front entrance to Zion’s UCC, where the Liberty Bell Museum is located, is visible through the front window of the Moravian Book Shop. Perhaps the museum’s Pip The Mouse will make a cameo appearance this Christmas season at the book shop.

While center city Allentown has seen its share of nearly monthly and weekly ribbon-cuttings since the opening of the PPL Center, home to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Philadelphia Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate team, and an estimated $1 billion and counting in center city development, the Moravian Book Shop ribbon-cutting was historic.

And it was one of few ribbon-cuttings that this reporter has attended that included a prayer by an ordained minister.

The Moravian Book Shop Store, 428 Main St., Bethlehem, founded in 1745, is the oldest continually-operating bookstore in the United States and possibly the world.

When asked facetiously by a Lehigh Valley Press reporter why it took them so long, 270 years, to open up a second location, Atty. Richard E. Santee, President, Board of Directors, Moravian Book Shop, said, with a bit of understatement, “We’ve been cautious in the past in terms of expansion. We’ve always been very careful not to dilute our demographic and footprint in Bethlehem.

“We do feel that the people who would come to the arena [PPL Center, Seventh and Hamilton streets, less than one block from the new Moravian Book Shop] and other events and activities in Allentown are a different demographic. It’s really a good opportunity to expand the base,” said Santee, an attorney with the law firm Shay, Santee & Kelhart, 44 E. Broad St., Bethlehem.

The Moravian Book Shop board reports to the Moravian Church, Northern Province. Proceeds benefit an investment fund that supports retired Moravian ministers. Debbie Split is Store Manager of the Moravian Book Shop, Allentown.

Of the new Allentown location, Dana DeVito, General Manager, Moravian Book Shop, said, “It’s the first ever since the original, the oldest book store in continuous operation in the country and maybe the world.”

DeVito said a book store in Lisbon, Portugal, was founded in 1732, but closed in the 1780s after an earthquake, and then reopened.

In his remarks before the ribbon-cutting, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski noted the impact of Moravians in Lehigh Valley history, dating to the founding of Bethlehem in 1741.

“There was Bethlehem, and on the way to Emmaus [settled in the 1740s and founded in 1759, also by Moravians], there was Jerusalem, renamed Allentown after William Allen,” Pawloski said, noting the similarity in proximity and travel route to their counterparts in Israel.

“It’s not unusual for the Moravians to get out as missionaries, even to Allentown,” Santee quipped to the crowd. Santee noted the Moravian Book Shop’s origin in the Crown Inn, Bethlehem, a portion of which was set aside for books.

“In keeping with the mission and ministry of the book shop, this part being of this world not apart from, is what led us to Allentown,” Santee said.

“This is a new chapter of the book shop in Bethlehem,” said the Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, President, Provincial Elders Conference, Moravian Church, Northern Province. She said the Moravian Book Shop embodies “the gift of hospitality that is classical Moravian,” before leading the group at the ribbon-cutting in a prayer.

“This is the kind of store that creates a pedestrian-friendly environment,” said J.B. Reilly, Founder & CEO, City Center Investment Corp., which spearheaded the bulk of center city development, including more than 650,000 square feet of Class A office space, 100,000 square feet of upscale retail and restaurant space and 170 new luxury apartments either completed or set for completion in 2015. The nearby upscale Strata Flats at Four City Center is at Seventh and Linden streets, Allentown.

“It fills a retail void,” Reilly continued. “A book store is essential,” Reilly noted, adding that the book store is a couple of doors from Starbucks, which opened in June at Two City Center, Seventh and Hamilton streets, Allentown.

“What downtown Allentown has is a rare opportunity. It allows for us to pick and choose,” said Miriam Huertas, Senior Vice President, Allentown Initiatives, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“This is a great opportunity to support the book store and it’s mission, as well as to expand the shopping experience,” said Sally Handlon, board member, Moravian Book Shop, and founder and president, Handlon Business Resources LLC, Easton.

“It’s wonderful to have the Moravian Book Shop here,” said Benjamin Bertalan, Acquisitions Librarian, Allentown Public Library.

“I’m very impressed. I think they did a super job,” said Peggy Fulmer, who worked at the Moravian Book Shop, Bethlehem, for 20 years.

The Moravian Book Shop in downtown Bethlehem is noted for book signings and readings by authors, book discussion and writers’ groups and other activities. DeVito said similar events are expected to be held at the Allentown book shop.

The ribbon-cutting attracted dozens for coffee, wine and mini pizza slices, turkey meatballs, cheese and crackers, cookies and, of course, Moravian Sugar Cake. The Hamilton Kitchen & Bar, 645 Hamilton St, Allentown, catered. Frank Michael Flandorffer Sr. played acoustic guitar.

The Moravian Book Shop, Allentown, also offers gifts, including candles, potpourri, wrapping paper, bags, scarves and candy.

The store is divided into sections of books, including Teen, Children, Baby, Arts, Fiction, Mystery, Cooking, Diet, History, Science Fiction, Religion, Philosophy, New Age and Bestsellers (“One Nation,” Ben Carson; “The Wright Brothers,” David McCullough, and “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban,” Malala Yousafzai).

There are children’s chairs at a table in the children’s section. There’s a grouping of chairs in the center of the store.

A rack of Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” books includes “Dorney Park,” Wally Ely, Bob Ott; “Bethlehem Revisited,” William G. Weiner Jr., Karen M. Samuels, and “Hess’s Department Store,” Frank A. Whelan, Kurt D. Zwikl.

Allentown’s renaissance seems poised to surpass, if it hasn’t already, the glory days of Allentown’s center city when Hess’s and Hamilton Street reigned supreme on the Lehigh Valley retail and commercial scene.

Moravian Book Shop hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday; 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday. Information: 610-351-0849