New Bethlehem shop offers romance, dragons and board games
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — For Shelby Schleyer, opening a bookstore and game shop wasn’t just about selling paperbacks and board games. It was about building a community.
Schleyer is the owner of Sorcery and Scripts, a new store at 74 W. Broad St. that blends her lifelong love of fantasy books with her years of experience working in game stores.
“I wasn’t happy with what I was doing before,” she said. “I knew the industry well enough because I worked in game stores, and my love of books just kind of combined both.”
Before launching her business, Schleyer worked as a research technician with a biology degree, pipetting samples in a lab. But she found lab work isolating and longed for something more social.
“It was kind of lonely,” she said. “I liked this better.”
The idea for Sorcery and Scripts took shape when Schleyer realized Bethlehem no longer had a game store due to the pandemic. She spent a year planning before signing a lease and transforming the Broad Street storefront with her husband.
Bethlehem, she said, felt like the perfect home for her venture. With a steady flow of tourists, a bustling downtown and multiple nearby colleges, the city provided a ready audience.
“We thought it was a perfect space to open up a bookstore and game store that people could really enjoy,” Schleyer said.
Inside Sorcery and Scripts, shelves are lined with fantasy and romantasy novels — Schleyer’s favorite genres. She said her go-to reads usually involve “romance and dragons.” Alongside the books are shelves of board games and space for events ranging from Magic: The Gathering nights to role-playing game sessions.
The store hosts a romantasy book club, with more on the way. For Schleyer, these gatherings are central to her vision.
“I wanted the store to be kind of event-based,” she said. “People can have something to do outside of just being at home watching TV. They can come enjoy games, play with their friends, go shopping for books, and then talk about them together.”
Since opening, Schleyer said the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Local business owners, media outlets and neighbors have helped spread the word.
“I’ve had a lot of community help,” she said. “People come in and say, ‘We saw you on the news, we saw you in the papers.’”
Looking ahead, she said she hopes Sorcery and Scripts continues to grow as a hub for locals and visitors alike.
“I wanted it to be community-based,” Schleyer said. “A place where people could shop, play and engage with each other.”
For Bethlehem’s fantasy readers and gamers, Sorcery and Scripts is already beginning to feel like a little bit of magic.
