Tammy Nugent and her husband, Dcn. Tim Nugent, are co-owners of St. Maximilian Kolbe Books and Gifts. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC

New St. Max owners look forward to walking with customers’ faith journeys

BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC

People visit St. Maximilian Kolbe Books and Gifts on Halifax Drive in Owensboro for many reasons.

“They come in to celebrate a sacrament, and are upbeat, happy and excited,” said Tammy Nugent, the store’s co-owner. “Then others come in needing a bereavement gift.”

Still others stop by the only Catholic store in Owensboro to find a gift for their children who are no longer attending church, as a way to inspire them to find their way back.

 The interior of the new location of St. Maximilian Kolbe Books and Gifts on Halifax Drive. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC

In the several months of operating the store, Dcn. Tim has noticed a trend among their customers.

“People are either buying stuff for other people or stuff to grow in their own faith,” he said. “That’s inspiring to see people so dedicated to their faith.”

Still others “come in just to talk,” said Dcn. Tim. “It’s been fascinating, rewarding.”

The mission from God

The Nugents – along with Fr. Ray Clark and Dcn. Brett Mills – became co-owners of St. Max on March 12, 2021, purchasing the store from its original owner, Kelly Hedges, who had operated the store for 19 years.

Kelly ran the store out of her home in its early days, eventually moving to a small storefront on 18th Street in Owensboro. Later, as St. Max grew in popularity, the store expanded to a larger storefront still on 18th Street.

“I had wanted to sell it for a while and retire, so when they came along it felt right,” said Kelly. “The mission was always to serve and educate the Catholic community.”

She said she appreciates the “zeal” of the store’s new owners, admitting that it felt bittersweet to hand over St. Max: “I miss it but it’s been wonderful.”

“What a gift it was to us,” she said. “It helped me grow in my own faith and learn about people. When you serve someone, it helps you take the focus off yourself. What a wonderful gift God gave us (through the store).”

Ministry, not a job

St. Max moved from 18th Street to Halifax Drive in April, officially reopening on April 19.

Bishop William F. Medley blessed the store’s new location on June 1, 2021, and it seems the blessings have continued.

“This new location has really been positive,” said Larena Lawson, who works at St. Max part-time. “People love it.”

Lawson added that since there are no Christian bookstores left in the area – LifeWay Christian Store closed in June 2019 – their customer base has expanded to even more non-Catholic shoppers.

The Halifax Drive location is beside a beauty salon, so occasionally customers from the salon will come next door to check out the new store.

Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unexpected silver lining: “It was a good year for the store during the pandemic because more people were getting connected to their faith,” said Lawson.

Bishop William F. Medley blesses St. Maximilian Kolbe Books and Gifts on June 1, 2021. COURTESY OF LARENA LAWSON

“It’s a ministry,” she said. “I’ve always said that for me, it’s never felt like a job. You meet people where they’re at.”

Fr. Ray agrees: “There is a lot of evangelization that happens here.”

It was his idea to provide a Keurig coffee maker beside some comfy chairs in a corner so that people feel welcome to sit and read. He also brought in a small guitar and ukulele for the children’s section so that little ones can stay occupied while their parents shop.

“The whole reason is to serve the Catholic community and wider community,” said Fr. Ray.

Walking with people

The Nugents are no strangers to serving people. Tammy is a reading intervention teacher at Estes Elementary School in Owensboro, and Dcn. Tim is a social work professor at Brescia University in Owensboro.

“I love walking with people on their journey of faith,” said Dcn. Tim. And as a deacon, he is available to bless customers’ purchases if they ask.

Tammy said they have experienced the whole gamut of emotions in spending time with and listening to customers: “We’ll laugh; I’ve even teared up.”

“We always hope people feel they’re welcome,” she said. “We want to share their faith journey with them.”

From the enormous statue of St. George slaying the dragon – set atop a bookcase – to the rows of rosaries, Catholic-themed socks, crucifixes, icons, medals and sacramental gifts, the Nugents hope that each customer finds something to engage their walk with God.

And if St. Max does not carry an item someone is seeking, they are happy to try to order it for the customer. They also hope provide for the needs of the clergy and parishes.

Dcn. Tim said that in the past, as a St. Max customer, he would often drop by the store with a goal to get in and out in five minutes – but he would eventually “get lost” and end up spending the better part of an hour to browse.

This appears to be the case with customers to this day.

“I’m really touched by how much time people spend picking something out for someone special,” he said. “People come in here out of love, I think.”

Originally printed in the August 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.