LifeWay Christian stores to close by end of 2019
The Southern Baptist publishing arm, which has had disputes with authors and artists over content in the past, will focus on digital sales.
LifeWay Christian Resources plans to close all 170 of its brick-and-mortar stores this year.
LifeWay, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, will continue to offer resources through its website and by phone via its customer resource center and network, working directly with congregations. Digital offerings such as online Bible studies and live streaming events are “experiencing strong growth,” said Brad Waggoner, LifeWay acting president and CEO, in a statement.
The shift in retail strategy comes amid declining customer traffic and sales, according to LifeWay. It follows the closure of other major Christian retailers, such as the United Methodist Church’s Cokesbury stores, which closed in 2012, and Family Christian Stores, which closed its stores in 2017. At the time, Family Christian was considered the world’s largest retailer of Christian-themed merchandise.
