permanent - Forum - Art Fair Insiders2024-03-29T15:14:10Zhttps://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/feed/tag/permanentPermanent Booth Anyone?https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/permanent-booth-anyone2018-06-22T22:43:27.000Z2018-06-22T22:43:27.000ZCindy Welchhttps://www.artfairinsiders.com/members/CindyWelch<div><p>Many of us here do shows where we set up temporarily for a weekend. Some may even be in galleries, temporarily or have a permanent rotation, with items on display or for sale. </p>
<p>I am wondering if any of you rent space for a permanent booth? I am talking about a brick and mortar that rents out spaces to those who sell their art / craft. The places I am thinking of collect the money & pay the sales tax (if applicable) to the authorities, provide a 1099 at year's end, etc.. The artist sets up his or her booth with appropriate displays and stock.</p>
<p>If you have your art/craft in one of these places, I am wondering how it is going for you? Has it met your expectations? Did it take more or less work than you thought? If you have left this venue, what caused the departure?</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your experience!</p></div>Permanent Booth Part 2https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/permanent-booth-part-22018-07-08T19:20:58.000Z2018-07-08T19:20:58.000ZCindy Welchhttps://www.artfairinsiders.com/members/CindyWelch<div><p>I want to update y'all on the process of finding a permanent booth somewhere put my art/craft. Yesterday John (dh) and I went a community about 2 hours from where we live that's got (at least) 3 places that offer this. If I am going to consider a commitment like this I want and value his input. He can see things I may miss or think of questions I have not considered.</p>
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<p><span>We left early enough to be there by 9:00 when the first of several stores opened that we wanted to look at. The first one was really nice, had some great handcrafted art & furniture and some smalls. The staff was professional and showed us around, answering questions & offering information to us. They do have one space that is approximately 11x12 but it's not a great location. It is in the back and it's sort of tucked away. They charge $3.00/sq. ft. and 10%, and they take care of submitting sales tax. They have a dooma jigie that counts the number of people who come in. I believe he said there are 4000/week. They are open Wednesday through Sunday. No requirements to work any shifts or even be around. Of course one must go replenish as things sell, reprice, etc. They take care of collecting and remitting all sales tax. The are open Wednesday - Sunday, 9-5 (or maybe 6?) every week.</span></p>
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<p><span>The 2nd place had very friendly, professional staff on site as well and had some great items in the booths. While showing us around they gave all sorts of information and showed possible locations for a booth space. This is a 2 story building as opposed to the 1st being a one story. I expressed concern that the 2nd story would not get enough foot traffic. However, they say it does get loads of foot traffic. The staff works at directing people to the booths upstairs. They charge $1.95/sq. ft for downstairs and $1.75 for upstairs. They charge 13% that covers advertising, overhead, and cc fees. They require one 4 hour shift per month. There is a private facebook page to go in and do housekeeping tasks for the booth you rent (printing tags, updating inventory, etc.) and to put your name on the schedule. They take care of collecting and remitting all sales tax. They are open 9-7 on Friday, 9-6 on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. They are open 1st & 3rd weekends of the month and then host special events. Dh has volunteered to go spend the day with me when I go for my shift.</span></p>
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<p><span>At both of these places, we took plenty of time to wander around, look at the booths and the art/craft in those booths. Both places are fully climate controlled and those who rent space do not have access unless the staff is there, which provides a layer of security. Both offer month to month from the start with 30 days notice to vacate.</span></p>
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<p><span>While there we hit some resale stores, flea markets, and so on. We found a few pieces that were in our price range. One thing we found out by observation and talking to shop owners is that the area's standard of living is better than our area. Even the resale shops and flea market type stores had higher prices than what are charged in our community.</span></p>
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<p><span>We went to another store that sells refinished pieces and some that are not. They had some pieces that were unfinished and in fine shape and just need a good cleaning. The other pieces need refinishing. The sell all of it. However the do not rent booth space.</span></p>
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<p><span>While there we had a nice lunch at a long running locally owned restaurant. It was very good and had very good service. It was a good treat.</span></p>
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<p><span>When we were heading back south, about to cross the Pontchartrain Causeway, dh asked about the store I went to look at with our dd and my friend a few weeks ago. It's in Metairie (burb of New Orleans) and we stopped there since we had time before they closed at 6:00 PM. They are open 5 or 6 days a week, 10-6. They have set booth sizes and you are locked in to those sizes and charge by the booth size. They charge $475 for a 10x10 and 15% commission + 3.5% cc fees. Three month lease to start and then month to month after that. Dh thinks there is too much buy/sell in this location to mesh with what I do. I believe he is right.</span></p>
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<p><span>Our consensus is that the second store lines up more with what I sell. By that I mean the vibe, the other products offered by other sellers, and so on. We are taking a few days to think and pray about our decision to do this. We don't want to rush into this and make a rash decision. We do not have a deadline. However if we do this I want to this I'd like to be open for the first weekend of September to take advantage of the fall buying season.<br/></span></p>
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<p><span>We are well aware of the 1.5-2 hour drive to the location we are preferring. We have 4 lane 99.9% of the drive, including the causeway over the Pontchartrain. There is a $5 toll on the way back, southbound, but not northbound.</span></p>
<p><span><br/>My question is this ... When deciding to make a move like this, what if your mental process? What questions do you ask yourself? What questions do you ask the owners/management? What things am I missing that I need to consider?</span></p></div>Permanent Booth, Last Installmenthttps://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/permanent-booth-last-installment2018-07-16T01:13:05.000Z2018-07-16T01:13:05.000ZCindy Welchhttps://www.artfairinsiders.com/members/CindyWelch<div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I want to give an update on what is going on and it will be my last installment on this topic.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have been accepted into the antique/vintage/unique mall where I applied for a booth! Yay! I actually heard from them on Thursday I think. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They seem anxious to get me in before the next weekend they are open, which is <em><strong>this coming weekend.</strong></em> Yikes!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This place is open on the first and third weekends of each month. They have scheduled days they are open for the booth operators to go in and work on their booth. This week, the only available days is Monday and Tuesday, due to meetings during the week.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I cannot go tomorrow because we are too short staffed at our store for dh to get away. We have an employee who was called for jury duty. She is hoping to get dismissed because she wants/needs to work. Yes, it's a civic duty but she is the main bread winner for her family. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If she is actually called upon to serve, we will be delayed a week which means we miss this month, totally.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If she is dismissed, we will leave Tuesday morning and go for the day. We will return home on Tuesday when we get the booth set up. We expect it to take several hours since we have a bit of a different approach to this.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We must have a corner booth because we have 2 walls. We can actually put stuff on the walls. I am planing on hanging some of my wall art, which is some resin medallions I picked up and repainted, and aged with wax. Also, I have an old ceiling tin that was painted an UGLY mauve color and attached to a wood frame. I have repainted the tin and distressed and aged it. I also have some empty frames I painted out that can get hung too. This part alone is very different from the show booths we have, where there is no permanent wall space.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am taking decorative shelving to display small pieces of upcycled and vintage home decor. We will also have a vintage trunk that i for sale but also a display piece. We will have some vintage tables I painted for sale and to display as well. Our trailer will have much more in it than what will fit in the booth. That way I can pick and choose what I want to go in.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I spent a good bit of time this afternoon getting some thing priced and a price list going. I will have to enter items and prices in their system when I get there and see what we will use.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px;">I will be keeping this booth for the foreseeable future in addition to the 4 shows I have scheduled, each of which is a 3 day show. So my production schedule has accelerated quickly. I will have to use slave labor to keep the home up .... dh and dd, till I can get a handle on things.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px;">The commute is 2 hours one way, which may seem excessive to some of you out there. This is the best permanent market that best fits my products. There is NOTHING in our town or parish (county). (I have looked at one in New Orleans and it is not a good fit, though I got a call from them last week. I need to notify them I am giong in a different direction.)</span><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 16px;">We have 4 lane about 99% of the drive so it makes it easier. The one interesting part is that part of the commute is over the Pontchartrain Causeway, over the Lake Pontchartrain between New Orleans and the North Shore area where this store is. It is 24 miles long, the longest bridge over a continuous waterway. The only time it will be a factor is if there is inclement weather, mostly thunderstorms, with high winds.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px;">So I am very excited about this and hope that it takes off well considering we are entering the fall shopping season.</span></p></div>