By Brenda Erdahl
For the first time in 15 years, Maple Lake is without a Catholic bookstore.
The store that started as St. Patrick’s Books and Gifts on the corner of Birch Ave and Division Street in 2009, has moved to St. Michael.
The Vossen family, who purchased the bookstore 2 ½ years ago and renamed it Holy Gifts, was given the opportunity to rent space in the 135-year-old Catholic Church in St. Michael and they couldn’t pass it up.
Twenty years ago, the archdiocese retired the old building and built a new church. The archdiocese still owns the building however and has been renting parts of it out for various religious related programs and services including to other Christian denominations, Brian Vossen said. The Vossen’s rent for their book and gift store goes to support the archdiocese and that is something that really appealed to the family.
Holy Gifts is located on the main floor of the historic church and comes with a view of some spectacular architecture including ornate columns, arches and stained-glass windows – all you would expect from a historic Catholic church.
When the Vossen’s purchased the bookstore 2 ½ years ago, they moved it to the west side of Birch Avenue in the same building the Maple Lake Library is located. While the space served its purpose well, it was small which made it difficult for more than a few people to browse at the same time. The new space in St. Michael is several times larger, Vossen said.
The larger space will also allow the family to add to their selection of gifts and books. They carry gifts for all the major religious holidays and occasions including confirmation, first communion and baptism. Now that it’s lent, they also have Lenten prayerbooks available.
The Catholic bookstore was always very well received, and people traveled from great distances to shop there. Vossen hopes that devotion will continue.
“We are incredibly grateful to the residents of Maple Lake for all their support. We couldn’t have made it without them,” Vossen said.
Holy Gifts is open Wednesday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the corner of Central Ave and Main Street in St. Michael – look for the big steeple. For more information, visit holygiftsonline.com
Holy Gifts, a Catholic book and gift shop recently moved from its location on Division Street in Maple Lake to the historic Catholic Church in St. Michael.