The great outdoors - vintage in the wild!

The summer time is a great time to be doing outdoor vintage and antiques events.  Many fairs take place in amazing settings - often privately owned properties and not generally open to the public.  My own visits to outdoor fair venues this year have included the glorious grounds of a wonderful country castle; the well-tended gardens of a delightful Cotswold stone country cottage in the middle of nowhere; a beautiful green park in London - complete with pond; a golf course overlooking the South Downs in Sussex.  The atmosphere is always joyful as the fairs' organisers bring together unusual and speciality catering ranging from afternoon tea to fashionable street food purveyors;  entertainment and attractions such as vintage car and bike displays, jive or Lindy Hop dancers, swing singers or brass bands,  even old-fashioned fete games and attractions. And these events bring a much wider audience than most specialist vintage or antique fairs.

For the vintage trader, these outdoor events are a great way to get out and meet a wider audience.  Whilst the real vintage addicts will visit every fair and shop they can, many more people will just enjoy a day out at a lovely place, with the vintage as an extra bonus.   And a new audience equals potential new customers.  Whether your stock is beautiful antiques, decorative vintage, funky retro, upcycled furniture or handmade items, your stall may inspire someone to try a new look or buy something unique.  So many people only shop on the high street or online so a fantastic vintage event can be a real revelation and inspiration to them.  Footfall at many of these events is high - one big London annual fair held on Wimbledon Common attracts 10,000 visitors!  And the first Classic Car Boot Sale, held on London's iconic South Bank, drew in over 7,000 visitors who enjoyed the amazing atmosphere with live music, street food, stalls and vintage vehicles to view.

Rather like camping, trading outdoors is a challenge - rain, wind, mud or heatwaves all present their own problems. It is essential to have some kind of decent rain/shade cover in place - on a hot day you will welcome the shade and on a wet day, it will protect you and your stock.  If you are on a tight budget, all the supermarkets and homestores sell cheap gazebos which do the job of covering your stand area.  These are usually very lightweight, relatively easy to assemble and cost around £50-75.  However, they tend not to wear well with heavy use.  Be aware that most are 3 m x 3 m so when booking your space, make sure you have enough room for a gazebo.  If you are only given space for a table, then an garden umbrella may be your only option.  Make sure you fix it into a sturdy parasol base, tie it down or hammer it into the ground - a strong gust of wind and you may find your umbrella flying off or knocking over your stall!  An umbrella won't stop the rain blowing in underneath on a very wet day.

Hardware stores sell plastic sheeting by the metre, so you might also invest in some large pieces of this to throw over your stock if not covered entirely by your gazebo or umbrella.  These are useful if leaving stock out overnight at an event, as the sheeting protects delicate items from condensation, birds and nosy parkers!  Get clear plastic if you can, so your stock can still be seen on a wet day even if you have to cover it over.  Large clamps or pegs are useful to clip the sheets to the tables - otherwise weight them down with stones.

If you want a more professional gazebo, it is worth spending a while researching a good one and getting recommendations from other traders.  The best I have used are the pop up variety which concertina out on jointed frames.  They usually need two people to put them up, but someone will always give you a hand at an event.  The better quality ones have steel frames, which are less likely to bend or snap than cheaper options.  Buy the sides as well - these are essential in wet weather or if leaving your stall overnight.  Some companies even make bespoke gazebos in different colours with your own logo or name imprinted.  A good gazebo can cost from £150 upwards, but should last you a few seasons.  If the gazebo gets wet, you should dry out the cover when you get it home to prevent rotting.  Don't forget to take leg weights to secure the gazebo - some fairs now insist on this, as a Healthy and Safety requirement.  If using guy ropes, put coloured ribbon or tape on them to ensure visitors can see them and do not trip.  It is your responsibility to make sure your equipment is safe and cannot cause an accident.

There are also gazebo hire companies - they provide units in various sizes including small marquees which are of professional quality.  Hiring is a good option if you only do an occasional event or have nowhere to store gazebos and umbrellas. Some companies will even deliver, erect and collect their equipment, depending on the type hired.  This can be a time saver if you don't have anyone helping you or space in your car for equipment.

At many outdoor events, you can drive your vehicle onto or close to your pitch for loading/unloading.  The organiser should tell you about the arrangements for delivery, loading and parking before the day. But if the event is on a private garden, you will probably have to carry your stock from a parking point.  It is worth investing  in a decent portable trolley.  There are several types of trolley available - a sturdy shopping trolley or basket might work if your stock isn't bulky or heavy such as jewellery or handmade textile goods.  Heavier items can be moved either on a sack trolley - the upright sort used by railway porters, or on a flatbed trolley - where items can be laid on the trolley base and pulled along.  Many trolleys fold down flat so are easy enough to transport and store in a car or van.  Using a trolley will save you a lot of time and a sore back if you have a lot to move.  It is also useful to have a trolley available to lend to customers who want to take heavy items back to their cars.

Many outside events organisers do not supply traders with a table/s, so you will need to source your own suitable tables.  Old-fashioned wooden trestle tables look wonderful at country events and are also very hard-wearing.  The trestle legs fold flat, but the tops don't fold so you will need a long estate car or van, or a sturdy roof rack to transport them.  The wooden tables are heavy as well, so may not be ideal if you find lifting and carrying difficult.  Lightweight modern trestle tables, with plastic tops are a good alternative.  Both types of table can be purchased online through specialist companies.  Old style wooden tables come up on Ebay, and on specialist sites - but they can be expensive.  Or you may be lucky and find one in your local free ad paper or through a village or church hall that is getting rid of them.  A simpler option is the decorator's pasting table, much loved by boot salers.  These fold up, are light to transport and easily available.  Avoid the very cheap plyboard options, as these bow under weight and are very flimsy..  Go for the ones with solid tops and strong legs - a bit more expensive but will last longer.  All types of these tables can be found at Homebase, B&Q and other hardware/DIY stores.

Keeping warm at outside events can be a challenge, especially you do them in the winter months.  An old piece of carpet or even a piece of strong cardboard to stand on helps to keep your feet warm and dry.  Concrete or wet grass can make your feet very cold and uncomfortable if you are standing all day.  Fingerless gloves or wrist warmers are useful for keeping your hands warm but allow you to handle money easily.  Pocket handwarmers available from camping shops are also handy, if you suffer with cold fingers.

Personally, I always take a picnic with me to outdoor events.  A little folding table and chairs to sit at is very useful, and gives you a place to put your notebook, pens, wrapping materials as well as somewhere to eat.  Coolbags for your water, drinks and food are a sensible and hygienic way to keep food chilled and bug-free.  Food at outside events can be costly and if you have to queue for a while, you could be losing out on sales at your stand.  Having your own supplies keeps things simple and cost-effective.  If permitted by the fair organiser, a camping stove or portable barbeque can be useful to warm up soup, cook a few sausages or just boil a kettle.  And it all adds to the fun of the day for you and your helper/s.

You will probably have more space to set out your stock than at an indoor event.  Make the most of this by bringing larger items of stock and seasonal items.  Garden items, sporting paraphenalia, luggage and beach furniture are very popular in the summer months.   A row of stripey deckchairs or an arrangement of garden statutary can be really eye-catching.  Some of the items that sell well at outdoor events include:

• garden furniture - sets of tables and chairs, benches or tree seats in wood or metal

• garden statues, urns, water features and small ornaments - animals are particularly popular

Gorgeous vintage whippet statue

 

• deckchairs, sun loungers, windbreaks and directors' chairs - colourful and vibrant

• galvanised items such as baths, buckets and containers look great displayed with flowers

Eye-catching collection of gardenalia

• vintage bicycles and tricycles, handcarts and trolleys

• vintage toys such as rocking horses, pull-along toys, ride-on toys are visually appealing

Pull-along dogs - what fun!

• enamel containers such as florists buckets, large bowls and baths for planters

• weathervanes and decorative ironwork such as rose arches,plant troughs, plant holders

• croquet sets, old tennis racquets, clock golf sets

• quirky items such as old bird cages, finials and gargoyles, lobster pots are great talking pieces

• terracotta flower pots, rhubarb forcers, planters are useful and ornamental

• wicker picnic baskets, with or without their cutlery and crockery - popular with vintage car enthusiasts!

This can form all or part of your stock - outdoor items look great mixed with homeware.  Adding plants and flowers to the display really enhances the appearance - ferns, lavenders, geraniums, hydrangeas, lupins and foxgloves are perfect.

Once well equipped, outside events can be enormous fun - with a picnic and the sunshine you could almost be on holiday!  Winter outside events are more of a challenge.  Sunbury Antiques Market, held at Kempton Race Course, runs all year, rain or shine.  But it is always packed with traders and buyers.  Wearing lots layers, taking hot drinks and soup with you and moving around all help to keep warm.

If you have not done an outside event before, look out for new events in magazines with listings such as Homes and Antiques http://www.homesandantiques.com/.   Many events only run in the summer or are held as part of another bigger event such as a country show.   Being outside in the English countryside on a clear day beats being in an office anyday so make the most of the opportunity!

New ways to sell your vintage and antique stock.

Running a stall at a fair or market is great fun but sometimes it is hard to sell specailist items, or you need to reach a wider audience than your local customers.  There are other options for selling available, both through the Internet and also at specialist events.  Many traders who have a stall or a shop use other methods to sell their wares -often an item might not "fit" with other stock, but an online auction allows a sale at a good price.

Social media has opened up a world of possibilities.  Before Facebook, selling online involved having a website or using ebay or other auction sites.  I have noticed recently that more and more people are listing and displaying photos of items on their business Facebook page and doing a great trade.  This could be for vintage china and glass, craft and hand made items, second hand goods for the home or furniture and larger objects.  To be successful, you will need to build a following for your business Facebook account - however, there is plenty of information out there on how to do this.  The most important part of this process is to have a good, clear photo or photos of the item and to give a decent description.  If there are faults you should mention them - an unhappy customer will not be slow in making their feelings known on your page!  Some people build up some excitement by announcing a Sale or Auction of their items.  If you have a big following this can be a good way of getting people to focus on your page.  Others just list items as they come in, using a fairly simple template photo and short description to do the deed.  Don't forget to mention post and packing costs if you sell this way.  Even a small item can be costly to post and your profits will vanish if you have to cover this cost without charging for it.  If the item is very large, investigate using a courier service - these can work out cheaper.  If you do sell on Facebook, it seems to work best on a first-come first-served basis, but you will need to manage your page.  Be quick to acknowledge who makes the first offer by putting up a SOLD message with the name of the individual tagged, so there is no doubt who purchased it.  It is then up to you and the buyer to arrange for payment and ensure the item is sent promptly.  Paypal is a good method of receiving payment, but you might be also be willing to accept cash, cheque or postal order.

This rather informal method of selling has less protection for the buyer and seller than Ebay.  For example, if there is a dispute there is no mediating party to sort it out!  And if someone doesn't pay, you can't do much about it.  So, be a little cautious about selling via Facebook.

Ebay (www.ebay.co.uk) is the giant online auction service which allows you to sell pretty much anything you can imagine.  You will need to set up a personal account and agree to their terms and conditions.  As well as paying for each listing, you pay a % on every sale. Look out for free listing offers for specific categories or over weekends.  Listing is relatively simple as you are taken through the process stage by stage.  There are countless books and articles about how to sell well on ebay, so I won't go into massive detail here. It pays to be very clear in your description about the piece and to provide plenty of photos.  You should be meticulous about describing damage and flaws, otherwise your disappointed buyer is sure to give you poor feedback.  Feedback gives you credibility as a seller and buyer and if it is tarnished by a few complaints, might deter other people who were potential buyers.  You may want to start out with some small, low-value items and get familiar with the process. You have the option to set a starting price or reserve, to sell only to a domestic audience and to offer items for collection only.  Bear in mind the more conditions you add, the less bidders you will have.  A zero or low starting price auction tempts the treasure hunters and being willing to post or courier to home or abroad brings your pieces to a wider audience.  Again, do check costs and state these clearly from the start for any postage or delivery charges. 

It is worth spending time writing about your item - some ebay sellers are positively flowery, others terse to the point of almost non-existent information, which for a buyer can be frustrating. Find a happy medium and write upbeat, descriptive and factual selling copyy.  If you are selling something with any age, use the words "vintage antique old"  in the title - this picks up searches on each word.  Check your spelling! Poor spelling means your item may not be found by keen buyers who search only on correctly spelt wording. Remarkably, there are now specialist sites that search ebay for misspelt items on behalf of bidders.  These item can often be bought at bargain prices, due to lack of competition in the bidding process.  Look at how other, experienced sellers word their descriptions and use photos to best effect.  Many ebayers have shops and have nicely designed templates within which to sit their information, terms and conditions.  Do spend time on the terms and conditions of sale and returns.

Other sites that are popular for selling vintage/antique items abound.  Etsy is a great source of the quirky and unusual, with many vintage items listed.  Sellers can set up an Etsy shop with a picture of each item, price, description and postage.  Many Etsy sellers also post links to their Etsy sales page from Facebook -  a kind of social media double whammy. Writing good descriptions, photos and clear sales information including post and packing costs is important.

Another great service for selling antique and vintage items is The Hoarde (www.thehoarde.com).  Items on this site tend to be the more decorative antiques and vintage and there are plenty of different sellers on board to study.  There is a selection process, which is clearly explained and if you like using a computer, take good pictures and want to expand your audience, this could be a good option to follow up.

Another way of selling is to set up parties in people's homes, a bit like a Tupperware party!  You take your stock along, the host or hostess invites their friends and provides refreshments.  You have the chance to demonstrate and sell your stock in a mini-presentation.  This can be fun and sociable, but sales are never guaranteed.  Often the chit chat and gossip dominates the evening and the purpose of the party is somewhat lost.  Or people are not that interested in your items and have just turned up to support their friend. A more fruitful opportunity for generating business are the invitation-only private house parties, often held for charity, where a few selected traders are selected to sell.  These can be very profitable if the visitors are the yummy mummies and  well heeled ladies that lunch who like a bit of private shopping with an exclusive edge.  An extension of this are the charity gift fairs that abound in the autumn - many have stringent selection processes and are difficult to get into.  It is arguable whether antique and vintage items are popular at these fairs - not everyone wants to buy used items for gifts.  However, many charities attract a strong and loyal following of affluent supporters, who will spend generously at such events.

If you fancy being really ambitious, and specialise in an area such as dog or horse collectables or gardenalia, you could take a stand at the shopping villages of major dog, horse, country or garden shows.  The investment in these can be substantial and you will need masses of stock, as they are often several days long.  I have seen dog antique stands at Crufts, packed with china, glass, brass, silver dogs and dog-related ephemera.  Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows often have stands with a range of vintage garden tools, furniture and statuary - often with big price tickets!  If you have a theme or passion for a niche area you will find other enthusiasts at such events.  If you like automobilia, then a stand at Goodwood Revival could be the perfect outlet for your vintage oil cans, road maps and picnic sets.  The same theory could apply for sporting events with vintage equipment and ephemera available at golf tournaments, tennis matches, cricket games etc.  There are also many auction houses who hold specialist sales once or twice a year and if you do find something unusual, consignment to a specialist sale could bring you a great price.

Developing your business takes a bit of thinking and effort, but it can yield great results.  You may find less competition for business and a more knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience by investigating specialised and niche events and selling opportunities.  Be bold and try something different!

Finishing touches - what the well dressed stall is wearing this year

I have been going to a lot of fairs in the last 12 months - there seems to have been an explosion of vintage fairs in the south east of England and beyond.  What I find most impressive, and to be truthful just a little daunting, is the level of detail and attention many traders expend on making their stalls fantastic showcases.  It's not just about selling a few bits and pieces, it's about luring people into the vintage lifestyle and creating aspirations to re-create a certain "look". That feeling of wanting to recreate something beautiful or unusual within your own home with that "must have" item.  I must admit to frequent stall envy when I am at fairs - I am never happy with my own stall layout when I compare it to some incredibly well-styled stalls.  Of course, everyone's stock varies and some things are easier to show off than others, but  it is the finishing touches on each stall that make them special and unique. 

It is often the smallest details that make the difference.  For example price labels can be madea lot less humdrum and a bit of care and attention makes quite a difference.  Currently, I am using colourful old luggage tags stamped with a wonderful greyhound stamp bought on Etsy.  You can buy readymade stamps very easily and cheaply, or have a stamp customised with your name and logo. Wooden stamps with a special little picture can be a simple way of customising standard tie-tags or labels and craft printing ink pads give you the option to print in a pretty colour.  Black and white is always crisp and smart, but ring the changes with a bold colour choice to make your tags eye-catching.  Some people even use craft stamping kits to print all the information including price on their tags- rather labour intensive, but very stylish.   Brown tie on tags, easily obtained from stationers or online, are great for labelling rustic pieces or country-style displays.  Pretty coloured tags in pastel shades look effective on dainty china and sparkling glass or on vintage textiles.  I use a calligraphy pen to write labels - even the most unspectacular writing looks better written with such a pen.  You can make your labels as plain or pretty as you like with a bit of thought and effort.  Labels can be tied on with string, colourful ribbon or even raffia - each conveys a different image from rustic to romantic.  Stick on labels are not exciting, but for some items they work better than a tie-on.  Be careful not to use a sticky label on anything where the residue will damage the item such as a book, paper item or fragile textile.  Books can be priced in pencil on the inside or use a plain bookmark inside with the relevant details inscribed.

Your table can set the tone for your display.  Most fair organisers provide a standard trestle table, these days usually plastic or formica topped.  I know some traders who take their own tables and these can create part of the overall look.  Lovely old rustic wooden trestles, some with flaky old paint and some au naturel, look beautiful stacked with vintage treasures.  If taking your own table is not possible, due to space restrictions, then using pretty table coverings is a must.  I use plain linen cloths which make a neutral backdrop for my collections.  But, a lovely velvet curtain or bed spread can be used for a sumptuous look, or a colourful cotton bed sheet for a crisp and colourful background.  Floral, striped, plain cloths - all can look great but should not overwhelm your display.

Display shelves, crates, boxes and plinths help to add height and visual impact, and create a more professional look to a stall.  One trader who I see at many events uses a range of wooden crates, painted in white, to stack as shelves.  The crates are versatile and make a great backdrop for their colourful stock.  And it maximises space on a trestle table as well.  Old apple crates are relatively easy to come by and can often be bought at larger outdoor antique markets or even via ebay. Cath Kidston used them to great effect in summer 2011 in her store windows.  Each crate had a painted interior in primary shades and they were packed with pretty goods.  Proof that a great display does not have to be expensive.  It's easy enough to paint or decorate a crate - even just Blu-Tacking some pretty wrapping or wallpaper inside can add a decorative note if painting is too long-winded.

Cath Kidston's window in Cambridge

A simple display case can be made out of an old drawer - this could be lined with paper or fabric and then covered with a sheet of clear plastic or glass.  An old fashioned printer's tray is ideal for showing off lots of small items.  The tray could be painted in a neutral shade or left in its original state.  Perfect if you sell little items such as buttons, beads, jewellery etc that fit neatly into the compartments.

If you can find vintage display items to use on your stand, this can be very effective.  Old fashioned tailors' dummies or vintage dress makers' models are ideal for displaying all kinds of things.  Clothing can look better displayed in this way, or jewellery draped or pinned onto the model even old badges and brooches.   Vintage shop display cases and shelves are very attractive and often feature glass doors, sides and tops, to make it easy to view displayed items.  These display cases are collectable in their own right, so don't come very cheap but you might be lucky enough to find one on ebay.

If money is tight, IKEA have some great display items such as mini-easels which can be painted and used to display prints, pictures and cards.  Old wine boxes often given away at specialist wine shops can also be used as shelves, painted or unpainted.  Mug trees painted a pretty shade are good for hanging up jewellery.  Look around your home and utilise your existing storage and display accessories.  A small bookshelf painted in a natural shade can be used to show small items; an old fashioned clothes airer is ideal for textiles and a plate rack great for stacking delicate bone china plates.

Colour themeing can be a great way to style your stall - having uniform colours for display shelves and stands can help pull a stall together.  A subtle grey is very fashionable at the moment and is a good  counterpoint to bright colours or subtle shades alike.  Taking one step further, some stalls even stick to a certain palette of colours preferring to buy their stock in a limited colour range.  Hard work but with a fantastic result.

Little touches of humour are a great finishing touch on a stall.  A cheese dish with a toy mouse under the dome or a child's chair dressed with an old doll or teddy adds a light-hearted note.  The quirky and unusual will catch the eyes of your potential customers as they walk by. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through your stall - it is easy to copy the crowd but developing your own style "signature" is more original.

Using flowers and plants can really dress up a stall, especially in the spring when there are so many lovely and inexpensive potted bulbs available. Hyacinth, narcissi, daffodils and primroses look charming in old pots deftly placed on top of cupboards or in a teacup or bowl to bring natural beauty to the picture.  Cut flowers displayed in old glass jugs, single stems in pretty vintage bottles or natural twigs and leaves all have their merits.  I have even seen bowls of conkers used to dress a stall selling simple French rustic items.   In the summer, flowers and herbs are plentiful and a wildflower bouquet easily assembled to dress a stand.  Geraniums in weathered terracotta pots look fantastic, especially at open air events.  Lavender plants are cheap to buy and when in flower smell delicious.  Winter displays look festive with pine cones, greenery such as ivy and holly.

pretty spring flowers in a garden display

If you want to splash out, providing your customers with a good quality carrier bag for their purchase does lend a touch of class.  Handsome white or brown heavy duty paper carriers with string handles look smart and they can also be printed with your logo or you can add a sticker with your name and logo, to make them your own.  These types of bags are not a low cost investment, so you might prefer to recycle carrier bags.  Many carrier bag manufacturers can be found online.  For smaller items, traditional candy-striped paper bags are fun and come in a range of hues.  Normally, you have to buy a few hundred at a time.

Wrapping customers' purchases in tissue paper will create a professional feel at events.  Plus it protects the item/s and avoids the messy ink of newspaper rubbing off on delicate pieces.  Blocks of tissue can be bought from florist suppliers or online and comes in all shades and patterns. You can pick a colour to fit in with your brand colour/s - pastel shades are particularly pretty or floral patterened tissue.  Each purchase feels like a gift when beautifully wrapped up and adds to the feelgood factor.  So much nicer for your customer unwrapping some pretty colourful tissue, than some old, scrumpled newspaper.

If you are selling at a Christmas fair, you could take this to another level.  For example, putting some loose lavender heads inside the tissue package or some scented pot pourri.  Using decorative string or gift labels could be a further twist or you could offer a gift wrapping service, if you have the necessary skill and patience.

Your business card is a very important touch - people love to pick these up and keep them.  Make sure your card is on your stall and put one into each carrier bag with a sold item.  Many cards are now postcard sized, making use of great photos or illustrations for maximum impact.  You may have to invest in a graphic designer to produce something but some of the budget online printers do have templates available.  Bulk digital printing is now relatively inexpensive and companies such as Vistaprint provide a quick, accessible service.  Your card is your showcase so make sure it looks the part.  Don't forget to put on your Facebook and Twitter tags, website details and contact information.

the back of a fun business card

Other little touches that are worth considering include having wrapped sweets in pretty foil to offer - in a glass jar or little bowl, this can look quite charming.  One stallholder I know often has a plate of beautiful shortbread hearts on her stand - very popular with the visitors.  Offering a giveaway is a nice gesture and does help to bring people to your stall. Someone else I know has had some very smart pencils emblazoned with her logo and has these in a china pot on her stall. 

These small details may need a little time and effort, but if they bring more people to your stall or unit more sales should follow.  Plus, you will get the reputation of having the best dressed stall at the fair or market and this may secure you an invite to exhibit at one of the top-end fairs or shows.  Having the right look is very important to these fair organisers.

Enjoy styling your stall and finding those little extra flourishes that can make such a difference.

The young ones - vintage can be fun for children, too!

As many of you are probably parents with young or teenage children, this chapter is about how to get your children interested and involved with your vintage business. Also, if you particularly like children, you may want a business that sells vintage things specially for babies and children.

My daughter, Emilia, was only 3 when I started going to boot sales and markets regularly and being a single mum at the time, she had to come along with me.  She became quite well known at the various places and enjoyed the attention and fuss she received.  Now as a twentysomething, she shares a love of the old and quirky, so something rubbed off along the way.  We used to have fun together and keeping her interested allowed me to enjoy my passion, too!  It wore off a bit when she was a teenager - the early starts did not appeal.  But by then, she could be left for a couple of hours without worrying.

sweet old music score for a lullaby

Making things fun and enjoyable is the best way of keeping your children engaged and lets you have time to browse when you are out buying.  And if they come to events where you are selling, they can become great little helpers and develop confidence at the same time.

The boot sale conundrum.  When our children are little, most of us have enough plastic toys to build a replica of the Great Wall of China.  So, avoiding acquiring more plastic is a big issue at boot sales - inevitably your child will fixate on some ghastly lump of plastic that you loathe.  Of course, there are always loads of sellers getting rid of their own plastic toy mountains!  But, even little ones can enjoy the fun of having a small sum of money to invest in a collectable. If you find something your children love - it might be My Little Pony (collectable plastic!), china animal ornaments like Wade Whimsies, old school or picture books, metal or wooden toys - the boot sale becomes a treasure hunt and enormous fun.  I always like to encourage children when I am a seller - I let them handle things under supervision and enjoy their interest and questions.  And most people appreciate someone showing an interest in their child's enthusiasm.

When the children get a bit older, around 6 or 7, you might even introduce them to the idea of buying things to sell.  I used to give my daughter a couple of £s to buy items and then sell them on her behalf, giving her the profits.  She loved finding her bargains and making a bit of pocket money.  And it does teach children about money, negotiation and other valuable life skills.  At our local fair, Village Vintage, a really fantastic young man called Henry aged about 13, has a regular stall.  He brings along all his finds and makes some decent returns - his dad helps him, but he is a real entrepreneur in the making. 

old ted in his vintage bed with little bedclothes fasioned from an old sheet and blanket...ssshhh!

Children develop their eye for good objects if they visit antique shops, vintage markets, old houses and places of interest.  If you enjoy lovely things and can show them how to appreciate things, it will be a lifelong habit and pleasure.  Of course, they may reject "old stuff" totally for a while and only like modern, new things, but come back to it later.  From what I see at every fair, there are plenty of  girls and guys in their 20s running vintage businesses - and loads more out there buying all sorts of funky, fun and inexpensive stuff.  I love it!

How about getting your child involved in your stall if they have to come with you? Helping you carry in a few items is the obvious starting point, although you might think twice if your stock is heavy or breakable.  But they can carry the cloths, your stationery kit, picnic and props - all very useful. Maybe they have a few things to sell and you can give them a little space on your table.  If not, how about getting them involved in selling for you on a commission basis.  I used to leave my daughter in charge of my stall and she would do a grand sales job for me.  I used to pay her a percent on sales, to incentivize her.  Asking your child to wrap up sold items and take the money and give change to customers, will help to build their confidence and makes them feel they are important.  Most children seem to respond well to responsibility and enjoy being treated as an adult.  Learning how to have conversations with adults who are not friends or family is another bonus.  And if they sell their own treasures, being able to research and give the history of the item is another great learning point.  Most buyers are friendly and encouraging of young ones who are helping on a stall.

Scripture Cubes - a very old fashioned toy!

inside the box! for Sunday Best only.

Another fun job that can be given to a child with neat writing is to produce your price labels - an artistic child might be encouraged to design something for you.  Or you could use rubber stamps to make attractive labels.  This can be done at home whilst you are cleaning, refurbishing and packing your stock.

If your child really takes to selling, when they get a bit older they might even want to start up their own stall.  Lots of girls in the vintage world sell clothes, jewellery, hair ornaments, children's books and toys - and there is no reason why your son or daughter can't do the same.  Boys might be interested in vintage memorabilia, games, sporting items or classic collectables like toy cars and planes.  Having their own stall and making their own decisions about stock and pricing is a great way to create an independent and confident teenager.  Many schools now encourage this spirit through the Young Enterprise scheme.  And earning money is always an attractive option for teenagers.

lovely old Triang caterer's truck....

As a trader, I also try to make my stall attractive to children.  Many mums come along with toddlers and school children and it can be very boring for them.  Being small, in a hot busy hall, with people's bags and packages bashing into you isn't a lot of fun!  I always have sweets or chocolates to offer - mini Easter eggs or wrapped sweets (hygiene being a concern).  I always check with the parent or carer before offering the sweets, in case the child is not allowed them.  At Christmas, I have a 50p lucky dip which is always popular and again provides a child-focussed activity to make the day enjoyable for smaller visitors.  Having attractive vintage toys, games and children's books will of course be a draw.  Just make sure that the items at child height are robust enough to stand a bit of handling - something wooden that cannot be broken is ideal.  If your stock is too precious or valuable to be handled by children then do keep an eye and gently remind the child or parent that the item is very precious.  Most parents will get the hint!

A lot of mums and teenage girls seem to enjoy a day together at a vintage fair - what a lovely way to spend time and build closeness.  Fairs where there are vintage stylists and make up artistes are particularly popular with the girls - if you are offering this kind of service at your stall, then maybe a "mum and daughter" offer would work well.  Prettily displayed clothes and accessories will be a magnet to today's fashion loving teens.  If you sell fashion, make sure you have a good mirror available or are close to a changing area for trying on.  Some fairs even have prizes for best dressed buyers and if you sell fashion items, perhaps you could sponsor the prize and have pictures of the winner taken at your stall?

I also try to have things of interest to small (and grown up) boys!  Pictures and books on cars, planes, trains are always a hit; old metal farm animals and cars, wooden tractors and train sets are bound to appeal.  One word of warning though; many old toys were painted with lead paint, now not in use as it is toxic.  If you are buying or selling toys that would appeal or be played with by small children, please make sure that the parents or guardians are aware of this.  I would always stress that old toys are collectables and not necessarily for everyday play.  This would also apply to the eyes and clothes on old teddies and dolls - not necessarily safe by today's standards.  Some grannies have old toys that the children can only play with under supervision which sounds like a good compromise.  I still have my Great Aunt Amy's doggie nightdress case, Rover, which I played with everytime I visited her - probably not up to safety standards of today, but it gave me hours of fun.

Christmas fairy and golden coins

If you want to appeal to young parents and have a stall that attracts their custom, I can guarantee that small chairs are extremely sought after.  No-one, especially grand-parents, can resist a cute tiny school chair, deckchair, rocker or armchair.  Small tables, old fashioned school desks, old third pint milk bottles, blackboards on stands, vintage metal and wire school lockers, pre-1960s school and youth group uniforms and kit, garden benches, tiny deckchairs, children's gardening items like tools, wheelbarrows and watering cans all sell very well.  In fact, you could dedicate a whole stall just to vintage things for kids!  I know of one trader, Dinky Vintage, who sells lovely vintage children's clothing.  Photographs of babies and children taken pre 1960 are also adorable - small serious boys clutching teddies; round faced girls with bobbed hair in their Sunday dresses - lovely examples of what is out there.  And don't forget vintage tricycles, scooters, rocking horses and pedal cars - lovely for a child but also great display objects for grown-uips, too.

I hope these ideas and reflections on involving your children are helpful.  A shared passion with a child, whether for vintage, sports, music or any other activity is a wonderful bond.

Happy face!

Setting up shop.

I have always had a desire to have my own beautiful shop.  This started when I was at primary school and a friend and I used to make little things and bring them to school to "sell" (actually, give away).  My "shop" was a cardboard toy suitcase and I used to make tiny gonks out of sponge with drawn-on felt pen faces  (I was a child of the 60s) and other funny homemade things.  My friend's shop was better stocked, as her dad owned a toy store and got proper toys to stock her shop-in-a-suitcase.  And for a while, I have considered having my own shop, but not yet been brave enough to take the leap.

I am sure that many of you trading successfully at fairs have a dream of opening a shop as the next step in your business.  The happy medium is to find an antiques/vintage centre or arcade where you can rent a space or unit.  A shop within a shop.  This is a much less risky way of trying your hand at shop-keeping and can be a great way of selling to a wide customer base.  Sadly,  the number of antique and vintage centres is falling - the recession has taken its toll. Towns like Dorking and Petworth once noted for their plethora of antiques shops, have seen many of these close down in the past few years.  As business rents have increased, traders have been priced out of the market; footfall in many places has declined and online selling has changed the face of retailing.  However, many people who buy vintage and antique goods still like to examine and handle items before buying. 



With the explosion of interest in the vintage lifestyle and interiors, some new centres have opened for business moving away from the traditional antiques centre model to offer a brighter and more attractive alternative.  If you are a collector or love decorating your home with old bits and pieces, you probably already know the best local centres and even thought about taking space.  BBC Home and Antiques magazine and other interiors/design/collectors magazines, publish features on "vintiquing" in particular towns or regions, including information on the best centres and shops to visit.  If you already frequent centres you will have a good idea about where your merchandise might fit in best.  I love places where I may unearth a bargain - a bit chaotic, lots of stalls and a regular turnover of stock and these rummage-y places seem to be popular with buyers, too.

gorgeous display at Country Artisan market

I used to sell at a monthly market and many of my regulars were traders in a particular antiques centre.  It soon occurred to me that I could cut out the middleman, get a unit in the same centre and sell my stock direct to their customers at a better price.  Like many popular centres, this particular place had a waiting list so I called in or phoned each week until I secured a space.  A very small space, but it got me started and established.  Since then, I have tried several different centres, even having two on the go at once for a few weeks.  It sounds strange, but not every centre will work for you.  You may have to try a couple before finding the one that's best for you. I have no explanation for why this might be - just personal experience.  I prefer to be in a dedicated antiques/vintage centre and not one where there is a mixture of craft and antiques.  A cafe on site can be a bonus, although some people will only visit the cafe and spend little or no time exploring the stalls. 

Selling from a centre might involve having to staff the shop for a day or half-day on a regular basis.  Many centres are operated by traders taking turns to run front of house. Whilst this can be enjoyable it can be an unwelcome constraint if you have to juggle family life or other work to accommodate it.   I used to work full-time and had to do my day on a Sunday, often with my small daughter in tow.  Some centres are owner-operated or have a full-time manager to take care of things.  In this case, you can just price and display your stock and they do the work of selling, keeping records and accounts and paying out.  This can be a real bonus as it frees up your time to go out buying and to work on displaying your space to a high standard.  Every centre will vary so if you are planning to take up space, find out what is expected of you in terms of time commitment within the shop.

Rent is the biggest overhead and you need to evaluate what you can realistically afford.  If the rent is too high, all your profits will just be sucked back into rent and you will have no money to reinvest in the business.   Some centres allow you to rent a few shelves or a cabinet and this can be a gentle way in if you are cautious. A few centres will sell on a commission basis and take a % of the sale price;  some may also take a percentage if the customer makes a credit or debit card payment.  If get the chance, talk to other traders in the centre to find out if it is well organised and has a steady flow of customers.  A centre that is visited by the trade and the public is ideal - the trade will buy regularly from you if they like what they see.  Easy access for unloading and delivering stock is desirable, particularly if you are selling large or heavy  items.   Also check out how the centre advertises and markets itself either in print, through social media and via a website.  Ideally, a good centre will advertise widely and regularly to draw in new customers.

Having a unit in a centre is like having a full-time stall at a fair. And it saves you the effort of a lot of lifting and transporting stock to and fro; plus your stock is on show all the time, not just one or two days a month.  Statistically, this gives it a better chance of being sold. Once in a centre, it is really important to keep your unit or space looking fresh, tidy and well stocked.  Even if you just move things around and re-display a few bits it gives the impression that new stock has arrived.  I often find that "old friends" sell when I re-arrange my stall - things come to light and are snapped up.  If you leave your stall untended for several weeks, its appearance will suffer and so will your sales. Left alone, stock gets damaged and dirty and often moved from your space to another.   If you can't visit the centre regularly, at least leave stock priced up and ready to go out so that the staff or manager can replenish any gaps.

Styling your unit with attractive fixtures and fittings, good lighting, seasonal displays, clear and informative price labels on a  range of interesting stock all helps to generate interest and sales.  The same tricks for styling your stall at a fair apply to a unit - vary the height and layout of items; group colours together or go for a packed, busy and interesting display that hints at undiscovered treasure.   Be original about your displays - take a theme or colour and build your display around that.  In the past, I have themed my unit in
keeping with events such as the Jubilee; Trafalgar Day; Easter and of course, Christmas.  If you are creative, this is an excuse to go over the top and make your space stand out from the crowd.  You can create quite a following by having an interesting stall and attract regular buyers who appreciate your unique and eye-catching stock display.

Jubilee styled shop window for an opticians in Kent

You should gradually start to see a pattern in your weekly turnover figures and get a feel for how much you might sell in a week or month. Sales may not be consistent at first, as it takes time to find out what sells well and what is less popular.  Some weeks will be slow and then it will suddenly pick up.  Like most retailers, your sales will be affected by all kinds of external factors such as the weather, the time of year, the school holidays, the economy....I could go on!    Customers often have other pressures on their purses and vintage items are in the "nice to have" not "need to have" category.   You may be lucky enough to be trading in an affluent area or one where tourists visit and the recession has less of an impact.

Your centre will provide you with a sales record and you can marry this up with your stock book and track your profitability.  Some centres pay out "on demand" so you can go in any time and collect your takings.  Others pay out on a set day of the week or month.  It is up to you how detailed your accounts are and if you track profitablity on every sale. I will cover keeping accounts in a later chapter.

Having a unit is a relatively low-risk entry point into running a shop.  Most centres require either a weekly or monthly payment of rent and a month's notice, so you are rarely committed for a long period.  Allow two or three months to "bed-in" and to assess your sales and profits.  The manager or other traders may be able to advise you on how to improve sales if you are not doing so well.  Be open to advice from those with more experience.  You may have to experiment a little with stock and try out different items and displays to get sales.  There is often a first flurry of sales when you first open your unit as your stock will attract interest from the regular customers. Your best pieces will probably go very quickly - you may want to review pricing in line with other traders if your prices tend to be lower or higher than others.  If after 4-6 weeks things are very slow, you may need to re-think your strategy.  If you are still doing fairs as well, perhaps you are holding back your best stock for fairs?  In which case, the sales in your unit may be slow because you are not updating stock with your prime pieces.  In the past I have been tempted to change direction on my stock, thinking it would improve sales in a particular centre.  However,  it didn't work for me and meant I ended up with stock I found hard to shift elsewhere.  Mostly, trial and error will determine what works best for you - there is no magic formula.

Networking and making friends with other traders and customers is an added bonus.  Having a good network can be useful if you need information about a specific fair, auction or a second opinion on an item or price.  There is a camaraderie in the trade and you will meet many fascinating and friendly people.

If you do a rip-roaring trade in your unit and have masses of stock stashed away, you may be tempted to open a shop of your own.  This can be a highly costly and risky exercise and there are many pitfalls.  But retailers such as Cath Kidston and Cabbages and Roses started with one outlet and a lot of passion and commitment. 

Renting a shop is not a cheap option.  A well located shop in a busy high street might command an annual rent between £10,000-£25,000 plus.  Most commercial tenancy agreements tie the tenant in for at least a year, often longer, although you may find a landlord willing to offer a short lease or a sub-let.  The high streets are full of empty shops, which tells its own story about how difficult retail is at the moment.  Large retailers undertake incredibly careful analysis and market research before renting or building retail space.  If you are going to have a shop, do your homework very carefully.  Is the shop in a busy area with good pedestrian footfall; being close to cash machines, supermarkets or other well-established independent stores is also a bonus.  If your budget precludes being in the main shopping streets, are you in an area that is easy to find, close to cafes and car parks or amongst similar retailers.  It can be an advantage to be near other similar shops, as this creates a destination for customers who enjoy exploring several places in one trip.  Talk to other small shopkeepers about how they find local trade, when they find it quiet or busy etc.  If other independent shops, even vintage and antique shops have opened and then closed, try to find out the reasons.  If they found trade tough, you might too.  The local Chamber of Commerce is a good source of business information and will be able to give you insights into local conditions. 

Bear in mind the outgoings on a shop not only include the rental, often payable in quarterly instalments in advance.  On top of that you will have to pay business rates, unless you are in an enterprise zone where the council waives rates as an incentive to new retailers.  Don't forget the utilities, light, heat and water are also a cost.  And you will need public liability insurance, and also if you employ help, employer's insurance.  All these essential but boring expenses have to be covered each month before you sell one item and in a slow month, this can be a big cost and worry.  Shop overheads (ie all the costs just described) are constant, unlike fairs and markets which can be turned on and off to suit.  A shop can be the death of your dream if you are not prepared for this financial and time commitment.

You may think about sharing the shop with a friend or acquaintance.  My advice is to think very carefully about going into business with a friend -often friendships don't survive.  Even if you think it will work, do have a simple a contract between all parties agreeing setting out roles and responsibilities including financial liabilities.  For example, if you have a lease only in your name you will be liable for the rent, so if you are sharing a shop, make sure both of you are named and sign the rental agreement.  On a long lease, even if your business folds you will still have to pay rent unless the shop can be re-let.

Consider carefully what you and a partner want from setting up a shop - if one of you is more business like and profit focussed than the other, that could lead to conflicts.  Do you have compatible or complementary stock and similar ideas about display and layout.  If you have complementary skills this could be useful - one of you is great on accounts, the other on marketing for example.  Like any partnership, there will be areas of compromise.  If you know you don't work well with other people or have a very strong style that might not fit with someone else, then sharing may not be an option.

You could offer space to invited stall holders - if your potential shop is large enough to split into sections, this could enable you to have a steady cash flow from rent.  Of course, you will need to be sure that your stallholders will pay on time and will run their stalls in accordance with the standards you wish to set.  Ideally, draw up terms and conditions that form a contract stating rent, notice period, requirements for manning, stock management and so on.  Do not be tempted to be casual about arrangements as this leads to confusion and ill-feeling.  Taking on a shop and setting it up as a centre with several traders is quite an ambitious step.  Your work behind the scenes will involve accounts, advertising and marketing and sorting out manning.

If you have a shop, consider how you will staff it day by day.  Ideally, you will want to open 6-7 days a week, but doing this on your own will wipe out family life and the chance of getting out to buy.  If you are sharing manning, then you can work out a rota.  If you chose only to open on specific days, that can work well - I know one trader who runs her shop from home and opens on two weekdays and Saturday.  Her signage is clear about her hours of business and the rest of the time customers can visit her online.  But if you are paying high street rents, you need to maximise your opening hours.

If you take someone on, you need to think carefully about the implications of having an employee. Paying a wage or salary, plus sorting out tax and National Insurance contributions is where it starts.  You are also obliged to meet the requirements of employment legislation covering things like health and safety; maternity or parental leave; sick pay; working hours; holiday pay.  Many councils run services for small and medium sized enterprises to brief them on law, accounting and general business practice.  Most people starting up a business shy away from taking staff on, because it is not a straightforward process.  If you can hire someone who is willing to work on a freelance basis and invoice for their services, this may be a way to go.

Running a shop requires a lot of careful planning, good budgeting and accounting, accurate record keeping for tax purposes as well as the more creative side of buying and displaying stock.

In my next chapter, I will talk about other routes for diversification in your business.

Bigger and better...next steps

Once you start selling at fairs and markets in your local area, it is quite natural to think about where you can go next with your business.  There is no pressure to expand, if what you are doing suits your lifestyle.  That's the benefit of working for yourself - no targets to meet and no managers breathing down your neck.  Over the years, I have found I have peaks and troughs in my activity levels - sometimes, it suits me to do very little; other times, I am fired up and out and about at lots of events. 

So, what are the next steps you can take, the pros and cons and the costs involved.

Firstly, and very simply, you could just increase the number of local fairs that you do.  Your early research will have given you some ideas about the best local fairs and markets.  Perhaps you are doing one monthly event and could manage another, without it being a massive workload.  Ideally, try out a fair with a different audience to your regular spot.  Otherwise, you are not widening your potential customer base and will be showing the same stock, at twice the costs, to the same people.  This might involve going out of your home county, to another big town or signing up for an annual event that attracts a big following.  This shouldn't involve a huge amount of extra work although you will need to buy in more stock.  The benefits of trading at two fairs is that you can rotate the stock between them; what doesn't sell at one might be the item that sells quickest at the other.   And you will expand your customer base and contacts by going to a new fair.  The costs of a stall might be more expensive for a one-off fair and the travel costs higher, but by now you should be making some profit.  Some of this can be invested in buying into a new fair and increasing your stock levels.  Many traders make a good living by trading at local fairs within a small area - this can be a stable and satisfying way of doing business.  Or you can be more ambitious and think about travelling further afield.

If you love the vintage scene, the specialist vintage festival might appeal to you. In recent years, a variety of Vintage Festivals have sprung up, bringing together music, dance, food and stalls selling all kinds of vintage homeware, clothes even bicycles!  These are great events to go to, usually over a weekend in a pleasant setting such as a racecourse or a country house estate.  People often attend impeccably dressed in their vintage gear, looking for all kinds of items to add to their homes and wardrobes.  Some people style their homes entirely in keeping with a period such as the 40s or 50s  even TVs, fridges and cookers.  These festivals can be great places to sell, if you are willing to put in the work required.

One successful organiser is Discover Vintage http://www.discovervintage.co.uk/  - they hold big festivals at York and Sandown racecourses.  The benefits of selling at festivals is that everyone there is committed to the vintage way of life and the footfall can be in the thousands, putting you in front of a massive potential customer base.  Festival goers will be having a good time and in the mood to buy wonderful vintage goods.  There are a few things that could work against selling at these events, though.  Firstly, they are a big investment both in terms of cost, but also of time and preparation. The commitment to be there for a weekend, and sometimes the day before to set up, is much greater than a local one-day fair.  Plus, you will need plenty of stock to ensure you have sufficient available for the whole event.  You may also need to stay on site or close by the event, if it is too far to travel to and from each day. And trading for two days can be pretty gruelling - so try to enlist help, if you can.  As you can see, the costs are beginning to stack up but the returns can be high.  Other organisers of big vintage festivals and fairs include www.judysvintagefair.co.uk - they run fashion, furniture and kilo sales - the last is ideal for buyers of fashion items if you trade in this.

The other big factor is weather - summer 2012 showed us that we cannot rely on sunshine and dry conditions at outdoor events.  Even if you are in a marquee or have your own gazebo, if the weather is poor, people don't always turn up or stay around and sales will be affected.  However, there is the peculiar British thing of being out in all weathers, which can work in your favour.  Last year I did a particularly wet fair in July - our gazebo was crammed all day with people sheltering from the rain and spending their money.  The mud was on knee high but somehow we all had a great day!  Very much a case of keeping calm and carrying on.

If you are at a large event, the design and layout of the site will have an impact on footfall.  Make sure that your stall or site will be located near to other attractions or where plenty of people will pass by.  Not much good to be tucked away at the bottom end of a field, if nothing else is there to draw people over.    With other events and attractions laid on, the stalls are in competition to grab attention.  Also, you will be in competition with many other stalls, so you will need to think about how to make your's stand out.  Having a stall at a festival can be a lot of fun and financially rewarding, but be prepared to work hard for your dollars!

If festivals aren't your bag, you might be tempted to sell at one of the large antiques fairs such as Ardingly, Newark and Swinderby organised by IACF www.iacf.co.uk .  If you have visited these to buy, you will know how busy and exciting they are and how varied the stalls can be.  Again, this involves a higher stall cost than you might usually pay for a local fair.  You can keep costs lower by trading outside, rather than in the more expensive indoor spots or tented areas.  Actually, it's great fun outside, but do bring a gazebo, waterproofs and suncream!  You will probably plan well in advance to take a stall, to give yourself time to acquire plenty of fresh and exciting stock.  This will be on top of the stock you take to your regular markets.  Price and pack as you go, so you don't have a massive task just before the fair.  These fairs can be quite frantic at first - driving around to find your spot, unloading and setting up usually as quickly as you can go.  If you can, take a friend to help, it's advisable to do so - you will need breaks and loo trips and time to look around.  Be well prepared with food, drinks and anything else you need.  These fairs are advertised internationally and attract masses of buyers - the trade days are usually the best for sales.  Only committed buyers will pay the high admission charges and are definitely there to find the bargains.  Many traders I know who do these big fairs do so well on the first day, that they don't always go back on the second day.   But, this does mean missing out on potential sales, unless you have sold out of stock!

If these big scale fairs sound a bit daunting, then there are many really good one-day fairs to try out.  These might be purely antique or vintage fairs, or part of another event such as an agricultural or country show, a homes and gardens show or even a wedding fair.  Depending on what you sell, you might want to explore these avenues for something different.

A great one-day trade fair to sell at is Sunbury Antiques at Kempton racecourse.  Held twice monthly, this fair attracts buyers from all over the world, and is fantastically cosmpolitan and exciting.  You can buy a ticket to sell outside in advance from the organisers - this means you are financially committed whatever the weather.  Tickets sell out quickly so book well ahead for the fair date you want.  Or you can take the more spontaneous approach of being a "casual" - just turning up on the night and queueing to get a spot.  If you do this, find out from the organisers what time to get there to queue.  Many people arrive in the very early hours and sleep in their cars and vans, as the fair opens at 6.30 am.  There are also indoor spaces, but many are occupied by regulars and you may have to wait a while for a space to come up.  Outside is fun - you unload straight from your car onto your table and start selling straight away.  The trade buyers are quick and focussed, so it can feel quite rushed.  The public arrive later, when things are less frantic.  If you have unusual stock or a lot of things to sell, this fair is the place to be.  Give it a go if you can. www.sunburyantiques.com


In some areas of the country, some more exclusive fairs have sprung up in recent years.  Often stallholders are invited to exhibit by the organiser, rather than just applying and being accepted.  These are often held in private country houses and attract a very affluent group of customers.  As these fairs are curated, rather than open to all-comers,  the quality of stalls and stock tends to be very high.  If this type of event interests you, it is worth visiting a few to see the high standards and gorgeous pieces avaiable.  One such fair is the wonderful Decorative Living fair on the Eridge estate in Kent.  This is held in May and brings together superb purveyors of textiles, painted furniture, gardening antiques, beautiful clothing, French antiques and much more.  It is a feast for the eyes, as every stallholder competes to win the Best Dressed Stall crown.   The organisers may invite you to exhibit, but you can also put yourself forward with photographs of your stock.  Many of these fairs change their stall holders each year to provide variety, so don't be too deflated if you don't get invited.  The work involved in producing a stall for these exclusive fairs is considerable and investment in good stock quite substantial.  You can follow Decorative Living Fair on Facebook; other events of this type include the Avington Brocante, also in May and a wonderful Christmas fair organised by Betty and Violet at Woburn www.bettyandviolet.com.

Having to apply with photos of stock to exhibit at fairs is not uncommon, as organisers want to ensure quality and provide a good range of items to attract customers.  There are some outstanding fairs such as the Country Living Fair www.countrylivingfair.com and The Wealden Times Midsummer and Midwinter Fairs www.wealdentimes.co.uk, that have a strict application and acceptance policy.  Even many one-day fairs are taking this approach, with the vast number of people wanting to sell their wares.

If you have ever been to one of these fairs, it is tempting to think about applying for a stall. To be selected, you have to provide photographs of your stock and convince the organisers that you have something different and special. If you do apply,  it may take a few attempts before you are accepted.  The organisers can afford to be very choosy. The costs of a stall can run into hundreds, so it is a big financial commitment.  Plus the fairs run over three or four days, and a set up day and some even open in the evening.  Your stamina will be tested by the long hours, the pace and pressure of such a large event.  Again, you may have to stay near the fair venue if you cannot travel to and fro each day; plus you may have to hire help to cover some of the sessions.  These types of fair are the ultimate shopping experience - with the right stock and a fantastically styled stand, you could do very well.

If this sounds a bit overwhelming, you may want to investigate the Charity Gift Fair circuit.  These tend to run through spring/summer and then another season in the autumn for Xmas gift shopping.  You will have to apply and may be vetted for most of these fairs.  Many work on the basis of charging a stall fee plus a commission on sales and often a donation of an item to the charity raffle.  These fairs are held in country houses, beautiful barns, hotels and private homes and can attract large numbers.  However, they are usually open to sellers of all kinds of items, so you may be next to a stall selling cheese, wellingtons or children's toys.  Small items, such as jewellery, silver, cutlery, pretty glassware, serving dishes can be popular buys.  They can be a little hit and miss though, as many visitors will not be interested in vintage or antique items.  If this is something you wish to pursue, there is a Charity Fairs Association to help sellers and organisers www.charityfairsassociation.co.uk

In the summer outdoor events often invite traders to take pitches - some are themed such as Garden and Produce shows, Steam Fairs, Agricultural Shows and Car Rallies.  If you have items that will interest people who go to such events, you could find them a very good outlet.  A trader friend of mine exhibits at a Rare Breeds show and over the year collects up all kinds of agriculturally-themed items - these go down a storm at this specialist event.  If you have a particular interest such as gardening or cooking, taking along your vintage gardenalia or kitchenalia to a gardening show or a Food Festival could work really well.  If you trade in a niche area such as dog or horse-related items, then taking a stand at Crufts or Olympia horse show could work well.  But this requires very diligent and exhaustive buying to build up a mountain of stock to take to these busy, national events.

There is a fair or market out there for everyone - you may prefer to be inside at a high-end fair or outside in a gazebo at a big summer show.  Until you try, you won't know what works best for you, but there is an abundant choice.  In my next chapter I will talk about the pros and cons of being in or running a shop.