Cheri Smith has been working to help Columbus and Lowndes County residents grow in their spiritual lives for the past 12 years.
Smith, owner of New Life Christian Supplies next to the Sonic restaurant on Highway 45 North, has been selling everything from Bibles to compact discs at the longtime family business since 1997.
A Columbus native, Smith lives in the Friendly City with her husband, and has children living in Columbus and Birmingham, Ala.
“There are a lot of hours and a lot of work involved in this line of work,” Smith said. “But it really is a very rewarding field to be in. I certainly hope that the store will stay in our family for a long time to come.”
How did you come to own this store?
Well, my mother and dad, J.L. and Ruby Williams, opened it up in 1977. Mother ran it for all those years, and then she passed away in 1988. After that, my sister had it, my brother had it and now I have it. I”ve been here since 1997, and have definitely had to learn from the ground up.
Has the business always been here on Highway 45?
No, actually it started out where Country Kitchen is now and then moved to Gardner Boulevard and then over in East Columbus where the Magnolia Antique Mall is now. We moved over here Labor Day of 2006, so we are coming up on our third year at this location.
What all do you sell here?
We sell Bibles of all versions and a number of books to help in all walks of life, whether it”s prayer life, Christian living or anything else. We even have fiction books, and there are a number of people who read those books. We have music, gifts, church supplies, cards and many other things.
What item do you sell the most?
Probably Bibles and books, I would say. I”m not sure though, because we sell so many things across the board.
Do you have a lot of regular customers who have been coming here for years?
Oh, yeah. We have a lot of regular customers, but we also have a good bit of drive-by traffic. We especially get a lot of traffic from the Air Force base. We just have a lot of really good customers.
Have you learned anything about people through owning this store?
I would say that everyone goes through something at some point. Sometimes you just kind of have to let them talk and listen to what their needs are and see if you can help them.
What is the most rewarding aspect of this business for you?
I would say when you see someone coming in to get materials for Bible study or buying new Bibles when they”re just getting back into church. I also definitely feel great when I get to help someone who has just been saved and they”re looking for materials to help them get closer to God. That really is the best.
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