TYPE: Chain

Region: South Central

Location: College town; off interstate, between an Office Max and empty store in semi-empty strip with freshly blacktopped parking lot.

10-Point Rating:

Appearance: 8

Inventory: 10

Staff: 9

Overall: 90%

Sliding scale: Just about classy.

External appearance: Large, red store letters across front. Three black awnings above tall glass windows. Black garbage can on sidewalk in front of store.

Window display: Three large, four-panel windows. To the left, the windows were covered with posters: Kay Arthur, Casting Crowns, Max Lucado,
VeggieTales, Thom and Art Rainer. The glass panel to the left of the double doors noted the store hours. An "open" neon fish was lit on the right panel. A variety of gift product was visible through the windows to the right.

Entrance: Double-glass doors, with a sign apologizing for the fact that the imprinting machine was out of order. Very large letters on another door sign read, "Buy one. Get one." The offer was explained in smaller type: "All boxed Christmas cards."

Layout and inventory: Seasonal gift displays were immediately to the left. Registers beyond, with large rolls of gift wrap mounted on the back wall. A messy cart, overflowing with product, stood to the right of the counter.

To the left, gifts were displayed on a variety of shelves, so that product could be viewed from outside through the window and inside the store. Stenciled on the wall above the front windows was the verse Josh. 24:15. Framed art was hung in small niches, with prices noted for each piece.

Three rows of five identical, face-front books were stacked to the ceiling above shelves throughout the store. The vast visual display of inventory communicated: "This is a well-stocked store."

The children's department was behind gifts. On a tall wall to the right, an eclectic mix of children's items with inexpensive holy hardware, toys, games, puzzles and gift books—an interesting way to showcase hard-to-shelve items. A turned-off TV was tucked in the corner with a large open floor area. Farther along the wall were homeschooling resources, toys and games.

Music was next with three listening alcoves. All categories were neatly labeled. Six angled racks of T-shirts hung high on the wall above 20 boxed shirt fronts and a black wire rack with T-shirts. "Bargain table" signage was above two clearance tables covered with red tablecloths.

Cards and books were at store center. To the far left, a huge Bible department. Study Bibles, specialty Bibles, Old Testament commentaries, Bibles studies, sermon helps, Bible software, Bible covers and other supplies were clearly labeled. A spinner with holy hardware was between a Rose Publishing display and "Pass It On" cards. Two leather chairs sat adjacent to the Bible and church supply sections.

Church supplies were at the back. Communion trays were neatly displayed on a table with boxes of cups underneath. Signage noted Sunday school records, membership records and neatly organized church bulletins in acrylic racks. A seven-drawer plastic unit was tucked in the corner underneath three choir robe racks that hung from above.

Appearance: Every inch of space was utilized. Posts held a variety of product; magazines even hung in acrylic racks on a post.

Staff: As we entered, a young woman at the counter said a quick, "Hi." She and a young male frontliner were busy at the registers during our Monday mid-afternoon visit. At one point the woman left the register to accompany a customer to a Bible reference tool, and she knew the exact product location. During our visit, this frontliner called for back-up using the intercom.

Verdict: Move Guitar Praise from the kids' wall to the music section, as tweens and teens would not look for a product that is displayed with Gigi items. Check that signage matches product: Neatly stacked communion bread and cups were under a sign that read "VBS." Add a sign near the children's devotionals indicating that children's Bibles are located near the adult Bible section.

How would you feel if this were your regular store? Great.

Would a non-Christian feel comfortable here? Yes, although the gift section was small in comparison with the larger book sections.

What will you remember of your visit a week from now? The way personal impressions differ. My companion, who regularly shops at a large, new Christian bookstore, thought this store crowded and messy. In contrast, my nearest Christian bookstore is small, crowded and staffed with inattentive frontliners. That's why this large, well-stocked store was a delightful change.

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