Circuit Rider Books

Your Source for Fine Christian Reading in the Mainline Protestant Tradition

History

Knowing from experience that books in the mainline Protestant tradition were hard to find in local Christian bookstores, a Methodist pastor in Spokane, WA, founded Circuit Rider Books in 1982. The store reached out to local churches, their members, pastors, and denominational bodies by supplying books for individuals, libraries, events, and conferences.

Book table services to conferences continued, even after the Spokane store closed its doors. Maintained for several years by Methodist pastors, Circuit Rider Books was eventually sold to Presbyterian elders. Under their tenure, demand for these services grew, and extended into Idaho and Oregon. In 1993, the business was so busy it was divided in two, with Idaho events being divided between the Oregon and Washington halves.

At the end of 1995, Circuit Rider Books of Washington closed its doors, leaving Circuit Rider Books of Oregon as the proud inheritor of this legacy of fine reading for mainline Protestant Christians. At that time, Circuit Rider Books of Oregon reassumed the traditional Circuit Rider Books name.

In recognition of 19 years of essentially volunteer ministry by its owners, Circuit Rider Books was incorporated as a non-profit organization on January 1, 2001. The Rev. Carolyn S. Hampton, formerly the owner of Circuit Rider Books, has been named Executive Director by the new organization's board of directors, and continues to supervise daily operations with the assistance of the board.