Catholic business

When Hope and Katie Lindgren sell books and religious goods, they are not really thinking about how much money they will make or how successful their store may become. They are thinking about bringing others to the love of Christ— heaven is on their hearts and salvation is on their minds.
            
“The priority of Ave Maria Bookstore is to evangelize and help people get to heaven,” Katie shared. “Selling Catholic books that support people’s spiritual development is one way we hope to do that.”
            
As homeschooled sisters, they grew up in a close relationship with their parents, Tim and Kathy Lindgren, who run a long-cherished Catholic bookstore in Fargo.
            
 “Our parents have been a big inspiration to us with the work they have done at Holy Family Bookstore,” Hope said. “Our dad and a group of Catholics started the bookstore in 1996, and our mom has been the manager since 2010.”
            
Following in their footsteps, Hope and Katie recently began to desire to bring authentic Catholicism to others through religious goods.
            
“We’ve always had a passion for helping people, whether it be in their faith or in their health and well-being,” Hope said. “I had the opportunity to work at Holy Family Bookstore in Fargo for a month a few years ago. I discovered that I truly loved the atmosphere of working at a Catholic store. Katie has always loved books too, and we soon began discussing the possibility of opening our own bookstore in Bismarck.”
            
In May of 2024, Ave Maria Bookstore was born in Bismarck.
            
“In addition to books, we also sell a variety of religious items, such as statues, crucifixes, rosaries, coffee, gifts for special occasions and some locally made goods,” Katie said.
            
In various and impressive ways, Ave Maria Bookstore promotes solid Catholic values as a business, both in its products and in its contribution to the greater mission of Catholicism.
            
“We make every effort to offer only reliable books that adhere to Church teaching and doctrine,” Hope said. “Our books are meant to encourage readers to follow in the footsteps of the saints and to deepen their faith.”
            
By branching out into a few other product areas, the store shows care for the whole person—body, mind and soul.
            
“Besides Catholic books, we also sell classic books that are timeless treasures,” Hope explained. “We are passionate about health and wellness in addition to our faith, which is why we carry a few unique brands in our store, including Seven Weeks Coffee and Just Ingredients. Seven Weeks Coffee is mold-free, organic, and most importantly 'pro-life coffee.' Part of their proceeds are donated to pro-life care facilities. Just Ingredients supports health and wellness by only including pure, organic ingredients.”
            
Further, in a unique sense, the bookstore seeks to be a place that people can come to find not only books and religious goods, but joy, fellowship and peace as well.
            
"One of our goals was to have a family-friendly bookstore, with an area for kids to play," Katie said. “We also wanted it to be a relaxing and cozy environment where shoppers can sit down, have a cup of coffee, and read a book or study. We love it when people can feel comfortable in our space!"
            
Ultimately, it is destined to be a pillar of light in our Catholic community and an integral aspect of “who we are” as disciples of Christ in our area.
            
“I enjoy getting to know the wonderful customers that visit our store,” Hope shared. “When customers express their excitement about the presence of a Catholic bookstore in the community, it is really inspiring to me. What really makes owning the store so special is the community here. Without all of their love and support, we would not be where we are now.”
            
Both Hope and Katie love people, and they love to see the meaningful impact that their store and its products can have on those they care about.
            
“Getting involved with the surrounding Catholic community is my favorite part of opening this store,” Katie said. “Meeting everyone that comes into the store and getting to know them is something I really enjoy. I love the conversations we have with them about life, religion and everything in between! Being able to provide Catholic items for people to have and to help grow in their faith is so fulfilling.”
            
Looking back, Hope and Katie are truly grateful for all the encouragement they have received from others to get the store off the ground, especially their parents.
            
"I enjoyed helping Hope and Katie with bookshelves which was my main contribution,” Tim Lindgren said. “It's nice to see them helping to spread the Catholic faith in western North Dakota."
            
They are edified by it and cannot help but offer a word of thanksgiving.
            
“We truly just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us through this process,” Hope said. “Whether it be through spreading the word of our store, prayers, purchases or anything else, it means so much to us. We can’t say enough about the support we have received.”
            
Although it hasn't always been easy, Katie mentioned that God has been at their side.
             
“Even though we’ve faced challenges, they are always just a reminder to surrender and trust in God.”
            
In the future, they hope to see their business bloom.
            
“Eventually, we plan on expanding, but since we are just getting started, it is difficult to know what that will look like for us,” Hope said. “We know we want to grow and reach more Catholics in the future.”
             
Ave Maria Bookstore is located at 820 43rd Ave NE Ste. 126 in Bismarck (right by the north Cash Wise and in the same building as Crumbl Cookies) and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
 
The store accepts mail orders and hopes to have an online store soon. Those who want to place an order or put in a special order (such as for materials the store does not normally sell) may call or text 701-390-5760 or email [email protected]. The store can be found on Instagram (@avemariabookstore) and Facebook at Ave Maria Bookstore where upcoming sales, giveaways, new items and other information are shared. They hope to have a website published soon, through which customers can subscribe to an email newsletter.