The Munce Group's three-day Christian Product Expo (CPE), which wrapped up this week at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville, drew 195 retailers representing 157 independent Christian stores and 80 suppliers.

Held Sept. 7-9, Munce’s annual member trade show/conference had pre-registration numbers for retailers that were 15% higher than last year’s CPE, and exhibitor booth space was completely sold out, Munce officials said.

“We had a fantastic show,” Kirk Blank, chief operations officer of the Munce Group, told Christian Retailing. “The addition of the Bible conference on Sunday gave the week the right focus.”

The theme for the show was based on Zephaniah 3:14-17, “Living as Objects of God’s Affection and Subjects in His Kingdom.”

CPE featured workshops, supplier presentations, evening showcases, a Bible conference and a private screening of the movie Fireproof, as well as appearances by The Crabb Family, David Phelps, Kim Hill, John Waller, ex-Newsboys Phil Joel, comedian Brad Stine, Amy Grant and pastor and author Chuck Swindoll.

Exhibitors included Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Tyndale House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group, Dicksons, Lighthouse Christian Products, Carpentree, EMI CMG Distribution, Provident-Integrity Distribution and Word Entertainment.

Munce emphasizes order-writing at CPE, motivating retailers with a reimbursement program that offsets expenses based on reaching order-writing goals.

Final attendance and sales figures were not available at press time, Munce officials said. The marketing group held a cash-prize drawing at the end of CPE, and David and Joy Meyers of Joy’s Christian Bookstore in San Clemente, Calif., won $1,500.