Lighthouse Celebrates 60 years in Southern California
Long Beach, CA — 2006 marks 60 years of Lighthouse Christian Stores serving as a beacon to the greater Southern California area. Owners Mark and Ruth Bingle are celebrating with events throughout the year including appearances by MercyMe, Jim Cymbala and Karen Kingsbury, plus Friendship Teas with Emilie Barnes.
The Lighthouse story began shortly after World War II with Ruth's parents, Mac and Mollie McCall. Ruth shares the story in her own words:
My parents married during World War II at a small church in Texas. My father, Mac, had become engrossed in a Christian book he had borrowed from the little church, but the two left the area before he had a chance to finish reading it. Soon thereafter, they traveled to Los Angeles to see my mother's family. Determine to finish the book he'd begun in Texas, Mac tried to find a local Christian bookstore nearby, but none could be found.
At that time, Gospel Light had three bookstores in Southern California. My mother contacted Henrietta Mears; one thing led to another, and soon she and my father were working at the location in Long Beach. They were so poor; they lived in a small apartment upstairs. But in 1946, my parents purchased the store with a $10,000 loan from my grandpa, and Lighthouse Christian Bookstore was born.
As I look back through the years, I can see God's hand in all our lives. Now, 60 years later, Lighthouse has grown from one small store in Long Beach to four stores in the greater Los Angeles area. And God has been with us every step of the way.
Lighthouse is a member of The Parable Group. A hybrid combination of marketing group, franchise and retail services provider, Parable offers Christian retailers a full range of marketing, merchandising and operational services. For more information, contact Gary Weyel or visit www.lighthousestores.com.
