Retailers see sales, 'new faces and great fellowship' during Oct. 23 event

Retailers, suppliers and organizers of the first national Christian Store Day lauded the initiative "a success" as 475 stores took part in the special event.

With a tag line of "Celebrate Faith and Community," Christian Store Day was held Oct. 23 with the goal of enthusing current consumers, drawing back former customers and attracting new shoppers.

"We are very pleased with the initial event and believe that it will build momentum in future years to raise awareness of Christian stores, the needs they serve and fulfill and their role in the community to lift up and honor Christ," CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey told Christian Retailing. Christian Store Day was "an opportunity to demonstrate the power of ministry and the impact of working together."

More than 100 books, CDs and DVDs were made available for sale as $5, $10 and half-price specials, with vendors who supported the effort also provided free products for giveaways for the event—modeled after the successful Record Store Day that has championed independent music retailers in the past few years. 

The day also spotlighted a benefit $5 CD—with songs from artists such as Newsboys and TobyMac—which raised money for Compassion International, Samaritan's Purse and World Vision efforts in Haiti.

More than 10,000 copies of the CD were purchased by retailers, Riskey said. "We have received feedback that has ranged from wildly enthusiastic and supportive with very proactive plans and events to supportive, but 'tell me what to do,' " he added. "Our greatest challenge was ensuring that retailers and vendors realized Christian Store Day was really going to happen, that the Haitian ministry support was needed, and that action was needed to make it all happen."

About two-thirds of the stores that participated were independents—with LifeWay Christian Stores the lone chain represented. 

Donna Duckhorn, store manager for the church bookstore at Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood, Fla., told Christian Retailing that Christian Store Day was "a huge success." The special event was held Oct. 23-25, so that customers could take advantage of the special promotions. 

"Awesome sales, new faces and great fellowship," Duckhorn said. "We had a wonderful time celebrating with our customers and friends. … The reason we love this is because it draws people in. But it also shows our customers how much we appreciate them, so it's passing on great deals right before the holidays."

Backed by CBA, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the Christian Music Trade Association, the inaugural event was sponsored by Tyndale House Publishers, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Word Distribution, EMI CMG Distribution and Provident-Integrity Distribution. The day also saw a wide range of in-store appearances by authors and artists.

Lighthouse Christian Products offered $150 worth of its catalog inventory to participating stores for $25 plus shipping and gave a free $40 collage photo frame to retailers who wrote to tell about one of their favorite customers.

Lighthouse Vice President of Sales Ed Nizynski told Christian Retailing that 93 stores ordered the Christian Store Day package, with 80 of them submitting stories of their favorite customers.