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MOULTRIE, Georgia – After 21 years of doing business in Moultrie, Christian Books & More bookstore will finally close its doors later this month.
The bookstore has been owned and operated by Jim Soos since 2000 and claims to have the largest inventory of new and used Bibles and inspirational literature in southwest Georgia. It has also sold new and used books, radio controlled devices, art supplies, scrapbooking supplies, books by local authors, and more. All of these items are now available at the prices listed below.
The bookstore is closing due to a lease termination and Soos expects Tuesday, July 20th, to be the store’s last business day.
Previously located on the square, the store has been at its current location on First Avenue since 2011, when Soos’ Books & More merged its inventory with a large Christian bookstore.
Like many independent bookstores, Christian Books & More saw its business decline after online booksellers like Amazon rose in popularity. The average number of customers in the store has dropped from “twenty to twenty-five customers a day” to three or four, said Soos.
To make up for the loss of revenue, Soos and his staff began selling books and RC gear online. They also increased their presence on social media and expanded their ads on local radio and in print media.
Even though the store closed its doors for a month in early 2020, Soos continued to pay its employees through the worst months of the pandemic and offered a roadside service to connect with customers from a safe distance.
Soos moved to Moultrie and opened the original Books & More in 2000 after retiring from a career at Firestone in Albany. Hailing from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Soos is a lifelong reader who credits his parents with the inspiration for his love of books. He enjoys reading crime fiction and spy novels, and was once interviewed by the BBC for a question-and-answer interview with writer Wilbur Smith. Soos is a member of the Presbyterian Church, the American Legion, and Gideons International, and has also served on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Historic Preservation Committee.
Soos has been giving the Reader of the Year Award at Okapilco Primary School for several years. In 2002 the school awarded him an honorary doctorate, which gave him the title “Dr. Soos â€.
When asked about some of his fondest memories of running the bookstore, Soos recalls a sold out autograph session for the memoir “Murphy Station” by local author Terry Turner, alias David Donovan.
Soos thanked the residents of Moultrie for their longstanding support and goodwill. His only regret is that he didn’t move here earlier.
Christian Books & More is located at 1612 First Ave. SE, across from Ameris Bank and the Farmers Market. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. it is closed on sunday and monday.
The store has a sale of 10% off all new books and Bibles, 50% off used books and all other inventory. Please visit the store’s Facebook page or call for more information 229-985-9425.
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