Edmonds, day 1

[offcntr]

Showers overnight, with more predicted for today, but the weather gods smiled and the clouds broke open, sunny and mild all day. It's been seven years since I did this show, so I don't remember the rhythm, but traffic seems steady, and sales aren't bad. First sale is actually at 9:30 am, half an hour before the show officially opening. Always nice to open in the black…

Edmonds used to be a commission show--low booth fee, but you tracked your sales and paid a 15% commission at the end of the show. This year they went over to a flat fee (much higher, of course), which probably squeezed out less experienced, or at least less confident vendors. Based on my past records, I'll probably do as well or better under the new system. In any event, I more than paid my booth fee on Friday sales alone.

Several visitors this morning are returning customers, I assume from my mailing list. I have about 80 names and addresses from various Seattle shows I've done over the years--Best of the Northwest, Edmonds, Fremont Fair--and I sent them all postcards. I used to get the information off of checks, but these days people either use cards or cash, so it's harder to add names to the list. I've never felt comfortable putting a sign-up in the booth, though I may need to do so. People are more comfortable giving email addresses, so I may have to finally join the last century.

It's still bright out at 8 pm when the show closes these longest days of the year. My last sale of the day happens at 7:30, but my neighbor has been complaining genially about how slow the evening has been. Poetic justice seems to be listening, as we have to track her down at 5 'til 8 to help two customers in her booth, both wanting to buy high-end items.