Word (bookstore)

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The Word bookstore is a chain of sixteen Christian bookstores in Australia, plus telephone, internet and mail order. Word and Koorong are the dominant Australian Christian book sellers.

Word Australia is the wholesale distribution arm of Word, meaning that many of Word's smaller competitors are re-sellers of Word merchandise.

[edit] History

The Gospel Film Ministry Ltd was founded in the 1940s by Raymond Moulton as a family-run not-for-profit evangelistic Christian ministry showing films and preaching the gospel. In the 1950s it expanded to distributing music, and established the retail chain in the 1970s.

As of 2006, Word Bookstores had 16 retail outlets:

Sydney - City and Sutherland
Melbourne - Nunawading, Cheltenham, Dandenong, Frankston and Melbourne City
Brisbane - Eight Mile Plains and Alderley
Adelaide
Perth
Gold Coast (Southport)
Country Victoria: Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo
Albury

From 1 July 2006, the retail and distribution businesses were sold to a new company named Word Bookstores Pty Ltd owned by Craig and Stuart Moulton (grandchildren of the founder). The original GFM continues as a non-profit organisation promoting the Christian faith.