|
By Dorothy Brotherton
KELOWNA’S Christian bookstore has been rescued
from closure by June and Jim Brown, who are considering taking it in a new
direction.
The store was one of the group called Christian
Publications, which also had two stores in Calgary and one in Edmonton,
which all closed because of financial difficulties. The Kelowna store is
the only one that was bought independently and kept open.
“We felt it was something that should continue in
the Valley,” said June. “It’s a fabulous resource for
people, and not just those of the church community. It would have been a
real loss if it closed.”
The Browns operated a gas station and coffee shop in
Saskatchewan before moving to Kelowna two years ago. Jim now operates Bath
Master in Kelowna; that leaves June to run the book store, along with
manager Dave Sohnchen – who had been managing it for two years under
previous ownership.
The store had been under Christian Publications since
2003; they had taken it over from Okanagan Scriptural Supplies, which had
owned the store for several decades in the high-traffic Cooper Centre.
It had originally started as a sideline, in a sewing
machine shop downtown.
The Browns know they are dealing with the realities of
internet shopping and big box stores that carry some Christian books, and
this has siphoned off business from traditional Christian book stores.
That’s why they are looking at a new direction.
“We want to open it up and be not so much a niche
market. We’re investigating how to do it. One way is that we
personally will get more involved in the community,” said June.
Sohnchen has noticed it is possible to reach out to
people who are on a quest for some sort of spiritual experience, such as
those who are attracted to the spiritually-themed books offered by Oprah
Winfrey.
“The Christian market has often had Christian
response books. We should not be afraid to put books that aren’t
Christian beside Christian books – and say ‘Read them
both,’” said Sohnchen.
He added that an expansion to include some books that
probably won’t hold to the truth of the Bible is not a marketing
gimmick.
“We’re not trying to blur the line just so
we can expand our market. We have strong faith ourselves. We need to ask
tough questions. We want people who don’t have Christian faith to
start asking questions, and then lead them on into truth,” said
Sohnchen.
He added that Christians need to know what people
outside the faith are asking before they try to give answers.
Another aspect, he said, is that Christians need to
face their doubts, so they can work through them to find answers.
Continue article >>
|
The store will continue to handle Sunday school and
other curriculum, although that is a declining market.
Sohnchen said many churches go straight to the
publisher, but he is working with customers to get the products they need.
The store will also continue to handle cards and gift ware, but does not
aim to become a gift ware store with a sideline of books.
He noted many Christian book stores have done that
because there are no industry standards on gift ware – so it makes
the highest margin of profit.
“If stores are losing on books and music, gifts
make up for those losses,” he said.
June said she and Jim looked at several retail
opportunities, and this seemed “the absolutely right
thing.”
She had come to Canada from Scotland just seven years
ago, and added they hope the store can be “a vessel God can
use.”
Sohnchen is in the business, he said, because
“I like to get people thinking. I like to engage in spiritual
discussions with customers. That’s how I grow my faith – asking
tough questions and pushing boundaries.”
June noted that, in a single day, she may have an
opportunity to direct a book or other resource into the hands of someone
who is going through divorce, family problems, death of a close loved one
– or someone who is simply going on vacation and wants a good read.
There is no substitute for good customer service, she
noted, and that isn’t found on the internet.
The store will continue to use the Christian
Publications name for six months – while searching for a new
name and adding new stock.
December 2008
|
