Christian Retailing

Christian music sales see 'modest growth' Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Friday, 26 April 2013 01:00 AM America/New_York

Christian music sales have seen a slight uptick as the entire music industry has posted its first revenue growth in 13 years.

"Overall, the Christian/gospel sales revenue has been relatively flat, with modest growth over the last two years," Capitol Christian Distribution Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Greg Bays told Christian Retailing. "Revenues are generally up, with growth driven by audio and video streaming—including subscription services, which have grown considerably."

Earlier this year, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) revealed that global revenues rose 0.3% in 2012 to $16.5 billion, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Although the revenue bump was modest, IFPI said that it was the first sign of industry growth since 1999.

Another study from the NPD Group said that music file sharing declined "significantly" in 2012, noting a 26% drop in illegally downloaded music.

Bays said physical sales still account for two-thirds of total units sold in Christian music.

"So, as many others have noted, reports of the alleged death of the physical CD have been highly exaggerated," said Bays, former chairman of the Christian Music Trade Association, which tracks the sales of Christian music. "Although growth in digital formats is expected to continue to outpace physical sales, there is still a lot of Christian/gospel music business to capture in the physical retail space."

Christian music had its best year on the Billboard 200 last year, with five Top 10 chart debuts, including albums by TobyMac, David Crowder Band, Kari Jobe, Passion and Lecrae.

Bays noted that 2013 has started off with several Billboard 200 Top 10 debuts, including Chris Tomlin's Burning Lights (sixstepsrecords/Capitol), which debuted at No. 1 as did TobyMac's Eye On It (ForeFront Records/Capitol) last year; Hillsong United's Zion (Hillsong Music/Capitol); and Passion: Let the Future Begin (sixstepsrecords/Capitol).

"In addition, Colton Dixon's A Messenger [Sparrow Records/Capitol], delivered the best street-week sales for a contemporary Christian artist in SoundScan history," Bays said. "With many other key releases coming across the industry throughout 2013, this should be yet another strong year."

Read the full report in the upcoming June issue of Christian Retailing.

 
Expolit 'going to be bigger and better' with variety of events Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Thursday, 25 April 2013 01:00 AM America/New_York

Organizers of the largest trade show in the U.S. for Spanish-language Christian products will launch several new initiatives next month, including a media summit, inspirational short film competition, photo contest, leadership seminars and more free products.

Running May 2-5 at the Doubletree Hotel & Miami Airport Convention Center in Miami, the 21st annual Expolit convention, which is open to the general public, is expected to draw more than 3,200 daily attendees.

"It's going to be bigger and better," Expolit spokesperson Marie Tamayo told Christian Retailing. "We're starting up new things this year to show that Expolit is for everybody, not just well-known speakers or artists. It's more of a fair than a trade show."

But some big names will be there. General session speakers include Stormie Omartian, Tony Evans, Jonathan Cahn, Nicky Cruz and Lee Grady.

Capitalizing on the 350-plus Spanish media representatives who usually attend Expolit, the Hispanic Media Summit will be held May 1, a day before the event starts. The summit is being organized by ComunicadoresUSA, a National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) support group for Hispanic broadcasters. The keynote speaker for the summit will be veteran TV and film producer Phil Cooke.

Hispanics are "bicultural and bilingual, and as skilled as anyone with the social media," said Christian Broadcasting Network News Senior Producer and NRB board member Stan Jeter, who serves as ComunicadoresUSA's president. "We want to give their pastors training tools, so they can turn their youth into a media-savvy force for evangelism and discipleship."

Another Expolit initiative is the Christian Film Festival Miami, in which $10,000 will be awarded May 4 by the video production company Yes He Is.

"We're encouraging churches to create and enter their short films, and use them to evangelize," Tamayo said.

Meanwhile, the Expo Photo Contest, sponsored by Intentional Traveler, offers

attendees the opportunity to submit online inspirational photos.

"The photos must be of the street where you live, and they must be beautiful, inspirational," Tamayo said. "People can vote online on the photos on Expolit's website."

For more information on the event, visit www.Expolit.com.

 
Volunteers help Iowa Christian store after fire next door Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Thursday, 25 April 2013 01:00 AM America/New_York

Veteran Christian retailers Steve and Janelle Pickering are expressing gratitude for volunteers who helped keep open their Parable Lemstone Christian Store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after a fire next door.

Dozens of family, friends, church members and customers cleaned, brought food and blew dry air into the soaked carpet and walls of the store from smoke and water damage from a fire at a furniture store March 27. Police said arson was the cause of the blaze at the furniture store, which is located next to Parable Lemstone in a strip mall, according to co-owner Steve Pickering.

"The store's doors were open while huge trucks were sucking up the water," he told Christian Retailing. "But we never really the closed doors. Customers kept coming because so many had special orders for Easter, and they just wanted to support us. Our cash register was not open the first day, but people just handed us cash and told us to keep the change."

He estimated damage to be between $80,000 and $90,000, although the store has insurance.

Sales were "down over 40% during Easter week from last year," said Pickering, who has owned Parable Lemstone for 25 years. "We are trying to be upbeat. We should have been closed for a couple of weeks, according to the adjuster. He is amazed at the quick time that we were able to open. We had 50 to 60 volunteers, including our children and grandchildren who were home for the Easter weekend."

He added that fellow retailers could learn from his store's misfortune.

"We need to reach out when a disaster happens to others," he said. "You really find out who your friends and good customers are."

The Pickerings were honored with Christian Retailing's Independent Store of the Year Award in 2010 for "outstanding contributions in the development of Christian retail."

 
Floods impact Christian publishers in the Midwest Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Thursday, 25 April 2013 01:00 AM America/New_York

Christian publishers have been impacted by recent flooding in the Midwest, causing some of them to closed down.

Mid-April downpours brought on sudden flooding throughout the Midwest, and high water is blamed for at least three deaths, Associated Press reported.

Crossway's offices in Wheaton, Ill., suffered substantial flooding, forcing closures April 17-18.

"Crossway is located in one of several neighborhoods in Wheaton where storm sewers were overwhelmed from heavy rains," the publisher's Facebook page said this week. "We're trusting in God's provision and plan in the midst of these difficult circumstances, and ask for your prayers as we recover over the coming months. Please also pray for the many families and businesses in Wheaton and other Chicago suburbs that were affected by last week's flooding."

Tyndale House Publishers, located in Carol Stream, Ill., was closed April 18 due to flooding in the parking lot, which rendered the building inaccessible.

"Many employees have had to deal with flooded basements," Tyndale House Chief Operating Officer Jeff Johnson told Christian Retailing. "Tyndale did not suffer any damages to its facilities or inventory. Even if we had not closed, many of our employees would not have been able to make it to work due to streets and roads being impassable, basements flooding, and taking care of children whose schools had been closed. However, many employees worked from home, so it was not a complete loss."

Located downtown Chicago, Moody Publishers didn't experience any flooding, but several employees suffered flooding in their homes, according to Publicity Manager Janis Backing.

"We're really thankful for God's protection over our staff," she said. "Personally, it has created a big traffic mess for me where I live. Streets are closed off and the river has overflowed, making it very difficult to get around my neighborhood."

 
TobyMac nabs three Billboard Music Award nods Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 09:54 AM America/New_York

GRAMMY-winning multi-Platinum recording artist TobyMac has received three nominations for the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.

TobyMac was named a finalist for Top Christian Artist; Top Christian Album for Eye On It (ForeFront Records/Capitol Christian Distribution); and Top Christian Song for "Me Without You."

Casting Crowns was also named a finalist for the Top Christian Artist and Top Christian Album for Come to the Well (Beach Street Records/Provident Distribution). The group won the two categories during last year's Billboard Music Awards.

Other Top Christian Artist finalists were Chris Tomlin, MercyMe and Matt Redman. Other finalists for Top Christian Album were for Lecrae's Gravity (Reach Records/Infinity Music Distribution); MercyMe's The Hurt & the Healer (INO Records/Provident); and Wow Hits 2013 (Wow Records/Capitol).

Other finalists for Top Christian Song were "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave; "Where I Belong" by Building 429; "God's Not Dead (Like a Lion)" by Newsboys; and "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" by Redman.

Winners will be announced during the Billboard Music Awards, to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and broadcast at 8 p.m. EST, Sunday, May 19, on the ABC Television Network.

Visit http://www.billboard.com/bbma/finalists for the complete list of finalists.

 
L.A. Mart renames Gift + Home Shows Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 23 April 2013 03:49 PM America/New_York

GALLA2-WebThe L.A. Mart is rebranding its quarterly gift and home markets. The markets are being GALLA—an acronym for Give and Live Los Angeles—to demonstrate the “grand” quality of L.A. Mart’s markets and provide a shopping environment that is entertaining, educational and experiential. 

The tag line LA’s Global Gift + Home Market Event reminds buyers of the 15,000-plus lines of wholesale gifts, home accessories and furniture that are sourced on a national and global scale and are available during markets.

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P. Graham Dunn holds gallery grand opening Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 23 April 2013 04:23 PM America/New_York

PGrahamDunnGrandville-WebP. Graham Dunn, the Dalton, Ohio-based manufacturing facility known for its premier art and home décor items, will supply uniquely crafted and American-made items to customers of its new, locally owned P. Graham Dunn store in the recently renovated downtown of Grandville, Mich. The store is now open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The 1,900-square-foot store will creatively display home décor items in addition to a large selection of customizable and personalized gifts at affordable prices. Included in the store’s unique features is a nicely furnished 220-square-foot conference room available for individuals, businesses and organizations that desire to meet at an off-site location. 

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Abbey Press to share new Divinity Boutique showroom Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 23 April 2013 04:32 PM America/New_York

AbbeyPressSerenity-WebAbbey Press has agreed to lease space starting in July from Divinity Boutique in its new AmericasMart Atlanta showroom (#1340). A grand opening with show specials and refreshments is planned for Tuesday, July 9, preview opening day of The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

Divinity Boutique President Keith Schwartz described the showroom partnership with Abbey as “a win/win for both of our companies.”

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