Issue 39 November 2022

SHOW

SHOW

CHAMPS Colorado Show Recap

By CHAMPS Smoke Shop Report

Tale of Holiday Tradition

By Kevin Dankman

Forward

By Fash N.

CHAMPS

COLORADO SHOW RECAP

CHAMPS Smoke Shop Report www.smokeshopreport.com

If you didn’t make it to Denver for the 2022 version of CHAMPS Colorado, you sure missed one amazing event filled with popular Brands. The buyers flocked in, setting a new record for attendance.

The CHAMPS Staff overcame some obstacles within the building, but everyone was enthusiastic about hitting the show floor and checking out the latest in goods from the top brands in the counterculture.

President and CEO of CHAMPS, Jeff Hirschfeld, was excited to return to the Mile High City. "Our team couldn't wait to return to the Colorado Convention Center. Our regional shows are much more intimate between the buyers and vendors, and the extended show hours allowed them not to feel rushed when making deals." He continued about how much he loves the city itself. "Denver will always hold a special place in my heart. The community here is absolutely incredible."

Pre-registered retailers could win $1,000 just for being on the show floor. Each day at 4:20, a Retail Shops Owners name was called over the loudspeaker, signaling that Shop claimed their prize at registration. Our Day 1 Retail Store winner, Chris, from Planet Smoke Shop in Jacksonville, Florida. On Day 2, The Retail Store winner was Mikey from The Joint Smoke Shop in Cicero, Illinois. They were both stunned to find out they had an extra $1,000 to spend. It's just one more way that CHAMPS Trade Shows give to the retailers who are the backbone of our industry.

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Studio photos by Earth Smokes A Lot

Mikey from The Joint Smoke Shop in Cicero Illinois won $1,000 during CHAMPS Denver just for pre-registering

Chris from Planet Smoke Shop in Jacksonville Florida won $1,000 during CHAMPS Denver just for pre-registering

CHAMPS COLORADO SHOW RECAP

CHAMPS Denver also saw a strong showing for the newly developed Mycology Section, with several brands participating. Vendors made sure that retailers were stocked for the holiday rush from spawn to spore with the newest entry to the counterculture scene. In turn, retailers were absolutely ecstatic to check out the products for the first time, excited that the mycology industry was really beginning to fruit with consumers, no pun intended.

The CHAMPS Glass Games had the strongest showing in the region in years, with more than 80 goblets on display for the annual Goblet Grab. The Goblet Grab allows anyone, both buyer and exhibitor, the opportunity to purchase a piece of unique functional art for only $200. With some of the goblets on hand valued anywhere from $600 all the way up to $5,000, this was an incredible opportunity for glass enthusiasts to be a part of history.

Rye Deyer scored a back-to-back victory defending the title with a unique, uniform, and wellconstructed Goblet. The diamondshaped opal was centered in the marble, accentuated with beautiful royal jelly purple encalmos. Chase Hardman took 2nd place with the Eagle Nest goblet that had people drooling in anticipation of the Grab. Burtoni rounded out the top 3 with a murine stack tumbler cup accented in timber and vaccine. Honorable mentions go to Jolex and John W, who entered after the judging was complete, but still brought the heat. Finally, the largest Goblet of the day, newcomer Charisma from south Jersey, left in the hands of one extremely excited Skyco Distro.

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Kr8om Booth

CannaAide Booth

The Waldo’s Wonders Booth

SkyCo and Nectar Collector

Marble Game Bracket

Float Booth

CHAMPS COLORADO SHOW RECAP

Jes Durfee also defended his title as the ultimate Marble Champion, winning both Best Set and the Game of Marbles. His Grateful Dead theme shooter marble knocked the competition out of the ring, both literally and figuratively. Seventendencies put up a good fight before ultimately being taken out by Michigoon, who lost to Jes Durfee in the finals.

The Milli Checkers brought out some big guns at this year's CHAMPS Glass Games in Denver. BMFT, or Brendan "MF" Taylor, took the best Milli Set with a beautifully crafted pull, just edging out Puntington. On the Checkerboard, however, it was Puntington who beat BMFT, whom himself ultimately lost to Jes Durfee. Jes finally took on and defeated Sko EeT, being crowned the King of the Checkerboard. The bottom line is if you ever challenge Jes Durfee to any game, don't let the nice exterior fool you. He's coming to win.

In the "Is It Glass?!?" Competition, Pedro Grime edged out Tony Kazy with his incredible "Bone" entry. While Tony's amazing chocolate bunny rabbit rig (which even appeared to be slightly sweaty and ACTUALLY smelled like chocolate) was an incredible piece with attention to the slightest detail, the Bone by Grime would have fooled Dr. Grant. Alec Blows Glass AKA the Spudmuffin, took 3rd place with his signature potatoes. Honorable mentions go to the coat hanger and clothespin set by Chase Hardman, the Pet Rock by Amorphous Symphony, and the Irish Spring Soap Bar by Samsons Glass.

John W

Kyru Glass Goblet

Rye Dyer

Hardman

John W Goblet

Tony Kazy Glass

Alec Blows Glass

Burtoni

Sko Eet Playing Checkers

Grime

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CHAMPS COLORADO SHOW RECAP

Goblet Grab:

1st Rye Deyer Glass

2nd Hardman Art Glass

3rd Burtoni Glass

Is It Glass?!?:

1st Grime Glass

2nd Tony Kazy Glass

3rd Alec Blows Glass

Marbles - Best Set:

1st Jes Durfee

2nd Happytime Glass

3rd The Glass Parrot

Marbles - Game:

1st Jes Durfee

2nd Michigoon Glass

Millie Checkers - Best Set:

1st BMFT Glass

2nd Punty Glass

3rd Cajun Rick Millie Checkers - Game

1st Jes Durfee

2nd Sko Eet Glass

Having set regional records for both Brands and Buyers, CHAMPS Denver finally drew to a close after two unbelievable days in the Mile High City.

The buzz on the show floor was also the Glass Bash in Daytona. So be there! See you at the beach at our next show at the Ocean Center in Beautiful Daytona Beach Florida!

First Place

Glass?!? Pedro Grime Glass

First Place Marbel Set

First Place Milli Set

Second Place

Goblet Grab Chase Hardman

2nd Place

It Glass?!?

Tony Kazy

Second Place Marble Set

First Place

Goblet Grab Rye Dyer

Second Place Milli Checker Set

Third Place

Best Set of Marbles Danny Nyberg

Third Place

It Glass?!?

Alec Blows Glass

3rd Place Milli Checker Set

Cajun Rick

A Classic

Tale of Holiday Tradition

By kevin dankman

Good times, bad times, we all have our share of each. The people attempt to bring back what was lost when the holidays roll around in a dystopian future. I ask you this, What is your vision of Thanksgiving in a world decimated by sickness, planetary catastrophe, generational mutations, and fear?

Here is how I envision the “Thanksgiving Holiday.”

Illustrations by SEAN DIETRICH

We had finally made our way to what is now called home. Becca and I were ready to rest, we wanted to stop moving from place to place, It was time to plant some food and exist. We found a nice plot of land in the mountains off the Florida coast. They had been created when Mars approached. Massive amounts of water shifted worldwide, creating new land formations everywhere.

A Classic Tale of Holiday Tradition

Most of the team had stayed around Florida. Everyone finds their own space to occupy. The mountains were easy to access by boat and made for excellent protection. A few hundred of us all lived out here. All the homes were dug into the mountain for the least impact and the best protection.

We spent months reaching out to the friends we knew that could possibly make it to the shore.

Hamm radio conversations and planning through owl messengers is very difficult.

We were expecting 10 of our friends to arrive. We anxiously waited for a signal fire from the mainland.

This year's menu would be a treat for everyone. Becca and II were able to grow a lot of fruits and veggies this year.

We also raised three Churkeys and five pigickens.

The Churkeys are four-legged Turkeys that are small, like a chihuahua. The four legs make people believe they are a cross of a dog and a chicken. The meat is like pork, but red like beef and the legs have a very meaty muscle that tastes like gator meat.

The pigickens are chickens crossed with pigeons. They are juicy and taste like traditional chicken. They are boney and a pain to keep or catch. They are like the Houdini of animals when it comes to cages. We started with ten healthy chicks, five escaped or were cannibalized.

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All but 2 of our guests had arrived over 3 days. Travel is very unreliable and slow. We patiently awaited Sean and Rachel, it was unlike Rachel to be late. Sean must have gotten into the art again and stopped along the way to create something for someone.

It was a reasonably foggy morning when we saw the fire onshore. We prepped the skiff, grabbed some supplies, and headed to gather our friends.

A Classic Tale of Holiday Tradition

The morning was still and eerily quiet. The fog had enveloped the shoreline for miles. Honestly, I felt a little off and weird as we arrived at the dock. We expected the rest of our dinner guests, but no one was there. The signal fire was Burning out, and the sun was falling on the horizon. While the Red Planet illuminated the night in an almost ultraviolet red glow.

We looked for tracing and tracks to no avail. Whatever started the fire didn’t want us to know where they were. It’s a trap … We quickly hit the dock to head back to the Island

As we arrived at the island mountain, you could see that someone else had come. A boat that looked like a steampunk pirate ship built for two was tied up neatly to our dock. It was adorned with the classic jolly roger flying proudly in the wind. We cautiously approached, hailing out t o whoever had landed. There was an eerie quiet all around. We didn’t hear even our friends off in the distance.

We crept up to the entry to our home and were immediately alarmed, from behind the open door, you could see a body in a pool of blood on the floor. Our training kicked in, we started going from room to room in formation, looking for whoever had done this. We cleared the entry and proceeded to the main hall. It was dark, something was blocking the skylight

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A loud crash and the light streamed in from the skylight all at once, and everyone Yelled Trick Or Treat!! It was one big trick.

Sean and Rachel had actually brought the boat for us as a gift. They wanted to surprise us in the scariest way possible. Once we cleaned up the small mess, we made a fantastic feast and spent hours drinking our special distilled spirits and talking. It was a great visit with our friends, and we were so thankful for the old traditions. We weren’t giving thanks for the discovery of a nation but the recovery of our lives and the lives around us.

A Classic Tale of Holiday Tradition

ForwardCHAMPS

By Fash N.

CHAMPS Trade Show has been a leader in the industry for decades. They weathered the storm of Pipe Dreams, Won the trade Show Wars of 2011, and continued the tradition of bringing the newest and oldest products to smoke shops worldwide.

We recently told you about the growing Mycology Section. Today, we want to tell you about the new fashion forward step into the Apparel and Fashion world.

CHAMPS Has brought in a new Staff member to help grow the category to serve better the shops that are expanding their offerings.

On

Goes Fashion Forward

Goes Fashion ForwardCHAMPS

The mainstream appeal of the counterculture is a real movement. The outlaw nature of what we do is now of interest to the masses. They want to be a part of and fit in. What better way to be accepted than by the clothes you wear. Often our clothing is a blazing sign of who we are and what we enjoy in life.

CHAMPS is positioned to once again be ahead of the game by creating a new drive toward an old industry. Clothing has been fashionable, literally forever. Now that the underground scene and culture of hemp are mainstream, so shall the shops be. Imagine walking into Forever 21, and they have a weed clothing section and packaged pipes on the wall. I don’t think we are there, but smoke shops around the country are adding clothing shops to their smoke shops.

Botany Bay in Lexington, KY

Goes Fashion Forward ForwardCHAMPS

If you are interested in showing off your brand of clothing, be it leather or tie-dye, this is the place to show it. The CHAMPS buyers are a very diverse and exciting group of shop owners and managers. Conversely, as a buyer or a boutique shop owner, there is an ever-growing set of fashion lines and accessories at CHAMPS Trade Shows.

From standard brands like Grassroots and Seedless to newer brands like Kill Your Culture, Weedstock, and Weednerdz. Fashion gurus walk the floor at every show, and it is time to take notice.

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Goes Fashion Forward