At Skia, a new Christian bookstore in Bentonville, Ark., there are comfortable chairs, racks of apparel, a coffee and smoothie bar, and a full corner dedicated to the building of skateboards. “It takes a little while to put together a skateboard, maybe 15 minutes or so,” said store co-owner Bill Beyer. “It gives us an opportunity to talk with the kids and really develop relationships with the kids while we’re doing that.” Meeting customers where they are has become the mantra of the Christian retail industry as its stores face stiff competition from big-box stores and online retailers. With more stores closing than opening each year, some industry layoffs and a key publisher staying away from this week’s annual International Christian Retail Show, retailers and publishers are finding that innovation is a key to thriving in the current business climate.