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Topic: Junk Bonanza ?s

(23 posts)

Started 4 years ago by karla333
Latest reply from dianeinthevalley

Tags: junk bonanza, bonanza, show, vendor

karla333
Member

Recently heard from Ki that I was accepted as a vendor for this years Junk Boananza. Yeah. I'm already looking forward to the shopping for myself part :)

Question for past vendors OR anyone with advise (can never get too much of that - smile) can you tell me about what the attendance was at last years bonanza? We've did a few day shows over the last 7 years but mainly just sell in our studio and have a few wholesale accounts. Never did a 3 day show before and honestly, a bit freaked just in trying to figure out how much inventory I need. As awesome as it would be to run out, I'd Hate to run out (if that makes sense....) but you just never know how your lines will go (the majority of our "products" are upcycled lines) over either so the hard question is how much to invest in inventory. Any tips you can give me along this line OR just show tips in general would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance! Karla

Posted 4 years ago #
primstop
Member

We got in too!! Yippee! I'm a bit nervous about it too. We also have our shops Fall open house the week before... yes, I must be crazy! But, I'm excited and like you not sure about what & how much to take.
You said your products are "upcycled lines", what is that?
I've searched this site and the web for pictures of the Bonanza. That helps a little to see peoples booths.
Good Luck,
Laurie

Posted 3 years ago #
Leveta
Member

Congrat's primstop....And Karla333 hope you all do GREAT!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

So glad the two of you will be joining me! I also have some questions - like what, if anything, do vendors use for "backdrops" for their booths? The inventory question above is something I wondered about, also. ANYTHING other thoughts are advice would be apreciated! I am used to just doing shows at my home as well, so this will be a new adventure!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
LuAnn
Member

Good luck to both of you. May the junking gods be with you.

Posted 3 years ago #
Leveta
Member

Good Luck to you too The Farmers Wife....

Posted 3 years ago #
Meadowview Farm
Member

Just a Junk Bonanza thought...as I was asked to join in, but always get stuck in my "Question Mode" --- I generally have to research enough to feel comfortable before jumping in. Figure I will attend this year for the first time before saying "yes" to being a vendor in the future.
Anyway...wish there was a way to attach a tried & true vendor from the Junk Bonanza to a newbie as say a "Junk Mentor/Yoda". I would love to have someone there this year when I attend as a buyer to meet with me, take me on a quick tour that includes loading areas, booth fees, what booths might be available for 2010 (not claimed for the next year) and talk about selling at the Bonanza (including inventory, set up...). And, then this Mentor would be available to guide me through my question stage.
Just a thought...
Kari

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

Hey Kari....

that is a great idea!!

Posted 3 years ago #
fjerda
Member

Welcome to all the newbees for Junk Bonanza. The event is very well attended and probably more attendees will be there this year than last. It is growing every year and with the new location I would expect more shoppers from southern MN and Iowa, etc. as they do not have to travel across the Twin Cities. Hopefully, our Vintage Treasures Market in St. Charles, MN that just ended will bring many from this area too as we gave them a sneak preview of things to expect, it is still an education process. Now to ansewer some of the questions. We found that alot of the shoppers like to create their own projects at home so, they are looking for material to put those projects together. Bring unfinished items and mutiples of.
Many of the shoppers are looking to decorate their homes on a budget and are looking for ideas and the completed items.
Architectural items are great.
Remember to have plenty of smalls.
My sister's and I would be more than willing to talk to anyone interested in becoming a vendor and I know that all the other vendors would be more than willing to share information as well.
This is a very strong networking group and we all like to share and toot our own horns along the way. Check my blog for what some of our items are like and we really are repurposers.

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

Thanks, fjerda! Your advice is great. The original intent of my business was repurposing junk through making it into decorative items for the home - like paining a flag on an old box, or a snowman on an old shovel. However, over the past few years I have started selling a lot of the junk unfinished. I still have a strong customer base with the decorative stuff, as well as the unfinished. So, Junk Bonanza will be a fun challange for me. I have already gathered lots of stuff! I think that I am kind of going with a farm theme for my booth - old buckets, chicken feeders, rusty rakes (just the rake part - not the handle!), and I am hoping to find some old feed signs. I am also adding some "farmhouse" stuff. Hope this works, I am having a lot of fun doing the shopping/gathering!

Posted 3 years ago #
DPumm
Member

To The Farmers Wife, Your booth ideas sounds great, just my kind of junk :^). I'm sure you could paint some old looking signs if you don't find any. I have a idea you mite want to add and that is attaching things to pieces of painted barnwood. The barnwood is heavy but it sells pretty good for me. I'm always on the look out at thrift stores and sales for things that would work like candle holders, key holders, towel holders, match boxes to name a few. Diana

Posted 3 years ago #
karla333
Member

Hey Everyone! FUN to sign in after the weekend to find all these great replies! Thanks!!!

PRIMSTOP - YES, my dear, you are crazy. SMILE! Just kidding... I feel for you though. I see a lot of sleepless night in your future but hopefully that's followed by a couple big trips to the bank. ha ha

Upcycled.... well... I actually looked it up online and the official meaning is "Upcycling is a component of sustainability in which waste materials are used to provide new products. It is generally a reinvestment in the environment. "Upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value." I personally describe it as reclaiming old discarded or unwanted items into something reporposed. Our "key phrase" is upcylced accessories for you and your home"

LEVETA and LUANN- thank you for the well wishes! :)

MEADOWVIEWFARM - sounds like a fun idea. Stop by and say hi at this years JM. If it's "late enough in the game" i'll be sure and share anything i'd learned from the show...

FJERDA - thank YOU for all the insight!!!

THEFARMERSWIFE - sounds like an awesome booth!

DPUMM - great ideas!

When I talked to Ki she mentioned this years expected attendance to be around 10,000. That's A LOT of shoppers!!

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

WOOO HOOO!!!!! 10,000
HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!
Guess I better get to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for everyone's ideas/advice!

Posted 3 years ago #
fjerda
Member

Great to keep the farm/country theme as you are selling to city folk and they buy up the stuff the farmer would just think to be junk. We sold our chicken creat this weekend that we had repaired placed on its side and added glass shelves.
No stretch of the numbers by Ki either, there was the largest number of shoppers last year so far, which means more for this year.

Posted 3 years ago #
robolady
Member

I'll be there and I'm coming all the way from Texas. Gonna work on move in day so I'll see all you dealers there.
As a buyer, not a seller at this event. I'd say, make it unusual, and as inexpensive as possible. It'll sell.
Margo

Posted 3 years ago #
junkermidge
Member

Great post with lots of good information! I've been toying with going, too, if they'd have me, but not sure if that's just a crazy notion (I'm from Michigan). I'm still waiting on some info. I had found an article online that said last year's attendance topped 10,000. I had wondered some of the same things as you guys and really glad to see the helpful answers. Thanks all.
Midge

Posted 3 years ago #
karla333
Member

FJERDA - your chicken crate sounds way cool!

ROBOLADY - look forward to meeting you!

JUNKERMIDGE - Hope to see you! Do you happen to have the link to the article? I'd love to read it.

I'm going to start another post asking any previous vendors to show any pics they're willing to share... I ALWAYS love seeing other setups.

85 more days to go - SMILE!!! Karla

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

I have ANOTHER question...or a few,rather!

Do people deal mostly in cash? anyone accept checks? credit cards?
Do customers 'bargain' with you?
Do most add tax onto the final cost or have it already figured into their prices? I have mine figured in becasue is it so much easier to deal with even numbers...

Posted 3 years ago #
tricia
Member

it's neat to see how an idea evolves and how others are so generous with their experience and ideas. I started gathering things for a totem project(garden junk) and began to realize how much work is involved in getting together enough elements to select the right combination... so to put together a booth or store...wow.

Farmers wife: sorry about the flood damage, we farm and ranch too and every night lately the weather alarm goes off and the weather threatens our entire lively hood. I visited your site, and love the idea of icing the pop down in the tubs, but be prepared to sell when someone sees the idea. The little table I would hang a vintage towel through drawer space and if you had a wash bowl and pitcher, or bucket and dipper, put that on top.

Posted 3 years ago #
The Farmers Wife
Member

Tricia:

LOVE the vintage towel idea --- THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
Leveta
Member

TFW I don't do craftshows but I do go from time to time...From what I've seen and I do, I pay cash but now some are excepting debit/credit cards. I do try to bargin on some things. So I can pass along low prices on my end. Some do charge taxes and some don't. So I guess it depends on where your selling at...Some of the others I guess can tell you better then I can...

Posted 3 years ago #
Marge
Member

Farmer's Wife, most shoppers at last year's bonanza brought cash. I took checks when asked and had no problems with any of them. I didn't do credit cards and no one was bothered by that. Keep everything in whole dollars to make it easy and if you charge sales tax, include it in the price. No additional math required!

Posted 3 years ago #
dianeinthevalley
Member

I just checked out the vendors listed for this years bonanza. I visited the websights highlighted. What a creative and talented group of people!

Posted 3 years ago #

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