New catholic bookstore to open in Langley
Holy Family catholic Gift and Bookstore plans its grand opening for October 30th
The economy slump is not stopping Andreas Pfenniger from pursuing his dreams of starting a Catholic bookstore. “In any business that you start, you have to be passionate about the product or service you are providing, otherwise you will burn out … you will fail,” Pfenniger said.
As many other religious bookstores in the community struggle to survive, Pfenniger is trusting that God will provide. “[The] bookstore allows me to pursue my passion of working with books while, at the same time, allows me to be a benefit to society. It allows me to provide a service to the community and allows me to “work for God” by providing resources to help his children come closer to him. Above all else, it is this calling that motivated me to open the store and keeps me motivated through the times where, financially, business may be slow.”
Pfenniger was finding a need for change while he was working at Blessings Christian Marketplace as a salesman. He encountered many Catholic customers, including believers in his own parish, who were looking for Catholic resources to help develop their understanding and relationship with God, but had limited access to such tools. Realizing the need that Catholics in the area had, Pfenniger made the move to open his store.
He also has a great love of books and ultimately knew that he wanted to open his own shop. “In my mind, now is the perfect time as lease rates are more flexible and suppliers are more willing to provide better prices. I feel that if I can make it during the low times, I will be in a great position during the high times,” said Pfenniger.
As for what the store offers, Pfenniger lists everything from Bibles, to literature, to textbooks, as well as crucifixes and gifts. “I also provide resources for the local churches, both Catholic and protestant, such as Hosts, wine, and candles. I have tried to [accommodate] all Catholic related needs,” says Pfenniger. He also notes, “I believe in ethical pricing and try my best to be both reasonable and competitive.”
The official opening of Holy Family Catholic Gift And Book Store is Saturday, October 30th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature speaker Father Bill Ashley at 11:30 a.m., coffee and cake throughout the day, and 10 percent off the entire store. The store is located at 20787 Fraser Highway
in Langley.
Rebecca Selvig & Bekki McCoy
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