mall craft shows

dragonfly designs 56 · #1 2010-03-16, 7:05am

anyone ever done any of these? hate to commit to four days if its not even worth it, 275.00 registration for two tables

Vanityfaire · #2 2010-03-16, 8:22am

Kelly I have done one or two before. I actually was in a group that traveled a circuit. I did not really do that well. Not sure if it was my product or what the deal was. I did have a lot of fun with the group however. One year I was at a mall at halloween and they had a halloween walk the mall for the kids...YIKES. Good luck if you do it. Have lots of lights its really not lit well for showing off beads.

nmsaddlebum · #3 2010-03-16, 8:54am

I did one on December 10th of last year in Rapid City, SD. It was not a good show for any of the vendors. I was excited about it because having it at the Mall seemed to be a good idea. I think part of it being so bad was that it wasn't juried, so the quality wasn't there AND they had it in an empty store, not out in the mail aisle.

I am thinking of signing up for another one in Colorado later this year- also located at a mall, but in the main part. I'm still on the fence though.

I will be interested in others experiences.

Kate

Barrie · #4 2010-03-16, 2:47pm

I was in a juried one once, in a very high end mall, during Christmas shopping rush. Didn't make even half my table fee - what a horrible waste of time it was!!! Never again!

Nolly · #5 2010-04-07, 9:10am

Do you think maybe part of the problem is that folks who shop the mall know the stores that they want to visit? Do you think an art, craft, or business show really brings in people who wouldn't normally visit the mall?

When I'm at the ridiculously useless mall in Westminster, MD, I'm usually going to the movies or GameStop with my grandson. I'm craft-minded, so I might look, but if I spot a crocheted toilet paper cover or a lot of buy/sell, I'm not going to waste my time--especially if I've got a cranky 7 y/o begging me to take him home!

Keep looking, Kelly; you'll figure it out!

Nolly

Geneva · #6 2010-04-07, 10:32am

I did them 20 years ago. At least 1 or 2 a month here in Florida. Some did good, some didn't. I scraped by. My mom had windchimes, she made a killing at every show. Now there are less mall shows and more street shows and weekend open markets. At any weekend in the Tampa area you can go to at least 10 events.
Geneva

killerbeedz1 · #7 2010-04-07, 11:05am

I did one. I will never do one again. I shared a space with my friend who does beautiful jewelry. It was in an abandoned store, sandwiched between two others right before Thanksgiving. Plenty of people around, just no one wanted to come in after they looked in the window and saw no customers. It was a two day show and most vendors ended up leaving early. I had about 3 sales, my friend had about 5. Some vendors had none. It was a cheap show to get into, but we didn't make any money.

mnoelker · #8 2010-04-07, 12:46pm

I would never do a mall show because the people coming to a mall are not looking for handmade art. I've learned that for me I do well at the shows where people know they are coming to buy a special piece that was handmade by the artist that is there selling it. Mall shows, shows that incorporate rides or a lot of family activities generally aren't going to be the best venues for handmade art.