CHRISTIAN BOOK STORES EXPERIENCE GROWTH IN '94

Owners of three local Christian bookstores agree business is good and sales increased last year.

Living Water Books and Gifts at 1416 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau has been in business for 10 years.

The store opened in a 200-square-foot building, said Cynthia Adams, who along with Jane Glaab owns the store. The current store has 2,700 square feet.

Last year was "an excellent year for us," she said. "I think people are just now finding us."

Living Water Books and Gifts also offers Vacation Bible School workshops, where new curricula for vacation Bible school are shown to vacation Bible school directors.

"We dress the part," Adams said. "Last year one of the companies had to do with farming, so I dressed as a farmer. If we make it fun for the VBS directors, they get excited and in turn will get the children excited."

At The Way -- Christian Book Store in Jackson, which has been in business for 16 years, Joyce Ross said their sales increased about 25 percent last year.

"We moved about a year and a half ago to a new location," Ross said. "We have a better flow of traffic. We have increased about 1,000 customers from a year ago."

Ross said that she and co-owner Judy Leist feel their business is a ministry.

"We are just two housewives that felt like we were called to serve in our community," she said.

Gospeland Book Store, in West Park Mall since 1983, has had a good growth year. The store, which is in its third expansion in the mall, offers a full line of church supplies and materials. A church supply catalog that has all items used each week in church is printed and distributed. Vacation Bible school workshops are also offered.

David Brunaugh, who with his wife Kathy, owns Gospeland Book Store, said Christian bookstores had good products to offer customers in 1994 because there were excellent product selections from major authors and musicians.

The Christian bookstores offer more than just books. Among those items for sale are Christian books, Bibles, T-shirts, music, videos, gifts, jewelry, greeting cards and Christian art, which seem to be a current trend.

The stores also have listening stations where customers can listen to music before they buy.

"On a spiritual context, I think there is an awakening and awareness going on in America," Brunaugh said. "People are concerned about morality, crime and the family. The Christian bookstore has resources designed to help people address these concerns."