In the beginning, 1981, St. Paul’s Bookshop started as a sole card table set up on Sunday mornings with a small inventory of greeting cards and some prayer books. Our shop was run by volunteers with its stock stored in the kitchen between Sunday services. Through the support of our clergy, our parishioners, and our visitors, we now have our own four-walls within the church and a part-time manager who is a member of St. Paul’s. We are open throughout the workweek during lunchtime hours thanks to our volunteers. The Bookshop still stocks the same items that got us started, and we now include inspirational books, gifts, and jewelry. Notably, in the age of the internet and Amazon, we have survived by gearing our merchandise around the Episcopal Church, and key events such as baptisms, confirmation, marriage, childbirth, death, and other life changing spiritual occurrences. Our parish’s small groups order their books from the Bookshop, and we stock books discussed during Christian formation. We also sell items to other parishes in the area at reduced prices. “St. Paul’s Parish Light”, our weekly e-newsletter, features books in our inventory. We remind customers that our profits go to St. Paul’s Outreach, and this helps our sales. No big box store, or internet competitor, can offer the customer service of a small store run by members of our church which is what defines the St. Paul’s Bookshop.
Caro Humphrey
Bookshop Manager
St. Paul’s Bookshop
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
