After a long battle with brain cancer, longtime Christian retailer Paul Holsopple died May 20. Holsopple—who had owned and operated the Anchor Room Christian bookstore in Fort Wayne, Ind., with his wife, Pauline,
since 1979—was 68. Holsopple was diagnosed in February 2009 with an advanced brain tumor. The Holsopples started their business in 1969 in their basement. Slumping sales led the store to close after 40 years, becoming an exclusively online business.   ?

David C. Cook will release gift books next spring by Man vs. Wild star and British adventurer Edward “Bear” Grylls and his wife, Shara. To My Sons: Lessons for the Wild Adventure Called Life by Bear Grylls is scheduled for release before Father’s Day 2012 and Never Stop Holding Hands and Other Marriage Survival Tips by Shara Grylls will hit stores in time for Valentine’s Day 2012. Bear is best known for his hit Discovery Channel show, Man vs. Wild, and has served as a spokesman for the Alpha course, a Christian discipleship program developed at Holy Trinity Brompton church in London.   

?Filming has started on Ordinary People, a follow-up to Faith Like Potatoes, the story of African evangelist Angus Buchan. Not a sequel to Faith Like Potatoes, Ordinary People will tell the stories of men whose lives were changed after they attended one of Buchan’s Mighty Men conferences. The film will be in theaters by Easter 2012.   ?

Industry veteran Bob Steele has joined Integra Interactive as director of technology. Steele has 35 years of experience in Christian retail, including managing a bookstore and serving as vice president of retail systems at Spring Arbor Distributors and founder of the Christian retail channel’s first full-service online store. Steele has served clients through Trinity & Associates, the consulting company he founded in 1986. 

• Prev
• Next