I recently had the opportunity to set up my 24th macrame stall. The chance came through a recommendation from a fellow small business owner, Kavya, who messaged me suggesting I participate in an exhibition at the Airlines Hotel in Bangalore. The event was organized by someone she knew, and trusting her advice, I reached out to the organizer, Sushma from Sambrama Artisans Pop-up.
I had sufficient products to put up a stall for a day. However, the rainy season was a concern. The stall prices were cheaper compared to other exhibitions, which was a plus. I got to know from Sushma that there were both indoor and outdoor spots. I preferred an indoor spot due to the rain, but she advised that I should take an outdoor space, reassuring me that we could move our tables inside if it rained. Trusting her judgment, I agreed.
Stall allocation was on a first-come, first-served basis, so we needed to arrive early. The event was from 8 AM to 7 PM, and to ensure a good spot, I packed everything the night before. After packing, we loaded our vehicle, ready for an early start.
I wanted to reach the venue by 7:30, so we aimed to leave by 6:30-6:45 but got a little late. However, we reached around 7:50 AM. When we arrived, most of the stalls were already taken, and my stall ended up being towards the back. Fortunately, the table had a roof covering, which was a relief. I took my husband's help to set up the table. Once everything was arranged, I eagerly awaited customers. My husband had his work to do, so he carried his laptop along. Once I was ready to take over the stall, he sat with his work.
A few customers started trickling in, which validated our early arrival. It wasn’t just about stall allocation; customers at this venue tend to come early, as I soon learned. However, in a while, I noticed a sense of disappointment among the organizer and other stall owners who had put up stalls here earlier as well. I got to know that there’s usually a significant customer influx in the morning hours, but that day, the expected crowd didn’t materialize. Despite this, I had a decent morning. In a couple of hours, I had made enough sales to cover the stall fee, which was a relief. This made me very happy.
The first customer was a gentleman accompanied by his mother. He was immediately drawn to a mobile pouch on display and urged his mom to buy it for herself. The elderly woman was hesitant, but her son was confident, insisting she would love it. He also noticed a small copper bell on the table, which he liked. I showed him a larger one, which he decided to buy, along with the mobile pouch. The copper bell had just been made the previous day, and I was thrilled to see it sold so quickly. I told them they were my first customers, and they were very happy to know that and wished me the best for the day. While they were about to leave, I told them it would be nice if they could send me a picture anytime they used the product. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they sent me a picture in a couple of hours, with the copper bell hanging up on their roof.
There was another special visitor whom I failed to recognize. This person came with a mask, took a look at the stalls, and left. A few minutes later, after the person left, the organizer, who had recognized her and took a picture together, came running to tell me that the person was Rukmini Vasanth, the actress from the Kannada movie, 'Sapta Sagaradaache Ello'. I really wasn't familiar with her face. I had heard the title track but had not watched the movie. In fact, in the morning while driving to the location, we heard the same song! I totally felt like an idiot for not having acknowledged her.
The organizer was very friendly; she was also from one of the coastal towns of Karnataka. She called me "akka," which means elder sister, though I told her she could call me by my name. Coming from a corporate background, I’ve become comfortable addressing and being addressed by colleagues with first name, but she insisted on calling me "akka," saying, "I am not from the corporate, so I will call you akka." It felt good. :) She was sweet, and we spoke a lot, sharing our past experiences of setting up stalls. I look forward to collaborating with her in future exhibitions.
Throughout the day, several customers and visitors stopped by and appreciated my work. One girl who bought a pair of feather fridge magnets with her friends, sweetly remarked, "Wow! Now we have a piece of you with us." which was very touching. I got to know that she used to do pottery and hence understands how special handmade things are, and how every piece carries a piece of the maker's heart.
Another customer really loved our rainbow fridge magnet and bought it instantly. He even checked if I could customize a bigger product in a similar pattern.
One customer, was very happy with our headbands and wanted to buy it. She was confused about which color to pick and then discussed it with her friend and chose one happily. She told me, "Don't pack it; I'll wear it right away." Now, as I write this, I regret not taking a picture with her. Her friend, who got to know these were all handmade by me, was thrilled and saw our DIY kits. He thought his mom would like one and bought it for her.
The second half of the day did not see much footfall. In the evening as there was no crowd, I was sitting with my phone. When I looked up, guess whom I saw walking towards me? My dad! Ha ha ha. The next time if someone from my family doesn't turn up during my stall, I will be surprised! :D He had some work in town, so he came down just for a night. Though my stall venue was about a 45-minute drive from where he stayed, he came by just to say hi and dropped in some snacks my mom had sent. I was so happy to see him; I gave him a tight hug. I feel truly blessed to be their daughter. When I have my family, I have it all.
We packed up by 8 and called it a day. By the way, if you are someone who wants to put up a stall here, I would definitely recommend. But, I would like you to be aware that the area next to the stalls had people smoking the whole day. It was like a complete smoking zone, which was off-putting for someone like me who finds the smell of cigarettes very unpleasant.
Apart from this, it was a good experience. Learning that this was one of their lowest turnout days, I remain hopeful for future events at this location. Thankfully, it didn't rain as well, so yes, overall, we had a great day. Thanks to Kavya, for suggesting me to put up a stall at Airlines Hotel. I look forward to returning, anticipating better footfall and much greater sales next time.
-Archana Harish
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