Deseret Book Company

George Q. Cannon published the first issue of Juvenile Instructor magazine in 1866. Cannon organized the Deseret Sunday School Union, an LDS Church organization responsible for educating young church members, and the magazine was the first church periodical oriented toward youth. Cannon opened the George Q. Cannon & Sons bookstore in 1867 to sell the magazine and other publications of an uplifting nature. Cannon believed that secular novels did not reflect Latter-day Saint values. In the 1880s, Cannon expanded with a branch in Ogden, Utah.

It is not known how many books Cannon & Sons actually published itself. In that era, authors commonly self-published their books, which were then distributed by others. However, Cannon & Sons distributed several important books through their stores and mail order (see table).

The company had extensive ties to the LDS Church-owned newspaper, the Deseret News. Five of Cannon's sons held important positions in the paper, and Cannon himself was editor between 1867 and 1872, and again while temporarily owning the paper from 1892 to 1898. Nearly every George Q. Cannon & Sons book was printed on the Deseret News press. Cannon sold the bookstore to the LDS Church in 1900, near the end of his life. The church combined the two businesses, and the remaining Salt Lake City bookstore became Deseret News Bookstore.

By 1906, Deseret News press had a Linotype machine and dedicated book press. Many significant volumes were published and distributed through the Deseret News Bookstore. Of these, the most successful was James E. Talmage's Jesus the Christ. Published in 1915, the book quickly went through numerous printings as the LDS Church's First Presidency authorized its use in its Sunday School program.

Meanwhile, the Deseret Sunday School Union, still publishing the money-losing Juvenile Instructor, struggled to maintain its distribution center, the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore. Aimed at church supply, the Sunday School Bookstore sold textbooks, minutes ledgers, sacrament trays, as well as popular books. Since 1891, the non-profit Union asked for yearly five-cent contributions from Sunday school pupils on "Nickel Sunday." Facing over $12,000 in debt in 1914, requested donations increased to ten cents, and 1919 a committee formed to study the organizations solvency. Led by Talmage, the committee recommended consolidation of the Sunday School Bookstore with the Deseret News Bookstore.

By 1920, both antecedent bookstores were closed and a single new Deseret Book Company building was constructed in downtown Salt Lake City at site of the former ZCMI Center Mall. Ownership of Deseret Book was split between the Deseret News (70%) and the Deseret Sunday School Union (30%). However, the Union would manage the bookstore until 1932 when Deseret Book was incorporated for-profit as the "Utah Company". The Deseret News bought out the Sunday School Union in 1948 to become sole owner of the bookstore, but both the Deseret News and Deseret Book are now subsidiaries of DMC, which manages several for-profit assets of the LDS Church. Deseret News Press printed nearly all Deseret Book publications until the 1960s when the company began seeking other competitive bids.

Through the 1930s, the bookstore focused mostly on Sunday school needs such as lesson manuals. Though the bookstore introduced relatively few new authors, several important works were published in this period. Notably, B. H. Roberts' magnum opus, the six-volume Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1930. Deseret Book did not accept manuscripts for publication until the 1940s when the company made a push for new authors.

Deseret Book expanded into motion picture equipment and photographic supplies in the 1940s. Winning an exclusive contract to distribute for Bell & Howell in Utah and parts of Idaho and Wyoming, Deseret Book supplied 16 mm film projectors to the LDS Church. Becoming a film distribution and rental outfit, the Deseret Book "Censorship Committee on Films" was established in 1946 because regular employees were unable to review all the films it handled. By 1950, 18 members sat on the committee.

Preceding modern LDS cinema by over 50 years, Deseret Book founded Deseret Film Productions in 1947. The first film, produced by Frank Wise, was Where the Saints have Trod, an 80-minute film celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Mormon pioneers entering Salt Lake Valley. Wise subsequently produced Temple Square, a 30-minute filmed tour of Salt Lake City's most popular tourist location. Deseret Film recorded over 120 general conference talks over a six-year period. Intended for rental to wards, the conference talks are the first motion pictures of the church's conferences.

In the 1950s, Brigham Young University (BYU) established a motion picture department which attracted Frank Wise. Deseret Film Productions was gradually disbanded. Soon, KSL-TV began covering general conferences.

Deseret Book's downtown location remained the only store until 1959 when site for an Ogden, Utah branch was donated. Stores in Orange, California and greater Salt Lake County opened in malls in 1962. In the 1970s, the original location was torn down to make way for the ZCMI Center Mall where the store reopened on April 2, 1976, during a general conference to attract large crowds. Several more mall locations opened in the 1970s; in Northridge, California, Boise, Idaho, and many more locations in Utah. In 1997, Deseret Book opened its first Washington state location in the city of Bellevue. By 2004, Deseret Book operated over 33 stores in 9 western US states. Expanding its reach in eastern Idaho, the chain also purchased Beehive Book Stores, located in Rexburg, Idaho Falls, and Blackfoot, Idaho. Deseret Book already operated in Idaho Falls at the Grand Teton Mall and in Rexburg. The new store in Rexburg has expanded merchandise selection from the prior two stores.

Deseret Book headquarters (2010)

In the late 1970s, Deseret Book coordinated publication of new editions of the King James Version of the Bible and the Book of Mormon/Doctrine and Covenants/Pearl of Great Price "Triple combination". The 1979 publication of the Bible was the first geared toward Latter-day Saints. A comparably styled "triple combination" was introduced in 1981. With notes from the Joseph Smith Translation, Talmage's scripture commentary, and an index and "topical guide," the new editions are now standard in the LDS Church. Typesetting for the volumes was done by Cambridge University Press.

Deseret Book began publishing LDS fiction for the first time in 1979. In 1986, it purchased Mormon Handicraft–a handmade crafts store–from the Relief Society. As inventory and distribution was centralized in 1984, Deseret Book expanded its lines to include items such as CTR rings and more popular music.

In 2002, Sheri L. Dew became the first female CEO and president of Deseret Book.[4]

Deseret Book established new corporate offices and downtown Salt Lake City retail space during the redevelopment of the Crossroads Plaza Mall into the City Creek Center. In 2007, the corporate headquarters, with around 160 employees, moved into the top seven floors of the Utah Woolen Mills Clothiers building across the street from Temple Square.[5] In April 2010 Deseret Book opened its "Flagship" store in the City Creek Center. This new store sits almost exactly on the same location as the first Deseret Book Location.

In early 1999, Bookcraft was acquired by Deseret Book. This allowed them to expand in the larger "values-oriented" publishing market. The merger also brought more writings by general authorities under the church's ownership, allowing for electronic and print collaborations with other DMC entities (the Deseret News, and Bonneville International) and church entities (such as BYU and the Church Educational System).[6]

Excel Entertainment Group's products deal thematically with the LDS Church including Forever Strong (2008), Midway to Heaven (2011), Saints and Soldiers (2003), and 17 Miracles (2011). The Group is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.[7]

On November 15, 2004, Deseret Book announced that it had acquired Excel Entertainment Group, a 10-year-old company particularly known for its LDS cinema productions and record labels (Highway Records, Embryo Records, Joyspring Records). Jeff Simpson, the founder and president of Excel, became the merged company's new executive vice president.[8][9] Both companies are privately held, so terms of the deal were not publicly released. Although some Excel employees were relocated to Shadow Mountain music at Deseret Book headquarters, most remained at the separate Excel headquarters in Salt Lake City. A reported benefit of the merge was "more family-oriented products available in more places.".[10]

Seagull Book logo

Covenant Communications logo

In July 2006, Deseret Book threatened to discontinue sales with another LDS bookstore chain, Seagull Book & Tape, citing marketing differences.[11] Seagull claimed that their discounted prices on Deseret Book's products was the reason for the threat.[11] Seagull Book & Tape competed with Deseret Book's retail operation, but depended on the company's published work, which reportedly accounted for most of its sales. After some time, Deseret Book instead opted to renegotiate its distribution contract with Seagull.[12] On December 28, 2006, it was announced that Deseret Book was buying both Seagull Book & Tape and the publisher Covenant Communications, from Lewis Kofford. Company officials said they intended to continue running all three businesses as separate entities.[13]

Hilary Weeks, a singer and songwriter of faith-based music with seven completed albums,[24] was born in Colorado and raised in Alaska. She is a member of the LDS Church and is married with four daughters. Her solo career was launched in 1996 with "He Hears Me."[25] Weeks has won multiple Pearl Awards.