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Closed Christian Bookstores - 9/30/2008 2:40:40 PM
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BarryLee
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I noticed recently that two Christian bookstores, representing two of the largest national chains, closed locations in my community. I always enjoyed shopping in both locations and browsing the extensive mix of products they carried.
It concerned me that they closed, but I guess it is just old fashioned economics. Today big box retailers like Borders sell Christian books cheaper than traditional Christian bookstores and online retailers like Amazon are significantly cheaper. I miss the opportunity to browse and maybe find some new artist or author, but I guess even Christians like to save a buck.
Not really trying to make this a moral issue, but do you ever feel like we as Christians should support Christian retailers even if their prices are a little more? However, on the other hand, should we be good stewards of the financial gifts that God has given us and look for the best deal?
No big deal - just thinking out loud…
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 9/30/2008 4:24:07 PM
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SuspenseWriter
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You're right, they're being squeezed out by the big box boys. And unfortunately--save for a few here and there--Christian bookstores haven't existed for quite a few years now. What we've seen are Christian gift stores (mainly bric-a-brac and CDs), with books and Bibles as their ancillary offerings. And that's sad.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 9:37:56 AM
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StephK
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From: Southwest Louisiana
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SuspenseWriter
You're right, they're being squeezed out by the big box boys. And unfortunately--save for a few here and there--Christian bookstores haven't existed for quite a few years now. What we've seen are Christian gift stores (mainly bric-a-brac and CDs), with books and Bibles as their ancillary offerings. And that's sad.
I hated when my local Christian bookstore went the way of the way overpriced frou frou fad junk. I have not purchased anything from a Christian Bookstore in about a year.
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The heart of the wise inclines to the right but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is. ~ Ecc. 10:2-3
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 9:46:36 AM
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stellaluna
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We currently have three good-sized Christian bookstores and another one on the way. I'm surprised they do well because I find them to be outrageously expensive.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 10:16:45 AM
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rae_of_light
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One of the most well known Christian bookstores in my area is closing. But I never used it very much. Christian Book Distributors is so much more handy, and my sister works at a warehouse that is a center for a Christian book catalogue company. I don't think it was my duty to support the bookstore that's going out of business. Their prices were awfully high, their customer service was horrendous, and besides, the other 2 places I get my books are Christian as well!
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 10:46:44 AM
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uncabeeil
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From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
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Yep, we're taking a huge beating, from the internet more than the big box stores. Borders/B&N/Target/Walmart have made a dent in our sales, but the internet has really put a hurt on us.
I have to refute the "extremely expensive" comments, though. Other than Sony-owned labels, most new cd's are now retailing for $13.99. Sony is still gouging everybody, Christian or not, for $18.98. As for books, we sell them at the publisher's list price, same as most everything in Borders or B&N. Walmart and Target discount books, but just the bestsellers. If you want a copy of something that's not on the bestseller list they're not going to have it.
Where we take the worst beating is music. 99 cent singles and $9.99 entire albums are killing all music sellers, Christian and non-Christian. According to my boss, cd sales are down almost 60% across the board.
Disclaimer: The store I work for is an independently owned one, not a chain. The pricing might be different in the chains, although I'd expect them to be lower rather than higher.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 4:31:58 PM
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redeemedsaint
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Basically the prices are higher in a Christian bookstore and I can get them cheaper at Walmart or Christian Book Distributors or on Amazon. At times they do not have what I want.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/1/2008 5:20:12 PM
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stellaluna
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quote:
ORIGINAL: uncabeeil
Yep, we're taking a huge beating, from the internet more than the big box stores. Borders/B&N/Target/Walmart have made a dent in our sales, but the internet has really put a hurt on us.
I have to refute the "extremely expensive" comments, though. Other than Sony-owned labels, most new cd's are now retailing for $13.99. Sony is still gouging everybody, Christian or not, for $18.98. As for books, we sell them at the publisher's list price, same as most everything in Borders or B&N. Walmart and Target discount books, but just the bestsellers. If you want a copy of something that's not on the bestseller list they're not going to have it.
Where we take the worst beating is music. 99 cent singles and $9.99 entire albums are killing all music sellers, Christian and non-Christian. According to my boss, cd sales are down almost 60% across the board.
Disclaimer: The store I work for is an independently owned one, not a chain. The pricing might be different in the chains, although I'd expect them to be lower rather than higher.
We have Family Christian Store and a Lifeway, which are both part of chains. We have a Catholic Super Store, which I don't know if that's a chain or not. And we have an independent. We're getting a Mardel in the next few months, which is also part of a chain. The last time I visited any of them, it was the Lifeway store and every CD I picked up was in the $18 range. I don't know about the books, I didn't look at any of those.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/2/2008 11:55:17 PM
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Liveloved
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You've raised some good points, BarryLee.
As someone who lives in a small rural town (4500) with the nearest larger town (55,000) about 35 miles away, I think it is sad that people no longer feel loyalty to local retailers. I WANT to keep these people in business. I don't want to have to drive 35 miles one way to buy the stuff I need. I know the local retailers have to pay more for the products they sell because they are buying in less volume. And, yes, I'm willing to pay more for the items. Although with gas prices being what they are today we need to factor in the gas expense to every purchase made that requires we drive 70 miles! I think part of it is that we care about others less and ourselves more. . . and the checkbook reflects that.
I saw such envy and wrong attitudes toward retailers in this town rather than rejoicing with those who were good business people and doing well. But that's a whole other topic.
There is one Christian bookstore in the larger town I occasionally shop in but as others have said, this store has gone to more of the fluff, gift market rather than selling good books. I'm sure they are just trying to survive and are following the trends of what people want and are buying.
So I do the bulk of my book buying from CBD and Amazon. Although I was just at The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina and I bought several books by Amy Carmichael. Good books will sell if you have them on your shelves IMO.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/3/2008 7:38:14 PM
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ayani
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I rarely shop at our one local Christian bookstore, a fairly big one part of a chain. The problem is that they have a really lousy selection: its almost entirely pulp fiction, or the latest celebrity Christian ghost-written biographies, or the latest shallow best-seller (most of which are entirely forgettable). If you're looking for serious Christian books, the bix-box book stores have a much better selection.
They have six shelves of bibles, but only three translations: KJV/NKJV, NIV, and NASB. If you're looking for a major translation like the NRSV or NJB or NEB that a Lutheran or Methodist or a mainline protestant, or Catholic or Orthodox might use, you have to go to the big-box store.
The commentaries are almost non-existant, as are works of serious theology or philosophy. They have a 12' shelf of celebrity biographies, but no books by Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Acquinas, Pascal, Bonhoffer, Barth. Other than CS Lewis, you won't find any serious contemporary theologians either. If you're looking for a book you see reviewed in Christianity Today or Christian Century, you rarely even see those.
I'd be willing to pay more to help keep these stores in business, but if they don't carry anything but cheap gifts....
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/4/2008 8:33:34 AM
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uncabeeil
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It's too bad you guys don't live around here, then. Most of your complaints don't apply to where I work. We have every major translation on the shelf all the time, we have a table dedicated to guys like Wigglesworth, Andrew Murray, Spurgeon, et al. You can almost always find a couple of copies of Matthew Henry, Strong's Concordance, Wilmington's Handbook, all of J. Vernon McGee's commentaries. We also have most of the above in Spanish, along with bibles in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. We also have the largest selection of music in two counties. And yet we're struggling to stay open. 
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/4/2008 9:40:29 AM
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ayani
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quote:
ORIGINAL: uncabeeil
It's too bad you guys don't live around here, then. Most of your complaints don't apply to where I work. We have every major translation on the shelf all the time, we have a table dedicated to guys like Wigglesworth, Andrew Murray, Spurgeon, et al. You can almost always find a couple of copies of Matthew Henry, Strong's Concordance, Wilmington's Handbook, all of J. Vernon McGee's commentaries. We also have most of the above in Spanish, along with bibles in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. We also have the largest selection of music in two counties. And yet we're struggling to stay open.
Sounds like you work in a good store!
This reminded me of Christianity Today's cover-story on this topic from an issue last spring.
You might enjoy it (or commiserate....)
Christianity Today article on saving Christian bookstores
On other thing that always puzzled me: the Christian bookstores I've been in only carry things that would appeal to one niche of Christiantity. Ours carrys only evangelical stuff. However, half the town is Catholic and there's no Catholic bookstore. By adding a corner with Catholic stuff, they could really expand their market but they don't. They could do a good business in first-confession and first-communion gifts alone....
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/4/2008 7:44:05 PM
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mvic
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The situation is probably the same if not worse in the UK.
Not many Christian stores here - a town of a population of about 85,000. There were two shops for years - now only one selling mainly books as well as other Christian items.
Same situation in other towns.
Also, I've never seen Christian books sold in supermarkets. They sell all kinds of other books and magazines but no Christian books.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/5/2008 11:15:07 AM
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Market42Fan
Posts: 240
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quote:
ORIGINAL: uncabeeil
It's too bad you guys don't live around here, then. Most of your complaints don't apply to where I work. We have every major translation on the shelf all the time, we have a table dedicated to guys like Wigglesworth, Andrew Murray, Spurgeon, et al. You can almost always find a couple of copies of Matthew Henry, Strong's Concordance, Wilmington's Handbook, all of J. Vernon McGee's commentaries. We also have most of the above in Spanish, along with bibles in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. We also have the largest selection of music in two counties. And yet we're struggling to stay open.
If I lived there, they'd have to pull me out come closing time.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/6/2008 12:33:22 AM
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cih92
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In northern California, I know of three Christian bookstores that closed down.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/6/2008 9:53:44 AM
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uncabeeil
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From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
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quote:
On other thing that always puzzled me: the Christian bookstores I've been in only carry things that would appeal to one niche of Christiantity. Ours carrys only evangelical stuff. However, half the town is Catholic and there's no Catholic bookstore. By adding a corner with Catholic stuff, they could really expand their market but they don't. They could do a good business in first-confession and first-communion gifts alone.... We get asked that a lot. The answer for our store is that we intentionally keep it non-denominational (other than the Baptist hymnal). There are some people who won't shop in a store that sells "religious" items that don't fit their beliefs. In order to avoid all the arguments over who's right and who's going to burn, we don't stock it.
quote:
If I lived there, they'd have to pull me out come closing time. It's a running joke that the closing time is more like a closing suggestion. Most nights we have to "chase" people out.
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I don't recall all of the details
But I know life is better when shared. -Jon Troast
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/23/2008 10:23:07 AM
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iwillfearnoevil
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not sure cd/book pricing high is exclusive to Christian bookstores ... my local fye's seems to sell most cds for $16-18 routinely so i'll gladly purchase online for $10 or even better use a music subscription service like rhapsody for $15/month ... i'm more than happy to buy locally but if stores want my business on items i can buy greatly discounted on the internet, they need to be somewhat flexible on the price.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/23/2008 11:05:33 AM
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Miss Giggles
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quote:
ORIGINAL: mvic
Also, I've never seen Christian books sold in supermarkets. They sell all kinds of other books and magazines but no Christian books.
Our Target and Meijer will carry the most popular ones.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/23/2008 12:09:59 PM
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coolfamily6
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quote:
They have six shelves of bibles, but only three translations: KJV/NKJV, NIV, and NASB. If you're looking for a major translation like the NRSV or NJB or NEB that a Lutheran or Methodist or a mainline protestant, or Catholic or Orthodox might use, you have to go to the big-box store.
Lifeway is a Southern Baptist company, so I do not think you'll see any other denominations materials on their shelves.
I do not go to the Christian bookstores unless I need something specific because our church has a media center that we purchase bible study materials from at a discount, as well as other resources. I have bought commentaries from Family Christain for dh but it has been a while.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/27/2008 3:46:47 PM
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SteveyP
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This is a grievous subject for me. First, our excellent Mennonite based yet all around Christian store went under. Fortunately they were bought out by a local midwest chain (I can't remember its name) who then went out of business taking the sister store in the next town with it (I don't think the chain went out of business, just our local stores). Now we are left with Family Christian store but they don't carry much out of the main-stream (though, interestingly, they did before the other stores closed). I understand the argument that CBD employs Christians too. However, I much more understand people in my community losing jobs because the local stores are no longer able to compete with big box and online retailers. One acquaintance I have would regularly brag about how much money he saved through larger purchases from CBD. He told me he didn't see that it was his job to keep the local stores open when he could get so much more for his money online. "If the stores can't compete, then they should go out of business." It isn't just bookstores, but gas stations, restaurants, hardware stores, etc. that are being dissolved, which could possible survive if Christians would chase the Kingdom instead of the dollar. More and more I am convinced we need to reconsider stewardship of our finances from "how much can I get for a buck" to "how do I use my buck to further the Kingdom of God." 
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/27/2008 3:56:39 PM
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uncabeeil
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From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
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SteveyP, for the first few years I was in the business, people would agree the the extra was worth it since they were supporting a ministry rather than a business. That was from 2000 to around 2004. But then things started to get tight around here, and that statement, while still true, doesn't hold water any longer. I can't speak for any other store, but our clientele was mostly on a fixed or low income. When you can barely pay the bills you can't justify paying $5 more for a cd than you have to. Not when that same $5 could have purchased a gallon of milk. I can understand that because I'm there my self. It's why I work two jobs. I'm not chasing the dollar, the people I owe dollars to are chasing me.
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/28/2008 12:51:24 PM
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SteveyP
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Uncabeeil,
It is interesting to me that your clientelle is mostly fixed or low income. What do you suppose happened to the rest of the people who are buying Christian items? Are they doing it on the internet, going to other places, etc.? I understand that low and fixed income people are not usually in a position to make arbitrary choices for the Kingdom. But I would bet there are a lot of people who could give their support to the brothers and sisters in Christ who are entreprenuers, business owners, and clerks, but don't because they can save a buck here or a buck there. That is my beef. I do hope that you are able to minister to your community, especially the low and fixed income. When I was a clerk at a Christian bookstore, I remember simply having the time to gab with people were the favorite parts of the job. God bless you!
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/28/2008 3:10:36 PM
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uncabeeil
Posts: 5548
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From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
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quote:
It is interesting to me that your clientelle is mostly fixed or low income. What do you suppose happened to the rest of the people who are buying Christian items? Mostly lost to the internet. Especially if they bought mostly music.
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I don't recall all of the details
But I know life is better when shared. -Jon Troast
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RE: Closed Christian Bookstores - 10/28/2008 5:18:51 PM
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Roberta_
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I have not been in a Christian bookstore since I went to a going out of business sale at one about four years ago. The reason why is because I have not seen a Christian bookstore since that one closed down.
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