LifeWay Christian Stores is celebrating 75 years of service and ministry. LifeWay Christian Stores President Mark Scott listes various highlights of the stores’ 75-year history during a recent chapel service at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville:
1925- The then-named Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention purchased the Baptist Book Concern in Louisville, Ky.
1930s- Difficult situations with the United States economy made some people question the wisdom of keeping the stores, but the bookstores survived.
1940s- The stores continued to grow and added film rentals to their product mix in what would be a forerunner of the stores’ video sales.
1952- The chain had grown to 44 stores.
1972- In an experiment, the Sunday School Board opened two new concept stores called LifeWay Stores (with small w). While the stores closed a few years later, the Sunday School Board had ownership of and later registered the LifeWay name (with capital w).
1992- The chain had grown to 63 stores.
1999- The stores changed names from Baptist Book Stores to LifeWay Christian Stores, conducting business through retail stores, online, catalog, and direct sales.
2001- LifeWay Christian Stores will open its 100th store this summer. (BP)
Share with others: