MEET CLARICE CHRISTIAN Owner of CChrist Christian Bookstore

joy of browsing in a Christian Bookstore where they can touch and see the items.

What is the core mission or guiding principles behind CChrist Christian Bookstore?

CChrist Bookstore provides resources to help initiate, develop and further relationships with God.

What are some of the lessons you have learned as a business owner, why is it important for people to shop local, and what do you see for the future of local businesses?

gifts...things that were previously mostly in the domain of Christian Bookstores. The impact of online shopping and the closings of Covid presented tremendous challenges for our small site.

What would you say is the reason for your continued success in light of the challenges other bookstores have faced (especially through covid)?

I have learned that keeping a business open is a daily challenge, and as I always believed, the people make a business. Customer care and having a great staff (which we have always had) is tremendous. It’s important to make connections and adjust to change, and you must learn to navigate the systems and developments that impact your field.

Daily prayer at the store... Advertisement...and local people who enjoy the atmosphere and the joy of browsing in a Christian Bookstore where they can touch and see the items.

People who shop local are investing in their own futures. The local economy affects local growth and sustainability. I believe neighborhoods where people and businesses share good relationships generally do well.

What is the core mission or guiding principles behind CChrist Christian Bookstore?

Thank you Clarice.

CChrist Bookstore provides resources to help initiate, develop and further relationships with God.

What are some of the lessons you have learned as a business owner, why is it important for people to shop local, and what do you see for the future of local businesses?

The story of CChirst Christian Bookstore is the story we all share of bringing our hopes and dreams to life. Those dreams begin in a local community. And to help enliven those dreams, may we all remember the joy of shopping in person at a local store—the enchantment of flipping through pages of books and Bibles to really see what mysteries they hold, and of unhurriedly perusing a retail space in the communal adventure of picking up interesting items, and scanning for surprises we wouldn’t think to plug into a search engine online.

By Wendy Scott

Meet Clarice Christian, owner of CChrist Christian Bookstore in Lemon Grove, offering Bibles, Christian books, study materials, media, cards, gifts, church supplies, and embossing services.

What makes this little store so remarkable is that it is one of the last Christian bookstores in San Diego, and it’s not a national chain. CChrist is a local bookstore, a rare sight these days, and it has managed to persevere in an economic climate that challenges every aspect of the brick and mortar—especially in Southern California. Retail space costs have skyrocketed, competition online promises convenience at a discount, and digital media lures us with easy reads.

Covid was the most devastating assault on small businesses, which trained us to stay home, shop from our couches or box stores, and go digital, displacing the nostalgia of browsing for treasures in a local shop.

And yet CChrist has survived this rising tide of adversity, buoyed by the dreams of its owner.

I interviewed Clarice to find out that story. Tell us about your family life and where you grew up.

I am one of two children, and grew up in Ft Smith, Arkansas—a carpenter’s daughter and descendant of slaves, sharecroppers, ministers, farmers, nurses, church planters, and church builders. I married my high school sweetheart, Sr. Chief retired Paul, who works in the business as well. We have three adult sons.

When did you start CChrist Christian Bookstore and what inspired you to take on that challenge?

I have been a book lover and avid reader since childhood, and so CChrist bookstore was always a personal dream. After I retired from Kaiser

I have learned that keeping a business open is a daily challenge, and as I always believed, the people make a business. Customer care and having a great staff (which we have always had) is tremendous. It’s important to make connections and adjust to change, and you must learn to navigate the systems and developments that impact your field.

Most of all, may we cherish conversations with other locals, as well as that friendly face of customer service, just there to help us. There are still humans out there, and their dreams can be the soul of our community. Get out there and find them. Shop Local.

People who shop local are investing in their own futures. The local economy affects local growth and sustainability. I believe neighborhoods where people and businesses share good relationships generally do well.

Permanente (RN in Nursing Administration), we opened the store in 2012, and then relocated to the present site in 2014.

Thank you Clarice.

Describe your process of starting a bookstore, and what that was like.

I had been praying for about a year about when to start. The store was initially a small space just a block up the street from where we are now. We had one bookshelf, which I purchased from John [Sully] when his [Evangelical Bible] Bookstore in North park closed its doors [after 40 years]. It was exciting and fun but challenging as I knew nothing about operating a business....just books.

The story of CChirst Christian Bookstore is the story we all share of bringing our hopes and dreams to life. Those dreams begin in a local community. And to help enliven those dreams, may we all remember the joy of shopping in person at a local store—the enchantment of flipping through pages of books and Bibles to really see what mysteries they hold, and of unhurriedly perusing a retail space in the communal adventure of picking up interesting items, and scanning for surprises we wouldn’t think to plug into a search engine online.

CChrist Christian Bookstore Web: cchrist-bookstore.business.site

7733 Palm Street #101

Lemon Grove, CA 91945 (619) 337-7713

Business Hours

Mon: Closed

Tue: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wed: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Most of all, may we cherish conversations with other locals, as well as that friendly face of customer service, just there to help us.

Describe your journey since that time as a business owner in Lemon Grove. Since that time, we have expanded to a larger place and hired part time staff. Over the next 5 years, most of the non-church attached Christian bookstores in San Diego began to close as larger [secular] box stores and online sites began to carry Christian items eg bibles, and gifts...things that were previously mostly in the domain of Christian Bookstores. The impact of online shopping and the closings of Covid presented tremendous challenges for our small site.

Thu: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Fri: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sat: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

There are still humans out there, and their dreams can be the soul of our community.

What would you say is the reason for your continued success in light of the challenges other bookstores have faced (especially through covid)?

Sun: Closed

Get out there and find them. Shop Local.

Daily prayer at the store... Advertisement...and local people who enjoy the atmosphere and the