46 Issue CHAMPS Show Magazine June 2023

ATLANTIC CITY TRADE SHOW REWIND

By Bernie Boulders

We, at the magazine, totally had high expectations for Atlantic City in 2023. Back in 2022, the momentum was really high for an amazing and exciting show. Expectations EXCEEDED! That’s right, another amazing show. More Buyers, More vendors, and more good times.

CHAMPS Trade Show gave Alec from Flawless Smoke Shoop in Bethlehem PA, $5000! That’s right. They’re the lucky winners for Atlantic City 2023. We asked them what they planned to do with the money.

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STORE WINNER ALEC FROM FLAWLESS SMOKE SHOP

CAKE BOOTH

FUME BOOTH CROWDS ROLLING IN

1836 BOOTH

They said, “Buy more stuff for the store”. Vendors will be happy that some of their money came right back into the room to be spent. In CHICAGO, CHAMPS will be giving a Lucky Store $10,000.

CHAMPS Glass Games brought an amazing set of glassblowers in to play in the Glass Games Open Qualifier. For two days, glass blowers blew glass in shifts creating different themed pieces.

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FIRST PLACE - KYRU - DICHROTASTIC

FIRST PLACE - WINDSTAR GLASS - PATTERNS

FIRST PLACE - WINDSTAR GLASS - SWISS ARMY PIPE

FIRST PLACE - RICK BRAINARD - SEALS

SECOND PLACE - CONJUNCTION JUNCTION - MATT Z GLASS SECOND PLACE - GLASS MUNKY - PATTERNS

SECOND PLACE - WINDSTAR GLASS - DICHROTASTIC SECOND PLACE - TONY KRAZY - SEALS

KRAKEM KRATOM BOOTH

LOCAL PHILLY BRAND ILLADELPH

There were five Categories:

Conjunction Junction, How’s your Function???

The piece must be comprised of 2 or more separate parts that fit together to make a functioning piece. These pieces were function tested and cleaned.

Dichro-Tastic!

This piece must be at least 50% dichroic. Seals, Seals, and more Seals!!!

How many seals can you put on one functional piece?

Swiss Army Pipe

Swiss Army Knives are known for having multiple uses, all conveniently in one tool. Create a pipe that has more than just one use.

Rainbows, Baskets, Blotters!

Let’s see a Montage of Patterns. How many patterns can you put on a pipe, bong, or rig?

FIRST PLACE CONJUCTION JUNCTION BLURD GLASS

FIRST PLACE WINDSTAR GLASS SWISS ARMY PIPE

FIRST PLACE WINDSTAR GLASS PATTERNS

FIRST PLACE RICK (RICHARD) BRAINARD SEALS

MONSTER GLASS DICHROTASTIC

FIRST PLACE KYRU GLASS DICHROTASTIC

The Winners Were:

Conjunction Junction, How’s your Function???

1st Blurd

2nd Matt Z

3rd Tony Kazy

Dichro-Tastic!

1st Kyru

2nd Shayla- Windstar Glass

3rd Monster Glass

Seals, Seals, and more Seals!!!

1st Richard Brainard

2nd Tony Kazy

3rd Takoda Madrona

Swiss Army Pipe

1st Shayla- Windstar Glass

2nd Takoda Madrona

3rd Charisma Glass

Rainbows, Baskets, Blotters!

1st Windstar

2nd Glass Munky

3rd Amorphous and Oats for the Tie

The Judges were really tight. The tie shows that the races were closer than ever. I asked Hops about his experience, and he said the numbers were so fair he didn’t even know who won until I announced it! All in all, the Sponsors and Vendors really came out for the show and had a great time.

So many smiling faces and so many people making moves that it will go down in the record books as one of the smoothest shows ever.

SECOND PLACE - TAKODA MADRONA - SWISS ARMY PIPE

THIRD PLACE - CONJUNCTION JUNCTION

THIRD PLACE - CHARISMA GLASS - SWISS ARMY PIPE

THIRD PLACE - MONSTER GLASS - DICHROTASTIC

THIRD PLACE TIE - AMORPHOUS GLASS AND OATS GLASS - PATTERNS THIRD PLACE - TAKODA - SEALS

REC GLASS TAKODA MADRONA