53.7 F
San Diego
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
-Advertisement-

More First-Time Vendors Selling Goods, Services at County Fair

Each summer, 96 percent of the vendors return to the San Diego County Fair.

But this year, first-time vendors are taking 11 percent of the spaces at the Del Mar Fairgrounds , double the count of new merchants last year.

The change is a pretty clear reaction to the current economic climate, says Donna Ruhm, manager of concessions.

“We had a lot of our regular vendors backing out last minute this year, particularly from those representing the home improvement area,” she said. “At the first hint of tough economic times they lost confidence and pulled out.”

The fair rents each 100-square-foot booth space for fees ranging from $970 to $3,100, charging an extra $400 for corner slots.

Of the 700 vendor spaces available, returning retailers took 670 during the fair’s re-signing process, leaving 30 for first-time vendors. But 45 newcomers grabbed space at the last minute when regulars had a change of heart.

Despite fewer veteran vendors this year, Ruhm and partner Heidi Benson, the fair’s commercial vendor coordinator, say slots were pretty easy to fill.


Big Part Of Job

Assuring product balance is a big part of the job, says Ruhm.

“We try to stay away from any more jewelry, sunglasses, certain other accessories that so many contracted vendors are selling already,” she said, adding that there are 31 jewelry vendors currently.

Unique items appealing to a broad range of shoppers are likely to do best, says Ruhm.

There is plenty of competition among vendors , 26 sell clothing, 21 sell health and beauty products and 85 sell home improvement services, plus home d & #233;cor items and appliances.

Ruhm says two-thirds of the vendors also operate stores, but one, a safe retailer, never has.

Keep/Safe of California, a local safe business owned by Rick Martin and Doug Gueldner, has sold at the fair for 30 years.

The family-run operation is selling safes to a third generation of customers.

During the rest of the year, Keep/Safe does business via the Web and uses five distribution companies, including Escondido-based Eclipse Industries, which, Martin says, wholesales a best-selling deposit safe used to hold cash.

Though the company reduces costs and upkeep by not operating a retail location, Martin says the work keeps him busy.

“The focus required to do the fair every year is very arduous and it’s not easy keeping those hours,” said Martin, adding that he works from 9 a.m. until as late as 11 p.m. during the fair’s three-week run.

“But, it’s easier than the upkeep and overhead a retail store would require, and the fair is really the only advertising we have to do all year,” he said.

Martin and Gueldner say 70 percent of their business is residential, with safes running between $400 and $3,000 depending on features and sizes. The company does not disclose sales figures.

Poor visibility could be spell disaster for a vendor, which is why John Gravitt, of Carlsbad-based grandfather clock dealer Transamerica Promotions, paid the extra $400 for a high-traffic corner booth.


Fairly Big Moneymaker

While the fair charges fees from dry goods vendors, another moneymaker for the annual event is the food.

Sales from food vendors in 2007 was $9.8 million, with $2.2 million paid to the 22nd District Agricultural Association, which manages the fairgrounds, and $693,000 paid in sales tax to the city of Del Mar, according to Ruhm.

The decline in returning merchants has not discouraged fair officials, who remain optimistic about spending on the part of attendees.

Opening day attendance was down from last year , 57,342 compared with 61,161 , but spokeswoman Kina Paegert says the two opening days may not be comparable.

“Last year we opened on a Friday, which was also dollar day,” said Paegert, describing a day where entry fees were only $1 to attract a larger crowd.

This year’s opening day was Saturday, June 14, and adult visitors paid $12 for admission.

The fair is the largest annual event in the county and the fifth largest fair in the United States, drawing more than 1.2 million visitors each year, according to the fairgrounds.

Ruhm says she could see attendance at this year’s fair, set to fold up its tent July 6, surpassing the previous due to gas prices.

“I think with more people staying in town and avoiding costly trips, they’ll head over to the fairgrounds for entertainment.”

-Advertisement-

Featured Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-

Related Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-