Opening a shop at Cross Roads, is it really possible? (part 2)

Part 2 

After setting up my tent at the first Invitation Only craft show at Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market in Westfield, NY, I was hooked. I picked up all the information I could find. I checked the website. I wanted to be a permanent vendor in the worst way. I would no longer have to lug my set-up to every craft show in the county. No more tearing down in the rain, no more worrying about being cold and damp at the outdoor shows, no more worrying about my tent blowing away or displays blowing away in the wind. Yes, Cross Roads would be the perfect answer, But...........the fee's, the insurance, what if I can't make the rent? I have the NYS tax ID number. Do I have enough product? Do I have enough stuff to do a good display?  I have to commit to the full season or to at least 10 market days. Oh great how can I manage all this? We are on a very fixed income. I don't want to commit to something I'm not sure I can do. I could let my family and myself down.  I don't want to fail. This would be such a big leap of faith.

After running the numbers and looking at the yearly cost I couldn't see how I could do it. Plus the insurance.  It seemed impossible.  After talking with my daughter, who was in her senior year of high school and working, I found out she wouldn't be able to help me the way she use to.  I needed to do something. My husband confessed to me that he worried about me at the outside craft shows and encouraged me to pursue a booth at Cross Roads.  My mother was willing to help me with start up expenses and to help me out on Saturdays. What a wonderfully encouraging family I have.  I guess it is time to buckle down and figure out what I'm going to do.

I'm going to do this! I will be a vendor beginning May 2014! I can do this! Now to get the process started.  I dug through old craft show paperwork and found an application. It was folded, dog-eared & wrinkled. Think I need a new one. Off to the web I go. 

I find the Contact tab dropdown menu, click on Join Cross Roads and all the info I need is there. I find the prices of booths, the link to download the application, the link to download the rules & regulations and phone numbers and email to the market manager. Sweet! First hurtle crossed.  Now I need to take pictures of my jewelry to submit to the jury committee along with $50.  Ok, that part was easy. Now we wait for the yea or nay.  While I wait I start saving the $150 contract guarantee fee and looking for an insurance carrier.  I was so surprised to find out that several local insurance companies carry vendor liability insurance policies. I assumed that $300,000 worth of liability insurance would cost a fortune, at least as much as a homeowners or auto policy. Boy was I WRONG! Did you know it is only about $150 for a 12 month policy? If you have homeowners insurance you can get a rider on your policy for vendor insurance.  

Ok, so now I have a NYS tax ID, vendor insurance & my contract guarantee and I have been juried in.  Sweet I am on my way. Now if only the snow would melt long enough to get in the parking lot so I can pick a spot.  I think that was the longest wait of my life.

Finally in March or April 2014 I finally go to meet up with Mark and sign my contract and pick my spot.  I was looking for a 10 x 10 space, that is what I was use to, but both Mark & Henry talked me into a 10 x 15 space. I am so glad they did. I was shown which booths were available in all three buildings and had my pick. I fell in love with the first one I saw. The purple sponge painted one.  Even my mom was skeptical about this color scheme. Many of the vendors were hoping I would paint it.  It was very purple.  Several shades of purple, but it was perfect for me. The picture on the left shows you what it looked like when I first saw it.  The booth had been empty last season so it had been used to store things, but once it was all cleaned out it was great. I was so excited, this was really happening.  I had already been contacted by one of the other vendors offering me a hand setting up, painting, remodeling, fetching & toting.  I felt accepted from the beginning. People were willing to help me. I had found the mentors I had always been looking for.
The counter you see was borrowed from Cross Roads, I had such a short time to put my booth together I was willing to use what ever was available. I wouldn't have had the time or the money to build a counter or to paint. I was seriously on a shoestring budget. Living payday to payday.


Part 1- My first visit to Cross Roads
Part 2- Opening a shop at Cross Roads, is it really possible?
Part 3- Putting together my shop
Part 4- I did it! You can too!

A New Vendor at Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market, Westfield, NY

Come meet Cindy Robison! She is the owner & designer at Shades Etc.

In 2005, Cindy took a lampshade making class in Vermont. She loved it. A friend suggested she should make shades for welcome lamps and sell them at craft shows. That started her desire to make different kinds of shades. She also took classes in Victorian handsewn shades and learned on her own how to make hardback shades.

Cindy loves all things feminine, frilly & lacey. Her shoppe at Cross Roads proves this.  I stopped by on Saturday and was in love myself. It smell absolutely wonderful.  I saw a variety of products. Cindy is passionate about supporting local artist/crafters and so you will find several products in the shoppe on consignment, along with their business cards and biographies.

While checking out our newest vendor I saw: a variety of lamp shades large & small, handmade bath salts, Goats Milk soaps, Victorian style note cards. All of which have been presented in a Victorian setting.  This is a great addition and a unique experience.

Stop by her shop and say hello. By the way she has everything in the shoppe 15% off as a welcome gift to all who stop by.  If we can make this good for her maybe she will stay and become a permanent vendor.

My First Visit to Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market Westfield, NY (part 1)

In 2012, the last time I did a "Craft Show", I accepted an invitation only set-up to the Cross Roads Farm and Craft Market in Westfield, NY.  It was the 1st annual, Invitation Only Craft Show. I had know about the market for years and it is in my area, yet I had never even stopped to take a look at it.  Wow! My bad! I knew I had driven past it before but I couldn't remember where it was. I had one of their flyers with a small map on it. It was a life saver.  I found my way to Sherman, NY and from there followed the blue information signs along Chautauqua County road 21 (Westfield-Sherman Road). About 5 miles down the road the 3 large buildings appeared just over a small knoll. I blew right past the driveway!  Thank goodness the powers that be at Cross Roads had the foresight to put in a second driveway at the other end of the large parking lot. Did you know you could park a fleet of tour buses in the parking lot and still have room? I was nervous. I thought the people would be uppity and un-friendly. Boy was I wrong!  Mrs. Gerry Vacanti owner of Peaceful Designs, was the woman in charge.


She set me up just outside the door to building 2 on the edge of the paved blacktop walkway. I was very impressed by what I saw. The view was beautiful. The grounds were immaculate. The breeze was present, as always. A beautiful day. 3 buildings full of shopping. When Cross Roads first opened in 1997 all vendors were not able to sell retail. Everything they were selling was handmade. Wow. Lots of neat stuff.

Throughout the day I wandered through all the buildings, my daughter stayed with our booth. This the first time I tried Merritt Estates Winery's XTC wine. I am not a wine drinker but this stuff was good. I bought 2 bottles. As I wandered though building 3 I found jams, jellies, cheese & olives. Every kind and flavor you could want.  Here is also where I found Peaceful Designs. Mrs. Vacanti was a wealth of knowledge about Cross Roads. She told me about rent fees and what was included. The difference between an occasional vendor and a permanent vendor. About the need for a NY tax ID number and liability insurance.

I was in love. If I became a vendor I would no longer have to load up my vehicle on Thursday or Friday night, get up with the chickens on Friday or Saturday and find my way to this weeks craft show location. I wouldn't have to find a place to park while I found the person in charge. I wouldn't have to look for my space, hope I could drive up to unload, unload, set-up, move my vehicle. I wouldn't have to make sure that I had the sides to my tent in case of rain. I wouldn't need to make sure I was dressed for the weather. My daughter would be graduating in a few years and I would no longer have her constant help at the craft shows. She did a lot of  fetching and toting for me. Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market seemed like a dream come true.

Part 1- My first visit to Cross Roads 

Part 2- Opening a shop at Cross Roads, is it really possible?

Part 3- Putting together my shop

Part 4- I did it! You can too!