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American publishing company

Deseret Book (/audio=en us Deseret. ogg/,/d//ɛ//z//ə/'/r//ɛ//t/) is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), the holding company for business firms owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (LDS Church). Deseret Book is a for profit corporation registered in Utah. Deseret Book publishes under four imprints with media ranging from works explaining LDS theology and doctrine, LDS related fiction, electronic resources, and sound recordings such as The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square albums.

The Deseret Book Company was created in 1919 from a merger of the Deseret News Bookstore and the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore. 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. 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).

On November 15, 2004, Deseret Book announced that it had acquired Excel Entertainment Group, a 10 year old company based in Salt Lake City which was known for its LDS cinema productions as well as its record labels, including Highway Records, Joyspring Records, and Embryo Records (later renamed to Lumen Records). Jeff Simpson, the founder and president of Excel, became the new executive vice president of the merged company. 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.

In July 2006, Deseret Book threatened to discontinue sales with another LDS bookstore chain, Seagull Book & Tape, citing marketing differences. Seagull claimed that their discounted prices on Deseret Book's products was the reason for the threat. 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.

After Deseret Book acquired Bookcraft in 1999, it divided its publishing into four differently marketed imprints: Deseret Book for history and doctrine; Bookcraft for self help, family, children, women's interests, and LDS fiction; Eagle Gate for art, niche markets, library editions, and teaching aides; and Shadow Mountain for "values based" publications for a national audience. A decade later, the only imprints that remained in use were Deseret Book and Shadow Mountain. In 2012, the Ensign Peak imprint was created for LDS religious writings for a national audience. After acquiring Covenant Communications in 2006, Deseret Book Company did not make it an additional imprint, but continued its independent operations as a publisher alongside Deseret Book Publishing. Releases by Shadow Mountain Records have ranked in top spots on the Billboard charts, including violinist Jenny Oaks Baker, and pianist Josh Wright.

Deseret Book operates further business units in addition to its publishing and retail activities. Under the name Zion's Mercantile it produces home decor and religious art and holds events such as women's conferences in the United States and Canada. LDS Living is an LDS lifestyle magazine in print and online. Deseret Book Direct sells publications through catalogs, e mail, and the DeseretBook. com website. From 2000 to 2009 it also operated an auctions website for LDS books. Crafts and other handmade items are sold under the name of Mormon Handicraft (a brand purchased from the LDS Church's Relief Society in 1986) and food is sold through The Lion House Pantry brand. It also provides the texts of many of its books online with paid subscriptions at GospeLink. com. In 2009 selected Deseret Book locations partnered with the LDS Church Distribution Center and began selling official LDS Church items, such as Temple garments, which had originally been available only in LDS Church Distribution Centers. That working relationship has expanded and now half of Deseret Book's 39 stores have been "integrated" and are half Deseret Book and half Distribution Centers.