The Written Word, a Christian book, accessories and gift store, now open in Gadsden

A word from on high was the genesis of a new business called The Written Word.

The Christian Bible, book, accessories and gift store owned by Angela and Don Haight of Southside opened June 10 at 2104-B Rainbow Drive. It’s the first store of its type in the Gadsden area in several years, and according to the Haights the business is attracting customers who’ve missed having one.

“Almost every person who has walked in that door has said, ‘We’re so glad you’re here,' ” Angela Haight said.

Neither of the Haights had any previous business experience. Don is a former Goodyear employee and Angela had a quarter-century career as a critical care nurse, working at both Gadsden hospitals and UAB in Birmingham.

“I woke up in December with the thought of opening a Christian bookstore,” Angela Haight said. “The way the Lord seems to talk to me is in my dreams, and I seem to wake up with something on my head.”

She recalled telling her husband, who answered, “Angie, you’re a nurse; how are we going to open a store?” She added, “I was really concerned: ‘Lord, are you telling me this, or is this my thoughts because I’m getting burned out on nursing.’ ”

As the couple prayed about it, they also went through the Bible study “Experiencing God,” which Angela said helps people learn to discern God’s voice from their own.

“Every single week, it hit on me why we should do this,” she said, “that it was what He was leading us to do.”

And one evening, her husband told her, “We’re going to do it.” So, they started planning.

“While I was working, we secured all of our licenses and started ordering merchandise,” Angela Haight said. “(We) got the lease and remodeled in here.

“The last day I worked (as a nurse) was a Saturday,” she said. “We went to church on Sunday, and came in on Monday and started stocking.”

She said there have been some early ups and downs, but they’re “making it work.” Getting used to the difference in pay has been an adjustment, but she said, “I believe the Lord blesses us and meets every one of our needs, and I know it’s going to grow.”

Angela Haight recalled filling out a form for The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County after The Written Word was nominated for a new business honor. “One of the questions it asked was ‘What makes you different or deserve this,’ ” she said.

“There is nothing in this store that you can’t buy online, nothing,” she said. “But there is something emotional and personal about going in, picking up a Bible, opening it up, looking at it, reading it, smelling it. It’s an emotional connection. Not everyone is all about Christianity, not everyone has a faith like I have, but those that do deserve a place to go and buy their products.”

Bibles have been a big seller; the store offers an engraving service for them. The book section has an emphasis on local authors.

Christian-themed jewelry also has been popular, as have personalized shirts. (Angela Haight does those, along with Christian-themed cups, and sees them as witnessing tools people can use to share their faith.) A section of journaling materials is on the way in response to customer requests.

”A lot of our customers are 18 to 30,” Angela Haight said. “The younger generation is reaching; they're searching for something different than what they see in this world today.”

She said her dream is to “one day outgrow this building,” and has plans to go beyond just selling merchandise.

“I want to have a room where we can hold a Bible study or group study,” she said, “stuff like that, to accommodate the Christians in the community that want somewhere to go where they can gather, feel safe and unjudged — where they can get what they want and what they need, and if it’s not in the store ill order it for them.”

Angela Haight said the Rev. Joey Jones, their pastor at Whorton Bend Baptist Church, has been “wonderful, 100% supportive of us through our endeavor with prayer and praise.”

They’ve also received “advice, recommendations, resources to contact” from the former owners of the Gadsden Christian Book Store, which once was a staple on Broad Street in downtown Gadsden.

The biggest joy, however, has been the interaction with customers. “I love it,” Angela Haight said. “I love meeting the community, I love meeting other Christians.

“I’ve met so many good people — so many people that want us to do well,” she said. “There’s not a day I come in that I don’t want to be here. I totally enjoy it.”

The Written Word is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; it closes an hour early on Wednesday for church. Its Facebook page is https://bit.ly/48mpqPE and its phone number is 256- 613-9276.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: The Written Word, a Christian book and gift store, now open in Gadsden