BARTOW, Fla. – In downtown Bartow, Bartow Christian Books and Gifts has become more than a small bookstore. For nearly 50 years, Bo and Sandy Raulerson have built it around faith, service and relationships.
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“The only thing we have to sell that’s different is service,” Sandy Raulerson said. “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Downtown Bartow bookstore legacy
The backstory:
Their own story started at a fundraising auction. Sandy spent three hours with Bo, then went home and wrote “marry Bo Raulerson, one year from today” on her calendar. They married five months later in 1966.
About a decade later, Bo told Sandy he wanted to open a Christian bookstore. Her answer was simple: “Okay.”
That “yes” became nearly five decades of working side by side, through changing times, changing customers and the challenges of small business.
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Bartow Christian Books and Gifts milestone
What they’re saying:
When asked what he likes most about the store, Bo did not point to the books.
“Well, having my partner here, that’s the thing I like the best,” Bo said.
Now, 50 years in business and 60 years of marriage are coming together. Sandy says both have lasted because love is a daily choice.
“But the ‘in love’ is a choice you make,” Sandy said. “And I made my choice years ago, and I wake up every morning of my life, and I fall toe curling in love again.”
Community impact and trust
Big picture view:
For Bo and Sandy, the bookstore’s legacy is not just what is sold on the shelves. It is the people who have walked through the doors, the trust built across generations and the downtown Bartow community they have served together for nearly half a century.
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