I am a ceramic artist and I have some questions about opening a combination studio and retail shop. I have been working out of my home’s spare bedroom for the past four years while selling at shows and through my website. I have been making enough of a profit that I am ready to take the next leap and open up a studio/retail shop. What should I look for in a space? I will be renting, so I pretty much have to find a place that doesn’t need renovating and will work as-is. Is it better to have my studio in back and keep the front more like a gallery, or look for an open space and kind of rope-off a section as a studio so people can see me work? The area in which I live has a great downtown area–very hip and modern with a young crowd. Is it better to start in a lesser-known area and work my way into that atmosphere? Or should I just go for it and try to get one of the few open spots downtown? What kinds of terms should I look for/stay away from in terms of the lease? Thanks for any help you can give!

Location, location, location the 3 most important considerations when setting up a business.  It sounds like it is time to get out of the quest room and onto the street. You surely want to be in a high traffic area. At the outset your place won’t be a destination so you’ll want as much foot traffic as you can get.  It may cost a bit more but believe me it’s worth it. As a result of the current economic situation more and more retail spaces are becoming available, some at reduced rental costs.   I am a great fan of selling what you make where you make it and allowing the customers to watch items being made. 

So I would look for an open space with perhaps a small enclosed area for the messiest work.  Where you work is a tricky decision and may be determined by the space you choose.  If you work toward the front you may need to have your back to the entrance in order to watch the shop and you want to be able to make eye contact and to greet people as they enter.  You would be setting yourself up so people walking by would see you working and be drawn in.  If you are in the back you can oversee the shop better, but people passing by won’t see you working and customers won’t see you until they get into the shop.  Choosing to work in the front sets the tone for a studio with a shop, work in the back and you have a shop with a studio, what’s you intention? 

Leases vary greatly from town to town and building to building.  You have to enter lease negotiations with a clear understanding of what you can pay, how long you think you can do this and a list of things you will want in the space.  The best time to get concessions from a landlord is before you sign a lease.  Give careful consideration to any escalator clauses that will increase the rent, can you imagine growing your business so you will be able to pay the new amount??  . And for sure have your attorney read the lease as you go along and don’t sign anything without the approval of an attorney.

My name is Elizabeth and I’d like to first say how awesome your website/magazine is! I just happened upon it when someone asked a craft question on Yahoo! Answers, and one of the individuals answering the question provided a link to ya’ll in their response. And walla I’m in L-O-V-E! My question is in regards to opening a gallery. I live in Texas and, at this point, as far as I can tell no one has opened a gallery of this sort in the area. To be honest, I didn’t even know this idea that popped in my head to bring other crafters like myself together was called a gallery–I was not even sure how to categorize it. So, the idea popped in my head when I found a smaller storefront that I really liked…close to home, loads of traffic and recently renovated. But, other than knowing I need to charge tax, get insurance, find other artists and advertise my behind off…I’m at a loss. What kind of licensing (if any) would be needed? Do I have to get permission from the city, county, state, etc. just to run this type of business? How can I find someone to ask all my “How do you do that?” questions to get an answer specific to my needs? How do I know where to start when contacting the chambers of commerce (to be honest, they are kind of intimidating)? I already know what makes my idea unique, but in times like these, I don’t want to trip over the city, county, or state’s toes and face possible failure or fines for stones unturned. Thanks so much, I’m so glad to have found you!

-Elizabeth, via e-mail

You don’t say what your idea for a gallery is but read the answer to the preceding question; a co-op can be one way to have a gallery. It allows a group of like minded artists to have a business that provides a guaranteed space for showing their work.  It also means that the work of keeping it going and the financial responsibility is shared.  These options are attractive to many people. If you mean to have a sole proprietorship then you get to make all the decisions, invest all the money, and also do all the work. 

The tasks you will have to take on fall into 2 categories.  The first and usually the most uninteresting to new gallery owners has to do with all the business stuff.  In addition to the tasks you list you will need to choose and register a name, set up all the utilities, organize the bookkeeping and other office systems and oversee the physical preparation of the space.  A trip to city hall or your community’s website will provide answers to most of the legal questions that relate to your community.   Perhaps you have a friend with a business who will mentor you through this.  You can also go on line and look for answers specific to your town.  There is no legal reason to check in with the Chamber of Commerce.  But you’ll want to get to know the people there; it’s an organization that can be very helpful in promoting your new business.

The second set of tasks, the ones that I think are the most fun, involve the creative side of the business.  You’ll want to have a logo designed, business cards and other forms printed, and signs made.  One of the most important early decisions centers on the kind of art you will show.  Most gallery owners have a point of view that is reflected in the art they choose to show.  Collectors and customers visit venues because they collect art similar to what they have seen there.  For this reason it is important to develop a consistency both in the quality and the content of the work you show.

 I am an artist at a co-op; we currently have 11 artists and are always looking for more information about running the co-op. We have been successful for 20 years, with a very relaxed environment and contract with the artists. Right now we are in the midst of a dilemma concerning one of our artists. Last year, we were a bit too eager to admit a photographer to the group. We didn’t take the time that we should have interviewing her and thinking about the chemistry that she would bring to the group. That being said, she is totally wrong for our co-op. She has alienated each of us from the beginning with her demands for space, her lack of commitment to working as a team and her disrespect for the group as a whole. Her contract is up soon, and frankly, we don’t want her to re-sign. We all have agreed that we don’t want her to be a part of the group, but we’re worried that telling her that and voting her out would be very bad publicity. She may be vocal enough to do a bit of damage to us; however I believe that the group on the whole could overcome it if we had to. We already have another artist waiting to join as soon as this “bad seed” is gone. Any advice you could give would be helpful!

The facts should guide you through this difficult decision.  First and certainly most important, you have kept this co-op together for 20 years and you have been successful to boot.  I assume successful means you’ve paid your bills, grown in stature in the community, and grown into a tight group of artists dedicated to working to assure that your business will prosper.  A member is not living up to her responsibilities, so out she needs to go!  This will require careful planning and a high level of diplomacy, but clearly you need to meet with this member and lay out the facts. 

 A co-op is a form of business that can be difficult to pull off for the very reason you have written to me.  Mutual respect for other members and for the co-op as a separate entity is essential.  Fact, this is not easy to do and co-ops often fail for this reason.  Can you document for her the times when she has not displayed the proper respect to other members and the co-op?  This would be a good place to start. 

Next, the owners of a business whatever its setup must be able to work as a team.  I have one partner and that can be difficult enough.  People who can’t work well with others are best off with their own business, no partners, and then they can have things just their way.  In your case there are 10 other partners who can function as a team, there really is no need to retain one who can’t.

Is your contract clear about the benefits each member will receive and the amount of time and or money each will be required to invest each year to earn the benefits?  If not it would be advisable to clear this up before any new members are allowed to join.  And unfortunately if not you won’t be able to use contractual arrangements as a tool in these negotiations.  If your contract is clear about benefits and obligations it will be very useful.

In fairness to the member in question I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you about the difficulty a new person encounters trying to find their place in an established group. It sounds like your membership is a tight group; I’m guessing some have been around for the entire 20 years.  Just be sure you really gave her a fair chance to be a part of the group.  Also be aware that difficult behavior is often the result of insecurity.  Is this member being difficult because she can’t find a way into the group?

I would imagine that after 20 years your co-op has many customers and friends in the community.  These people know how you have operated the business through the years and will no doubt support the group by continued attendance at your events and by making purchases from your shows.   

 As spring comes around in the Midwest, I am trying to prepare for soggy outdoor shows. I did one last May and had beautiful sunny weather that was nice and dry. I then did a show in June that was like selling in a lake! It had rained for three days prior to the show and the ground was sloppy; those who did show up were cold and crabby. Do you have any ideas of things I can do to make customers a little more comfortable while in my booth? I would like to look into some kind of waterproof flooring, as well as maybe offering a hot beverage. Is this allowed? If so, any other suggestions? I also, of course, want to be sure that I am comfortable in these conditions.

Well, as they say when you get lemons make Lemonade.  There’s nothing like a good rain storm to wreck a show and diminish profits but perhaps you can keep your spirits up and those of the customers who do show up.  You can’t change the weather so the first thing is to be prepared and then to go with it.  On the prepared side start with your booth floor and put down several layers of thick plastic and them use an inexpensive indoor outdoor carpet on top of this. Since the carpet will tend to slide on the plastic drive very large nails into the ground to hold it in place.  This will help with moisture coming up from below should it rain.  The carpet will get messed up from the mud, unavoidable if you’re at a show in the rain.  At the end of the show take it home; hose it off and you are ready to go again.  If you’re in a free standing tent make sure you have sides and that the poles are weighted in case the wind comes with the rain.

Now the important part, your attitude.  Don’t get caught up in the complaining feeling sorry for ourselves crowd, be a positive light in the storm, weather happens.  Accept  that your sales goals won’t be met at this show and reach for the lemonade.  Or maybe a cup of warm tea or cider depending on the time of year.  Your booth must have power so bring a hot pot to heat liquids whatever they are and a large thermos to store the brew.  Adding a cookie or a brownie wouldn’t hurt either.  Offer these with a smile and then walk the customer around your booth telling them about your wonderful work, ignore the weather, they have come to the show with the idea of spending money.  My guess is that they will be happier and more likely to do this with a smiling craftsperson.  Get their contact information so you can invite them to the next show you do in their area.  Then send them away with a brochure so they can shop from home, maybe with a note on it saying, “Hope you enjoyed the tea or whatever..”  This will help them remember their experience with you.

My gift shop (located in a tourist town) has been doing well lately, and I would like to expand my current inventory. I have researched the idea of fair trade and am unable to decide if I should look further into offering fair trade items. However, I don’t want to offend my current supplier artists. Some of them seem to look negatively at the idea of fair trade items being sold alongside their own. However, I don’t intend to sell items in direct competition with their own. I would be looking for gifts that will compliment the work currently in my shop. For example, I have a potter who makes brightly-colored, food-safe dishes. I have been looking into fair trade textile items that would compliment her work, such as place mats, table runners and napkins. Are there any problems you see in this? I love supporting the local artists, but I also feel that artists in other countries who do not have a reachable market should also be represented. And handmade is handmade regardless of country of origin, right? I would like to strongly promote the idea of handmade, and I think this is a great way to do it. Any thoughts?

I have lots of thoughts on this subject.  I am a great Tom Friedman fan; the world is flat and getting flatter.  With beautiful items being made by hand all over the world there’s no reason you shouldn’t offer some in your shop.   Since the criteria you set for new inventory is Fair Trade be certain the handmade items you choose are labeled as Fair Trade.  You don’t say whether your shop offers exclusively American handmade items or if you have some manufactured goods as well.  Either way, it is your shop and you can proceed in ways that you feel are best for the shop and that support your beliefs. So I would suggest you do the research to find the goods you want. It makes a lot of sense to choose items that compliment but don’t compete with existing goods.  Make open to buys for the lines you want to bring in and plan how you will use them.  You could go on line and check out Aid To Artisans, this is an organization working to develop Fair Traded product all over the world.  Put together a letter to your current accounts setting forth your plans for additional inventory, how you made the decisions and how you will use the goods in your shop.  At the same time begin talking to your customers letting them know that they will soon be able to choose from a broader mix of goods. Be clear that you are going forward with this plan and are asking them to be a part of it.  As you said handmade is handmade and there is a lot of support from the public for businesses that sell handmade whether American or Fair Traded.  Be prepared for some resistance and perhaps loosing some accounts or customers.  This shouldn’t keep you from going forward with a plan you believe in and again I would point out it’s your shop. 

I design and make hand-knit, original hats. Some of the yarn that I use, I have designed and spun myself. For many years, I have thought about selling my hats at craft fairs. I am at the point now where I would like to actively begin to make this happen. The question I have is about inventory–I have no idea how many hats I would need to stock a booth for a fair. I realize that I would need plenty of hats for display and “decoration” around the booth, as well as hats to sell, and hats to replace those that have been sold so that the display/booth would look well stocked. Can you help me with this? I would be very grateful, since I have been trying to figure this out for a long while. Are there any “rules of thumb” for helping a craftsperson determine the amount of inventory they may need for their business? 
-Ann Wang

I’m not sure there’s an easy answer to this or any rules of thumb.  I do know that when I have guests for dinner I’m always fine having food left over, better not to be short.  Many factors are going to determine the level of inventory for a show, with price point being the most influential.  I assume since you spin some of your own yarn you make expensive hats.  This would suggest you will sell fewer than the person with inexpensive hats but in the end you could show more profit for fewer sales.  Expensive is a very subjective concept, the location and the overall makeup of the show will determine what’s expensive for each show.  Go with more of your most popular designs, fewer of the new designs that are unproven.

Be sure you have a full written inventory of the goods you bring to a show.  Take along a note book; record the weather and any other significant information that might impact sales. After the show contact the promoter and get attendance numbers.  In this way you’re building a history that will enable you to stock more accurately for future shows.  For now, knit away, better to have more than you need, your hats won’t go bad, and the leftovers can go to the next show.

My wife makes wheel-thrown goblets and vases and we would like to get her work published into a book. However, we don’t know how to get something like that started. We’ve seen fiber books about knitters and even a book by a wood-turner on how to turn the perfect bowl. How do artists get something published? Is it better to be a how-to book or more of a coffee-table gallery book with high-quality images? And, once the book is made, are we expected to market and sell it or will the publishing company help us out with that? We want to get something started in the next few months so the book can supplement our regular income for 2009. We would appreciate any help you can give us.

Getting a book published requires patience and an eye on the long view, it isn’t easy or simple and the severe financial downturn is making it harder and more complicated.  A good place to start this project is in the crafts section of a large bookstore or at an Internet site that sells books.  You want to make a list of the publishers who are publishing crafts related books.  Then Google the publishing houses that you have identified.  Go to their websites; check out the topics covered by the books they publish.  You also want to be sure they don’t have a book like you would propose; they aren’t going to put out another on the same topic. When you find a publisher that seems to fit your needs look for the author submission guide lines, read them carefully, and follow the directions. As you go through this process you will get clearer about your proposal for the book you want to pitch and write.  Publishing etiquette requires authors to present their proposals to one publishing house at a time so rank your choices and work your way down the list.  You are going to have to adjust your timing on this a bit.  There is typically at least a year between the time you sign a contract and the release of the book.  I signed the contract for my book in March of ‘04 and the book was released in January of ‘06. Good luck, I always encourage the exchange of ideas among craftspeople and a book is an ideal way to do this.