Spring Break
Christian bookstores lose out to chains, Internet
Zachary Lewis/Religion News Service
Issue date: 6/24/07 Section: Divine Intervention
Ohio - David may have defeated Goliath, but in the battle between independent Christian bookstores and retail giants, it's the little guy who's losing.
If what's happening in the Midwest is any indication, small, locally-owned religious bookstores and church suppliers are going out of business, conceding defeat to the Internet and retailers like Wal-Mart, Borders and Target.
One of the latest to fall: The Word Christian Resource Center in suburban Parma Heights, Ohio, the third and final store in the small chain to close since 2005.
"People don't understand what's going on," said owner Rob Haskell, whose parents started The Word in 1976. "If people are willing to give up their local jewels, that's one thing. But if they're not, they need to support the independent stores."
Nationwide, 623 Christian book and supply stores closed between 2005 and 2006, according to The Association for Christian Retail (CBA). Meanwhile, demand for Christian products is greater than ever. CBA member stores reported total sales of $4.34 billion in 2004, $340 million more than in 2000.
Retailers say one factor is more consumers are shopping by computer. Sometimes, Haskell said, patrons use his store to view the item they want before buying it online.
"There isn't one day that goes by that the Internet's not brought up by my customers," he said. "That's the 800-pound gorilla."
In many cases, consumers aren't even shopping online. They're downloading or copying what they want freely from sites like Bible.com and Biblegateway.com.
"People don't need to buy Bibles ...and I can't disagree with them," said Nancy Davis, owner of Buckeye Church Supplies in the suburb Rocky River, which closed its street-level store last June and fell back on its basement warehouse.
Wal-Mart's Web site directs visitors shopping for Christian books to a range of specific sub-genres and lists organized by denomination. The books are often discounted 20 percent to 40 percent and shipping is typically 97 cents. At Amazon.com, most purchases of more than $25 qualify for free shipping.
If what's happening in the Midwest is any indication, small, locally-owned religious bookstores and church suppliers are going out of business, conceding defeat to the Internet and retailers like Wal-Mart, Borders and Target.
One of the latest to fall: The Word Christian Resource Center in suburban Parma Heights, Ohio, the third and final store in the small chain to close since 2005.
"People don't understand what's going on," said owner Rob Haskell, whose parents started The Word in 1976. "If people are willing to give up their local jewels, that's one thing. But if they're not, they need to support the independent stores."
Nationwide, 623 Christian book and supply stores closed between 2005 and 2006, according to The Association for Christian Retail (CBA). Meanwhile, demand for Christian products is greater than ever. CBA member stores reported total sales of $4.34 billion in 2004, $340 million more than in 2000.
Retailers say one factor is more consumers are shopping by computer. Sometimes, Haskell said, patrons use his store to view the item they want before buying it online.
"There isn't one day that goes by that the Internet's not brought up by my customers," he said. "That's the 800-pound gorilla."
In many cases, consumers aren't even shopping online. They're downloading or copying what they want freely from sites like Bible.com and Biblegateway.com.
"People don't need to buy Bibles ...and I can't disagree with them," said Nancy Davis, owner of Buckeye Church Supplies in the suburb Rocky River, which closed its street-level store last June and fell back on its basement warehouse.
Wal-Mart's Web site directs visitors shopping for Christian books to a range of specific sub-genres and lists organized by denomination. The books are often discounted 20 percent to 40 percent and shipping is typically 97 cents. At Amazon.com, most purchases of more than $25 qualify for free shipping.
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