Orr's was a department store

Department store

A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...

 located in Downtown Bethlehem

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

.

History

Orr's of Easton was begun by Matthew Orr and later sold to the Bixlers. In the late 1950s, Orr's was opened in Bethlehem when the Bush & Bull store previously occupying the space left. (Before Bush & Bull the store was a Lerch & Rice Co. location.) In the 1970s, Bethlehem's downtown was declining, similar to that of neighboring Allentown

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...

 and Easton

Easton, Pennsylvania

Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....

. The block of W. Broad Street was closed off from Guetter Street to N. New Street to create an outdoor pedestrian mall. This plan failed and was recently re-opened as a street. Bethlehem's downtown had continued to struggle, and in 1993, Orr's of Bethlehem closed. The building was renovated into an indoor mall, Main Street Commons. The parking deck adjacent to Orr's was kept and is still in use for the mall today. The Easton location also closed and was renovated to The Crayola Factory and Two Rivers Landing. Orr's locations were the following, all of which were closed:

• Bethlehem, 559 Main Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
  
  
• Easton, 306 Northampton Street, Easton, Pennsylvania
  Easton, Pennsylvania
  Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
  
  
• Phillipsburg, Hillcrest Mall, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
  Phillipsburg, New Jersey
  Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
  
  
• Flemington, Flemington, New Jersey
  Flemington, New Jersey
  Flemington is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,581. It is the county seat of Hunterdon County....