BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Temporarily closed since a July fire, a Lehigh Valley retailer will celebrate its reopening at a new brick-and-mortar location with free merchandise and giveaways.
The Gemeral Store, offering natural home decor, gemstones, minerals and more, will hold a grand reopening at 10 a.m. Nov. 8 at its new location at 216 W. Broad St. in Bethlehem.
Individuals attending the shop’s grand reopening will receive a free tumbled stone, and the first 30 customers will receive other free merchandise.
Ryan Kneller
“Come be part of our homecoming celebration,” an announcement on the business’ Facebook page reads. “We’re grateful for all of your support!”
The business’ first brick-and-mortar location opened on June 28 at 707 N. New St. in Bethlehem, but the shop temporarily closed a little more than a week later following a fire that broke out in the building.
Fire damage primarily affected the building’s upstairs apartments, but the street-level store sustained smoke and water damage, including some damage to display cases and salt-based minerals, co-owner Ted Chiaparas said.
No injuries were reported and everyone inside the home got out safely.
Following the fire, the community’s rallied around The Gemeral Store, offering words of encouragement to the owners and purchasing items through in-person shows and live sales on social media over the past couple of months.
“We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the community,” Chiaparas told 69 News.
“Everyone’s been so great, rallying around us and supporting us through our online shows and in-person shows. The experience overall could’ve been a lot worse, and we’re just so grateful for the support.”
Chiaparas and his brother, Adam Chiaparas, established The Gemeral Store as a primarily online business amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Business quickly took off, leading the pair to expand operations with retail stands at dozens of events – including Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem – annually.
“The in-person shows have been a big hit,” Ted said.
“We’ve done 40-50 shows a year for the past few years and decided that opening our own store was a good next step in our business’ journey. My wife and I also welcomed a baby last year, and so it made sense to pull back on the events.”
Ted describes The Gemeral Store as a “passion project turned full-time adventure,” which celebrates nature, creativity and community.
The store features more than 100 varieties of crystals, minerals and stones, including dozens of tumbled, polished stones such as agate, amethyst, citrine, labradorite, ocean jasper, pink calcite, red tiger’s eye, rose quartz and serpentine.
Customers are able to browse raw specimens, tumbled stones and intricately carved pieces, each “handpicked with care and an eye for wonder,” Ted said.
The brothers make it a point to have “something for everyone,” from tumbled stones for $3 and $4 up to collectible mineral specimens that are valued at thousands of dollars, Ted said.
“We try to have something for everyone – from collector’s pieces to tumbled stones,” Ted said. “That’s really important to us. We want everyone to feel welcome and so we have items at all price points.”
Ryan Kneller
The Gemeral Store also offers ethically scavenged, pinned butterflies, celebrating the delicate beauty of nature in a sustainable and respectful way.
Another unique offering is a collection of mixed-media artwork known as “Coddiwomples,” created by Alaskan artist Steve Cross.
The eye-catching pieces are made with an imaginative blend of crushed gemstones, cephalopod inks, glacier silts, bioluminescent algae, local honey and other rare materials.
Coddiwomples are fluorescent under UV light and phosphorescent, “glowing with life and energy,” and each piece has something related to the image incorporated into it, Ted said.
Ryan Kneller
Some even feature local touches like Bethlehem Steel fragments, Martin guitar picks, Yuengling lager and regional minerals, which intertwine the artwork with the local community in a one-of-a-kind way.
“What started as a creative outlet during uncertain times has grown into something far greater—a celebration of nature, art, and community,” Ted said. “For us, The Gemeral Store is more than just a shop — it’s a labor of love, a return to our roots, and in many ways, a homecoming.”
The Gemeral Store’s new West Broad Street location will be larger than its former spot on North New Street, and it will likely feature some new merchandise related to earth sciences, Ted said.
The business is continuing to set up stands at various events as well, with recent appearances at the Lehigh Valley Gem, Jewelry, and Rock Show in Breinigsville, Lehigh Valley Wicked Plant Festival in Bethlehem and Oktoberfest in Bethlehem.
“We’ll also be doing Christkindlmarkt,” Ted said. “So, we’ll be up and firing on all cylinders very soon.”
For the latest updates, follow The Gemeral Store’s pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: thegemeralstore.com.