The Parish Family at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids is thrilled for Jerry & Madeline Robinson, who have purchased the Rosary Book & Gift Shoppe, located at 3320 West Saginaw Street in Lansing, Michigan.
Q: Tell the story of how you learned that the Shoppe was for sale and how the previous owner worked with you.
Jerry: My brother called me last year asking what my family should get Maddie for Christmas, and I suggested a gift card to The Rosary Shoppe; turns out they stopped selling them because the business was for sale. Maddie and I couldn't stop thinking about buying it! We prayed about it a lot, talked with other business owner peers, and after some time decided to follow this new path God was laying before us.
My wife has told me on a few occasions that the Rosary Shoppe is her favorite store; she even got her First Communion dress here when she was little, so this also made it seem like a natural next step.
After months of research, running numbers, and sacrificing time we felt confident this was truly God's plan for us. It hasn't been easy, but life isn't meant to be. The quote we regularly think of and pray on is from Pope Benedict XVI, he said:
"The world offers you comfort, but you weren't made for comfort, you were made for greatness."
In pondering this quote more, we have come to realize that the greatness he speaks of is not free, it comes at a cost: sacrificing, dying to one”s self, and not being in the comfort this world is pushing on us. Buying the Rosary Shoppe put us on a path of total reliance on God and his providence; it's not comfortable to kneel before the cross and surrender our future to Him, but as faithful Catholics we trust that the Father will provide for us at the Shoppe.
Mike & Vicky Wegener, the previous owners, were very easy to work with. With all four of us having the common goal of transferring the business, it was great working out the details. They were gracious enough to stay on for quite some time to train us.
Q: Buying a business is never easy. How did your prayer life help you through the process?
Jerry: Many hours sacrificed in prayer to prudently discover if this is what the Father had in store for us. Our jobs allowed us to live a very comfortable life as is, and so the worry of possibly losing that definitely crossed our minds, but ultimately we realized that worry is not from God, and that by putting our trust fully in him, even in scary times, he would take care of us no matter what.
Q: The Rosary Book & Gift Shoppe was established in 1947 and has a long and respected history in the Lansing Diocese. How do you plan to continue that tradition? What are some changes you are making to the store and how do you hope that will meet the needs of the Churches in the area?
Jerry: As the fifth owners of the Rosary Shoppe, we have some big shoes to fill. We really like to think of what we do as a ministry, and with that mentality, making sure the faithful have what they need to grow their relationship with Christ is what we plan to do! Listening to the folks coming in, and helping them find the right book, sacramental, or gift is what we specialize in.
One of the big changes we made right away was the introduction of our church goods & Clergy room. Seminarians, Deacons, Priests, and Bishops can come in to get custom sized for any sort of vestment they need. By the end of this summer, we will be able to offer altar wine to parishes; and palms for Palm Sunday will be available for 2027. We brought back gift cards, which make a great gift option for anyone!
Q: Because you are both in your mid-20’s, what message can you share with other 20-something entrepreneurs?
Jerry: Pray to the Holy Trinity to help guide the way. Our way isn’t God’s way, and being able to put that full trust in Him is difficult; but full reliance is an amazing feeling! All you need to do is keep moving forward, and He will make everything right.
We pray for Jerry and Madeline and encourage all to visit them either in the store or online at https://rosarybookandgift.com/
