GREENVILLE — Longtime customers of the Bread of Life Christian Bookstore in Greenville will soon need to learn a new address.
Fortunately, the transition shouldn’t be too drastic, as the the business is only relocating a few blocks down from its current location on the circle at 107 West Main Street.
Bread of Life, which offers a wide variety of Christian-related items, including Bibles, books, music, cards, gifts, jewelry and decorative items, will close its doors and begin moving June 25 and will reopen the doors at its new location at 533 South Broadway on June 28.
The bookstore has been at its current location “at least since the early 1990s” according to Julie Strait, who is the shop’s manager and one of its owners.
When asked why Bread of Life is moving, Strait said it is primarily a desire to be closer to Greenville’s revitalized downtown.
“We have a great downtown here in Greenville,” she said. “We want to be closer to where all the activity is going on.”
Despite the current location already being close to downtown, Strait said even being two blocks away is “just a little too far.”
The bookstore’s current owners are Julie and her husband Scott Strait, as well as business partners Dr. Doug Gordon and his wife Michelle. The group purchased Bread of Life a little less than three years ago. The former owners were Don and Susan Smearsoll, who still own the building.
The bookstore’s new location on Broadway was previously occupied by Lifestyle Interiors up until last year. The new shop has a little less space than the current bookstore, but Strait says it shouldn’t be a problem for either the employees or customers.
“We can consolidate what we have,” she said. “We will fit in there just fine. We hope our customers will come and check us out because it will be a whole new look for us.”
Currently, Bread of Life employs two full-time employees, including Strait, as well as four part-time employees. Strait says she doesn’t expect the relocation to change their status.
One thing she hopes will help the move is a “moving sale” Bread of Life is conducting, which could mean less items for her employees to haul.
“We have a lot of stuff on sale,” she said. “We’re reducing our inventory a little bit. We have up to 75 percent off some items.”
Strait said Bread of Life’s contact information, including its phone number (937-547-1132), email ([email protected]) and its website (www.breadoflifegreenville.com) will remain the same.
If customers, out of force of habit, do end up at Bread of Life’s old location, Strait said no worries.
“We will have a poster there for several months directing people in the right direction,” she said, adding, “We’re excited to be down [at the new location], especially in time for Greenville’s First Friday in July.”
