Berean Christian Stores has contracted for a chain-wide operating systems upgrade for improved business performance and store growth.

"We are making a very significant investment in replacing all of our current operating systems, including store P.O.S. systems, home office merchandise system and financial operating systems, as we see this as a foundational part of our strategic plans to grow our ministry and business as we serve both today's and tomorrow's customer," said Bill Nielsen, chief operating officer of Berean.

Berean has selected Radiant/Counterpoint and Great Plains as its software providers for the project, which is due for completion in March.

"The project will enable us to look at store growth in the summer and fall of 2013," Nielsen said. "In addition to opening additional stores, we will also be relocating some of our stores to ensure we are in the optimum location to reach our customers."

Berean's first relocation will be its Temecula, Calif., store.

"California is a strong market for us and we are in the process of finalizing a new location for this store," Nielsen said. "The current [shopping] center we are in recently went into receivership, so we are being forced to move out on Jan. 30, which is sooner than we had hoped.

"Unfortunately, this means this store will be closed for a month or two before it can re-open in its new location," he added. "By the end of 2013, we anticipate having a net single-digit increase in the number of stores in our chain."

Based in Cincinnati, the 18-outlet chain—which dates back to 1934—joined Covenant Group last June, increasing the country's second-largest independent Christian chain's membership by approximately 50%.

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