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I hardly ever go to a Christian bookstore. In fact, the last time I went in one was….yesterday. But before that —- can’t remember.
We had a local Christian bookstore in Parker with a coffee shop and stage for live music. It was a great theory, great location, great vibe in the store. There were only a couple of problems.
The books were expensive. I could get the same books for 30% off Amazon or CBD.
It took forever to special order books. Especially when I could get it in two days from Amazon and CBD.
The coffee was the same price as Starbucks and was terrible.
The music was twice as expensive as buying it from iTunes.
So I had a half hour to kill in Topeka, I poked my head into our local Christian bookstore. I ended up picking up a Boice’s commentary on Ephesians. (His 3 volume work on Genesis is a must for any teacher.) I drifted over into the music/dvd section…I noticed that once again, a full priced CD was almost 50% more expensive that buying it on iTunes. The irony was I could buy a CD from my iPhone right there in the store cheaper off of their Wi-fi than walking 10 feet to the register.
I’m not sure how they stay in business. And while I’d love to have a Christian bookstore flourish, I’m not sure that’s going to happen while charging customers up to 50% more for stuff they can get online. They did have this huge gift section with paintings of lighthouses, crosses, and eagles. I’ve yet to see a Christian bookstore without these items.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Jill // May 28, 2009 at 3:19 pm
yes
2 wayne // May 28, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Jesus Junk!!! You gotta love it!
3 Friar_Tuck // May 29, 2009 at 12:08 am
I agree with you about comparing everything to Amazon and CBD. Of course you always have to figure in shipping with CBD. I do some shopping at Mardel’s, but that is primarily because they have a good bargain section. Sometimes I have gotten a 50 dollar bible for 10 bucks for instance. I think sometimes people prefer to buy a book after they have it in their hands, and feel it, smell it, and in my case even pet it a little bit.
But for the most part, I tell myself that too. And then by the time I get home I convince myself I do not need it.
Except for those moments when my “recreation/entertainment is to go to a bookstore for a couple hours, have a cup of coffee, and come out wiht something interesting. At that point, I am paying as much for the experience.
4 Kitty // May 29, 2009 at 11:34 am
Someone needs to open a really cool Christian bookstore – someone with, say, an earring, a couple of tattoos, and maybe a little fuzz on his face! Good coffee, a little Lincoln Brewster rocking in the background, good prices, and (no offense to the Baptist Church) some cool books, music, and gifts (affordable) that you don’t find at EVERY freakin’ Christian bookstore on the planet! I avoid those places like the plague!!!
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