Save SPCK

by Richard on September 30, 2007

I knew that times were hard at SPCK bookshops, but from what I read at Dave’s blog, it’s a lot worse than I imagined.

Sad.

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

1

Monarch of the Glen 09.30.07 at 9:31 am

I am not surprised that CLC bookshops may be closing. The remit of the stock they carry is far too “narrow” in its theological outlook. In the shops I have visited over the years they do not seem to stock mainstream theology by the most well known theologians.

2

Richard 09.30.07 at 1:48 pm

I take your point about CLC, and the Swansea branch closed some while ago. But SPCK carries an altogether broader range of stuff, and certainly does stock serious theology alongside more lightweight titles.
The real problem for Christian bookshops is that the market has changed dramatically. You have to wonder how long they’ll be able to survive.

3

Monarch of the Glen 09.30.07 at 9:58 pm

I agree that SPCK carries a much wider stock. But as you say how long will Christian bookshops be able to survive. The SPCK shop in Gloucester, near the cathedral has closed. The one in Cardiff moved from a large shop in the city centre to its present premises, within a church, a number of years ago but it is rather far away from the main centre for passers by to pop in. You only know it’s there if you know it’s there, if you see what I mean. Though it does carry quite a good stock, including publications from the Methodist Publishing House - which must be good!

4

Amanda 07.16.09 at 12:20 am

I hear what you are saying about CLC but have you checked back in their shops since the SPCK shops closed? They really are trying to broaden their stock range. The main reason the didn’t before from what I can tell is that many people already went to ‘SPCK’ for certain stock and never bothered to ask for the titles to be brought in (as I’ve discovered). Of course with tough times being what they are you can’t expect a shop to have everything you want on the shelves if they only sell 1 copy a year. It’s a cooperation process which must develop between shop and customers. If they know you want it…they’ll try their best to get it for you and if you tell your friends to buy it, well you might just see it as a regular on the shelf. You want to keep shops from closing you have to be willing to be a part of the solution… But, that’s just this girl’s opinion.

5

Tony Buglass 07.16.09 at 8:38 am

Agreed. But when I was ordering academic texts through a local Christian bookshop, they just couldn’t get them. It took weeks, and the manager was so frustrated because he knew the wholesaler would be dealing with bigger orders to other shops first. In the end, he recommended I go to Amazon. That shop is now closed. I can order books from UK and US with equal ease, and they will arrive within days of each other. Yes, it takes away a local resource, and is a problem for those without access to the internet or who want to just browse, but the market place sadly has changed - and the demise of SPCK was a major part of that.

6

Richard 07.16.09 at 8:51 am

I’ve found the manager at my local Christian bookshop in Wrexham extremely helpful. I’ve bought almost all my books through him over the last year or so and the service has been excellent.

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