The closing of Rainbow Parable Christian Bookstore in Colonial Heights, Virginia, didn't sit well with local customer Wallace Markert. Not wanting to see the business go away, he decided to do something about it.

When he discovered that the store was to close in December, Markert approached store manager Gary Hoffman, who let him in on the details of Rainbow Parable’s situation. Markert then decided to purchase the store and its assets. The store will re-open on April 15 with a grand re-opening date set for April 18.

When offers for the store had “fallen through,” Markert picked up the ball and ran with it. A big part of the decision to purchase the store was to honor the memory of his wife, Brenda, who passed away from cancer in February 2013.

"A little more than two weeks before the store was to close, I overheard an employee say that in working here, 'it just doesn't get any better than this,'" Markert said. "She said she was serving the Lord, ministering to people and getting paid for it. This is a wonderful Christian environment, and that sets us apart from a lot of other stores.

"I just got the call from the Lord. Just give me a mustard see and let's show what the Lord can do. This is all for His glory. If it's from God, then nothing can stop it. We believe this is from God."

A new lease on the building was signed two weeks ago, and the store will re-open soon at its former location at Southgate Square Shopping Center. The store’s six employees, including Hoffman, are now restocking the shelves.

“To put it mildly, we're very excited about the whole thing," Hoffman said. "We were so disappointed to have to close the store in the first place, but we're so grateful that God's hand came into this. We're really looking forward to getting back into business.

“A lot of other people (were interested in reopening the store), but when they find out what goes on behind the scenes and see the tremendous expense running a place like this and that sort of thing, they kind of disappeared, but this man, he stuck with it all the way.”

The bookstore, which sells Christian books, Bibles, music, movies, church supplies, games and other gift items, is part of Parable Christian Stores, an association of independent retailers.

“We have collectively prayed about this, uplifted each other up about this, so we just know it’s going to work because it’s all for God,” employee Ruth Newell told the Petersburg Progress-Index.

Hoffman will maintain his same position at the store. The store is no longer under financial burden, which Hoffman said is a huge relief.

“It’s a big change already,” he told the Progress-Index. “I find myself laughing more than I did before because the pressure is off me now,” he said. “It’s amazing when the pressure’s off how much better you are."

Rainbow Parable Christian Store has formed partnerships with local businesses. The first weekend it is open, the store will partner with the local Chik-fil-A, which will give away some of its product during in-store promotions.

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