Excelsia now holds the reins of the Koorong retail business, after its sale on March 31.
Australia’s biggest Christian retailer, Koorong bookstore, has changed hands after the Bible Society sold the business to Excelsia University College (EUC).
The transition took effect on Monday, March 31st.
Koorong has been owned by the Bible Society Australia Group (BSA) for close to a decade, since the Bootes family sold the business in 2015. As the country’s largest distributor of Bibles, Koorong was deeply aligned with the Bible Society in terms of mission, and during these years Koorong continued to be a trusted and well loved go-to for Australia’s Christian community. The store sells Bibles, Christian fiction and non-fiction, DVDs, music, gifts and other resources.
Financially challenging times for Koorong in recent times prompted BSA to look for a solution. Christian news site The Other Cheek reported that the retailer had recorded a $7m loss, linked to difficulties in rebuilding its web, sales and accounting infrastructure.
“Having gone through a period of challenge, Koorong will be best served and in a position to thrive by existing within EUC,” said BSA Group chair Andrew Wiseman. “[Excelsia] is faith-aligned and doing Kingdom work, and has the necessary skill and experience to solidify Koorong’s place in the Australian Christian landscape, where it has held such a prominent place for decades.”
Continuing the Mission Into the Future
Richard Grellman, deputy chair of Excelsia University College and incoming Koorong board chair, said the transition was an opportunity for the business to enter a new era.
“Koorong has faithfully served the Christian community for over 40 years, and we are deeply committed to ensuring it flourishes for the next 40 and beyond,” Mr Grellman said. “EUC brings a faith-driven vision and strong leadership that will build upon Koorong’s rich heritage… expanding its ability to serve the church and individual Christians across the nation.”
Mr Grellman has previously chaired the Bible Society, Mission Australia, and the Centre for Public Christianity, and has also served on secular boards like AMP.
Koorong’s new CEO will be Matt Perry, a highly experienced retail executive who has worked with some of Australia’s largest and most trusted brands.
“This is an exciting time for Koorong, its team, and our customers,” said Mr Perry. “I look forward to building on Koorong’s incredible legacy and leading it into its next chapter.”
From Small Beginnings in the Bootes Family Garage
Koorong started out in the early 1970s, as a small home-venture of Bruce and Olive Bootes, operating from the Bootes' garage in Koorong Street, Marsfield.
Their son, Paul Bootes, a former Koorong CEO, told Eternity that his father, a part-time Baptist preacher, always loved books and used to hold a small church bookstall. This grew into a small business as friends began requesting more and more resources. By 1978, boxes of books had all but overtaken the Bootes' garage and home, and they moved the business to a shop in Ryedale Road, West Ryde. The business continued to grow from there.
Theologically, Koorong is proudly ecumenical, stocking resources for believers from all kinds of Christian traditions and viewpoints.
Paul Bootes told Eternity: “We like the notion that ideas can fight it out graciously on the shelves; the thrust and parry of how people understand the Bible and Christianity and how that all fits together. The Holy Spirit leads people to inquire and he leads them into truth.”
Main image: Source Facebook/Koorong