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Ann Arbor

Posted by Ruth Jellema on July 24, 2011 at 7:15pm

Just back from Ann Arbor and spending a quiet Sunday recovering.  I sent off an "Ann Arbor  report" e-mail to my family and realized it would work as a blog here.  For reference - I'm in the Guild show on State Street and have been there for a long time.  Just bear in mind this report was geared for family.  Hope this makes me worthy of the red dot Connie brought me!

 

Tuesday - high of 96
Our setup time was noon. We were all psyched up - cooler full of Gatorade, plans to take it slow. Got all unloaded, partially set up, and when our time limit to have the van on the street was up, I continued while Dave went to check in to the hotel. I tried the Gatorade/taking it slow plan, but by the time he got back I was totally drenched in sweat, short of breath, and seeing black spots in front of my eyes. So we shoved everything into the booth, zipped it up and left. I had to stand in a cool shower for a while, then lay on the bed, and then go back in the shower to wash my hair since I didn't have the strength to lift my arms the first time. It was really pitiful!!

Wednesday - high of 96
Woke up totally refreshed. Had to go early to finish setting up. Walked out the door around 7:30 and it felt like walking into an oven. I could hardly breathe. Our booth has shade in the morning, plus it was overcast, yet by the time we finished at 10 we were once again totally drenched. But we had planned ahead and had a change of clothes and had bought more Gatorade. The sun came out strong and it was really brutal. One of us would mind the booth sitting under the sun umbrella and the other one would sit somewhere where there was tree shade. We brought 2 fans and had one going in the booth for the people and the other behind the booth on us. Customers actually came and it was worse for them walking on the hot asphalt. We had some sales, but it was pretty poor - no surprise!

Thursday - high of 99
No overcast - pure bright sun all day. We decided to do half hour shifts. One of us would be at the booth, the other over on the lawn under a tree. We brought a new secret weapon - we wet small towels, froze them, and had them in zip-loks in our cooler. Mmmmmm - refreshing on the neck, face and arms. Surprise - higher sales than the previous day! We get a daily newsletter and it was full of "it's so hot that. . ." jokes.

Friday - a cold snap - high of 91
It did feel a bit better, but very muggy. In the late afternoon a storm came through - not too bad and it didn't last too long and it did cool things off a bit. People came out in the evening and we had a somewhat decent sales day.

Saturday - high of 91
It was supposed to be overcast all day, but instead it was bright sun and felt super hot. I was feeling pretty weird - had to lay on a blanket under a tree for a while. A storm came through but didn't cool things down. Just at packup time another storm came making packing really difficult. Then when we were almost loaded up, of course another storm came and since the booth was mostly down we got totally soaked. BUT, we were packing up happy. We had resigned ourselves to a pretty bad sales year, but on Saturday, for whatever reason, we had really excellent sales. When I added it all up I found that we actually did better than last year! Got home around midnight.

Today - who cares what the temp is - I haven't gone outside!!

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Comments

  • Kelly Allen July 28, 2011 at 11:24am

    Give Ruth a break. There were thousands of artist at that show.  So you didn't do well at Ann Arbor. Guess what some people did even in 100 degree weather. I say... Good for them! I am always happy when another artist does well at a show.  I would like it to be me, don't get me wrong but the Art Gods are not always kind. Sometimes you have to wait for your turn. Instead of blaming everything else under the sun when I don't do well. I have to look at my display, my jewelry, my attitude (which after 20 years of doing shows sometimes needs a bit of help) and if I stayed in my booth. I can't change the weather, my location, but I can change my attitude.  I will be there next year 100 degrees or not. Anyone else or will I have to whole place to myself?

     

     

  • steve appel July 25, 2011 at 1:23pm
    So my question is,  IF Ann Arbor was so bad, how does it get ranked among the best shows in the country. Sounds like someone is paying someone off to get a high rating   .   I do appreciate the review, cause i was thinking of applying next year but after that horror story, i will stay west of the Mississippi river
  • nancy wasserman July 25, 2011 at 10:46am
    the weather was brutal--my fans were blowing hot air and my fabulous neighbors-daaryl and keith (with amazing ikebana flower holders) kept feeding me Zeros with electrolites. We were at william and thompson at the end of william-we had meager traffic --i was on liberty the year before and did much better. I did fairly well but felt location for me was a problem as the crowds didnt come that far. The folks that did were forthcoming but it was so hot, as usual for ann arbor, sales were a struggle.
  • geri a. wegner July 25, 2011 at 9:59am

    Ruth, don't mind Barry only reading every other line of your review, missing the important family line, it can be tough reading with the sweat dripping in your eyes.  Bet he wishes there was an edit button on the blogs.

    Mother Nature probably figured that good weather in Florida was enough and is determined to melt us all this summer.  

  • Ruth Jellema July 25, 2011 at 9:03am
    Hey Barry - did you read the part where I said this was just a reprint of something I sent to family?
  • Kathleen Neff July 25, 2011 at 9:00am
    In defense of Ruth's review of this show, she warned us that it was exactly that...an accounting to family. With that said, I think that looking at both short range comparisons (last year vs this) AND overall experiences from those who have a long term relationship with the show does matter.  I think this year especially we are seeing the weather as far more 'withering' than many of us ever thought it could be so the comments from both Nels and Barry are very important.  Hope you get back your strength Barry ...I'd like to see your review from the reality perspective.  Exhibitors who have never done the event might want to write 'weather extremes' into their budgetary formula.
  • Nels Johnson July 25, 2011 at 8:49am
    Barry--read my blog, I am doing it now.  I will give you some real meat.
  • Barry Bernstein July 25, 2011 at 8:35am
    This reads like your diary and not like a review.  How about giving us some real info.  Try comparing it to the last X number of years so we can get an idea on how the show is trending from year to year instead of comparing it to last year, which I thought was one of the worst years in the past 20.  I may have to write my own review if I ever get my energy back. In your defense, this show was hard to accurately review because the weather had everything to do with sales, or, the lack of them.  I think Thursday was hotter than you reported.  It got over 100 degrees with humidity in the 90's. I had heard that the health department was considering closing the show for health reasons if the temps in the booths were over 106. If the great Nels Johnson didn't sell, you know the show was off. The radio stations were telling people to stay inside. That doesn't help sales at an outdoor show.
  • Nels Johnson July 25, 2011 at 7:11am
    Ruth, I too did the Guild show on Main.  Show sucked the big one.  Could you shed a little light on one important topic--sales.  Given that most of us have $1500 minemum in operating expenses to do this show, did you make expenses?  Did you break $4K in sales, because that would be the minemum to make off a show that takes six days and long hours of your time.  Just curious, Nels.  You can write me personally, if you don't want it out in public.
  • Kathleen Neff July 24, 2011 at 8:18pm
    GREAT REPORT, RUTH...If the elements simply kept you from noticing your 'better numbers' then the discomfort they dealt you was obviously worth it!
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