NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) - LifeWay Christian Stores is headed back to the Northwest. For the first time in nearly a decade, the Nashville-based retail chain will have stores in the region with the acquisition of three Seattle-area stores formerly owned by Evangel Stores.

The three LifeWay stores are located in Bellevue, Shoreline and Issaquah and are opening as LifeWay stores at the beginning of November. As part of the chain's agreement with Evangel, LifeWay will continue to supervise operations of a store located on the campus of Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Wash.

The stores bring the number of LifeWay retail locations to 122 nationwide in 23 states.

LifeWay operated a store in Vancouver, Wash., beginning in the early 1950s but it was closed in 1994 due to financial struggles.