CHRISTIAN RETAILING Guest Editor Jonathan Nori says CONCENTRATE ON With their links to local churches, Christian stores have a great opportunity to build the sort of relationships that will be an essential part of successful retailing in the years ahead. Our latest guest editor, Jonathan Nori, vice president and COO of Destiny Image, explains why and how. SERVING THE $4.6 BILLION CHRISTIAN PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AR CH 12 /// 7.00 Read more from page 3. A CHAR I MA IA Publication he in du a yo i ge i ps www. ch ri ti anretai in g.c om Meeting of the CLC Bookcenters focus on recommendations rather than best-sellers BY ANDY BUTCHER James Pitman, director of CLC Bookcenters, with a display featuring the own Bible reference handbook, part of an emphasis on resources Holy Spirit will really MORE INSIDE Best-selling author offers stores supplement line, page 10 It All Falls offers lessons born from testing and tragedy, page 21 Father and son team up for movie project aimed at teen boys, page 24 How a Christian chain found new life with a greater emphasis on gifts, page 39 Special orders can work for gifts as well as books, page 44 Wear-your-faith wristbands are a strong impulse-buy category, page 46 For James Pitman, running a Christian retail store in challenging economic climate requires giving attention to the small details without losing sight of the big picture. While the four CLC Bookcenters he oversees in the Philadelphia area and New Jersey are constantly looking to keep up with current best business practices, the drive to do so is fueled by an unchanging vision. As a division of CLC International, formerly Christian Literature Crusade, the stores are part of an international Christian bookstore ministry that shares the deeper life message championed by classic authors such as Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray and Amy Carmichael. Located in mostly underserved urban areas, the CLC stores share a missionary focus with around 190 others located in 60 countries around the world. goal is to provide products that will build people up in the said Pitman, noting that means buying decisions are not based just on the current best-seller lists. Some popular titles that CLC leaders think are the best option may be available on request, but may not necessarily get prominent display space. Others carried at all. people are coming in because somebody told them they should read a certain Pitman said. will ask them more questions and probe a little bit to see what they are really looking for and then may suggest another book that will be more profitable for them That may sound like an unlikely approach for successful retailing, CLC, page 16 Retailers challenged by charge An influential dismissal of Christian stores as irrelevant prompts debate BY ANDY BUTCHER Christian retailers have been doing some soulsearching after being dismissed as part of a The charge came from author and leading blogger Tim Challies, who wrote: think I will lose anything when the last local Christian bookstore has closed its blog posting prompted an online debate among store owners and frontliners and a response from the trade association. truth is physical stores provide atmosphere and experiences that the online purchase just said CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey. Editor of the Discerning Reader website whose reviews are read by many in the Christian publishing industry, Challies wrote off Christian stores in a blog commenting on promotion offering a 5% Curtis Riskey discount to shoppers who bought from them after comparing prices in a brick-and-mortar store. A a 14