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Hope College
the anchor September 26, 1990
Going the distance
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit #392 Holland, Ml
Volume 104, Number 4
Christian music outlet to open
Senior starts own business by J i m Monnett co-editor
A Hope senior and his f a t h e r will soon open a Christian music and video store in Holland. The store will open Monday and is located on College Street between 8th and 9th. The idea for the store, called J a c o b ' s Ladder, c a m e to Shawn J a c o b over a year ago. i t s t a r t e d as a j o k e , " J a c o b said, 44My Dad like the idea so much that we t e a m e d u p . " J a c o b and his f a t h e r h a v e invested both their life savings in the store. J a c o b ' s investments c a m e f r o m his m a n y y e a r s of work as a m a g i c i a n in the
'I saw the Christian music industry offering basically every style of music.' --Shawn Jacob
Holland a r e a . The store is p r e p a r i n g for a g r a n d opening on Monday. J a c o b is doing the protaotional and stocking jobs, while ^his f a t h e r covers the business end. • J a c o b ' s L a d d e r will be one of only a handful of Christian stores that specializes in music and •video exclusively, J a c o b said. Most Christian bookstores also 4 do music and video, but J a c o b , •who used to work a s music director for Baker Book House, thinks 'ihat method is flawed. • " T h e problem is you've got employees that h a v e to know all •about books, children's things, ^Bibles, and h y m n a l s , " J a c o b
said. At his store everyone will know about the music. Explaining why he wanted to start a Christian music store, Jacob said, 4 i saw the Christian music industry offering basically every style of music. I've just found that (the m u s i c ' s ) at a point w h e r e it could s t a n d by itself." As to what type of m u s i c is "Christian m u s i c , " J a c o b said, "I think to d e t e r m i n e w h a t is significant to a person who is a Christian or is e x a m i n i n g the Christian faith it should be music that has lyrics that a r e spiritually challenging a n d Lhai really convey ideas that a r e reflective of Christianity." " T h a t ' s the m a i n f o c u s , " he said. "But you'll see b a n d s like the Alarm and the Ocean B l u e " on the shelves. T h e s e b a n d s a r e on secular labels, but they have probing lyrics about social issues. "Somebody who's a m e m b e r of the church shouldn't worry about (bands) confronting really tough topics. I think b a n d s like this do t h a t , " he said. Even s o m e b a n d s on Christian labels explore serious topics without direct r e f e r e n c e s to God, J a c o b said. F o r e x a m p l e he m e n t i o n e d The C h o i r ' s progressive " C h a s e the K a n g a r o o " album. It explores the pain of a band m e m b e r ' s wife's m i s c a r riage. Other bands, such a s The TV's and Vector, deal with social issues as well. The difference between these bands and s e c u l a r bands, J a c o b said, is that these bands try to "resolve these difficulties by putting them in perspective of God." There will be over 1,000 cassettes and c o m p a c t discs with a twoto-one ratio of c a s s e t t e s to CDs for sale at any given time. There
will be traditional gospel, progressive, Christian metal, adult c o n t e m p o r a r y in the style of WJQ with the likes of Michael W.Smith and Bryan Duncan and many groups that don't fit the genres. The videos offered will not only be rock videos, but also curricular, educational and entertaining. J a c o b said they have full length movies that deal with Christian t h e m e s a n d struggles as well a s motivational t a p e s and childrens videos. For music examination, w a l k m a n s will be available for c u s t o m e r s to listen to demo t a p e s of the music while looking at other music. J a c o b said anyone could ask to put the music on the
You'll see bands like the Alarm and the Ocean Blue on the shelves.' - S h a w n Jacob
main s y s t e m so that people can get a real feel how the music sounds. Jacob promises a demonstration of everything in stock. J a c o b doesn't like the term c u s t o m e r , however. "We don't want to call the people c u s t o m e r s because we want to be on a first name basis." He hopes the s t o r e will become a " h a n g o u t " for everyone f r o m college students to "little old ladies" buying gospel music. "We want everyone to come in, " J a c o b s a i d . "We want people to feel the nonjudgmental a t m o s p h e r e that Christ c a r r i e d with H i m . ' '
S h a w n J a c o b ( 4 91) Is o p e n i n g a C h r i s t i a n m u s i c s t o r e in d o w n t o w n H o l l a n d . J a c o b e a r n e d t h e m o n e y for t h e s t o r e from his a p p e a r a n c e s a s a paid m a g i c i a n . File photo
J a c o b ' s L a d d e r will also c a r r y the Living Epistle t-shirts that a r e seen advertised in many Christian m a g a z i n e s . These colorful shirts proclaim Christian m e s s a g e by p i c t u r e and Scriptural reference. Some e x a m p l e s include, " N o a h ' s Y a c h t Club," "God's G y m , " 4 4 There's No Surfing in Hell," and 4 4 Bud-wise-up." The s t o r e is to be r u n in the day by J a c o b ' s m o t h e r , while he's in
class finishing his d e g r e e in religion and psychology. "She just h a t e s cheesy m u s i c , " J a c o b said about his m o t h e r ' s hard rock tastes. According to him, s h e listens to the Altar Boys, a g a r a g e b a n d that played the Knickerbocker T h e a t r e last fall. J a c o b ' s L a d d e r will open Monday. Hours a r e 11 a . m . to 9 p.m., Monday through S a t u r d a y .