Couple puts faith in new bookstore in St. Patrick Church’s restored rectory

‘This is what our family is meant to do,” Arthur Grainger said. 'This is the path we're being led down.”

On Nov. 21, Arthur and Kathi Grainger opened the ARK Catholic Books and Gifts Shop in the newly renovated rectory of St. Patrick's Church. The shop is the first to serve the local Catholic community in over 10 years.

'There are 11 Catholic parishes in the Cedar Rapids area and over 30,000 Catholics,” Arthur said. 'It was a huge void not having this type of bookstore for the number of worshipping population.”

Four years ago, the Graingers relocated to Cedar Rapids from Texas to be closer to family. Although they joined St. Patrick's Parish and became active in the church community, they missed the ability to engage in a favorite pastime.

'There were three Catholic bookstores within a 30-mile radius of us in Texas, and nothing here,” Kathi said. 'We felt the void.”

In 2011, St. Patrick's Parish began raising funds to renovate the old church rectory, which had been badly damaged in the 2008 flood. The plans included space at the front of the building for a Catholic book and gift store but plans for a bookstore operator fell through.

Kathi approached St. Patrick's pastor, Father Ivan Nienhaus, at a church fish fry in March with her idea for the bookstore.

'I told him it would be a great opportunity for Art, and he told me he had the same idea.”

'They kind of cornered me,” Arthur said.

A former supply chain and logistics executive, Arthur had been operating a consulting business out of his home. At the urging of his wife and pastor, he began researching what it would take to launch a successful Catholic bookstore.

In May, he traveled to Dallas to learn the business at a friend's store.

Arthur works full time at the bookstore while maintaining his consulting business on the side. Kathi, who works full time as a corporate trainer, provides assistance when she can and they have a part-time employee.

The ARK offers an assortment of religious books, bibles, rosaries, statues and gift items. The store has a large selection of smaller items like prayer cards and tokens that are meant to be passed on to others in 'acts of random kindness,” the meaning of the acronym in the store's name.

'These little things are non-intrusive ways to show kindness to someone who is having a bad day,” Kathi explained. 'We not only are evangelizing our faith, but also sharing kindness.”

'I feel very blessed that Kathi and I have been given this opportunity,” Arthur said.

l Comments: Know of a company in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor”? Contact George Ford at george.ford@sourcemedia.net.