Family Christian Stores
Encyclopedia
Family Christian Stores is the world's largest Christian
-focused retailer, and it is located in the United States. As of 2007, the retail chain had 4,600 employees in over 300 stores in 40 states. The retail chain offers a variety of Christianity-themed merchandise, especially books and CDs.
Until 1993, the chain was part of Zondervan
, the Christian publishing giant that owns the copyright to the New International Version
of the Bible. The two companies share the same office complex in Western Michigan. Family Christian Stores has increased its size through acquisitions, including Joshua's Christian Stores and Shepherd Shoppe. The private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners has been the majority owner since 1999.
Christian items and church supplies are also sold over the internet
through the company website. The corporate office is located in Grand Rapids
, Michigan
. Some of the larger stores in the chain host large in-store events including concerts for Christian artists.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
-focused retailer, and it is located in the United States. As of 2007, the retail chain had 4,600 employees in over 300 stores in 40 states. The retail chain offers a variety of Christianity-themed merchandise, especially books and CDs.
Until 1993, the chain was part of Zondervan
Zondervan
Zondervan is an international Christian media and publishing company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan is a founding member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association .- History :...
, the Christian publishing giant that owns the copyright to the New International Version
New International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
of the Bible. The two companies share the same office complex in Western Michigan. Family Christian Stores has increased its size through acquisitions, including Joshua's Christian Stores and Shepherd Shoppe. The private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners has been the majority owner since 1999.
Christian items and church supplies are also sold over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
through the company website. The corporate office is located in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Some of the larger stores in the chain host large in-store events including concerts for Christian artists.