mel jacobson on thu 17 feb 11
just be careful about the food police.
it has to be a private home sale. you will
need a commercial kitchen, a food inspection,
license. it can be insane. (and it is getting worse
and worse. control of everything.)
make sure it is invitation only.
that sign out on the street like...`garage sale`
can mean trouble.
i never put out highway signs. just a big mj flag
on my porch.
i actually don't want drop ins, garage sale types.
they always come in, and say...`hey, i will give a dollar
for that teapot.`
just make sure you know who is at your home.
important. it takes years to make a great mailing list.
take your time, build with intelligence. you do not want
jerks in your home.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
Birgit Wright on thu 17 feb 11
Thank you Mel=3D3B Since I have been in the food business I know what a pa=
in=3D
it can be and have already gotten my special events license application=3D=
2C=3D
and it doesn't hurt to know some of those inspectors personally=3D2C they=
w=3D
ould really rather help and see you succeed and prove their system works. =
=3D
I nod and agree with them but still think its a lot of overkill=3D2C but st=
il=3D
l I hop through their hoops.
=3D20
I guess we will still need signs since we are a rural property=3D2C nobod=
y =3D
drives by unless you live nearby. But It will probably be best to keep thi=
=3D
ngs in the studio and the yard=3D2C not the house.
=3D20
Thanks again=3D2C Birgit =3D20
=3D20
=3D20
> Date: Thu=3D2C 17 Feb 2011 11:10:02 -0600
> From: melpots2@VISI.COM
> Subject: home sale with food.
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>=3D20
> just be careful about the food police.
> it has to be a private home sale. you will
> need a commercial kitchen=3D2C a food inspection=3D2C
> license. it can be insane. (and it is getting worse
> and worse. control of everything.)
>=3D20
> make sure it is invitation only.
> that sign out on the street like...`garage sale`
> can mean trouble.
>=3D20
> i never put out highway signs. just a big mj flag
> on my porch.
>=3D20
> i actually don't want drop ins=3D2C garage sale types.
> they always come in=3D2C and say...`hey=3D2C i will give a dollar
> for that teapot.`
>=3D20
> just make sure you know who is at your home.
> important. it takes years to make a great mailing list.
> take your time=3D2C build with intelligence. you do not want
> jerks in your home.
> mel
> from: minnetonka=3D2C mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
> new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
> alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
=3D
Vince Pitelka on thu 17 feb 11
I acknowledge that things have changed a lot over the years, and the way yo=
u
run a home pottery sale depends a lot on where you live and what kind of
rules there might be for serving food at such events. When I was a
full-time studio potter, we lived in Blue Lake, California, just five miles
inland from Arcata, where Humboldt State University was located. The large=
r
city of Eureka was located just south of Arcata, and the city of
McKinleyville was north of Arcata, so although we were quite rural, we had =
a
good population base to draw from. In the latter days of my studio,
Railroad Stoneware, we had a mailing list of about 1800 people, but we also
put listings in the local papers and put out signs on the days of the sales=
.
We had a close friend who was a professional caterer and now runs a very
successful restaurant (www.larrupin.com), and she loved to use my pottery i=
n
her catering. We were able to trade pottery for her labor, and pay for the
materials, and she put on a big spread of appetizers and pastries for our
twice-a-year two-day sales. It was wonderful food, and there was always
plenty, plus punch and coffee. We had the food in our large dining-living
room, but we also had a permanent showroom set up in one front room, and
would set up sales and packing in our second living room right across the
hall. The main living-dining area where the food was located was where
people would stand around and socialize, whereas the showroom and other
living room were devoted to pottery selection and sales. Also, I would
always unload the last kiln on the day of the sale, and it always baffled m=
e
how much people liked to buy a piece right out of the kiln (after I sanded
off the bottom, of course).
All I can say is that if people ate, they bought. It proved to be a
successful formula for us, and our pottery sales became something of a loca=
l
institution, so much that several other local potters began having their
sales on the same day, with their own signs out on the highway.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Hank Murrow on thu 17 feb 11
On Feb 17, 2011, at 12:08 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote in part:
>=3D20
> All I can say is that if people ate, they bought. It proved to be a
> successful formula for us, and our pottery sales became something of a =
=3D
local
> institution, so much that several other local potters began having =3D
their
> sales on the same day, with their own signs out on the highway.
As Vince mentions, eating slows folks down enough that they actually see =
=3D
what you have made.
Having bubbly does much the same, and puts smiles on faces in a hurry. I =
=3D
serve Asti Spumante
with chocolate-covered Strawberries in the Summer, and sparkling =3D
Riesling with blue cheese in the Winter.
Time is on your side if you can slow it down!
Cheers, Hank=3D
WJ Seidl on thu 17 feb 11
Mel and all:
There is a workaround. Kinda sorta...
If you are selling the food, you better have a license for that food.
But, if you are GIVING away the food, as an enticement to having the
pottery sale,
that's something else again. "Here, have a cookie while you contemplate
that $400 teapot...
Can I bring you something? Like a pen for your checkbook perhaps?"
Having the food be "commercial", such as bags of cookies or a cake you
bought at a bakery
can further "absolve" you from responsibility...for the food.
Mel's right, you DO NOT want jerks/yard sale yahoos and the like in your
home.
Have it in the yard...maybe the studio (but have everything put up).
Rent a portapotty. Keep them OUT of your home.
Keep it low key. Having the local radio station on your front lawn
doing a live broadcast,
and a gigantic hot air balloon hovering overhead with signage is a dead
giveaway .
So is inviting Lindsay Lohan. You'll get busted for sure.
If you're advertising the sale, even just posters on the bulletin board
at the local Piggly Wiggly,
you need a license for that sale....one form or another...in most states.
Just like with glazes...test test test...or in this case...check check
check.
Then too, having the Mayor there, or the Selectmen or Town
Council/Manager...that's a good thing.
That can give you "teflon butt".
Best,
Wayne Seidl
On 2/17/2011 12:22 PM, Birgit Wright wrote:
> Thank you Mel; Since I have been in the food business I know what a pain=
it can be and have already gotten my special events license application, a=
nd it doesn't hurt to know some of those inspectors personally, they would=
really rather help and see you succeed and prove their system works. I no=
d and agree with them but still think its a lot of overkill, but still I ho=
p through their hoops.
>
> I guess we will still need signs since we are a rural property, nobody=
drives by unless you live nearby. But It will probably be best to keep th=
ings in the studio and the yard, not the house.
>
> Thanks again, Birgit
>
>
>
>> Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:10:02 -0600
>> From: melpots2@VISI.COM
>> Subject: home sale with food.
>> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>>
>> just be careful about the food police.
>> it has to be a private home sale. you will
>> need a commercial kitchen, a food inspection,
>> license. it can be insane. (and it is getting worse
>> and worse. control of everything.)
>>
Susan Fox Hirschmann on fri 18 feb 11
I slow them down with demonstrations and by serving trail mix,=3DA0really n=
ic=3D
e=3DA0(and =3D0Apretty) butter cookies & =3DA0grapes.=3DA0 You need to be a=
bit car=3D
eful letting someone =3D0Ahit the rd after serving them alcoholic drinks...=
.w=3D
hich are impossible, often =3D0Aduring busy times, to monitor how much they=
a=3D
re drinking.=3D0ASorry if I take you into practical and legal issues here, =
wi=3D
th sending someone =3D0Apossibly intoxicated on the road after enjoying you=
r =3D
show.=3D0AInstead I do a nice non alcolholic blend of apple cider/mulling m=
ix=3D
that wafts =3D0Athru the studio in the winter, and lemonade with floating =
st=3D
rawberries in the =3D0Aspringtime.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0AThat works for me and has=
for the=3D
past 25 years!=3D0ASusan=3D0Asusan fox hirschmann=3D0Awww.potteryart.biz=
=3D0A=3D0A=3D
=3DA0=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=3D0AFrom: Hank Mu=
rrow w@EFN.ORG>=3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0ASent: Thu, February 17, 201=
1 4:=3D
48:02 PM=3D0ASubject: Re: home sale with food.=3D0A=3D0AOn Feb 17, 2011, at=
12:08=3D
PM, Vince Pitelka wrote in part:=3D0A> =3D0A> All I can say is that if peo=
ple =3D
ate, they bought.=3DA0 It proved to be a=3D0A> successful formula for us, a=
nd o=3D
ur pottery sales became something of a local=3D0A> institution, so much tha=
t =3D
several other local potters began having their=3D0A> sales on the same day,=
w=3D
ith their own signs out on the highway.=3D0A=3D0AAs Vince mentions, eating =
slow=3D
s folks down enough that they actually see what =3D0Ayou have made.=3D0AHav=
ing =3D
bubbly does much the same, and puts smiles on faces in a hurry. I serve =3D=
0A=3D
Asti Spumante=3D0Awith chocolate-covered Strawberries in the Summer, and sp=
ar=3D
kling Riesling with =3D0Ablue cheese in the Winter.=3D0A=3D0ATime is on you=
r side=3D
if you can slow it down!=3D0A=3D0ACheers, Hank=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
steve graber on fri 18 feb 11
i did a few home sale shows and they were=3DA0VERY successful (between day =
jo=3D
b =3D0Alayoffs).=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ai figured i'd spend what i spent at ar=
t shows on=3D
food.=3DA0 except i COULDN'T!=3DA0 what =3D0Ai spent to enter art shows=3D=
A0was WA=3D
Y more food than anyone could eat in a =3D0Aweekend!=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ai =
provided -=3D
and didn't even=3DA0think of -=3DA0food police concerns - hot dogs, =3D0Ab=
urgers=3D
, sodas.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Apeople would hang around my booth at an art sh=
ow for u=3D
p to 45 minutes for a =3D0Aserious customer with conversation.=3DA0 quickie=
s wo=3D
uld come, buy and leave in=3DA010 =3D0Aminutes.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Abut at =
a home show =3D
they would hang around for several hours.=3DA0 often=3DA0look, relax, =3D0A=
buy, e=3D
at, then buy something that caught their eye while eating.=3DA0 customer me=
t =3D
=3D0Aother customers and conversations went all over the place.=3DA0 =3D0A=
=3D0A=3D0As=3D
ome i swear felt guilty eating "for free" and bought something just because=
=3D
.=3DA0 i =3D0Afigured a soda and hot dog were=3DA0still a good trade for a =
vase o=3D
r something =3D0Athey'd buy....=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Ai got to know my cutome=
rs much be=3D
tter!=3DA0 i was eating a burger under a tree with =3D0Aa guy and asked "so=
wha=3D
t=3DA0do you do?"=3DA0 he told=3DA0me he was the program manager for =3D0At=
he missi=3D
on to pluto.=3DA0 ~ and it made me wonder who ELSE is here i don't know =3D=
0Aab=3D
out?!?!?!?=3D0A=3D0Aif you have the room or a cluster of friends with a pot=
enti=3D
al site.=3DA0 DO A HOME =3D0ASALE!=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0ASteve Graber, Graber=
's Pottery, =3D
Inc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Steve Tool - for awesome texture =
on p=3D
ots! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graberspottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn=
Laguna =3D
Clay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunaclay.com/blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3DA0=3D=
0A=3D0A_______=3D
_________________________=3D0A=3D0AFrom: Vince Pitelka >=3D0A=3D
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0ASent: Thu, February 17, 2011 12:08:19 PM=
=3D0AS=3D
ubject: Re: home sale with food.=3D0A=3D0A=3D0AAll I can say is that if peo=
ple at=3D
e, they bought.=3DA0 It proved to be a=3D0Asuccessful formula for us, and o=
ur p=3D
ottery sales became something of a local=3D0Ainstitution, so much that seve=
ra=3D
l other local potters began having their=3D0Asales on the same day, with th=
ei=3D
r own signs out on the highway.=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
Susan Fox Hirschmann on fri 18 feb 11
Use your own handcrafted cups to serve in and have several around for sale.=
=3D
It =3D0Aalways sells those things too!=3D0ASusan=3D0Awww.potteryart.biz=3D=
0A=3D0A=3DA0=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=3D0AFrom: steve graber=
@yahoo.com>=3D0ATo: Susan Fox Hirschmann =3D0A=
Sent=3D
: Fri, February 18, 2011 10:12:59 AM=3D0ASubject: Re: home sale with food.=
=3D0A=3D
=3D0A=3D0Ai like that punch bowl idea - IN a big pottery punch bowl!=3D0A=
=3DA0Steve=3D
Graber, Graber's Pottery, Inc=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Steve =
Tool=3D
- for awesome texture on pots! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graberspo=
tt=3D
ery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn Laguna Clay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunaclay.c=
om/blogs=3D
/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AInstead I do a nice non alcolholic blend of apple cider/mu=
lling =3D
mix that wafts =3D0Athru the studio in the winter, and lemonade with floati=
ng=3D
strawberries in the =3D0Aspringtime.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=
=3D0A_______________=3D
_________________=3D0AFrom: Susan Fox Hirschmann OM=3D
>=3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0ASent: Fri, February 18, 2011 5:09:43=
AM=3D
=3D0ASubject: Re: home sale with food.=3D0A=3D0AI slow them down with demon=
strati=3D
ons and by serving trail mix,=3DA0really nice=3DA0(and =3D0Apretty) butter =
cookie=3D
s & =3DA0grapes.=3DA0 You need to be a bit careful letting someone =3D0Ahit=
the r=3D
d after serving them alcoholic drinks....which are impossible, often =3D0Ad=
ur=3D
ing busy times, to monitor how much they are drinking.=3D0ASorry if I take =
yo=3D
u into practical and legal issues here, with sending someone =3D0Apossibly =
in=3D
toxicated on the road after enjoying your show.=3D0AInstead I do a nice non=
a=3D
lcolholic blend of apple cider/mulling mix that wafts =3D0Athru the studio =
in=3D
the winter, and lemonade with floating strawberries in the =3D0Aspringtime=
.=3D
=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0AThat works for me and has for the past 25 years!=3D0ASusan=
=3D0Asusan =3D
fox hirschmann=3D0Awww.potteryart.biz=3D0A=3D0A=3DA0=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A___=
________________=3D
_____________=3D0AFrom: Hank Murrow =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.C=
ERAM=3D
ICS.ORG=3D0ASent: Thu, February 17, 2011 4:48:02 PM=3D0ASubject: Re: home s=
ale =3D
with food.=3D0A=3D0AOn Feb 17, 2011, at 12:08 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote in pa=
rt:=3D
=3D0A> =3D0A> All I can say is that if people ate, they bought.=3DA0 It pro=
ved to=3D
be a=3D0A> successful formula for us, and our pottery sales became somethi=
ng=3D
of a local=3D0A> institution, so much that several other local potters beg=
an=3D
having their=3D0A> sales on the same day, with their own signs out on the =
hi=3D
ghway.=3D0A=3D0AAs Vince mentions, eating slows folks down enough that they=
act=3D
ually see what =3D0Ayou have made.=3D0AHaving bubbly does much the same, an=
d pu=3D
ts smiles on faces in a hurry. I serve =3D0AAsti Spumante=3D0Awith chocolat=
e-co=3D
vered Strawberries in the Summer, and sparkling Riesling with =3D0Ablue che=
es=3D
e in the Winter.=3D0A=3D0ATime is on your side if you can slow it down!=3D0=
A=3D0ACh=3D
eers, Hank=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
Vince Pitelka on fri 18 feb 11
Steve Graber wrote:
=3D93I got to know my customers much better!=3DA0 I was eating a burger =3D
under a tree
with a guy and asked "So what=3DA0do you do?"=3DA0 He told=3DA0me he was th=
e =3D
program
manager for the mission to pluto.=3DA0 ~ And it made me wonder who ELSE is =
=3D
here
I don't know about?!?!?!? If you have the room or a cluster of friends =3D
with
a potential site, DO A HOME SALE!=3D94=3DA0=3D20
Steve -=3D20
The value of that kind of positive PR cannot be overstated. Those =3D
people
who stand around and talk and eat and have a great time will go away and
talk about the studio sale. Our build-up of mailing list over the years =
=3D
was
primarily due to word-of-mouth, about the pottery, about the food, about =
=3D
the
atmosphere, about our house, about our yard - the whole package. =3D20
The same was true of my other primary sales strategy. I sold thrown
stoneware tableware and kitchenware to gourmet kitchen stores in =3D
northern
California and southern Oregon. I contacted them by mail ahead of time, =
=3D
but
did not sell them anything until I went to meet them face-to-face and =3D
show
them my pots in person. I became friends with lots of my retailers. =3D
When it
came time to pay the bills, they could see my face - they knew me
personally, and I always got paid. I rarely had a retailer pay me late, =
=3D
and
the only times I got stiffed was with several retailers that went out of
business, and in both cases I had a negative feeling about the place =3D
from
the beginning. I should have followed my instincts. =3D20
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu=3D20
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
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