I have just returned from a West Coast adventure,it started a few weeks back at the Craft Show in San Francisco,Fort Mason center.I did the show for one of my designers who was ill last year,so I thought I would check it out this year. WOW There was a good crowd,but very few sales,some of these artists have been on the road for years,and were very disappointed this year.
So off I go .I traveled up and down the west coast talking to many retailers,wholesalers and even a few small manufactures. The general consensus,sales are down dramatically,foot traffic has grind to a halt. I am a optimistic person,but hearing and seeing these artists trying to make things happen was sad. I had one Jeweler telling me that they are out sourcing to other countries to save a dollar.That upset me. One artist that I met was sending in to the refiner her completed designs to melt ,just to pay the bills,I noticed that she had a Brand New Kerr Auto Electro-Melt Furnace for sale. These cost upwards of $ 1500. I purchased it for $ 850.00 to help her out,I don’t need one,but I will try and turn it for what I bought it for.
I am spending hours and hours trying to digest all of the info obtained on my trip. I woke up at 2:30 one morning with a plan to help some of these hard working Goldsmiths. I have a plan that will work.In my future posts I will share that vision with you.My routine will be checking Blogs every day in the early morning. Stay tuned. The Eagle has landed.
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waynemiller
Latest posts by waynemiller (see all)
- The Eagle has Landed - April 14, 2009
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- Repairs are Paying the Bills - February 11, 2009
