The move from the confining space in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, to the spacious luxury of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, seems to have reinvigorated the annual Association For Christian Retail (CBA) conference, Unite, in 2018. According to press releases, attendance increased by over 10 percent over the previous year, with a wider global attendance drawing noted attention to this Christian retailing tradeshow.
The move from the confining space in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, to the spacious luxury of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, seems to have reinvigorated the annual Association For
Christian Retail (CBA) conference, Unite, in 2018. Indeed, the change of scenery contributed. But, more importantly, a general shift in approach on behalf of the Unite organizing committee resulted in one of the most successful iterations of the CBA tradeshow in years. According to press releases, attendance increased by over 10 percent over the previous year, with a wider global attendance drawing noted attention to this Christian retailing tradeshow. These combined efforts resulted from the work of The Roushe Foundation, which undertook a major part of the reform and sponsorship of conference attendees. Of course, these changes led to a stellar show for the Christian Art Gifts team present in Tennessee.
With the expansion of our current Christian gift catalog moving into the fall season, and the introduction of the genuine leather and With Love inspirational product lines, Christian Art Gifts held one of its most successful shows to date. The boost in attendance enabled us to reach more people in ways not yet achieved through our product. Prospective buyers of Christian retailing responded favorably, many noting the on-trend design language used in many of our collections and stand-alone products.
The Christian Art Gifts exhibit was designed to house collections and product categories in distinct areas. Exhibits of complete collections were arranged on bookshelves, providing a tall perimeter around the booth, while books, journals, Bibles, and other paper products were displayed on lower cases throughout the middle of the booth. This allowed clients to easily navigate categories for easy viewing and placing orders for the Christian retailing stores.
The trade show display gave special attention to the genuine leather products, seen for the first time at this show. Leather journals and Bibles were front and center on our feature table that was draped with top leather grain hide. There is an increased demand for top-shelf products. Retail customers invest in them, either for personal use or as a special gift. Therefore, the leather goods stood apart, not only from the CAG collection but also from the marketplace competition. Perched on a table draped with the rawhide used in the actual product, the initial leather product line (including Bibles, journals, Bible covers, and Bible study note kits) made a real statement, drawing attention from Christian retailing buyers and vendors alike.
CBA Unite 2018 helped our team further relationships with customers, both domestic and abroad. Our modern and diverse product line gave us the ability to provide a tangible, inspirational experience for many as we showcased our catalog in the showroom environment. It is our hope that the relationships, products, and individuals at the heart of every transaction will benefit from a product line designed to inspire hope, joy, and love.