Well known Christian Store Chain “Family Christian” has announced plans to close all 240 stores, lay off over 3000 employees, and liquidate their assets. This is a huge disappointment for many I am sure and it’s a sad state of the current times we are in. I remember during the 90’s that there were several “Christian” stores like this one and others that sprung up around So Cal and I frequented many of them. With the explosion of the internet shopping market, it put a huge dent in overpriced goods at Christian stores across the country. It was always weird that those stores would charge $14-18ea for a CD (back in the day) when you could walk in to any Tower, Best Buy, FYE, Wal Mart, Warehouse Music, etc. and get it so much cheaper. I am sure much of that had to do with distribution fees that were cranked up back in the day (I even bought from those distributors when I ran the IVM Online Store so I know the pricing structure). Distributors have gone under, stores are closing, and employees are losing their jobs, it’s quite sad frankly. Pray for the families and former employees because I am sure they will be left with very little during all of this. #ThanksAmazon
Family Christian To Close All Stores, Liquidate Assets
By Brandon J. in News | 8 Comments
This is sad. Before Lifeway, this was where I would go.
I would often frequent Lifeway, Family Christian, and a local store around here called Sonshine Bookstore. They are all but gone.
Sad news indeed. As a teen in the Denver metro area, I frequented Zondervan stores before they were known as Family Christian Stores. I also shopped heavily at the Berean and Mustard Seed stores. Now living here in southwest Michigan, there is a Parable Christian Store nearby but they are nearly devoid of music. I fear they are not far behind.
Oh the memories…
Veggitales
Adventures in Odyssey
Lord’s Gym t-shirts
my first MxPx cd
and they always sold testaMINTS at the register.
Mardel in Colorado Springs is great, I pray it stays in business and doesn’t go out like family, lots of memories, I got value PAC first cd at family Christian in 1998
My Christian Bookstore experience was with a non-chain called Revelation. I remember that $16.98 price tag that would pop up seemingly at random, but most of what they had you couldn’t get at Walmart. The only other place comparable was Hastings, which of course is closed now too.
That is disappointing to see. There is one just up the road from me. I’ll have to go see what, if any, music I can pick up from there before they close. It can’t help when they’re selling 10-year-old music for $15, though. Underoath’s They’re Only Chasing Safety is $13.99 on there.
This comment section is making me sad and nostalgic … anyone remember Blessings?