Sunday, June 26, 2011

Vendor Wars..My Life on the Street

Of course I learned many things from my experience on the streets of New York selling my Art and its by products. First of all Vendors are very territorial...don't try to take up their space even if they are nowhere in sight...it is reason for them to kill! I was very careful not to offend anyone, espcially my friend who had shown me how to get started and who was virtually at war with another lady who sold the same hats and jewelry. Secondly, do not consider selling in front of your building, even if your display is so much classier than the typical hats and jewelry. (Especially if your building is one of the classiest in New York). They do not want you to spoil the peace and quiet of the street. And you might not want to heed, as an older person, the warning to stay out of the heat. The one day I did, I found a kid selling lemonade in my spot.

After three moves I had wound up right in front of the phenomenal all glass Apple Store. I reduced from two to one table and got rid of the clothestree and aas a result I got many compliments on how beautiful my display was. I also wound up friendly with all the many security guards and cops in the neighborhood. They constantly check to see your Certificate of Authority which of course I had gotten and which was plainly displayed. But I got to know them through other means as well. I found out that you do not lean any of your paintings or products against government property. I had a tendency to dress up the yellow pole behind my table with a painted hat, shirt and sometimes even an apron. But if you place anything against the booth used for parking payments, believe it or not it triggers something that calls the police to come. (I met the handsomest cop in khakis and a blue shirt with a gorgeous metal badge that way),

Of course I was never given anything but smiles, but several of my vending friends were cuffed and brought into police wagons with me arguing with them that this "was a wonderful person who should not be arrested!". They did not listen to me, but the vendors who were on the street again the next morning, or in one case that same night, gave me some nice gifts--I got a beautiful card case for $5.00.

And as always---my dogs upstaged me and my art. People would head for them in their cart immediately, and about 1000 pictures of them were taken. One time there were a circle of about 10 people around the dogs for a good ten minutes when I mentioned to them that I had "some art here if they were interested". They laughed and just marched on. And there was the time Lucie, who hates skaters and scooters and anything that rides by like that, climbed out of the cart and tore up Broadway dragging Lorilu in the cart with her after one such skater. All of those outside the Apple store (and there are always those inside and outside that store no matter what the hour) were on their knees laughing so hard they couldn't straighten up. And as always,I attracted all the nuts in New York.

One was a very handsome, obviously cultured black man with a wonderful radio voice,who had great things to say about the clarity and fantasy qualities of my work. He explained that he had simply 'chosen' to live outside.

Then there was the Jewish ticket 'scalper' from the Bronx and Queens who could talk faster than anyone I'd ever known, who told me about all the warrants he had gotten from cops who invaded his home all the time. He claimed he never got arrested, and that he could give me tickets "cheap' for any Broadway show anytime.

And there were so many terrific people I talked to every day. Somehow they detected the therapist in me and told me their life stories immediately. The biggest topic of discussion however always was the dogs. Everyone always wants to know their age, and breed right away and somehow we both wind up talking about our dogs and how much they mean to us. That's how I made friends with several women my age who are also living alone with their precious pooches. I also found a few people who had also had knee replacements and we shared our scars with each other

But, believe it or not, it was the art that reallly made me feel good out there. People did take to the coasters, the trivets, the cutting board, the mousepads, the clock, the trays and the calendars right away. They also bought the painted shirts I was wearing, the hats, and the little pocketbooks for the kids. A painted apron or two sold as well. I had not wanted to part with the original canvasses I had hanging in my apartment so I had made prints, but it was all the items that turned out to be the 'stars'. Now I have jewelry and key chains with charms of my canvasses and I wear them everyday. People claim to love them.

The outcome is that the place where I had all my pieces made up is far more expensive then anyone on the street is willing to pay. It is a losing proposition. However...it has all pointed me in the direction of making up a great brochure, etc and trying to market these products to stores, companies, wherever. If you have any ideas I'm appreciative. My friend Paula was a marvelous help to me with all this and I call her my 'Project Manager'. In case you were not one of the many friends on this list who found me on the street and made a purchase for which I am eternally grateful, we will be posting these items online one way or another very soon.

This week I move from my one bedroom to a two bedroom in the same building. It took forever for me to find out that my building had approved me. If they hadn't I told them I was going to set up my table directly across from the entrance, with all my stuff including blankets, newspapers and the doggie beds and proceed to
call the NY Post!!

It's been a great experience and of course I'll be writing a show about it all.
Can't you just see a great tap number with all the different vendors??

Hope you enjoyed this session on attempting business outside.

Respectfull,
Mimi Scott, Ph.D
212 721-2979
917 846-2449
mscott13@aol.com
www.drmimiscott.com