The drive up I-95 was pretty uneventful. Gas prices were around $2 in Orlando a few days before leaving, but, true to form the day I left town it was $2.15. But, I knew I could fuel up in Georgia where the gas prices were always lower.
Bluffton, South Carolina is very close to Hilton Head Island laying a bit south and west of the causeway over to the coast. It is the CUTEST little town I have ever seen. I drove into town expecting good things...all the indicators were there. Lots of nice housing developments along the highway into town, nice landscaping all over and all the businesses were booming.
I arrived early--so I popped in on the women setting up the show. My booth was on Calhoun St. (the main drag through the historic downtown area) in front of one of a couple really unique gift stores. I was parked in front of one of the other ones, and the proprietor was out on the steps waiting for a FedEx delivery...so I chatted her up a bit. Turns out she is the gal who created the show about 30 years ago. SHE was the one responsible for the good word of mouth that brought me 300 miles for a one day show.
Because I couldn't set up I decided to go check in at the hotel on Hilton Head and catch some dinner before coming back. The hotel was a really nice Quality Inn that had an Applebees Restaurant next door. They offered 10% off food purchases for hotel guests so I headed over after watching a couple shows on HGTV. I grabbed a Sam Adams Summer Ale and an appetizer and proceeded to eavesdrop on some of the bar patrons.
By about 6 p.m. I thought the coast would be clear to setup, so I headed back to Bluffton. When I arrived, I didn't see the usual glut of artists jockeying for position. Weird. But good for me. I drove to the shop I thought I would be near...and I couldn't find my number anywhere. There was #41...and then across the intersection #43. But no #42.
So I tracked down the women organizers and they walked back down the street with me. Turns out the gal that owns the shop "may" have a problem with the booth being in front of her shop. So we searched for an alternate location...all the while I was thinking I was losing out on the deal. Turns out, I did...kinda!
Around the corner on the street where the buses let people on and picked people up the girls created a booth position for me. I thought it would be good. The guys across from me had about 60' of frontage and had a reputation for drawing the crowds for about eight years. So, I set up.
I was amazed that the locals were so nice! In Orlando, if you hesitate for a moment at a traffic light, you will draw at least a couple horn toots from the inpatient masses trying to get to and from work. But here, the locals would hold up traffic for a 2 minute conversation and not one blowing horn! No one tried to cut in front of you in traffic...everyone was just nice and considerate. Wow. What a pleasant place to be!
The next morning I arrived at 7 a.m. expecting to see the artists crammed in Calhoun St. to set up. But no...in fact it was pretty empty still. The picture below was pretty typical of the street at that not so early hour.
By about 8 a.m. people started arriving to set up. I was shocked. The show opened at 9 a.m. But, within a short while the main drag took on the looks of a typical show and people started shopping. By 9:30 or 10 a.m. the street was packed. Unfortunately, my location was not the prime real estate I had hoped for...but I did pick up a new wholesale account.
The lady that owned the shop I was supposed to be in front of came and shopped as I was packing up. She is now a new wholesale account and she would have had no problem with my booth being where it was originally planned. That's just the way things go sometimes. I hope she places lots of orders over the coming year and I have a reason to come back to Bluffton...I really would like to add this show to my annual calender!
My new wholesale account, Egg's N Tricities, Inc., 71 Calhoun St., Bluffton SC
On the way home, I stopped and spent the night in Fernandina with the in-laws. Cody was not into a big Mother's Day celebration, so Debbie brought over donuts and eclairs for a treat. I helped Cody clean out some of her flower and wildflower beds. And she really liked her new picture--the one Rod took at his Dad's birthday in March!
I also checked in with my Mom and they were all at Jodie's celebrating. She was thrilled with the jewelry I had traded for at Lake Geneva the summer before--and she had totally forgotten the glass lampwork she had loved. It is nice being able to surprise someone every now and then. :)
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