Monday, June 26, 2006

Why Didn't I Do This Earlier?

Since I didn't get into the Downtown Salt Lake City Farmer's Market, I got the $30 permit that allows me to sell in downtown outside the Farmer's Market. And now I'm wondering why I didn't do that last year. People told me about it and suggested I do it, but I really should have gone and done it. I went this weekend and I did $250 in sales. I could have stuck around longer and made more sales, but I had Bagel's birthday party to do this weekend, so I left. Even as I was packing up, people were coming over and wanting to buy stuff. The onesies sold very well, which is good because onesies are easy to make and have a higher mark-up than the crocheted items.

The permit also allows me to sell in a business district in Sugarhouse, which is kind of a pricey area and might be lucrative, and outside major events as long as I'm 150 feet away. I can go any day I want, set up wherever I want in the zone (with a few restrictions), and leave whenever I want.

The downside is that there are no reserved spots. I showed up at about 7 in the morning and already all the spots along 4th South were taken. I ended up setting up along one of the diagonal walkways through Pioneer Park, which turned out to be a good spot for me because I got a lot of the foot traffic inbound to the Farmer's Market. I may set up there again in the future, just because I ought to have a place where I can be found every time I come. A lot of my business comes from repeat customers, so I need to be able to be found.

I'll still go up to Logan once a month or so to do the market up there, to serve my loyal customers in Cache Valley. They mean a lot to me. But if I can do $250 in sales on a single weekend morning in Salt Lake, I think I'll spend more mornings there.