No surprise, perhaps, that a vegetable is the one to remind us that the salad days are over.

Bob the Tomato—at least the man who voices him, Phil Vischer—nailed this year's International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) from the start.

Speaking at the event's opening Pacesetter event, the VeggieTales founder recalled how the rise and fall of his former endeavor had mirrored the arc of Christian retailing's boom years.

"The party may have ended, but our call to ministry has not," he reminded everyone. "We would actually prefer to see the Holy Spirit move with us than Wall Street."

And that was how the first ICRS under new leadership went, prompting longtime independent retail leader Steve Potratz to describe it as "the most mission-driven" CBA show he had ever attended.

Re-sized and refocused, ICRS seems to have found its role and relevance anew. While there is room for more changes to help it better serve a changing industry, there seemed to a new level of acceptance of its ongoing value.

Retailers expressed appreciation for the greater emphasis on ministry and training, while suppliers who have adjusted their investment in being there acknowledged the valuable function the event serves, even though it is mostly no longer an order-writing show.

Looking ahead, then, the big picture seems good.

Looking back on the details of St. Louis, meanwhile, the Christian Retailing team offers its traditional thumbs up, thumbs down verdict. Thumbs:

for overall excellent program and positive spirit.

in particular for the positive way in which CBA addressed the digital-publishing challenge.

to independent bookseller and panelist Darin Sennett (Powells.com), whose love for retail and books shone through at the digital-future seminar.

for Randy Alcorn's passionate encouragement to retailers at the Worship Him service.

for the great speakers at the Pacesetter event.

for the Blackwood Brothers and Gold City, whose Pacesetter Southern gospel sets got people cheering.

that the Pacesetter ran almost an hour past schedule—a late night for starting the week.

on behalf of suppliers who had to set up for ICRS in an air-conditioning-less show hall.

that it got pretty warm at times during the rest of the week, even with the AC on.

for the heartfelt honoring of former CBA leader Bill Anderson—and his exhortation to retailers to defend the integrity of their calling.

for exactly the same food each day at the CBA meal events. Groundhog Day in St. Louis.

to FaithWords for bringing in a group of A-list authors for one of the show's few big-name events.

that some of those who turned out for the FaithWords reception waited ages for the food and then it ran out. Oops.

with relief that there were plenty of bathrooms within easy reach of the convention floor, for a change.

on behalf of some gift exhibitors who were uncomfortable about being placed right next to same-category suppliers.

for the focus given to inspirational movies, a bright-spot category.

on hotels that were short-staffed for checking in conventioneers.

for limited seating options in lobby and workshop areas of the convention center.

• Prev
• Next