Cutting Through The Noise
By Kevin Dankman
By Amear Moretall
By Bernie Boulders Food
ISSUE 75 | NOVEMBER 2025
ISSUE 75 | NOVEMBER 2025
Writing
Bernie Boulders
Kevin Dankman
Photography
CHAMPS Show Magazine Staff
Design & Layout
DJ Sixxx
Publisher
CHAMPS Trade Shows
Editorial Director
Kevin Dankman
By Kevin Dankman
When the calendar flipped to October, the pumpkin spice appeared, and right on cue, the flood began. Emails from local radio stations, calls from ad reps, and a never-ending stream of "BOOST THIS POST" notifications. It’s the official start of the holiday ad season, and for a shop owner, it raises the million-dollar question: Is it even worth it?
As a counter-culture retailer, you’re not just competing with other smoke shops; you're competing with the holiday juggernaut. Every big-box store, online giant, and mainstream boutique is about to unleash a deafening barrage of advertising. Their budgets are bigger, their reach is wider, and their noise can feel impossible to cut through.
So, should you save your money and ride the wave of organic traffic? Or is going dark during the busiest retail season of the year a fatal mistake?
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Photo by Theo Crazzolara on Unsplash
A Better Boost:
I'll admit, I've always been skeptical of energy shots. The typical five-hour formulas never quite worked for me, often leaving me with jitters. So, when RRR Trading sent over their new EDP Energy Shot, I was hesitant. As someone who doesn't consume much caffeine, I was worried it might be too intense.
A Review of the EDP Energy Shot
Before trying it, I took a moment to read the label and was immediately intrigued. Instead of caffeine, the formula centers on its metabolite, paraxanthine, for a cleaner energy lift. It’s also packed with innovative ingredients like Malic Acid and L-Pheny lalanine, alongside well-known vitamins such as B-12, Niacin, and B-6.
The day I decided to test it was a day I truly needed it. Exhausted from health issues that had wrecked my sleep schedule, I was completely drained. But life doesn't stop; I had work, chores, and the Tampa-Am Skate Competition to get to. So, down the hatch it went.
The flavor was interesting—a unique blend reminiscent of a honey-cherry fruit punch. What impressed me most was the effect. There were no jitters, no added anxiety—just a smooth, elevated feeling that carried me through the drive.
I was braced for a crash, a common side effect of stimulants for me. However, it never came. Unlike the sudden drop you get from caffeine and sugar, the energy from the EDP shot gently tapered off. I was tired again, as expected, but I didn't feel depleted. Once at the hotel, I was able to take a restorative nap without any issues.
With its attractive, shelf-ready packaging and a formula that delivers, the EDP Energy Shot is a fantastic new product. It offers a clean, effective boost that will keep customers coming back.
Bonus Review: Kanna Extract Chewable Tablets
RRR Trading also included their new Kanna Extract chewable tablets. This remarkable succulent, native to Africa, has been used for years for its dual benefits. It provides a noticeable boost of energy while also offering a soothing quality—a welcome bonus for my stomach issues.
The Kanna Extract is a definite "buy" in my book. You may need to introduce it to customers unfamiliar with its effects, but once they experience the unique, clear-headed energy it provides, they'll be convinced.
The answer: Yes, holiday advertising is absolutely worth it—but only if you’re smart about it. Competing on volume is a losing game. Winning is about precision.
The Problem: Shouting into a Hurricane
Let’s be honest about the challenges. During Q4, the advertising landscape gets brutal:
Costs Skyrocket: The price for digital ad space (your Cost Per Click and CPM) can double or even triple as giants like Amazon and Target buy up inventory.
Audience Fatigue: Your potential customers are being bombarded with ads from every direction. Getting them to notice, let alone remember, your ad is a monumental task.
Generic Messaging Fails: A simple "20% Off" ad gets lost. Your message has to be unique and compelling to stand out.
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Photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash
The Message: "The most unique gifts in Ormond Beach are right here. Skip the mall. Shop local."
2. Sell a Solution, Not Just a Product
The holiday shopper is often stressed and looking for a solution to their "what-to-buy" problem. Your advertising should be their
The Play: Instead of an ad for a vaporizer, run an ad for "The Perfect Gift for the Person Who Has Everything." Create digital gift guides and promote them. For example: "Gifts Under $50," "Top Picks for the Glass Connoisseur," or "CBD Wellness Kits to Survive the Holi-
The Message: "Stop stressing about your holiday shopping. We have the coolest gifts they’ll actually use. Continues On Page 31
Photo by Adem AY on Unsplash
3. Partner Up for a Power Play
Your advertising budget might be small, but your collective reach with other local businesses is huge.
The Play: Team up with a non-competing local business that shares your customer demographic—a local record store, a vintage clothing boutique, a tattoo parlor, or a popular craft brewery. Pool your resources for a joint ad campaign. Offer reciprocal discounts (e.g., "Show your receipt from [Record Store]
Photo by Angela Bailey on Unsplash
4. Don't Forget Your Goldmine: Your Existing
The cheapest, most effective advertising you can do is reaching the people who already love you.
The Play: text club are your secret weapons. These customers are already warm leads. Send them exclusive, early-access Black Friday deals. Offer them a special coupon that they can share with a friend. This encourages repeat busi ness and word-of-mouth mar keting, which is more power ful than any ad you can buy.
The Message: our regulars, and we appreci ate you. Here’s a deal just for you, before anyone else sees it."
The Verdict
So, is holiday advertising worth it? Pouring money into generic, wide-net advertising is like throwing cash into a bonfire. You’ll get some heat, but it will be gone in a flash. targeted, strategic, and creative campaign? That’s not an expense; it’s an investment. It’s an investment in acquiring new local customers, in building your brand as a community hub, and in making sure that when people are looking for unique gifts, your shop is the first place they think of.
Don't go silent this holiday season. Just be sure that when you speak, you're talking to the right people.
Photo by CardMapr.nl on Unsplash
Photo by Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash
By Bernie Boulders
Black Friday. To the typical retailer, it's a chaotic symphony of doorbusters, price slashes, and a mad dash to sell out existing inventory. But what if, instead of selling more of the same, you used that massive surge of traffic to fundamentally change who your customer is?
This year, think of Black Friday not just as a sales day, but as a launch party. It's the single best opportunity you'll have to break out of the "smoke shop" box and intro duce new product lines that attract entirely new demo graphics. By strategically stocking and marketing items beyond pipes, vapes, and incense, you can convert a one-day sales spike into a year-round expansion of your customer base.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Step 1: Select Your New Fire
The goal is to select inventory that complements your counter-culture persona while appealing to customers who have never set foot in your store. These new products should be your Black Friday headliners.
Skateboarding: The synergy is undeniable. Skate and cannabis cultures have overlapped for decades. Start small and targeted: a curated selection of decks from cool, indie brands, unique grip tape, wheels, and branded apparel. These are items that a skater, or someone shopping for one, will instantly recognize and appreciate.
Mycology: The interest in home-scale mushroom cultivation is exploding. This category attracts a curious, DIY-focused crowd. Stocking all-in-one mycology grow kits, spore syringes (where legally applicable), and educational books positions your shop as a hub for this burgeoning hobby. These are high-margin items that your typical competitor isn't carrying.
Adult Products: Often seen as taboo, adult novelties are a high-margin category with massive crossover appeal. You don’t need to become a full-fledged adult store. Start with tasteful, cleverlypackaged party games, conversation starters, and quality novelty items. Market them as fun, unique gifts that customers can't find at the mall.
Streetwear & Apparel: Go beyond your own branded merch. Become a local outpost for exclusive streetwear brands, artist-designed t-shirts, and limited-run hoodies. This transforms your shop from a place to buy things into a place that reflects a certain style, attracting fashion-conscious customers looking for unique apparel.
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Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
Step 2: The Marketing Blitz: Reach Beyond Your Bubble
Your current marketing strat egy is great for your regulars. But your regulars won't grow your business into new cate gories. To attract new custom ers, you have to show up where they are.
This is not the time to be shy. Your marketing push in the weeks leading up to Black Friday must be and focused almost exclu sively on the new inventory.
Instagram is Your Trojan
Your Instagram feed is the key to reaching outside your normal circle. Posting a picture of a skate deck with your usual hashtags won't cut it. You need a deliberate, targeted strategy:
Create Lifestyle Content:
Don't just post a product; post a lifestyle. Get a shot of a skater using the deck you sell. Make a cool time-lapse video of a mycology kit’s progress. Show a group of friends laugh ing while playing one of the adult party games.
Photo by Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash
Expand Your Hashtag Universe: This is the most crucial part. For every post, use a mix of tags designed to hit different audiences. Think in tiers:
Your Core: #YourShopName #smokeshop #headshop (Keeps your regulars engaged)
The New Targets: #skateboarding #skatelife #mycology #fungiculture #growyourown #streetwear #fashion #adultnovelty #partygames (This is how new people find you)
The Local Hook: #[YourCity]SkateScene #[YourTown]Events #ShopLocal[YourCity] #GiftIdeas[YourCity] (This captures local shoppers searching for specific interests)
Engage Local Media
Think like a mainstream boutique. Send a press release to your local alt-weekly paper, city blogs, and event websites. Frame your story: "Local Smoke Shop Rebrands for the Holidays with Exclusive Skate Decks, Mycology Kits, and Unique Gifts." They are always looking for fresh, interesting "shop local" stories, and your unique inventory is the hook. A small, targeted ad in one of these publications showcasing the new items can have a massive ROI.
Step 3: In-Store Execution: Seal the Deal
Once you get these new customers in the door, the in-store experience must validate their decision to come.
Merchandise with Intent:
Create a "Black Friday Feature Zone" right at the front of your store. This is where your new inventory lives. Don't hide the skate decks in the back. Make the mycology kits a centerpiece. The goal is for a new customer to walk in and immediately see the item that brought them there, making them feel welcome and understood.
Train Your Team: Your staff are your brand ambassadors. Hold a pre-Black Friday meeting to educate them on the new products. They need to be able to answer basic questions about a skate deck's concave or what's included in a grow kit. More importantly, they must be ready to welcome customers who might be hesitant or unfamiliar with a smoke shop environment.
Black Friday is your audition. By using it to launch new, exciting inventory and marketing it to a broader audience, you're not just making a sale. You're gaining a new, loyal customer who will see your shop as more than just a place for papers and pipes — they'll see it as a destination.
By Amear Moretall
Alright, road warriors, let's get real. When you're on the road, grinding it out at a show, the one thing that can make or break your day is the food. Bad food kills the vibe, tanks your energy, and puts you in a mood. They don’t call it HANGRY for nothing, and trust me, you don't want to be negotiating a deal when you're hangry. So, while you're posted up in the Fort Lauderdale area, I'm gonna let you in on a few legit spots we found. No tourist traps, just the goods.
Kickstart the Engine
First things first: coffee. I usually brew my own in the room to avoid the hotel sludge, but sometimes you need to get out. Skip the corporate chains and hit up Press and Grind. We stumbled on this place last year, and it’s solid. Dope coffee, and they do fresh-pressed juices that will actually make you feel human again. It's just west of the convention center on 17th Street.
Now, if you need a real breakfast to soak up last night's Archibald's Village Bakery is the move. They've got the quick-and-easy options on lock, and it's all killer, no filler. It’s close to the beach, so you can grab something and get some sun before heading back to the grind.
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Photo by Press and Grind
Photo by Marina Deli
Photo by 15th St Fisheries
And you can't talk about Fort Lauderdale without mentioning The Elbo Room. It's probably the most famous beach dive bar in Florida, right on the corner of Las Olas and A1A. It's been there forever, the drinks are strong, and the people-watching is second to none. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s a required stop.
Stay hungry, my friends.
