Walking into the lower level of Main Street Commons and into the newly opened Semicolon Books, customers are met with the fresh smell of coffee and soft jazz playing.
Charles Debski and Udval Yun, co-owners and a married couple, have created what they describe as “a place to pause; a place to read.” The shop was created as a space for customers to relax, contrasting with the couple’s past lives in corporate America.
Before opening the shop, the couple lived in New York City, where they juggled long hours and high stress. During this time, they turned to reading as a form of escape.
“Every time we traveled or wanted an escape, we always tended to go to bookstores,” Yun said. “We loved the atmosphere, the cozy vibes and how it let us step away from everything else.”
That sense of escape became the foundation of their business.
After relocating to Bethlehem about a year and a half ago, the couple decided to build a space that reflected their own needs.
But the transition wasn’t easy.
“Leaving corporate is scary,” Yun said. “It’s what you know. But at the same time, it’s exciting; we’re building something of our own.”
Built with intention
From the name to the layout, every detail of the shop was curated by the couple. They picked the name to reflect both a literary and emotional intention, with a semicolon representing a pause.
Debski and Yun created a cozy atmosphere with jazz music, a station for coffee and tea and shelves curated for discovery without being overwhelming.
The shop carries duplicates only of staff picks placed on the middle tables; each book on the shelves is the only copy of that title in the store. In total, the shop offers roughly 1,400 distinct titles. While they haven’t read every book, the staff picks highlight some of their favorite selections.
The couple drew inspiration from independent bookstores in New York City, particularly McNally Jackson Books and The Strand. Bringing a similar experience to Bethlehem meant focusing less on competition and more on contributing to the broader literary ecosystem in the Lehigh Valley.
“The more bookstores the better,” Yun said. “We just want to add our own touch.”
Rooted in community
Bethlehem — and Main Street itself — played a role in the decision of where to open. The couple moved to the city after living in South Korea near Yun’s family, returning to the Lehigh Valley, which is closer to Palmerton, where Debski grew up.
“We’ve walked these streets, eaten at local restaurants and visited other shops,” Debski said.
The shop layout encourages customers to leave feedback and positivity. Near the stationery section, a table with a pen and a notebook allows guests to share recommendations. A pole in the center of the store, wrapped in fairy lights, has been turned into a place to pin positive notes and words of encouragement.
Customers have already embraced the store as a neighborhood fixture.
During the shop’s grand opening weekend, customer Eliany Justiniano said she appreciated the community-centered feel.
“I loved the pole with people’s (messages of) good luck and love toward the business,” Justiniano said. “They had a good range of books, with a little suggestion box which I thought was nice.”
The owners encourage that kind of engagement.
“Come in and talk to us,” Debski said. “About books, about anything.”
Working together
The shop is run by the couple, making it both a business partnership and an extension of their personal relationship.
That dynamic has come with challenges. Rather than separating work and personal life, they’ve embraced the overlap that comes with being married business owners.
“If someone recognizes us outside the store and wants to talk (about) books, we welcome that,” Debski said.
Looking ahead
Although still new to the industry, the couple plans to deepen their role in the local literary community. They’re building connections with local authors, publishers and other bookstore owners with the hope of hosting events in the future.
They’re also focused on listening.
Yun said the couple wants the shop to be a place where people can discover something they didn’t even know they were looking for.
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