Shoppe Artisan brands itself as a busy, highly-marketed upscale art and craft show. Located in the Cobb Galleria Centre in northern Atlanta -- an inside show so weather was not going to be a factor. Load in on Thursday evening and continue from 8-12 on Friday. Friday noon to 6, Saturday and Sunday 10-6.
I had high hopes for this venue. Upscale clientele was promised. Lots of traffic was promised. Booth fees were extremely high. $1200 for a 10x10, 600 for a 5x10. I got the 5x10. Load-in was flawless, and there was plenty of dock space for vendors. I wasn't that happy about being on the back end of one of the rows, but considering the layout I decided it wasn't a big deal.
Talking to other artists, only two in the entire place had been there the previous year. We would quickly find out why -- no one came! No one seemed to know about it! Whether the promised marketing and ads were just not effective or not placed in the proper mediums, the crowds just did not show. The mall across the street was packed with holiday shoppers. But this mall and its shops were barren.
Friday was somewhat dismal, with only 8 or so small sales falling far short of the booth fee, which as you know every artist hopes to surpass on the first day. There were more artists walking around than there were customers. The coordinator told us "well, it's Friday."
I thought to go eat at the "Jocks and Jills" sports bar on the way out to the parking deck, and you would have thought it was closed. Friday night and there are only five or six people in the entire place. Pass on that risk.
Saturday was only a little better. I made my booth fee plus a little more, if I add the sales to Friday to that number. Artists were starting to complain, and quite a few loaded out that night. Since it was only a couple hours drive home to Birmingham and I had no hotel fees (staying with a friend), I didn't feel the panic to vacate.
Sunday found more of the same, and less. We arrived to find a very snarky "load-out" letter on our tables, how they had been "very clear on the point that there is to be no early load-out." Artists were mad. Shoppers were few and far between. All we could do was laugh at that point and treat it like a day off from our working lives. Some had made booth fee, others never came close. I spent a lot of the day answering emails, playing a game on my phone, and buying some gifts from the other artists.
Summary: I won't be back. Too expensive, not enough traffic, not enough sales. This show isn't for me.
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