Wisconsin —The Wisconsin Adventist Book Center (ABC), based in Sun Prairie, Wis., made the list of Top 100 stores for 2003 by Christian Retailing, the industry's trade journal. It ranked number 82 on the list and was the only Adventist book store to make the Top 100 listing from their 2003 survey.

Christian Retailing surveyed hundreds of Christian retail stores, evaluating sales figures, store size, and other criteria. Not all of the stores in the Christian retail industry choose to participate in this survey. In fact, the Potomac Adventist Book and Health Store, which has sat atop the list since 1993, declined to participate this year, says Larry Leech, Christian Retailing editor.

Rick Claus, Wisconsin ABC manager, is excited about making the Top 100 list. "We were happy to be among the Top 100 Christian stores for 2003, and hope this will bring awareness to our Adventist Book Centers across the country. It's nice to know that smaller stores can be recognized, and that ABCs are Christian bookstores also," says Claus.

"The Christian booksellers market has been hit hard by the nearly two-year-long recession. More than an estimated 200 stores have closed in the last two years alone in an industry with just over 8,000 stores," reports Leech, "but Christian retailers are still alive and strong, and the industry's overall annual revenue is growing."

The Wisconsin ABC is owned by Pacific Press Publishing Association (PPPA), along with 19 other ABCs throughout North America.

Nicole Batten, Pacific Press Publishing Association director of publicity/public relations