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JUNE 2021 - MAY/ 5 2 E ISSU
Content Orlando Show Recap By Kevin Dankman
Orlando Glass Games By Kevin Dankman
Celebrities of CHAMPS Dennis 3D Scott
Next Show... Las Vegas July 27-30th
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ISSUE 25 MAY/JUNE 2021
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CHAMPS SHOW MAGAZINE
Advertiser Index 6
1836 KRATOM 31 3CHI 42 ABR 101 AFG 16-17, 53 ALTERNATIVE HEALTH 72-73 ATMOS 67 AQUA CLEAN 14 BDD WHOLESALE 32 BENTFISH TRADING 29 BIGBARK 54 BLAZER 59 C4C 78 CANDY PROS 41 CANNAGAR 27 CANNA FLORA HEMP 82 CAVIAR 75 CHAMPS LAS VEGAS 110-111 CHAMPS UPCOMING SHOWS 8 CHOICE INSIDE FRONT COVER SPREAD EARTH KRATOM 60 EMPIRE GLASSWORKS 101 EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS 97 GOURMET INNOVATIONS 96 GREEN LANE 15, 43, 46, 63, 74, 76, 84 KARMA HEMP WRAPS 19 KOI 105 KRAKEN KRATOM 55 KRAVE 71 LIFESTYLE MARKETING 108 MAHA-K 103 MOODRITE 9 MT BRANDS 13 OMNI VAPES 22-23, 61 OPMS KRATOM 47, 64-65 PARTYNUTS 48-49 PIECE WATER 25 PILL WAREHOUSE 30 POWERHITTER 51 REMARKABLE HERBS KRATOM 102 ROKIN VAPES 26 RYOT INSIDE BACK COVER SPREAD, BACK COVER SEAN DIETRICH 36 SMART CHOICE 92 SMOKE HOUSE 2-3 SMOKE ODOR 92 SMOKEZILLA 98 SMOKING PAPERS 56-57 SOL TRADING 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87 SPRAY420 104 SPS WHOLESALE 106 STONED 89 STR8 BRAND 5 SUNSHINE JOY 99 SUNSTATE HEMP 66 SWAG 44-45 SWEETLEAF 90 TOP EXTRACTS 86 TORO IMPORTS 50 UEG 107 VANDYKES 91 VAPOR TECH 28, 58 VOODOO 94 WHOLESALE ODYSSEY 69 ZIG ZAG 18 ZION HERBAL 10-11
CHAMPS SHOW MAGAZINE
Contacts
ISSUE 25 MAY/JUNE 2021
Publisher
CHAMPS Trade Shows
Editorial Director
Kevin Dankman
Ad Sales:
Kevin Dankman Office 818-616-7424
Credits Writing:
Kevin Dankman
Photography:
CHAMPS Staff Photographer
Cover Art: Sean Dietrich
Design & Layout: Sixxx
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By Kevin Dankman best to either speed them up, keep them orderly or at least give you something to read for entertainment. Let me start with a great big thanks to all of the people that made CHAMPS Orlando such a big success. From the Buyers and exhibitors down to the hotel staff, it was a fantastic amount of work to make such an amazing show happen. The Gaylord Palms was a gracious host.
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We set a new Florida record for attendance. The Show Floor showed it too. From the start of day one, until the show closed on day three, it was a packed house. There was a steady stream of new buyers each day. Lines were long but wait times were short. They paid attention to the lines. The staff did their
best brands were right there. Choice Nutrition, Lit Culture, and Heavenly Candy, Just CBD, were as always busy. We almost forgot to mention our Once through the badge and best dressed attendee was temp check stations, it was into Rocky at the Heavenly Candy the adult wonderland that is Booth. the trade show floor. From air-fresheners to Zig-Zags it Some newcomers to the scene was all there. did very well. I saw Clean Dabbs and Big Bark Papers swamped There were huge booths with with customers clamoring for amazing staff smiling at every- information. one that walked through the Continues On Page 20 door. Some of the biggest and
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The floor was buzzing with a vibe that was out of this world. People were Happy to be here and it showed. Buyers were flocking to booths and spending. Not only did CHAMPS come back... The CHAMPS Glass Games also made its return in grand fashion. The Glass Games Booth was busy and active the whole show, with buyers buying pieces and voting each day. Matty and his crew brought an exciting game to Florida and had almost 30 glassblowers displaying their "Game On" Piece. The artists made so many games it was amazing. My favorite was, without a doubt, the Broward County Monopoly, @Troublethemaker went all out on this concept. Each property and hotel were something from his part of town. It may not have won the games, but it was for sure representing Florida!
Busy Show Floor
SWAG Booth
Boomba
Scoby Glass Piece
Ross ABR Booth
Hex Piece of Shit
Choice Booth
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HQD Booth
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Planet X Wholesale
Windship Booth
Arehart Glass Figurine
Arehart Glass Dragon
The winners were all fantastic, from the 1st place entry from Noah from Armor Glass. His piece featured one of the oldest games and one of the newest, a combo Switch holder and Chess game. It was pretty damn cool! In Second Place was Durin Glass, who also won Artists Choice with his full-on working arcade game. Taking Third was the Dungeon Master of Dragons Arehart Glass. A full Dungeons and Dragons set with a wicked dragon rig centerpiece. They indeed went all out and rediscovered their childhood. The American Glass Section was on point with plenty of glass to buy and orders to place. People came from all over to see the artist's booths. The lost Boys Glass Booth and the Matty White Booth both had some serious business. Word has it that they both were involved in separate bidding wars for pieces they were selling. Continues On Page 24
Arehart Glass Wizard Figurine
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Noah Armor Glass Switch Controller Holder Rig
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Some entertaining and talented artists had booths like Torcher, SeaShakes, and Glass Distractions, not to mention everyone's favorite Jellyfish!
RYOT Gear
Medicali Booth
The show had so many offerings that I can't possibly tell you about them all. But I can guarantee… There wasn't a lousy booth on the show floor. This show was one for the record books. The CHAMPS team will continue to lead the industry and set the level HIGH for the rest of the world.
Final Fantasy Pieces
Bowser Family Pieces
See everyone in Vegas! CHAMPS Next show is July 27th-30th, 2021 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Matty White Collab Piece Switch Screen Holder Mario vs Vivi
Gaylord Palms Atrium
Stoned Pony
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CHAMPS By Kevin Dankman
ORLANDO GLASS gAMES Well, after a year of no CHAMPS Glass Games, the glass section and glassblowers made a triumphant return to the trade show floor.
was new and a little different from the past. The Glass Games Crew came with one of the hottest games ever. GAME ON! That was the theme. Any game or all the games they want to Over 50 artists entered, and make. Competitors made their only 26 made the grade. This pieces at home and brought installment of the Glass Games them in to be displayed.
CHAMPS SHOW MAGAZINE
For 2.5 days, the buyers picked strategically used both Chess their favorite. and the Switch in his display. There were games like The CHAMPS Glass Games Crew the oldest game, Chess, and puts a lot into each and every others from as far back as the event. 1700s, Like Ring Toss and Kendama, and as fresh as the Continues On Page 35 Nintendo Switch. The winner
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Shoeless Glass
Arehart Glass
Black Sand Glass
Artist’s Choice: 2nd Place, Durin Glass
Villian Glass
Artist’s Choice Award Sean Dietrich
The lead-up to this event did not disappoint. The artists accepted this challenge, and they came to win. All the artists deserved to win, even Hex's piece of shit… literally, he made a piece of shit for a unique toilet plunger-based game. Creativity abounded, from games based on popular games to games wholly made up by the player. Danny Ottone even brought a Sparkly Vegasthemed pieced he called Double Diamond. Chad Wook Glass brought what I thought was the best option for shops, Rig Ring Toss! Continues On Page 37
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Durin In Action
Scoby Glass
SkoEet Glass
Sandalz Glass
Sea Shakes Glass
Rusty Glass
Many artists thought of millions of ways a display like that could be monetized and used as a sales stimulator. It came with 12 saki bottle rigs prizes and plastic rings to use instead of the glass ones he also made. This piece was destined for a collector case somewhere. Another unique look at the theme was SkoEet he combined Mike Tyson's "Punch-Out" with Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots! His game console even had a tiny cartridge in it. All the pieces had charm and were created to impress. Here is a complete list of the contestants: Durin Glass, Sandalz Glass, Sea Shakes, Skoeet, Arehart's Glass, TroubletheMaker, Takoda Madrona, ChadWook Glass, Shoeless Glass, Moose and Fire Glass, Jonny G, Armor Glass Noah, Nitro Glass, Scoby Glass, Baked Kreations Glass, DEKAL Glass, Major Glass Lab, MattZ Glass, Kennaroo Glass, Black Sand Glass, Stoned Pony Glass, Hex Glass, Ace-Tate, Villain Glass, Rusty Glass. Continues On Page 39
Baked Kreations Glass
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Dekal Glass
Moose and Fire
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Now for the winners!
holder, and a rig with controller holders so you play and dab 1st place Noah from Armor with ease. It was pretty damn Glass. Noah is no newcomer to cool. winning in the glass games a previous winner and Masters In Second Place was Durin contestant. His piece featured Glass, with his full-on working one of the oldest games and arcade game. Based on the one of the newest. At first traditional arcade cabinet and glance, we were slightly themed with old School, Ms. confused. Chess, switch what Pac-Man. It was not only fully is it? Mario and his Bowser functional but also had a pieces against Vivi with Final functioning pipe controller. This Fantasy pieces in an epic piece not only won over the battle. There was the chess set public but the artists as well. and a glass switch screen Durin was selected by his Ottone Glass
indeed went all out and rediscovered their childhood. This Orlando Show was a great CHAMPS Glass Games from Matty and his crew. They are already preparing for the Glass Taking Third was the Dungeon Games in Vegas. Master of Dragons Arehart Glass. A full Dungeons and 2021 is shaping up to be Dragons set with a wicked another epic year of glass dragon rig centerpiece. Aaron events at CHAMPS Trade is a Dragon Master with his Shows. We look forward to dragons being well known seeing what they bring to Vegas. See you all there July across the glass scene, 27th-30th at the Las Vegas The Glass Games Contestants Convention Center. peers' for Artists' Choice Winner. He took home a one-of-a-kind skateboard deck hand-painted at the show by Sean Dietrich.
Takoda Madrona
Hex Glass
Stoned Pony Glass Nitro Glass
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CELEBrities
of champs
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By Kevin Dankman
I recently sat with Dennis 3D Scott at the Orlando CHAMPS Show. If you don’t know who he is, let me tell you a little about him. In the 90’s, he was a perennial 3-point shooter in the National Basketball League or NBA. Spending most of his career in Orlando, he amassed many records in his time. He has recently taken on a new role in the Kratom industry. Once I heard this, I had to stop in and pick his brain a little. The following is a loose transcription of some of what we discussed.
KD: Why not CBD? Why did you go with Kratom? DS: I like CBD. It has a lot of good going for it but that lane was crowded. I did my due diligence and found this was the lane I should take. I found that it was the perfect lane I wanted to be in and to introduce myself to the industry. I don’t assume everyone watches basketball, football. What I do know is everyone has pain. A lot of people are in chronic pain.
KD: My feet are killin’ me let me tell you. DS: Pain comes from many different walks of life. Depending what you been going through, what your body’s been through. That’s why I said, it’s time for me to see this new world… I should say old world since it’s been around a long time. Continues On Page 62 CHAMPS SHOW MAGAZINE
KD: I’ve been here since ’92. When you were on TV shooting them threes, I was in the Grateful Dead Lot. When I walked up, you were eating lunch... I’ve been thinking ‘cause I am kinda hungry. What do you like for breakfast?
DS: My Favorite. 3 days it’s big ham or bacon. Sorry people. I love my pork, cheese, onions, & spinach omelet. On weekends, I am an old school Southern from Virginia DC. We like that French toast, thick fresh sliced bread with cinnamon and sugar… mmh mmh good!
KD: How is your team sport experience going to help in this type of industry?
DS: The Key Word is team. I partnered myself a good team here in Lit Culture. Sport and life come full circle back to pain, again, and we all don’t wanna be in pain. I am not coming in this space to say this company is bad or that company is bad. We aren’t bad… some bad everywhere. Teamwork and understanding of what we are trying to do. It’s the same as sports. Continues On Page 68
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KD: I concur. I came from team sports, Baseball was my thing. I like the court. I am short and white. My shots okay. We'll talk about that later though. I heard you were an owner, not just a celebrity endorsement? Tell me about the ownership? Y’all want to know about that right? You own or part-own the Company?
DS: I am part owner. A lot of times of companies, clothes, sneakers, sports drinks, and waters. So and so endorses this and that. I didn’t want that. I did my due diligence finding the right team. Then each teammate knows who has what value. Gotta show that. I showed our team what my value was and what I brought to the table.
KD: Besides a good three-pointer. DS: How I could help us grow… not me, but we. I wanna be an owner. I don’t wanna show up to a booth, sign autographs for 2 hours, and leave. The show starts at 11 closes at 6. What do owners do? Work the booth all day and make the brand grow. That’s the difference between me and other guys who may be in CBD, THC. I believe I am the first real Athlete in Kratom.
KD: I been in it long enough to say you are definitely the First real Athlete in Kratom that is an owner, a user, and supporter.
KD: What do you see in the future? DS: I see the industry getting bigger and bigger because the world is no longer sensitive. So, now when you ride down the street, you see a head-shop or vape shop. There is no longer a negative reaction or shying away. People are slowly getting more interested in the inviting atmosphere. Continues On Page 70 68
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Like anything else in life, if you do too much of anything, it isn’t good. I think it’s about moderation and taking it right and responsibly.
KD: I preach moderation, of course after many
DS: I think the biggest would be NFL Players because every play is a train wreck … Those are the guys, that probably could use it the most.
failed attempts at it.
DS: So I think as we desensitize ourselves and educate ourselves… think the biggest thing is learning.
KD: Education is key. For customers, vendors, everyone needs to have the right information so they can make the right decisions.
DS: I think this might be the biggest one I want to say it politically right but serious. When the big boys stop fighting, let’s all sit down at the table and share fairly, that way, everybody eats.
KD: everybody eats. I like that myself. I obviously like to eat. Who else would you like to see come into this? Other Celebs, Athletes?
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Finally, us basketball players due to knee and back issues and Baseball catchers have a lot of wear sitting and squatting all day. They would also benefit. It is all about moving forward and doing a great job supporting our team and brand.
To summarize my conversation with 3D. It all comes down to doing a good job at what we do with a good team we choose to work with. I felt Dennis was really at ease with his team and supported them all. I look forward to what is to come in the years ahead for the Lit team and Dennis 3D Scott!
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CHAMPS RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS! By Kevin Dankman
On July 27th, CHAMPS Trade Show will return to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, for the first time since March 2020. It's been the longest gap between shows in Vegas in their 20-year history. If there is one known fact, this will also be the largest, most anticipated show in years. Between lockdowns, shutdowns, and re-opening, people are ready to get back to a sense of normalcy. What is more normal than the wild freaks at a CHAMPS Show? That's our people. That's the place many of you miss the most. 80
Over the years, it has become almost like a concert festival. First it was like Bonnaroo; it comes every year to the same place to reunite the same people and introduce a whole new class of attendees just getting into the scene. Then it was like Lollapalooza bring all the most notable names to multiple cities across the country. Then like all of the festivals, we had to pause and find alternatives. Get your rockstar gear out of the closet, dust off the old luggage. It's time to get back on tour, baby! Let's talk about the upcoming show
and what you can expect.
Las Vegas hotel suites are among the largest in the city.
The first and most important thing you should know… Please Come lounge by the pool or soak in the hot tub with us, or if meet us at the Tuscany! you’re feeling lucky, they have The Tuscany has been the a full-service Casino as well. official hotel of CHAMPS for Along with that, you can expect 10years starting in 2011. So, many after-show parties all come and celebrate our 22nd over the city. From Mansion year in Vegas and our 10th Parties to Club parties, you anniversary with the Tuscany! can expect a wide array of gatherings to get out Vegas The Tuscany is an all-suite style. So, bring your dancin' hotel that offers all the shoes and fancy duds. It is sure amenities of The Strip's mega to be a wild time. resorts in a more intimate, convenient, and comfortable Continues On Page 88 experience for all our guests. At 650 square feet, their standard CHAMPS SHOW MAGAZINE
With over 1000 booths expected and 40 sponsors already booked, you can expect tons of deals and freebies. Standards like Heavenly Candy, Zion Herbal, Exclusive Dist., PartyNuts, and Windship Trading are sure to have sales and samples for everyone. There will also be a ton of new innovative companies out there waiting for you to find them.
BOLT
If you are looking for anything you can imagine filling your store with, it'll be there. Papers? They will be there. Blunt Wraps, there! Detox, fetish urine, adult toys… yup, they got 'em. From the most prominent manufacturers and Distributors to small glass blowers that make every piece themselves by hand, they will all be there. CBD, Delta8, Kratom, Kava, and every nutriceutical you can carry will be there. Smokeable, edible, inhalable, and ingestible products for every walk of life. Continues On Page 95 Some of the booths from last year’s Las Vegas show... CALI KULTURE
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HBI International
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With the CHAMPS Trade Show comes the Glass Games. That's right. We will be lighting the torches up once again. Live Glass Blowing will make a return to the show floor.
Last Year’s 1st Place Karl Taylor Grimm Glass
The artists will be there to compete for a chance to move on to the Masters' Tournament, Where the Best artists will take the Crown as Best of CHAMPS. The Glass games team has brought the heat with some great games. Three days of glassblowing! Some new and some old... just like our buyers. There will be 3.5-hour games and all-day games (7 hours.) The 3.5-hour games competitors will have 3.5 hours to create a piece using the theme of the game. 3.5-hour torch time competitions: Fume it Unique Scare Me Rainbow Out Of This World Pet me In the 7.5-hour games, competitors will have 7.5 hours to create a piece using the game's theme. 7-hour torch time competitions (1day) All Day Rig Mystery Collab The team here is excited to see what they pull off. I am sure Matty and the crew will have some wild pieces for you to see. Continues On Page 100
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What to expect in Vegas? Good times, Good Food, and plenty of entertainment. If you're foodies like us, you probably can't wait to hit your fav spot. I have a couple I have been craving that I can't get at home. First, Taco's El Gordo! If you haven't been… Go, Go now, go often. This Tijuana taqueria is the nation's best taco spot, hands down. Try the Charleston Blvd Location. Second, Kai Zen Sushi! Real wasabi! Yeah, not horseradish paste. You have to special order it, and it's a Lil pricey. DO IT!. The sushi is also on point, fresh and cut right. They also serve the best Eel Sushi In town. Suppose you are looking for fun and adventure. In that case, you can go hiking in Red Rock Canyon or check out the Fun Factory by JBD, or Vegas even has folks at gun ranges that will come pick you up in a military vehicle and take you to the shooting range to shoot anything you can imagine. It's Vegas, 24 hours everything everywhere! Let's do it. See you there July 27th-30th, 2021, at the Las Vegas Convention Center!
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