Kregel Parable Christian Store in Grandville, Mich., is planning to open a new P. Graham Dunn Gallery—only the second such gallery in partnership with a Christian retail store.

Owners Jim and Kathie Kregel learned of the possibility through Lorraine Valk, the retailer who owns the first gallery teamed with a store, Parable Christian Store of St. Joseph in St. Joseph, Mich. outside of Grand Rapids.

“Kathie [Kregel] had an opportunity with the real estate next door to their store to sign a lease and do a pass-through, like a door from their store into this new space,” said Joe Knutson, co-president of P. Graham Dunn. “It was an opportunity that all fell together at the right place at the right place at the right time, and what she wanted to do was to present P. Graham Dunn in this new space.”

The Kregels signed a contract to lease 1,999 square foot of space next to their 4,000-plus-square-foot Grandville location for the gallery.

“It will feature a wide selection of product from P. Graham Dunn, which is our premier gift department supplier,” Jim Kregel said. “It will also have a nicely equipped conference room for reading groups, ministries, workshops, special events and other uses.

“The gallery will be located within the area of the newly completed downtown Grandville Streetscape, which has greatly enhanced the downtown ambiance and has spurred significant additional business occupancy,” he added.

An entrance from the Grandville store will be constructed in March with the gallery expected to open by mid-April. Parking is available at the front and back of the gallery.

“They just signed the lease a couple of weeks ago, and we’re actually partnering with them on some of the design and layout of this new space,” Knutson said.

P. Graham Dunn is open to future opportunities for gallery openings with stores, but it has to be the right opportunity.

“It has to be a good fit for both that retailer and for P.G. Dunn,” Knutson said. “There’s investment on the front end for both the retailer and P.G. Dunn, so we need to go into it with a high expectation of success.”

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