Episcopal Stores Stock Breadth and Depth

by LaVonne Neff, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 11/15/2006

In business for over 50 years,
the Episcopal Bookshop is just across the
parking lot from St. Mary’s Cathedral in Memphis, TN.

High on Washington D.C.'s must-see list is the splendid National Cathedral, visited annually by 700,000 tourists. "The huge majority of them are surprised to learn that there's a bookstore here," said Dennis Braden, buyer for the Museum Store Bookshop on the cathedral's lower level.

Though the 2,000-square-foot store stocks the expected touristy titles, it also provides thoughtful religion books from a broad range of perspectives. Offering books on all sides of an issue risks making everyone unhappy, Braden observes, but "the pulpit is upstairs. We're simply down here to help people get the reading material they need."

The store, which has been growing steadily over its roughly 40 years of existence, boosts sales through its online service and its print catalogue—500,000 copies mailed this year. It also supplies books for the cathedral's author series, which attracts from 200 to 900 people each month.

Like the Museum Store, Atlanta's Cathedral Book Store—affiliated with the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in the tony Buckhead neighborhood—welcomes readers of all faiths. "Two Catholic bookstores in the area closed recently," noted manager Sue Tierney, "so we get quite a few Catholics, and also Methodists and Presbyterians."

Especially popular is "Wednesday Night in the Bookstore," weekly discussions of hot religious topics or novels with implications for faith. Beginning next year, the Jane Baird lecture series—endowed in memory of the store's former manager—will feature an annual conference on books and bookselling.

Employees also conduct book sales at Episcopal churches and at retreats of all denominations.

"We are part of a very large church, and a lot of our traffic is because of that," says Tierney. "But we are also considered one of those nice little gift shops in Buckhead."

By contrast, the Episcopal Bookshop in Memphis, Tenn., does business alongside pawnbrokers, homeless shelters, bail bondsmen—and St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. It's a good location, said bookstore manager Elizabeth Wirls—people who work downtown can easily drop in during their lunch break. "It's a quiet retreat for them on a busy day. My dream would be to have a coffee shop, a gathering place where people can sit down and talk about issues."

During her five years as manager, Wirls has increased inventory and deepened the collection of poetry and fiction. The typical customer, she says, is "someone who is really curious, not someone who wants a formula." She recently started a book club and e-mail list for local patrons, and she personally takes books to retreats.

Staffed by Wirls and 15 to 20 volunteers, the store recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. "That we've been in business this long has a lot to do with the volunteers," said Wirls. "We're like a family."

This article originally appeared in the November 15, 2006 issue of Religion BookLine. For more information about Religion BookLine, including a sample and subscription information, click here »

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