The Religious Goods Shop, Inc.
While stationed in Norman, Oklahoma, with the U.S. Navy, Taylor Campbell decided what he wanted to do with his life. He saw a Christian bookstore with a big stove and several chairs laid out for reading and relaxing. Campbell loved the idea of selling Christian books and gift items in such a welcoming environment, and wanted to try to do it himself. .
On Easter Monday, 1946, Taylor Campbell’s dream came to fruition as the first incarnation of The Religious Goods Shop Inc. opened its doors. The store’s original location was in the basement of St. Peter’s Church in downtown Richmond. It later moved to 8 th Street near St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and then to 7 th Street. The Religious Goods Shop opened its doors at its current location on Belmont Avenue in 1975 in a former bar and a beer/ice cram parlor.
The Religious Goods Shop began by selling items of interest to Catholics in Richmond, but has branched out to carry a wider variety of religious products. While still primarily a Catholic store, The Religious Goods shop currently caters to a variety of Christian religions. The store manager is now Bill Campbell, Taylor Campbell’s son, and the staff has expanded to four part-time employees. Bill Campbell reports that church sales making for around 60 percent sales, with gift items and personal purchases making up the remainder.
The Religious Goods Shop Inc.
20 N. Belmont Ave.
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 355-6634
Sources:
Interview with proprietor
Profile prepared by Mark Osborne
December, 2006
