Lemstone Christian Stores
Franchise Overview
Formerly America's only Christian bookstore franchise; acquired by Parable Group in 2008 and no longer franchising. Maintained for historical reference
Lemstone Christian Stores was for many years the only franchised Christian bookstore chain in the United States. Founded in 1981 as Lemstone, Inc. (originally franchising under the Lemstone Books name), the company opened its first store in 1982 and grew through the 1980s and 1990s by placing Christian bookstores in enclosed regional malls and major strip centers, later adopting the Lemstone Christian Stores trade name in 2002 for its strip-center locations. At its peak the system operated roughly 40 franchised stores across two dozen states, selling Christian books, music, and gifts.
New ownership acquired the company in 2003, and in 2007 the parent renamed itself Insight Retail Group to reflect a broader mix of franchise, affiliate, and church-bookstore programs. In 2008, the Parable Group — a marketing cooperative turned franchisor serving independent Christian retailers — acquired Lemstone, and its franchised stores were rebranded under the Parable name.
Lemstone Christian Stores no longer operates as a franchise system and is not accepting franchise inquiries. This page is maintained for historical and research reference.
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