Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Before the Antique Show Starts

Do you love going to Antique Shows?  Ever wonder what goes on before the show starts?

Well first you need a big empty room....Like this one at the Exposition Center in Portland, Oregon.....

Next, open up that truck load of wonderful "stuff" you have been saving just to sell at this show....

Now...you get to carry all that wonderful "stuff" to your 10 x 20 foot section of the big empty room.....while several hundred other dealers are also trying to do the same thing as you, at the same time!

be sure to bring in the rugs for the floor, your fake "walls", curtains, table drapes, shelves and any other display items you need....first.....get them up and in place before you bring in your merchandise....this will make things go much smoother...

Since at this particular show you are only allowed to bring your merchandise in and dump it, no opening boxes, no price tags showing, no arranging items...just carry it to your space and dump it on this first day...
your space will now look something like this...


Or this....



Finally everything is loaded into your space.....now you get to leave the show location until the next morning when the show opens...to you the dealer and the customers who are willing to pay the extra money to get in early....while you are trying to empty boxes and  set up your space...this is known as CHAOS!  But hopefully those early lookers will also be buyers....

After several hours of CHAOS your space starts to take shape...


And you can start to relax....the next morning the show opens for the general public and this is when most people see the show....

The "CALM" lasts until Sunday evening when the show is over and all the wonderful "stuff" that did not sell has to be packed back up, carried to the truck and somehow made to fit back into it......because now it has mysteriously expanded and doubled in quantity.....after all dealers are shoppers too!

Until the next show!

VE

http://www.palmerwirfs.com/

7 comments:

Runs With Scissors said...

Wow, a behind the scenes look at your show! How do you know what to take or how much to take?

Peppercorns said...

Now I remember why I don't do shows anymore. LOL

When it's all set up though, your booth is inviting and interesting, one of the best. Enjoyed the behind the scenes views too. Thanks.

Meeling said...

Cool behind the scenes look! I love the dealers are shoppers too...amazing how things multiply isn't it? ;-)

Doodle said...

Very nice display VE. Can't imagine they don't let you set up early. Wow. So did you buy more than sell? I'm sure you won't answer that one, but I had to ask. haha

Nice job. Gives one food for thought in doing a show.

goodgosh said...

Oh my gosh VE ~ great insight to what goes on behind the scenes. It's a LOT of work and you must love what you do, right? :)

Would love to have been there!

jj said...

wow, sounds very hectic, fun once you get it altogether. Thanks for sharing!

Happy Hound Creative said...

I love reading about what goes on behind the scenes! Thanks for sharing - your space looks great!