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The Art Store
[Publisher's
Note: In June 2004, my fiancée, Marilyn, and I had the
wonderful opportunity to drive up to the beautiful "Lake
District" of northwest England, just south of Scotland,
to quaint Kirkby Lonsdale. We were on a mission to visit Bruce
and Gina Woods-Jack, owners of "The Art Store". The
Art Store has been a landmark of the European Christian Science
community for decades — serving the community through
its mail order and retail sales of Christian Science related
materials, and through its "Advert Bulletin". One
evening with Bruce and Gina and we were energized! Their love
for Christian Science and mankind is overflowing!! — MM]
 Originally
situated in London ( we know as far back as 1908), the "Christian
Science" side of "The Art Store" was bought in
1969 when Bruce Woods-Jack was still a university student and
Gina was a brand new Mum to the first of eventually five children.
At first they ran it from an alcove in their bedroom, advertising
weekly in the Christian Science Monitor as a mail order
service. Within in two years and with two additions to the family!,
the business had grown to the extent that retail premises were
required. So the prayerful search for a home for the family and
business began. Whilst on a little holiday in Kirkby Lonsdale
(in South Lakeland) both family and business were literally God-propelled
into the shop and living accommodation above that have been their
happy home for over 30 years.The little market town we love has
since become virtually a Mecca to 1000's of our fellow Christian
Scientists and both Gina and Bruce served, at different times,
as Monitor advertising representatives (more about this
later).
 As
the business expanded over the years to reflect our own community's
needs its main aim has remained serving its Christian Science
customers in the British Isles and Europe, and now soon on the
world-wide-web as well. We have built up services and a catalogue
of items---Christian books, music CDs, Reading Room requirements,
Sacred Solos, and the KENEX LESSON MARKERS (right)
sold all over the world which are our exclusive product made here
in Kirkby Lonsdale... and featured in the Christian Science Publishing
Society's own Reading Room catalogue as well.
Referring
back to Monitor advertising....For the last 11 years
we have produced our own ART STORE ADVERTISING BULLETIN. It is
sent out on a quarterly basis to individual Christian Scientists,
to Churches, Reading Rooms, Retirement homes, Nursing facilities,
Schools etc. This is how we were discovered by CSDirectory.com
and are happy to be supporting Mark in his venture! The bulletin
contains our own product advertising and many
services offered European wide by members and friends of the Christian
Science Movement, i.e. solicitors, estate agents, accountants,
hoteliers, travel agents, and meets the advertising needs of former
clients that used the Monitor
that withdrew from this field of advertising in the World Edition
we all read over here.
We
soon realised living in Kirkby Lonsdale (a small rural market
town) in order to serve our local community, we started to stock
a large selection of childrens' books,good quality toys, games,
stationery items and art supplies. Now a visit to our shop will
reveal a "treasure trove", often remarked upon by our
customers as quite unique!!....Our family of five children, their
various spouses and our 3 grandchildren are now scattered even
further afield than our loved Christian Science customers... many
of whom have been of enormous support in all our endeavours over
many years. Their love, ideas and practical contributions have
kept The Art Store moving forward, and now, in the 21st Century
we work towards the full opening of our web site (www.theartstore.org.uk)
and our on-line ordering service AND our new link to CSDirectory.com.
Love
and Good Wishes to All,
Bruce and Gina Woods-Jack |
CONTACTS:
To find out
more about The Art Store, contact:
The Art Store
18 Main St
Kirkby Lonsdale
Cumbria
LA6 2AG
United Kingdom
tel +44 (0)15242
71603
(Monday-Satuday 9-17) G.M.T.
fax +44 (0)15242
71841
eMail:
woodsjack@btopenworld.com
Visit
our web site and online store: www.theartstore.org.uk
We gladly
ship our products worldwide!
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