Grand Rapids' Baker Book House gets new retail store, has jobs to fill

Grand Rapids' Baker Book House will break ground today on a new 28,166-square-foot renovation and expansion of its bookstore and warehouse at 2768 East Paris SE. And, the company is on the lookout to fill two new jobs right away -- one in the current retail store and one data entry person for the Internet sales side of the business.

Baker Books, a Christian book publishing company, offers hundreds of thousands of books, including 90,000 used books and a growing Internet sales division.

Set back from the road, the retail shop looks much like the warehouse it's attached to, and that has confused customers and kept the business from being seen easily from the road. All that is about to change with the addition of a two-story-tall façade with storefront windows.

Inside, other changes will update the retail store to contemporary customer expectations with a full coffee shop and café and a fireplace with plenty of cushy seating.

"We will have a permanent event place for author readings and book signings and live music performances," says Sue Smith, store manager. "Right now, we have to set up and take down chairs and move fixtures when we have an event. We wanted a space to leave 40 to 60 chairs set up with a stage, a projector and flat screen TVs."

Smith says that bookstore growth is unusual in this economy, but she says Baker saw a 12 percent sales increase in its 2010-2011 fiscal year. Internet sales account for 15 to 17 percent of all monthly sales, she says.

Smith plans to have a grand opening of the new store in August. Integrated Architecture created the design. Orion Construction is the construction manager.

For more information about the jobs, Smith says to stop by the store and pick up and application.

Source: Sue Smith, Baker Book House
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor