Beginning in September, Joe and his artist crew hit the show circuit for two months, covering the Carolina's major markets appearing mainly at Jr. League sponsored gift shows and a few other craft shows. This year they are making seven "appearances", beginning in Aiken, SC for the "Aiken's Makin'" outdoor craft show, followed by the "Merry Marketplace" in Florence, SC , "The Shopping Spree" in Raleigh, NC, "Hollyday Fair" in Fayetteville, NC and "The Santa Shoppe" in Spartanburg, SC, the "Carolina Christmas" show in Raleigh and ending with "The Holiday Market" in Columbia, SC.
While the "Show Team" hits the road, the "Home Team" is busy filling Internet orders that also begin pouring in during the fall from the thousands of tourists that visit their store. The bulk of their Internet sales are generated during the month of November through the first two weeks of December and most of this is from repeat customers. Summer visitors fall in love with their store and the products and upon their return to Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Kentucky and as far north as Michigan, they continue to order from the North Myrtle Beach store. So during the "Show Tour" the incoming Internet orders must also be filled and shipped.
Featured products at the 2009 Shows will be their new line of "Minky Dot Pillowcases" all personalized by hand painting. Other show favorites are personalized gifts for the holiday home such as beverage tubs, holiday platters, cookie plates and lots and lots of personalized family ornaments. For the kids, hand painted lap trays, travel bags, room decoration, storage cases for matchbox cars or wooden trains, jewelry boxes and makeup cases for the little girls and chalk boxes for both are always big sellers.
A setup day usually runs from 8:00AM to 7:00PM. Setting up the booth requires two days in advance by a separate crew headed up by co-owner Clay Spivey, assembling grid walls, bringing in cabinets, racks, tables to display products as well as provide the two artists with a workspace. The booth is decorated for the upcoming holiday with garlands, lights and if room even a Christmas tree.
The first day is usually preceded by a "Preview Party/Gala" that is attended by the Jr Leaguers and their spouses with catered food and sometimes even a live band. This gives the Leaguers time to shop before the public is allowed in.
Show days generally run from 9:00AM to 7:00PM. Joe and his staff are bombarded with customers right away and are not usually take time to eat or leave the booth once they get started. It is paint, paint, paint for 10 hours!
Regular customers know to come by the Anything Joe's booth first so that they will be in line since it is usually at least an hour wait for their personalized gifts. More often they will have to get special passes to come back and pick up their gift another day or have it shipped to them.
The four day events are both a way to continue the cash flow for Anything Joe's once the tourists leave for the summer and a way to expand their market by exposing new folks to their unique hand painted style of personalization.
On Sunday evening, Joe, Clay and the crew pack up to return and regroup at the North Myrtle Beach store. Monday and Tuesday are spent repacking and restocking their trailer to be prepared to head out on Wednesday for the next show setup.
After the busy tour schedule, their team focuses the month of December on the incoming orders on their website, making sure that Internet customers
To view their website click here: http://www.anythingjoes.com/
Click here to see complete listing of dates and venues for the tour: http://www.anythingjoes.com/locations.cfm
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Unique gifts for children of all ages. All hand painted to order. Useful gifts like storage items, jewelry boxes, pillowcases, banks, step stools, hampers, door signs, lap trays, kids umbrellas, holiday ornaments, christmas gifts, chalk box, baby gifts.
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