Issue 41 January 2023

Dreams Secrets By RAM

By Kevin Dankman

By Edward U. Kates

By Bernie Boulders

By Kevin Dankman

Daytona Beach,

by: CHAMPS Staff Photographer Earth Smokes A lot @earthsmokesalot2 Marlon Hightower @_ElseCollective

The Most Famous Beach

If you missed out on CHAMPS Tradeshow in Daytona Beach, you missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hotel rooms on the beach, beautiful weather, sunny, and in the '70s and '80s. Ideal temperature nestled between 2 Hurricanes. It seems that Jeff is correct. Someone upstairs likes us!

As with all new venues, there were a few mistakes and new things to learn. However, the buyers came and made the whole trip worth it.

CHAMPS had the first split floor, with one large 100,000 sqft Exhibit Hall and the Glass Bash Arena of 40,000 sqft.

It took a day or so for all the buyers to get used to it, but they eventually found both rooms successfully.

The exhibit hall was full of the big boys of the industry. Cake, Drip Drop, and Kratomade had unique booths bustling with business. There was an official smoking area outside the doors by the Fuego booth for the first time. The Fuego crew is so hot they needed their own fire exit!

One interesting product I found was from a new company from Tampa, Brothers Broadleaf, the first hand-rolled blunt wraps. The tobacco was fully cured and had a nice supple feeling. It smelled so good that it made you want to smoke the cigar itself.

Photos

Everyone loves the Cake Booth Drip Drop exing their Blazing Buddies Gear

Zion Herbal Booth

Fuego Booth on Fire

Brothers Broadleaf

YBNorml Booth

That’s a Big Banger at Bear Quartz Booth

The Stache Booth Theresa in the Canna Elite Booth

It was great to see the Mycology companies doing well. Psilo-Mart looked busy the whole show.

When you stepped into the Arena, it was like walking into the finest art gallery full of artists selling and making art. The Vibe was new and exciting. Glassblowers who had never been to a CHAMPS Show were mingling with many of the familiar faces of CHAMPS Glass Games.

The Glass Bash was a one-of-a-kind new concept from the Glass Games Crew. In a first for CHAMPS, there were tons of Collaboration Stations. Collabland was a huge success; contemporary artists worked with some of the biggest names in the game.

We also got to see Hugh blow glass with Jerry Kelly, Sakibomb made a few fun things, Banjo and Joe P. collab with young upcoming artists like Nitro and TroubletheMaker.

Trevs Glass

Sky Co Booth

Rusty Glass with the new Tube Line

East Koast Glass Booth

Nick at Art Rolls

4 Score Booth

Esco Bar Booth

Charisma

Armor

Jerry and Ross playing Milli Checkers

The Florida glass artists came out, RAM and the guys from his studio Smiff and Ryder came out. Ray from Sea Shakes Glass brought his lathe out to make collabs alongside some glass blowers like Scoby, MJ Melts, JFK Glass, and others. He wasn't the only one to bring a lathe out. Enjoy and Prosper also brought his lathe to work on with others.

Casto Demo

Joe Romatowski

Banjo showing the heaters

The Wizard Phil Seigel

Joe P and Banjo Collab

This was the most Glassblowers assembled in one place for an event in Florida. Artists came from all over to participate. JD Maplesden came in from the Pacific Northwest, Steve Cambria and Trina Caterina came in from the northeast, Casto from New Mexico, and Pogo came in from Colorado. One of my favorite old-school glassblowers was also in attendance from Eugene, Oregon. For the first time in a very long time, Dave Strobel joined the Eugene Glass School booth. I can personally attest to the journey Dave has been on. My first daily driver was a Strobel.

One of the most entertaining and unique things at this event was the Eugene Glass School Glassblower Challenge. Saeed really came through with a ton of free glass for the glassblowers and super fun experience for everyone.

So many amazing friends came out to support the Southeast's regional show.

Skooet

Hugh and Jerry Kelly in Collab Land

B2B Wholesaler Magazine Booth

The Glass Bash Cars

Glass Distractions Booth

Judging

Operation Pipe Dreams

Jerry and Ross playing Milli Checkers

The Glass games were also unique and exciting. The Glass Bash Car Show and Smash was a super event. They also had Best Solo made on-site and Best Solo Submission piece.

Glass Bash Best-in-Show Results:

1st Stucky

2nd Eternal Glass

3rd Big Lake Glass

Solo On-Site Winners

1st Armor Glass Noah

2nd Joe P. 3rd Casto

Solo Bring In Submission Winners

1st Charisma

2nd Armor Glass Noah

3rd Skoeet.

Not only did the artists come so did the buyers. They came from all over and even as far as Switzerland to buy glass for their shops. Over 1500 buyers from shops were in attendance, the largest Florida Total by far during a regular trade show season.

The Buyers scooped up all the silent auction pieces raising a whopping $11,571 for Charity. CHAMPS Daytona Beach earned one for the record books. But, with Florida, in the rearview, the CHAMPS Trade Show team will turn their focus to the next show.

CHAMPS Trade Show will kick off its 24th year in Las Vegas! February 8-11th, 2023 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

First Place - Solo Bring In Submission - Charisma Glass

First Place - Solo On-Site - Noah, Armor Glass

First Place - Best In Show - Stucky

Third Place - Solo On-Site - Casto

By Edward U. Kates

New Year, New Ideas

Happy New Year! That's right, it's January 2023! So your store has survived yet another year of the retail world.

Now that we are here, what do we do? The movie marvels have predicted some wild things indeed… Endgame and The Purge: Anarchy is two theatrical versions of what lies ahead.

We at CHAMPS Show Magazine vote for higher sales, better ROI, and an overall great year.

My Idea? New Ideas! That's right, time to think outside the walls of your store and mind.

I have been to hundreds of shops. Everyone has the right way to do it. Well, they have their way, and they're the owner, so… it's the right way.

Now let's ask, "what could WE be doing differently?"

Only you can really answer this question. Look around your shop, and check out a few of your area's gift shops. Go to your favorite shopping locations, look around, and what are they doing that brought you in?

Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash

New Year, New Ideas

Often we get stuck doing the same thing we think works over and over. Yes, it's successful, but does it draw new eyes? Is your customer base growing with new buyers?

Two things that I tell everyone in retail… Don't get married to your inventory; you don't have to like it to be a best seller. We often think if we don't want a specific item, it won't sell, yet your highest seller could be something you hate.

What do I mean, don't get married to your inventory? Sales Sales SALES! If something sits for 6 months... Please put it on sale! Rotate sales on your blunt stock each month, and make one a deal. This will stimulate purchases and keep the inventory fresh.

Many shops sell more Kratom than anything, yet the owner doesn't use it. In my friend's shops' vapes are best sellers, yet he and his employees DON'T use vapes. So remember, fads and trends are important and keep your store from falling behind, or your competition will swallow you up.

New Year, New Ideas

Here is another couple of good quotes that come back time after time...

If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!

Clean and well-merchandised stores are always more successful than dingy, dusty, dark holes in the wall.

Variety is the Spice of life!

Keep a well-varied stock. We all like different things, colors, flavors, and styles. They are all personal choices. You would never go to a grocery store and see only one option per item!

You may have read this far and are like I do all of that already; you're wasting my time... I started by asking you to think of your own free will and look around to find something you can do better or differently. These suggestions are meant to get your mind thinking of new ideas. So stop sitting around reading, and go find one change you can make today that will better your bottom line!

Photo by Jose Aljovin on Unsplash

By Bernie Boulders

Viva LAS VEGAS,

CHAMPS Trade Show Will be rolling into Las Vegas February 8th-11th for the kickoff show to its 24th anniversary.

That's right, 24 years as industry

Buyers will be greeted at the show with brand-new gear for the year. In addition, CHAMPS will give out free Hats and Hatpins to the 1st 420 pre-registered store buyers. Another incentive is that each day one lucky Shop Owner will be given $1000 to spend however they wish.

Hugh and the Glass Games Crew have planned the most amazing Masters Competition, "For the Love of Glass" will be the theme! 28 Glass artists will compete for over $100,000 in cash and Prizes. 1st place will take home $20,000

If you are a foodie, let me tell you about some of the crew's favorite spots.

If you enjoy a place where you can enjoy a good atmosphere and share some great Tapas, FireFly is the spot. FireFly is located on Paradise right between the Convention Center and the CHAMPS Hotel of Choice, The Tuscany Suites and Casino. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere keeps us coming back.

favorite All you can eat option, All You Korean BBQ! Open ‘til Midnight. This is a Korean BBQ Place where you can cook your food and eat as much as you want! The meats and options are amazing, and the apps and other food are to die for. A great place for a few friends to gorge themselves on Korean food. https://www.allyoukoreanbbq.com/

Photo by Carles Rabada on Unsplash

FireFly

Ping Pang Pong

All You Korean BBQ!

For those of you with the energy to burn after the tradeshow, there are great music acts to see. Luke Bryan, Adele, Santana, Kool and the Gang, and the Black Crowes are in town during the same week.

If you like nostalgia, my favorite place is the Neon Museum and Sign Graveyard. It is a fantastic display at night. Everyone should visit once.

If psychedelic art and adventure are your bag, the place to hit is Meow Wolf Las Vegas. It's a special place with unique art exhibits that you can literally walk through and interact with! This has become a favorite of our attendees.