Regional chain slims to 18 outlets ‘to survive the economic downturn’

Berean Christian Stores is cutting the number of its locations by almost a third. Stores are to close in six states, reducing the Cincinnati-based regional chain to 18 outlets.

The move was a strategic business decision, said President Bill Simmons last month.
“We have a lot of great stores, but there are some that we cannot afford to operate in today’s economy,” he said.

The closures include three long-established stores acquired from independent owners when Berean embarked on an expansion program a couple of years ago.
In 2006 it bought Macon Christian Store in Macon, Ga., from former CBA chairman Chris Childers, and Wellspring Christian Bookstore in Louisville, Ky., from Ward and Anita Wells. The following year, Berean took on The Living Water Christian Bookstore from Wayne Pence.

Also being shuttered are the chain’s two other Indianapolis market locations and stores in Wooster, Ohio; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Fullerton, Calif.
Simmons declined to talk about specific locations, but said that the closures were to begin in January and would mostly be completed by March 1.

The decision had been made in November, he told Christian Retailing, and was intended “to make sure we have done everything we can to survive the economic downturn,” he added: “If we plan for the worst and do better than that, then it’s all icing on the cake.”

Meanwhile, Family Christian Stores has closed its outlet in San Diego, although the company declined to comment. Last month the company’s Web site store locator listed a total of 298 stores in 36 states.

In an interview with The Daily Times in Salisbury, Md., to mark the opening of the chain’s new store there, in December, Family’s Director of National Marketing and Promotions, Alex Mosoiu, commented on some of the changes in the Christian retail market in recent years.

“Christian retail has undergone a significant shift in the past 10 years: It used to be a destination business—stores like (ours) carried products no one else did, so customers would be willing to travel greater distances to find them,” he told the newspaper.

“Today, the landscape is dramatically different than 10 years ago; our products can be found in multiple places,” he added.

As a result, Mosoiu said, “location becomes incredibly important, as customers are less willing to drive out of their way. As part of being good stewards, we look for effective real estate locations that fit our model.”

With the economic climate as it was, Mosoiu said, “we are making strategically sound new store and relocation decisions in order to maximize the number of customers we can serve.”

Meanwhile, LifeWay Christian Stores—a division of the Southern Baptist Convention—added nine stores, while closing two stores last year, according to LifeWay Christian Resources Media Relations Manager Chris Turner.
“Our current store count is 151, with the likelihood that number will increase in 2009,” said Turner, who declined to elaborate on the chain’s plans for this year.

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