Christian Bookseller: Vine & Branches Christian Bookshoppe
Anchorage, Alaska
907-345-8778
Vine and Branches is the only Christian bookstore in Anchorage, Alaska, but they don’t use that as an excuse to slack off. They have a wonderful, vibrant and easy-to-use website, and their Facebook page is regularly updated. Owner Tony Hooyer offers a great perk for his crew: They are allowed to check out books and read them, with the idea that they will share about the book with the rest of the staff. As a result, the entire staff is very knowledgeable about fiction, and isn’t shy about helping customers find different authors. Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Terry Blackstock and Randy Alcorn are some of the novelists who sell best at Vine & Branches. Tony loves to brag about his staff: “Our employees and customers work together. The customers trust us to recommend books, and our employees work hard to keep that trust.”
Library:
Welland Public Library
Welland, Ontario
905-734-6210
Located just 30 minutes from beautiful Niagara Falls, Welland Public library in Welland, Ontario, overlooks the famous canal for which the town was named. The library has grown over the years and is able to support a large selection of Christian fiction. Stephen Hanns is the head librarian, and he started carrying CBA fiction about 10 years ago when he noticed a higher demand for it and the shift in the publishing world. Since then they have steadily increased the amount available in the library as more and more readers have found the books to be well-written with great storylines. Stephen has also found that it is not just the female readers that are enjoying Christian fiction; they have a strong male readership because of authors like Steven James. Amish author Beth Wiseman is another favorite, and he mentions several other Amish authors that are very popular right now. When asked what makes Welland Library so special, Stephen replies, “We have a friendly and welcoming staff that takes the time to listen to our patrons’ needs. We have also grown with the community and continue to respond to the changing needs of our city.”
Tracie Peterson visited Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was doing a driving tour on the way to see her daughter graduate. Tracie spoke, answered questions and spent time with readers while signing her books.
82
Number of CBA stores in Florida
(Source: Christian Booksellers Association)
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This article originally appeared in the July/August 2012 issue of FamilyFiction digital magazine. Subscribe for free today!