The International Christian Retail Show met in Atlanta July 10-13. CBA—the association of Christian stores, which produces the show—reported total attendance of just under 5,000, a 6% increase over last year’s convention in St. Louis, despite the widespread perception of exhibitors and attendees that the show continues to shrink. As Christian specialty stores continue to struggle, it was certainly a shadow of the 1999 convention in Atlanta, when attendance reached an all-time high of more than 15,000.

The association has seen some growth, according to CBA executive director Curtis Riskey, who was overseeing the show for the second time since taking the helm in 2009. He told the PW there were now about 1,100 members, up from the 1,000 he cited last year. Asked about store attrition, he and CBA board chair George Thomsen, owner of The Harvest Store in Riverside, Calif., said there had still been a net loss, but that new stores also were opening. CBA offered a Retail Academy training day at the convention, which was attended by 150 people, both existing and prospective store owners. Riskey and Thomsen said the training sessions were received enthusiastically, as was the newly streamlined Express Pass registration process, which eliminated the long first-day lines of past years.

CBA reported booth space and exhibitors essentially the same as last year, though international exhibitors and attendance each were up about 15%. There was less doomsday talk this year from exhibiting publishers--as with BEA, they have accepted that the show no longer has the same purpose, but most say it is valuable for reasons other than selling books. Saying the convention was “fun again,” Baker Publishing Group v-p of sales and marketing Dave Lewis said they approached it with a “changed strategy.” Said Lewis, “We’re here to build relationships—with agents, authors, other publishers, and others. So we bring more rights people and fewer sales reps.” Like most other exhibitors, Baker has scaled back its footprint on the floor, but its exhibit now includes private meeting rooms. Baker posted gains of 11% company-wide in the past fiscal year and 30% for its Revell imprint, “despite the fact that sales of 90 Minutes in Heaven are slowing,” Lewis said.

Thomas Nelson was back at ICRS after bowing out in 2008, but this time with a different presence—the house had no exhibit (although, as at BEA, its remainders division did), but in a compromise deal with CBA, it had a spacious suite just off the floor. At his first ICRS as Nelson president and CEO was Mark Schoenwald, who said, “This has worked out great for us. We wanted to show support for CBA, because it is still our biggest sales channel. But booksellers tell us we do such a great job with our field reps that they don’t need to see us here.” Asked whether Nelson’s continued absence from the show floor put additional financial pressure on the association, CBA’s Riskey said, “As the show transitions, we have to get creative in finding ways to meet the needs of our customers. We’re happy to have Nelson back.”

Nelson did have a small booth space for its Buy a Bible, Help a Child project. In cooperation with World Vision, the initiative aims to raise $1.4 million “to help end poverty and preventable deaths among children” in the U.S. and worldwide. In a Christian-store exclusive between April 1 and March 31, 2012, a portion of sales of Nelson Bibles will go to the project, with matching grants coming through World Vision. CBA’s role will be to recognize and promote participating stores. As the trade show opened Monday, Gary Davidson, Nelson Bible Group publisher, presented World Vision CEO Richard Stearns with a starter check for $37,500.

Also debuting as president and CEO was Zondervan’s Scott MacDonald, who, unlike some of Zondervan’s recent top execs, has a background in the industry, and as a retailer no less. He was formerly president of Lemstone Christian Stores, a franchisor of 35 stores in 16 states, until it was sold to the Parable Group in 2007. In the interim were stints with tech and supply-chain software companies. MacDonald, who was appointed interim president in March after the departure of Mo Girkins, said he faces “operational challenges” as Zondervan shuts down its distribution facilities (HarperCollins is shifting all of its distribution to Donnelly and will also likely be presiding over the unit’s move to smaller offices in the Grand Rapids, Mich., area in the next year. “I’m not planning any seismic changes within the company,” said MacDonald. “What Zondervan needs now is a steady hand on the rudder.”

Look for a more detailed report on the show in next week’s Religion BookLine e-newsletter. Next year’s ICRS will be held in Orlando July 15 to 19.