Why Are Christian Bookstores Making a Comeback?

Independent bookstores are experiencing a renewed revival after years of pressure from large retailers and online shopping. Christianity Today highlights how this wider trend is also affecting Christian bookstores, using Kolas Christian Bookstore in Highland, Indiana, as an example. For many years, independent bookstores struggled as large chains expanded and online retailers such as Amazon offered convenient shopping, fast delivery and lower prices. By 2009, the number of independent bookstores in the United States had reached a low point. The situation has changed in recent years. According to industry figures cited by Christianity Today, the number of independent bookstores increased by 70 percent between 2020 and 2025. Barnes & Noble has also continued opening new stores. Kolas Christian Bookstore has survived these changes while maintaining its focus on Christian ministry and community. The store was started by Roy Kolas, who began selling Bibles from his front porch in 1947. He later moved the business into a physical storefront in 1950. Roy's daughter, Sherri Vandersteen, and her husband, Dale, eventually inherited the store. Today, they continue operating Kolas in downtown Highland. The bookstore offers much more than books and Christian merchandise. Customers can find coffee, conversation tables, puzzles, Scripture-themed items and homemade bread. The store also hosts activities such as painting events, apologetics groups, book signings, live Christian music and gatherings for young adults. Kolas has also become a meeting place for Christians from different churches in the local community. The store provides opportunities for fellowship and discipleship that cannot easily be reproduced through online shopping. However, keeping the bookstore financially sustainable remains challenging. The store continues to face competition from Amazon, higher costs from distributors, difficulties within denominational publishing and declining readership. Christianity Today notes that Christian retail sales increased only 2.27 percent in 2025. The Vandersteens have responded by finding ways to reduce costs and purchasing discounted books and merchandise through conventions. They have also adapted the store's activities to encourage people to spend time together and build relationships. Several other Christian bookstores in the surrounding area have closed in recent years. The Vandersteens have therefore sought to preserve Kolas as a ministry-oriented business rather than focusing solely on profits. The store's approach includes discipleship groups, children's activities, local author events and young adult gatherings. According to Sherri, building community is not simply about attracting customers but about loving and serving neighbors. The article also highlights the personal relationships that have developed through the store. Employees and customers have supported one another during difficult periods, including illness and bereavement. For Sherri, the value of a Christian bookstore extends beyond selling books. She argues that an online retailer cannot provide personal prayer, pastoral-style encouragement or face-to-face help when someone is choosing a Bible or Christian resource. Kolas therefore represents a broader question about what people lose when local Christian bookstores disappear. While online shopping provides convenience, physical bookstores can offer personal interaction, fellowship and opportunities for Christian community. Christianity Today concludes by encouraging readers to support local Christian bookstores and participate in the renewed interest in physical bookstores. The story of Kolas suggests that such stores can continue to serve as places where books, faith and community come together.