Approximately 250 stores were represented at the 14th Annual P. Graham Dunn Dealer Conference, held at the company’s campus in Dalton, Ohio.

Catherine Bristol of The Lighthouse in Mankato, Minn., has been to the Dealer Conference a few times. One of her main goals in coming this year was to learn more about the laser personalization program.

“We are strongly considering it,” said Bristol who was pleased with the entire conference. “I enjoyed the seminar—things I already know—but it helps to keep reinforcing them because you get a little lazy in the store, so it’s always good to get re-energized. And it’s also good to talk to people from other states.”

One of the nontraditional retailers present, Jerry Rauch, has attended the Dealer Conference multiple times. Rauch is one of the doctors of naturopathy whose practice, A Harvest of Health Nutrition and Wellness Center, is located in a Victorian-style historic home in Bluffton, Ind.

A Harvest of Health houses a retail operation on the first floor where they offer their own brand of nutritional supplements and a wide variety of other products, including P. Graham Dunn items.

“A lot of our fixtures are oak fixtures, Amish-made,” Rauch said, adding that P. Graham Dunn “creates  a real warm country-store feel” with its products.

“We try to create an ambience that really does minister,” Rauch added.

Mike Hulsey of Gifts of Joy Parable Christian Store in Lima, Ohio, has been coming to the conference for three years. He found the social media workshops with Crystal Vilkaitis of Crystal Media and the retail display seminar with Emily Feilitz Sullivan of P. Graham Dunn helpful.

“The ones on social media were interesting because I’m not a big social-media person, so I was interested to hear ways we could use that, and I’m always interested in new display ideas,” Hulsey said.

He also found it useful to come to “see all the new product and pick up the cash-and-carry product.”

Several retailers also were pleased to win prizes awarded during the banquet, including three who won $1,000 each: Christian Supply in Spartanburg, S.C.; Hope Crossing Christian Book and Gift in Marion, Ohio; and Whispering Pines in Springs, Pa. Others won prizes, including product-loaded displays, computer tablets and a laser store makeover.

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