Christian Retailing

THE GATHERING: Store assessments Print Email
Written by Staff   
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 10:30 AM America/New_York

The Gathering 2010 was "excellent" for Dennis Woods, bookstore manager at Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land, Texas. "It is the only (industry event) I attend," he said. "I look forward to it each year." Woods said he enjoyed meeting vendors and thought that the author and artist autograph party was "a fantastic idea."

Dottie Poythress, manager of The Bookmark at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., said she had found "some new things I would not have seen if I had not been here" in Louisville. There was "a great spirit, a real sense of enthusiasm and excitement," at the event, she added.

Susan Chipman, manager of Next Step Resources at Granger Community Church in Granger, Ind., who presented one of the workshops, said: "I loved the 'fresh' new product from vendors like Show Offs Art and Glory Haus. I learned that there is a lot of interest in all things social media. I received a ton of feedback and questions from my session on Facebook/Twitter/Amazon."

Oliver Huff, manager of Ebenezer Gift Shop at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta—where the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor—attended The Gathering to look for products to add to the commemorative and Civil Rights-related resources the store currently carried. "We do want to expand the book offering," he said. Visitors wanted materials by or about King, "but also want to have options to get other things while they are there."

Cathy Shupe, who oversees Solid Rock Church′s Fireside Café & Bookstore in Monroe, Ohio, said that the event had been "phenomenal. I have learned a lot and got a wealth of information. The people have been wonderful."

Husband Dan Shupe, who also works in the bookstore and café, added: "I have been impressed with how people are interested in ministry first. Sales is a piece of that, but ministry is what it is all about. I have also appreciated learning how to use technology to open up interest in your store and let people know what is going on."