CHRISTIAN RETAILING Guest Editor Cris Doornbos SERVING THE $4.6 BILLION CHRISTIAN PRODUCTS INDUSTRY OV 7.0 he indus a you in ge i www.c hr is ti an retai i ng. co Guest Editor Cris Doornbos writes of David commitment to helping the church make disciples as Jesus the CEO calls Learn more about how this longtime publishing company is serving the church in fulfillment of Great Commission. More details on page A CHAR I MA IA Publication STORE FOCUS Family business makes history Two retail locations draw customers with key promotions, serve church needs well BY CHRISTINE D. JOHNSON More than a century ago, Louis Kregel launched a small home business to sell theological books to farmers, first in Dutch, then in English. When his wife, Lena, decided it was time to have her house back, Kregel opened a store in Grand commercial area in 1929. years retail operation is known as Kregel Parable Christian Stores, having been accepted in 1992 as the exclusive Grand Rapids-area member of the Parable Marketing Group and joining as a franchise store in 2005. With Jim of the founder, son of former CBA President and Kregel Publications founder Robert Kregel and former board chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers the retail helm, Kregel two full-service locations in Grand Rapids and Grandville serve their West Michigan communities and beyond. Kregel second store was relocated in downtown Grandville in 1991 and remodeled in 2005. The Grandville store now has 4,100 square feet of selling space, while nine miles away the initial Grand Rapids location occupies 5,200 square feet. Kregel Parable makes a habit of serving area churches well and as a result, has a booming Sunday school and Vacation Bible School (VBS) curriculum business. Bob Gillett, a seasoned industry professional with 40 years of experience in books and church supplies, serves churches through the Ministry Resources Department, calling on congregations and maintaining regular contact with them. a large number of churches, at least in the West Michigan area, buy their curriculum from Jim Kregel told Christian Retailing. Jeremy Fleming (left) manages Kregel Parable Christian two retail locations in West Michigan, while Jim Kregel, grandson of the founder, has served as president since 1989. offer about 10 lines of curriculum at last count, maybe Both stores also hold curriculum open houses annually. The Grand Rapids store hosts a larger off-site event, and the Grandville location provides an on-site venue for those who cannot attend the main event. Book signings have featured Ed Dobson and Beverly Lewis, among others. The signing with Lewis was advertised jointly with Baker Book House, described by Kregel as friends and great competitors of The two stores are also jointly advertising Christian Store Week. Having cut back on traditional media because of the cost-benefit ratio, the store has pretty solidly to social to advertise signings, Kregel said, noting that Jeremy Fleming, manager STORE FOCUS, page 21 Hobby Lobby, Mardel Christian stores file health care lawsuit against government Legal action contends that the mandate violates business religious beliefs in requiring abortion-inducing pill coverage BY ERIC TIANSAY Citing Hobby Lobby and its sister company, Mardel Christian Education, have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a mandate in the health care overhaul law that requires employers to provide coverage for the abortion-inducing pill and CLICK HERE for the guide to Vacation Bible School 2013 VBS Product Guide similar drugs. Filed Sept. 12 in U.S. District Court for the Western Division of Oklahoma, the suit by the Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby chain A LT A a claims the government manMORE INSIDE date is forcing the owners violate their Fashion bio shows faith saw her through horrific accident, page 22 ly held religious beliefs under End-times DVD offers truth in a manner, page 28 threat of heavy fines, penalties and Failure Chris Fann shows how to build sales of DVD Bible studies, page 31 to provide the drugs in the Speculative to the page 32 health insurance Devotionals are a mainstay as the calendar turns to another year, page 36 plan could lead to fines of Canadian Christian retailer spells success with servant leadership, page 42 up to $1.3 million a day, the