Cupples celebrates 40 years in business

Cupples celebrates 40 years in business

Christian bookstore a community mainstay since 1976

news@theeveningtimes.com

A lot happened in 1976. It was the American Bicentennial, the end of a missionary assignment for Rick and Carole Cupples, and a new beginning for the pair, with the founding of Cupples Bible Bookshop.

Rick Cupples recounted events as the business’ ruby anniversary approached.

“Carole and served on a home mission board volunteer unit in 1975 and ‘76,” said Cupples. “We were sent all over the country three months at a time. We learned during that year that we needed to listen to God. When we came here momma turned us out in a little hotel and we told her we’d call her when we knew what we were going to do. It took three days and God showed us together he wanted us to open a Christian bookstore. Back then there weren’t hardly any, but we just told the Lord, yes Sir.”

He was offered all kinds of advice. One man fretted 0over picking this area saying too many people were illiterate. Cupples said some days they didn’t make 17 cents. No sooner than they got going customers questioned whether it would last and asked them if they’d quit.

“That’s probably been the number one question asked over the years, when are you going to quit,” said Cupples.

But the concept of a Christian bookstore was unique in the “70’s, even their pastor had a question for the couple when they started.

“No one knew what a Christian bookstore was back then,” said Cupples.

“There were some tied to denominations. Old Tommy Hinson, the Pastor at West Memphis First Baptist, then talked to us.

He was very insightful asking so God called you to open a Christian bookstore and not a Baptist bookstore? That means you’ll have to minister to everybody, and we thought, yes, that’s exactly what we want to do.”

They started in an old cotton gin across from the then police station at 115 West Broadway and shared space with a bail bondsman.

“Several times people came in with a sack of money to pay the bondsman,” said Cupples. “We’d say what’s your name and write it on the sack and he just trusted us.”

“We have 1,500 feet now and had it full up to the brim in the hay days in the late 90’s,” he continued.

“We had daily customers then. It has been a great joy just knowing it is what God is calling you to do.”

The book shop had a big 30th anniversary celebration too. The last ten years proved eventful. Two new employees help run the store now.

I call them the M& M’s, Miracle and Meagan. Meagan has been here ten years.”

The Christian book business shifted in the last decade creating more than just concern over retail sales of bibles and worship music for Cupples. He shared his thoughts, and as his habit, gently tied it all together with a quote from Holy Scripture, this time from Hebrews.

“More people are getting e-books and downloading their music and not reading, or reading their Bible on an electronic device instead of out of The Book,” said Cupples. “I have a spiritual concern because people can gain a little knowledge right fast and they loose the communion with God in the Scripture or their book that leads you that way. The hay day of the Christian book stores are passing, but God put us here, and our Adonai is responsible and He has kept us here. Our greatest delight is still waiting on the customers, and to know them and to encourage them, to stir them up in love and obedience.

He called us to do that 40 years ago.”

The biggest change Rick Cupples endured was the passing of his wife last year, his partner in life and his partner in the Bible bookshop. He experienced the peculiar kind of Christian peace during her last few days of life on earth.

“The big one was when Carole passed in October,” said Cupples. “She worked through September. It was quite a journey, to be with her especially. We loved the Lord together.

“She went into a coma and it was just me there, reading scripture and pray over her and sing to her, recalled Cupples. “I texted my pastor Jordan Thomas, he came and continued with prayer and song. She opened her eyes and she says, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Jesus Christ is Lord!

The Lord brought her up and revived her for two more weeks — the comfort and the joy to watch her worship the Lord. She’d raise that little finger and point it up. I got to watch her cling to Jesus.”

The technology shift to Social Media represents a business change for Rick Cupples. He announced a foray into social media on Facebook as “Cupples Bible Bookshop” and Instagram handle is “cupplesbiblebookshop.” Much of the anniversary news events and offers will be shared through those outlets. It all seemed new-fangled to the shop owner but he did not want anyone to miss out on the celebration. “Meagan and Miracle put a couple of old commercials on a DVD and they’ll put them on social media, whatever that means, Facebook and Twitter, I guess,” said Cupples. “I may make it to 50th anniversary here, but the Lord is in charge of that too. He don’t ever change; He is immutable.”

The community is invited to join Cupples Bible Bookshop for their 40th anniversary celebration, Thursday Sept. 1 through Saturday, Sept. 3, at their 201 N. Missouri Street location in West Memphis.

Special in store promotions, huge savings, light refreshments, door prizes and an anniversary giveaway will mark the celebration.

By John Rech