No Help. No Truck. No Big Pieces in My Booth.

Not every vendor has the means to deal with large furniture in their booth.  It could be they don't have a big enough vehicle.  Or - they may not have someone to help them lift.

I can speak to this issue about as well as anyone.  My hubby is wonderful, but, for the most part, he was not interested AT ALL in helping with my booth.  I was on my own when it came to buying and hauling for my booth.  I don't blame him at all.  He works very hard at his business.  He has things to do around the house.  Plus, his knees and elbows and shoulders "ain't what they used to be".  In his spare time, he should be able to relax.  His business slowed down for a few months and he was very helpful then - he even made a few fabulous tables.  But when business picked back up, he once again couldn't / wouldn't / shouldn't...

I had a pity party for about two seconds and then began figuring out other ways to keep a booth going.  I'm a fairly independent person anyway, so I like to figure out ways to do things without imposing on anyone else.

I have a Honda CRV.  The back seats lay down.  I can fit a standard sized chest of drawers in the back, but nothing bigger.  I decided that I would buy what I could fit in my car and leave the bigger things for others.

Weight was another consideration. Hauling heavy furniture in and out of my house with no help was impossible.  If I asked for help, I would get it, but I felt guilty for asking, even when he cheerfully helped.   So.... I decided to only get heavier furniture if I could sell without a stop by my house.    In other words, no heavy fixer-uppers.

Medium sized fixer uppers were my bread and butter!  If I spotted a fixer upper I liked, I only bought it if I could lift it by myself and if it would fit in my car.  Nothing too big OR too heavy.

Having mostly medium sized furniture might take a little more thought when creating an inviting booth.  A booth looks best when it has at least a few large items.  A booth that has all small or medium things can sometimes look rather unfinished and unimportant if it's not arranged creatively.  Luckily, this is something that can be easily overcome.  Just paying attention to how great booths are arranged can help you get better in your own booth.

OK.  So the booth needs to have a couple of large things... even if you are only going to sell jewelry or other tiny things, you need something of substance to hold it all and make it look great.

If you're set on having an actual large piece for your booth, there are a number of ways to make that happen.  You can work out an arrangement with another vendor.  Vendors who have help often hauling don't have enough space in their booth to put all the things they buy.  It's possible they may have a big hutch at home just waiting to bring in when something else sells.  Or, the store owner may have a big piece you could use in your booth.  Or you may work out a deal to split the cost (and profit) of a big piece with another vendor on a big item.  They haul it in.  You put it in your booth til it sells.  Or, hire a college student to help you every now and then.

A different option (the one that will keep you independent) is to get the look of a big piece by combining two or three smaller items.  You can get a look similar to the one below without a truck and without help.  Find a small table with legs that come off. ( I don't think the legs on the table in this example come off, but you get the idea, right?)  Many tables have screws for attaching the legs!!! Stack a shelf on top of the table.  If you plan to paint them, coordinate the colors of both pieces as if they were a hutch.  The color combination below is fabulous.  White and wood.  This arrangement has the presence of a hutch, yet one person can handle moving it.

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I feel sure I've shown this photo before, but it's the perfect one for illustrating my point.

Another way to fake a large piece is with a folding bakers rack.  Those are fabulous to have as a backup for when a big piece sells and you need something fast to fill the spot.  I think most vendors should have one of these.

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You can totally skip large pieces if you are a bit creative. Take a look at the booth below.  I saw it posted on Booth Crush (you are following that page, right?).  I shared the photo on the VSO Facebook page, so you may have seen it already.   It doesn't look like this person has any one large piece, but she has managed to stack things in such a way that you don't notice this right off the bat.  I don't see anything in that booth that my CRV and I couldn't have handled.

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Be sure to check out the source!  There are some great booth pictures on her post!

This next booth doesn't have anything too big or heavy.  Nothing really large, but it's still nice.

I found this on Pinterest... but the source link was bad.  :-(

There's nothing too big or heavy in this one either! If those table legs unscrew, then it would be a cinch to move.

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There are more good positives for focusing on medium sized  pieces..

• If you ever decided to do an outdoor show, the setting up and tearing down would be so much easier on everyone.  
• Hauling medium furniture is less likely to cause aches and pains.  This is a BIG issue for people moving big things regularly.  
• Your booth is easier to change around - it's more versatile.  You can change how you have things paired up.
• Last but not least - medium sized furniture sells faster.    Customers are more likely to make an impulse purchase for a small piece.  They don't feel the need to measure and think it over.  They don't feel like it's a purchase they'll have to live with for years if it doesn't work out.  Also, most customers can take a medium sized item right home without having to call and ask for help from someone with a truck.  They often have the same hauling issues you do!  :-D

Final Note - This is a post I had on my to-do list, but something Brandi of Black Bear Prim wrote on her Facebook page recently inspired me to get the post out there.  She was thinking about closing her booth.  Her husband didn't want to deal with big pieces anymore.  He's since changed his mind, but still, there may be times when big pieces aren't possible.  I wanted to let Brandi know that if he can't help, she can still have a great booth.  Where there's a will, there's a way!

Book Page Decor for Your Booth

In Monday's post about staging, Brandi used old book pages to help her create some inexpensive decor for her booth.  I did a quick search on Pinterest and found a number of creative ways to use book pages.  The examples ran the gamut.  There's were plenty of photos showing things that looked a bit tacky.  Be careful.  It's better to have no decor than decor that looks bad.  And don't go overboard!  You can cross over into tacky-town that way, too!

Here are some nice examples -

For starters, how about a book page WALL?   You can do something similar on a folding room divider, a door, a piece of plywood or a shelf back to help create a booth wall or backdrop.

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It's fun to cover holiday decor - like cheap plastic pumpkins, bunnies, and other ornaments, with book pages.  You can find these items at yard sales for a quarter or less.  Watch for them all year long so you'll have enough to create groupings or scatter around your booth.

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Staging Pays for Itself!

Adding a bit of decor can "class up" furniture and get it to sell faster and often at a higher price.   Learning to "class up" furniture is a skill that can make a huge difference to your bottom line.

 If you sell decor and smalls in your booth along with furniture, make sure your smalls are nice and make your furniture (and your booth) look good.   Even if you only sell furniture, it is worth having a few beautiful accessories (even if they are NFS) - enough to stage the furniture, but not so much that you bury it.  A set of white dishes, a couple of nice lamps, some pretty wall decor...  It doesn't take much to make a real difference.

Here are three amazing examples from The BoneYard (one of the stores I promote).  These are all from the same vendor.  She sells buffet after buffet after buffet, at prices that earn her a decent profit.  These same buffets might have trouble selling for half the asking price in the booth of someone less talented.  This vendor knows how to show customers just how amazing a piece can be.  She convinces them of the value by staging them so well they would be right at home in the best of magazines.  I'm telling you, I don't even NEED a buffet and she she makes me want to buy every new one she brings in.   

PS - I have been using examples from stores I promote in some of my posts.  I really didn't intend to do that very often.  This page is NOT part of my promoting.  There's nothing in it for me when I mention the stores. Heck, there's nothing in it for me when I do any of this.  :-D   BUT, when there are perfect examples right here on my computer, how can I not use them?  These photos were already labeled because that's how I featured them on the store page.  I thought about removing the labels and prices for this post, but the fact is, that seemed like a lot of trouble.  I hope readers will take my examples in the spirit they are intended.  Also, I really need to talk to this vendor to be sure she doesn't mind my showing off her talent.

Hmmm... I think I just thought of a spot in my house where I could use a buffet.  :-D

Budget Friendly Decor - 

The vendor in the booth above has nice accessories, but not every accessory has to be pricey.  If you are just changing over to the "classy staging" idea, it may take you a little time to build up a great collection of accessories.  You don't have to spend a fortune right off the bat.   You can use inexpensive items, too, to make an impact.  Just be very thoughtful about staging. 

Not every vendor reading this page will be in a mall that can sell things at these prices, therefore, it will be harder to justify putting much money into accessories.  There are all sorts of budget friendly decorating ideas. Pinterest is a gold mine of ideas.  Some things you use can even come right out of your backyard.

Your accessories can be really nice without costing you a fortune if you shop wisely.  Yard sales in nice neighborhoods can be a gold mine for lamps and decor.  I can't tell you how many seriously nice lamps I've gotten in the past for $5 or $10.  Many of the lamps in my home came from yard sales.  Shades, too.  I always watched for nice shades.  Not every great lamp you find will have a good shade with it.  I found many absolutely perfect (sometimes still wrapped in plastic) shades at yard sales. I'm talking about the really nice well made, lined shades.  Some were stunning.  Don't be afraid to spend a bit more than you might normally when buying an awesome piece of decor.  It will sell eventually and you'll get your money back and until it does, it will help you sell your furniture.

Some decor is practically free.  Some things you use can even come right out of your backyard - pinecones, branches, plant cuttings...   Brandi, a Vintage Show Off reader, sent me a message a couple of days ago with some low budget decor ideas.  She attached photos, too, so I thought I'd share them with you.  I split her note into sections to insert her photos.  From Brandi -

I had been really discouraged with my booth because I don't have a high budget like I would like for decor, but I recently decided to use some low budget methods that have worked really well for me that I thought I would share with fellow booth owners. I used book pages as a table runner... 

& 3d flowers,...

also used a mason jar as a vase, & a coffee sack as a table runner.

... I just want to help everyone out who has a low budget like me.

8 Quick Tips for New Antique Mall Owners

I got a sweet note from Jayne at Chalk Mercantile in CT. (Stop by and LIKE her on FaceBook!)  She's starting a mall and would like some advice.   Here's a bit of her note:

I own a small shop , ChalkMercantile.com, and am moving into a much larger space in one of our shoreline towns. I've changed my business plan a bit and will now have vendor space and your blog has been such an important resource for me! If you have any advice for a newbie antique/decor mall owner I would truly appreciate it. 

There should be an entire blog devoted to the owner side of the business!   I have never been an owner so I can't possibly know all the details, but I have picked up plenty of info from several owners along the way.  If I ever wanted to open my own shop, I feel like I'd have a head start on most, but as I keep saying, I'm a retired teacher and I don't want to work too hard at anything!  :-D

Anyway, here are a few things that come to mind right off the top of my head.  They aren't in any certain order.

If anyone has more to add, leave a comment.  

I'm sure Jayne would appreciate it!

1. Build some mutually beneficial connections.
One of the best tips I can tell you is to go to a similar store that you admire (not so close that it's competition - maybe a couple of towns away) and talk to the owner.  Most owners are really happy to offer advice if you aren't their competition.  Even after you are established, whenever you go out of town, if time permits, always stop by malls and talk to owners.  If an owner is super helpful, offer to buy them lunch or do something to show your appreciation. Always give them a shoutout and share their Facebook page when you get home.  This is how the owner at Rockin' B Antiques (one of the stores I promote) got started 15 years ago.  She still talks about how helpful this was and she is great at passing help along to other mall owners.  

2. Promote Your Store AND Your Vendors.
Make your Facebook page a priority and promote the big items of anyone who rents a space from you.  A web page is hit or miss.  Facebook can go out to more people on a regular basis. Show your furniture often - that really gets folks in the store.  And encourage your vendors to participate on Facebook.  Bribe them if necessary - promote things more for those who participate.  Their participation will help increase the number of LIKEs on your page!

If you aren't good on Facebook, find someone who is.  You can even trade rent for Facebook services.  If you farm this task out, make sure that YOU are the page manager and they are just a content creator.  Do NOT have two managers.  One manager can oust another.  They can take off with your page.  They can do all sorts of vile things.  It happens more often than you'd believe.  Let them start on a trial basis.  You don't want to get stuck with someone who doesn't do a good job and then have to go through an uncomfortable dismissal.  Better to ask them to do it for a few months and then, if you love their work, ask them if they'd like to do it for a little longer. Also, make sure you have a good opportunity to look at their writing before you sign them on. It's amazing how many creative, talented, well-spoken people can't write or spell worth a flip.  Which brings me to the next tip...

3. Delegate Wisely.
Have special vendors help with some tasks so you won't be overloaded.  Everyone has talents.  Not every person excels at writing, just as not every person is artistic.  No one can do it all.    You need to figure out what your vendors do best and enlist their help when possible.  You may not want that creative person with poor writing doing your Facebook page, but they might be just the person to set up a window display that makes customers swoon.  You may not want a shy or depressed person helping at the register, but they might be just the person to keep plants at the store looking perky.

4.  When you change a policy, give advance notice. 
When you make a change that affects vendors (rent going up, pricetag requirements, certain items no longer allowed, etc) try not to say effective immediately.  Most vendors can't get over to the give advance warning.  Starting in two months or whatever.  This is just a matter of respect.

5.  Choose vendors wisely.  Insist on photos.   If they have a booth elsewhere, check it out - online or in person.  Once you have a full store, let future incoming vendors start out in a small out-of the-way space on a trial basis.  After they have proven themselves with a nice booth and decent sales (and you have interacted with them enough to know they aren't a complete nut) then let them move into a better booth when one comes open.

6.  Allow one space per vendor.  This one is iffy.  I know of some great exceptions.  But generally speaking, it's better to have more vendors in the store than fewer vendors with multiple booths.  If a vendor has one space, they work harder to keep it looking good and they change things around regularly.  When they spread out into more booths, the booths tend to get stale or even unkempt and the vendor isn't always as good at filling in as things sell.   If the vendor is great, give them a slightly larger booth.  Also, more vendors in the store generally gives the store more variety.  Each vendor brings their own specialty.  A mall with nothing but chalk painted furniture wouldn't attract as many customers as a mall with a number of styles.

7.  Pay Extra Attention to Your Store's First Impression.   Think about all the senses.  When a customer first enters, the immediate surroundings should look fabulous, feel comfortable (not too hot or too cold), and smell pleasant without being overly perfume-y.  Change front displays often so repeat customers will never get bored.

8.  A mall owner has two customer groups - the people who shop at the store and the vendors who rent spaces.
The mall owner needs to keep both groups happy. Most owners strive to keep customers happy.  They know that's their bottom line.  Not all owners realize they should work just as hard at making the vendors happy and doing whatever they can to help them do better.  Word travels.  If you want to make sure you keep great vendors and keep a waiting list of potential good vendors, then be a great owner.  My smart friend, Martie, taught me this one.  She's a booth vendor but used to own a shop.