ABOVE: Mardell and Glendon Olson and Corey and Danielle Freitag stand outside Good News Bookstore in Fairmont, which will soon be Goodnews Collective. Submitted photo.

FAIRMONT– After almost 79 years in business, Good News Bookstore in Fairmont is closing one chapter, but another is about to begin as Goodnews Collective, a faith-centered shop operated by Action169, will soon be opening.

Good News Bookstore was originally opened by Rev. Dexter Collins in 1946. Then on June 15, 1978, Glendon Olson purchased the store.

Taking over as owner of a faith-centered bookstore was a change of career for Olson, who had been working as a music teacher in Swea City, Iowa.

“I had been doing that for 15 years. Two years overlapped. I taught school and had the bookstore for two years,” Olson said.

When asked if he imagined having the bookstore this long, over 47 years, Olson immediately said he never did.

“I bought it from Dexter Collins and I think he was 88… I’m 82,” Olson said with a laugh.

Over his 47 years at the store he’s seen plenty of trends and different challenges, including Covid. He pointed out their slogan is ‘we’re more than a bookstore’ because the store has offered, in addition to books, greeting cards, gifts, church supplies, religious decor and other miscellaneous items.

Olson said he hadn’t been thinking about retirement plans, but that everything fell into place.

“I like to think of it as Proverbs 16:9. “Man’s heart plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Olson said that he has greatly enjoyed working, but that it felt right to step back right now.

“When you enjoy what you’re doing and you have a mission, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s fun to get up in the morning and hardly wait to get to work,” he said.

Danielle Freitag is co-founder of Action169, an organization that’s built on a foundation of prayer and is committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation and substance use through Christ-centered prevention, intervention and holistic care services.

She said they had been looking for a space and had a conversation with Olson and his wife, Mardell.

“It felt like this was the perfect space for us and our ministry,” Freitag said.

She and her husband, Corey, put an in offer on the building and while the Olsons had other offers, they eagerly accepted the Freitags.

“We have a similar heart,” Freitag said of the two businesses.

She intends to operate the business as Goodnews Collective.

“The hope is that this will continue to provide for the community what Good News Bookstore did, but with some added things,” Freitag said.

It will continue to offer an assortment of books, resources and meaningful pieces. Freitag said that it will have survivor-made goods, including handcrafted items.

In addition, it will house Runway for Action, which offers high-end formalwear at a discounted rate while supporting the healing and restoration of women. While the store, directed by Diana Bradley, has been operating seasonally for a few years at different locations, most recently in a rented space by Pizza Ranch, Freitag is excited to offer some of the gowns year-round at Goodnews Collective.

“We’ll also hopefully have space for workshops,” Freitag said.

Freitag said she never imagined seeing her non-profit expand to all of this when she started it in 2014.

“It’s exciting to see. The original vision of empowering women, especially coming out of trafficking and exploitation and addiction, for them to have a space and access to the different kinds of restoration services we have has been the greatest joy,” Freitag said.

She said they’re looking forward to being able to partner with different artists on a similar mission at the new store.

“I’m excited to have everything in one place,” she said.

Olson began offering items at a discounted rate in mid May soon after he announced the closing of the business. It will close for good on July 12 and Freitag plans to get in and get started on some building improvements soon after that. She intends to use the entire space, which is fairly large.

Of course, the name of Action169’s space is intentional as it includes ‘Goodnews.’ It was an intentional decision made by Freitag.

“I’m honored that they’re doing that,” Olson said of the name.

He called retiring a ‘bittersweet’ thing. He said he hasn’t had much time to think about it, but shared that his wife is making a list of things for them to do in their free time. Plus, he said he’ll have time to tackle some projects he hasn’t gotten around to yet.

Olson reiterated how pleased he is with how the business swap took place.

“It was something the Lord just took over and orchestrated. I feel very good about it,” he said.

Freitag is also anxious to get in the space and she is planning for a late 2025 opening though said it could be early 2026.