Next-generation shoppers on the place of Christian retail stores

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: What type of products do you use or go to Christian bookstores for?

LAWRENCE: I would go to Christian bookstores if I knew they had a supply I needed for a kids' program that I was working on at the time, or if they had a book set I had in mind that I needed to get quickly.

A lot of times I would do my shopping on Amazon or eBay or the Internet, so it's not to browse or peruse, it's for a purpose.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: Is that Sunday school or children's church lessons or VBS?

LAWRENCE: For children's church, if there was an aid that was there. I didn't buy a lot of curriculum at Christian bookstores when I did children's church or kids' Sunday school, but if they had something that really piqued my interest, then I would go ahead and pick that up.

STEGALL: I go when I have something specific, whether it's a book I'm looking for or a CD. Then I'll just go ahead and go—it's not just to browse. Sometimes I'll go to browse, but generally I have a mission in mind.

A lot of the bookstores these days, like Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, a lot of them actually have some pretty good inspirational sections, so if I'm going to pick up a fiction book or something then at one of those stores, I can go ahead and look at their Christian section. But generally if I go to a Christian bookstore, I have a purpose in mind.

SMITH: I'm the same way. If I go to a Christian bookstore, I have something in mind that I want to get, like the newest novel of some series or to pick up a new Bible.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: So there's a certain type of product that you believe you can find in a Christian bookstore as opposed to a general bookstore—what type of product might prompt you more to look at a Christian bookstore?

STEGALL: I like to read Christian fiction. Even in stores like Books-A-Million or Barnes & Noble, they do have a good inspirational section—however, they may just have a few titles by an author that I really like.

So if I want something specific, then I may go to a Christian bookstore because I know I'll have a better chance of finding many products by these different Christian authors at a Christian bookstore.

LAWRENCE: The specific products that would lead me to a (Christian) bookstore would be supplies for a lesson, but also during a specific season, like graduation or Mother's Day or Father's Day, and I wanted to get something with a meaningful background. I look at the Christian bookstore for a meaningful gift or a thoughtful gift. They tend to have quality things that you can give to somebody and I like that.

SMITH: The last time I went to a Christian bookstore I was looking for some Christian CDs. I shop other places, but I knew the Christian bookstore was the best place to find the music I wanted to listen to.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: That's interesting—we know that the music industry is changing to more digital music. Do you look for Christian music in Christian bookstores?

STEGALL: I definitely do. However, I admit that the last Christian CD I bought a couple of months ago, I bought on iTunes. It's just quicker. All I have to do is press the download button, and in less than five minutes, I'm listening to the CD that I want. However, I know that the Christian bookstore is a great place to find tracks for CDs that you can sing with. Even if I buy some of my CDs online or iTunes some, I do go to the Christian bookstores for especially those accompaniment tracks. Those are a great place to look for them.

LAWRENCE: For me, it's very rare that I buy CDs. I do operate a lot on iTunes. But even more so it's very rare for me to purchase a CD from a Christian bookstore. I have a few Christian artists that I enjoy, but maybe a few of their songs—I wouldn't buy a whole CD. You have to purchase a whole CD at a Christian bookstore and that makes the total three times the amount.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: Are you in general more likely to go to the Internet as opposed to bookstores?

LAWRENCE: Absolutely. Unless I needed something at a deadline and the Internet wouldn't be able to meet that deadline, which is rare, my first thought is the Internet. I can go on my phone, I can go on my laptop or iPad, iPod Touch, and I can get different price selections and different options of paperback versus hardback, or one song versus a whole CD. The only thing the Internet doesn't offer is the enjoyment of being in a bookstore or getting a cup of coffee.

STEGALL: I am probably the complete opposite because I really love that bookstore environment, so I love to go to the bookstores. I'm on the computer probably 10-12 hours a day from work and then when I get home. I love to just be there (in the store) and see the sights and look at all the different options. When I would use the Internet is when I am looking for something specific that I can't find in the bookstore because you can get anything you want online. When it's just if I'm going to look or browse, I would definitely want to go to a bookstore.

SMITH: I'm the same way. I like going to the bookstore first to see if it's there. If what I want is not there, then I'll check the Internet.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: So, in general, how important are Christian bookstores for your shopping needs?

STEGALL: Though I only go once every few months, I think I would definitely miss it if it wasn't there. There are specific things that you can find there that you can't find somewhere else. I definitely don't want them to go away.

LAWRENCE: It's important to have them because (they do) target an audience that wouldn't be able to find the supplies just anywhere. Certain things that you could get at a bookstore or a Christian bookstore could be very expensive online, like curriculum or gifts. I worked at a church for about two years and certain things like communion ware, things around the church, can be very expensive to buy online, but the bookstore offers pastors discounts. Certain discounts you just can't find anywhere else.

SMITH: In my town, our local Christian store combined with another Christian bookstore, and the location I knew basically closed down. I was devastated because that first place was awesome: great place to hang out, great book selection, everything. They moved to a different place first, and it was smaller and it wasn't quite the same, and they closed their doors a few months later, and I was not happy. I miss it a lot.

LAWRENCE: One thing I do appreciate about bookstores is that it's not just a place to go and shop, but there are opportunities to adopt a child overseas and support them monthly. You don't just walk into (any) store and find an opportunity like that where you can also affect your community and your world.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: What could Christian stores do to attract more twentysomethings?

LAWRENCE: I think it's hard to market Christianity to twentysomethings because (to them), it is very cheesy and very just outdated. ... I think a lot of what twentysomethings enjoy is that atmosphere where they could go and sit down and get a cup of coffee and be in a bookstore and not be in a store in general. So maybe if more places did a café twist or provided free Wi-Fi, a bigger lounge area. I know a lot of Christian bookstores do offer that, but maybe just market it more as "I'm a café, and you can come and get books and all types of things."

STEGALL: I think definitely making it more open and carefree and then you never know, you might attract somebody who this isn't the place they would necessarily go, and they hear about it and it sounds like a cool place. You're always going to have a group of Christians that are always going to want to go. That is just the way it is. Just making it more open to attract (others), because you're always going to have a crowd that's going to want to go.

SMITH: I like the suggestions of the café and lounge area to sit. The bookstore I mentioned that closed down, they had that, they had a little café and a place to sit down. The only other suggestion I would have is to have more music events associated with the bookstore to get more people in who might not (have visited) before.

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