CBA opened its new winter event, focused on helping retailers develop effective business models for the future, by honoring four stores that are already doing many things right. 

Next 2012: Meet the Challenge, being held in Atlanta to coincide with the big AmericasMart gift show running in the city, opened yesterday with the presentation of this year’s Jim Carlson Spirit of Excellence Awards recognizing innovation. The awards are sponsored by CBA and Spring Arbor.

The marketing award went to Tammy Garner of The Master’s Parable Christian Store in Clovis, N.M., for projects that included sponsoring a concert to raise awareness about sexual abuse, hosting regular church meetings and Bible studies and appointing loyal customers as Master's Ambassadors to represent the store to others.

The Solid Rock in Kearney, Neb., owned by Bill and Ila Ballou, received the community outreach award for efforts that included supporting relief projects in Haiti and raising funds to enable a disabled teen to attend a local college.

Paul Kuntz, manager of Arrowhead Parable Christian Store in Johnson City, N.Y., was presented with the award for merchandising. Store initiatives have included a gift bag with sample products for everyone who uses its adjacent meeting room and a laser engraving machine to personalize products. 

Keith and Brenda Harrison, owners of Lighthouse Christian Bookstore in Bedford, Ind., were honored for customer experience. Their store’s programs include a weekly family karaoke night, story times, martial arts classes and a “store on wheels” walk-through trailer taken to local community events. 

Around 100 retailers registered for the two-day event, with presentations on issues including e-books, reading groups, special events, building community and social media. 

CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey said that the event—the first winter program by the trade association in several years—had been organized in response to retailers’ requests for an opportunity to meet, plan and prepare at the start of the year. 

“Looking at the landscape of Christian retailing, there’s a lot of change going on,” he said. “When change happens as rapidly as it is today, we need each other. When we find ourselves alone and feeling like we are the only ones going through something, we are open for attack.”