Well, it was less than four months ago that Berean Bookstore announced they were closing and had a big going-out-of-business sale. But now word comes that they’re opening again this Thursday. Here’s a letter that recently went out to folks on the old Berean mailing list:
June 5, 2009
Dear Faithful Friend,
It is with great joy and privilege that I am writing this letter today. After much prayer and clear direction from God, we have been led to open a new Christian bookstore in the community. We plan to open Hoerr’s Berean Bookstore on Thursday, June 11th in both Peoria and Decatur (located in the old Berean locations) and later in the summer in Bloomington (in a new location). Since you have been faithful friends of Berean over the years, we wanted you to know about this new bookstore!
My family had owned Berean back in the 80’s and 90’s. In light of Berean closing, we feel led to provide a lighthouse for the community again. A place of fellowship; where you can pick up a great book, grab a cup of coffee, sit down on a comfy chair, and meet a life long friend.
We want to thank you in advance for your support of our ministry and are eager to meet and serve you in yours. May God bless you and yours.
In Christian love,
Joe Hoerr
President
It will be interesting to see what changes are made under this new (old) ownership. Hopefully their stock will include more books/music and less tacky Christian gift product than the old store. Best of luck to them.
That’s great news!
Joe is a real nice guy!!!
I heard they were going to re-open, before they closed. I am looking forward to the opening and also hope they have a better selection of books and music.
I think the management will be better than it was before.
They just need to lower their prices so regular people can afford their stuff… their prices are ridiculous.
I think they ought to allow people to install mobile homes on lots to use as primary residences. Think about it. How could a brand new mobile home, professionally installed and owner occupied, be worse than some neighborhoods we have now?
I am glad to hear that Berean will stay open. I hope that it works out for them
Stop griping about their prices and support your local Bookstore! They are a valuable resource to the community and are entitled to make a living. It sounds like they will offer a good, value-added experience to the Christian Community. If you don’t like their prices then drink what you think is the difference in their free coffee.
I don’t think their prices were as much a problem as their selection and their mismanagement by the previous owner.
They were more of a gift shop then a book and music store in the past. I think that is changing with the new owners.
So when they have their next going out of business sale and then 3 months later reopen at the same location… then what? Kinda fishy.
Reminds me of Michael Jordan and other athletes who “retire” and come back. Smells like a publicity stunt to me.
This is wonderful news! Best wishes to Joe Hoerr. I wondered what Peoria was going to do without a Christian bookstore available to us! So happy God led them in this direction…fishy? Wow…jaded a little bit, don’t ya think? Michael Jordan compares to a light in the community, how?
There is at least one other Christian book and gift store in town… over on Sterling
So, does the term, “after much prayer and clear direction from God…” mean anything to you? This is Peoria, don’t you think we could use more than one Christian book store? We’re no longer a small town, haven’t been since about the 90’s or so. Do you think it is a direction that God would take you…to criticize another Christian about feeling led of God to be a lighthouse in the community? * assuming that you are a Christian.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Peoria area supported numerous Christian bookstores:
Family Bookstore (aka Zondervan, Family Christian Stores) survived until 1994 when the corporate vision for retail changed. They wanted two stores serving in relatively close proximity to support each other, and they felt it wasn’t worth it to open a second store here because Berean’s was already a strong presence with stores in Peoria and Bloomington. Following FBS closing in Northwoods Mall, Berean’s took over their space on the second floor. That location has long since closed, leaving just the one Berean’s in Peoria.
Hidden Treasure in Washington made two or three attempts under different owners in a couple of different locations. What finally forced their closure in the early part of this decade was (reportedly) the aging of its owners and no one willing to take over a small, struggling retail outlet — a labor of love, as it were.
Christ Centered Store in Pekin and All That Matters in Peoria for a time had a common “silent partner.” Eventually, CCS changed its name to All That Matters, and they were owned by the same individuals. The end results: the Pekin store closed, the Peoria store relocated to its third spot in the Metro Center, and the new owner was forced to declare bankruptcy and close the store for good 3-4 years ago.
Mustard Seed in Morton used to be a Christian bookstore before converting to a tea room. In the late 90s, there was another attempt at Christian retail in Morton with CJs (no connection to the editor of this blog). It only lasted a year, as the owners were trying to focus more on a Christian community center and less on the retail. Neither project really took off.
Lagron Miller has been an institution in Peoria for decades. However, what made them different from every other Christian retailer in Peoria was its almost exclusively Catholic merchandise. The store has been the center for school uniforms, religious icons/statues, etc. It’s never been considered to have the same kind of wide appeal as FBS, Berean’s, et al.
There also were stores in Galesburg and Canton, but I have no idea what kind of success they had or whether or not they’re still around.
And let’s not forget the fact that Barnes & Noble carries a fairly good sized section of Bibles and Christian books (at least the top 15? 20? best sellers with a few classics thrown in). And they’re open on Sunday.
I’m glad to see there’s one Christian retailer still in the area. I just hope they can strike that balance between carrying a wide selection of titles and topics and having their shelves filled with product that they can’t sell.
lynksy: Peoria has become a “big” city since the 90s… our population actually has … decreased since then. More businesses have closed than opened and there have been plenty of people praying about it.
“So, does the term, “after much prayer and clear direction from God…” mean anything to you?”
Nope. I hear it all the time in all kinds of contexts and it usually precedes someone asking me for money. Where was all that clear direction 4 months ago when they announced they were closing?
After announcing their reopening sale June 11, I just received by Grand Reopening Sale flyer for September.
“So when they have their next going out of business sale and then 3 months later reopen at the same location… then what? Kinda fishy.”
Wow… how prophetic!
See guys, how all things come together in a strange woven tapestry of capitalist nonsense?