I have a major problem that I need to settle in my head and I could really use extra in-put.
So here goes.....
I am currently set up at a local flea market that is an outdoor setting. The people are great that run it. If I don't get the sales for a particular day, they are kind enough to let my fee float til I can cover it. But the hard part is anyone can come in and sell anything, including imported Native style items. Plus I have recently been diagnosed with some health issues that make extreme heat and sunshine unbearable for me. I pay $13 a day for set-up, so for the whole week-end it tallys up at $39. If the weather is bad I can't set-up (ie: rain can ruin feathers on my dreamcatchers). And if I set-up on these unbearable East Tennessee heat-wave days (it has been in the high 90's for roughly 2 weeks now), I come home so crappy feeling, that I can't seem to function. Plus I have to un-load and re-load each day, which can be a pain in the butt. But again, the folks that run it are super great......
There is a new in-door flea market in the area. Has security system in place so I can leave my items there full-time if I choose. The only downfall is their insurance only covers the physical property, not the vendor items. They also require pre-payment for the next week, so that kind of scares me and that set-up is $60 per week-end, $21 more than what I pay now. The high points is the in-door climate control so I can be set-up year round without heat stroke/freezing my butt off, or have to worry about inclimate weather or sudden storms ruining my products.
Another great feature to the new venue is I would have it in writing that as long as I set up there, no other vendors of Native style crafts, exactly like mine, will be set-up there. In other words, they may have a Native leather or silver smith but no other beaders. Plus they won't allow imported dreamcatchers there. If I have a powwow or other event, I can choose to have someone watch a few items that I may leave there and pay in advance for the space just to keep it visable or just shut it down for that particular time, come back after the event and then pay in advance for the next time I am there.
We toured the new place and loved the set-up. While they do have many second hand items, they aren't scattered all over the place. It is kind of set up like a little mini mall. Very tasteful and organized.
I am really leaning to trying this venue out, but I am scared about:
1)Hurting my friends who have been so good to me.
2) The extra $21 plus the pre-payment. In this economy, I can't guarrentee $60 in sales each week-end.
But is my health worth saving a bit of money...or am I just not showing enough confidance in myself or my product to make this leap?
What would you do???
~Spirit~
www.zibbet.com/WigWamCrafts
