As focused as we all are on our businesses, selling our art at the art fairs, the events are even more important to the small business owners where the events are held, the business districts and commercial areas. Most events have been started not primarily to focus art but to bring buyers into areas that are looking to increase commerce in other ways.
Here is a report from the store owners in Ann Arbor last week (hint: they were happy):
We always made it a point to patronize the businesses near our booth during shows. One of my favorite purchases was at Cherry Creek some years ago. There was a cowboy boot store right behind our booth. Growing up I'd always wanted to be a cowgirl some day, so when our earnings were looking pretty good I bought cowboy boots! What about you?
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I was a student there many a years ago, and worked as a waitresss at one of the bar/restaurants off of S. University (Good Time Charlie's). Just loved the tips during Art fair, although it sure was a hectic few days!
After I got out of college I ran a shoe store on South University for a couple of years. We had 7 stores around the state and we would bring all the left over shoes for every store to sell during the art fair. The most dead money, and hardest thing to convert to dollars, were items that just couldn't sell. Over the years, that would add up. So, it is vital for small business to sell those items. That's the importance of the Ann Arbor Art Fairs to the local businesses. It keeps them from going out of business. We did more business in those 4 days than the whole holiday season.