NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Three months after the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City, the national chain of LifeWay Christian Stores has acquired two Christian stores in Salt Lake City and nearby Ogden, Utah.
Effective Sept. 15, the chain, owned and operated by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, assumed ownership of two Intermountain Christian Book Stores, the dominant Christian retailer in Utah. Intermountain has served a seven-state area for more than 45 years.
The name of the stores will remain unchanged for now, and the stores’ personnel will be offered continued employment, according to Mark Scott , vice president of the LifeWay retail group. Plans include continued management of the two stores by Intermountain’s previous owners.
In Salt Lake City, the store is located at 880 East 2100 South and can be reached at 801-486-4965. The Ogden site is located at 4039 Riverdale Road; its telephone number is 801-399-3103. John Constance will manage both stores.
“As part of our chain’s growth initiative we are seeking markets, many in the western United States, where the demand for Christian products is not being met,” said Scott. “And that includes pioneer markets — locations which may not have a large Southern Baptist customer base.
“Similar to our acquisition of two stores in Toledo, Ohio, in February, this purchase in the Salt Lake City area is an opportunity to advance the Kingdom in what is considered a non-traditional market for us,” said Scott.
“We are delighted to return to the Salt Lake City area so soon after our Southern Baptist Convention in June,” said James T. Draper Jr., president of LifeWay Christian Resources. “This time we plan to stay to serve churches and individuals in ways that honor Christ.”
The chain also will open new stores in Kennesaw, Ga. and Austin, Texas, on Sept. 21. In Kennesaw, northwest of Atlanta, the 6,000 sq. ft. store will be the chain’s third Atlanta-area site. The 5,000 sq. ft. facility in Austin will feature many products and services for the Hispanic community.
The Austin store, managed by Brianna Dalby, is at 9333 C420 Research Blvd. Telephone 512-338-8974. The Kennesaw store is at 667 Earnest W. Barrett Pkwy. Manager Bill Baronkamp may be contacted at 770-426-4299.
“The Lord continues to open doors for us to extend our ministry in new areas of the country and to strengthen it in locations where we already have a presence,” said Scott. “We will be faithful to go where we are confident God wants us to go.”
With the addition of these stores the chain will operate 79 stores in 21 states.
LifeWay Christian Stores on the World Wide Web opened in July at www.lifewaystores.com.
