A Part Time Gun Show / Renn Faire Business

[austinious]

I'm starting to come up with a business plan to do a few items with the goal of making a few extra bucks to sock away for retirement, or investment.

The idea is to go to 4-6 Renn Faires or Craft Shows in the summer, and 3-4 gun shows in the winter.

I'm starting to do the research for what shows, travel time, costs, tents or tables needed, etc. 

I had thought of getting a few blue guns and making mostly demo stock so people could order at the shows, perhaps sell some of the more common holsters.  I'm spending this fall figuring out where and what, and the winter making stock.  I'm sure the first summer will only be 2, maybe 3 faires, and the 23 winter maybe 2 shows.

I guess what I'm asking, am I crazy?

[LatigoAmigo]

32 minutes ago, austinious said:

I guess what I'm asking, am I crazy?

I wouldn't say crazy, but maybe overly optimistic. But that, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. 

[fredk]

No, not crazy, But be aware that *every body* at a Ren Faire thinks they can do leather work cheaper and better than you (at least thats my experience)

Also, I found all I needed was a small fold up table, a stool and a cloth about 3ft x 3ft. Table for better things, eg my board games,  the cloth on the ground for general belts and belt purses & pouches, drawstring bags (which are easy to make and really big sellers)

Just before I gave the medieval scene I was trying to make a good version of a 

[austinious]

1 hour ago, LatigoAmigo said:

I wouldn't say crazy, but maybe overly optimistic. But that, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. 

Yeah, I feel a bit rushed to make it happen, maybe 1 faire and 1 show is a more realistic goal.

59 minutes ago, fredk said:

No, not crazy, But be aware that *every body* at a Ren Faire thinks they can do leather work cheaper and better than you (at least thats my experience)

Also, I found all I needed was a small fold up table, a stool and a cloth about 3ft x 3ft. Table for better things, eg my board games,  the cloth on the ground for general belts and belt purses & pouches, drawstring bags (which are easy to make and really big sellers)

Just before I gave the medieval scene I was trying to make a good version of a 

My wife thinks I can do better....lol

My big comment about folks at the whopping 4 faires I've been to...does no one burnish edges!?!?!?!

[fredk]

25 minutes ago, austinious said:

My big comment about folks at the whopping 4 faires I've been to...does no one burnish edges!?!?!?!

No, cos they think our ancestors didn't know how to make quality leather.

My stuff was often dismissed as 'not historically accurate' as it was 'too good' / 'too nice'  I got into the habit of keeping some of my reference books with me

28 minutes ago, austinious said:

Yeah, I feel a bit rushed to make it happen, maybe 1 faire and 1 show is a more realistic goal.

1 faire to see not what you are up against, but see what people are wearing and using and see if you make those items - better

 

1 hour ago, fredk said:

Just before I gave the medieval scene I was trying to make a good version of a 

I hit submit before I'd finished that, it was to be

Just before I gave up doing the medieval scene I was trying to make a good version of a chapman's fold up pack. I had a simple one made and it attracted attention just on opening it up!

 

[Klara]

5 hours ago, fredk said:

...

Just before I gave up doing the medieval scene I was trying to make a good version of a chapman's fold up pack. I had a simple one made and it attracted attention just on opening it up!

 

What is that? Google turned up nothing...

[Rahere]

A chapman was Ebay on legs. Anglo-Saxon Cheapan = to sell, as in London's Cheapside, the old City market. You never really knew what he'd have, for one thing, but mostly stuff you wouldn't likely be able to produce locally.

[austinious]

11 hours ago, fredk said:

My stuff was often dismissed as 'not historically accurate' as it was 'too good' / 'too nice'  I got into the habit of keeping some of my reference books with me

Luckily not many I've been to get too cranky about accuracy, in fact some are very loose about it.  From what I've seen, leave off zippers and magnetic clasps.  

I found this, very helpful...

https://www.therenlist.com/all-fairs

[chuck123wapati]

Nope not crazy just enthusiastic but before you  commit to a number your research should include visiting both, gun shows and faires and talking to vendors already set up, watching what is selling and pricing. What type of guns get the most sales and what kind of holsters sell for that type gun, what type of faire products sell or don't and how many people are selling them. i would think in PA there are some Black powder rendezvous or civil war reenactment groups also.

[austinious]

Th

1 minute ago, chuck123wapati said:

i would think in PA there are some Black powder rendezvous or civil war reenactment groups also.

Thanks, I hadn't considered that....

This fall and winter we plan on going to as many nearby shows and faries as we can to do more through research.  We've been to several and looked at wares informally, now we takes notes...