Market conditions
Perhaps the most exciting development for my micro-business in recent weeks has been the purchase of a new pop-up gazebo. It is for my stall every Friday at Romsey Market. I invested in a, top of the range, super-dooper Gazebo, and I am sure it will last many years and prove to be a great asset.
I have been a stallholder at Romsey market since I began trading in 2011, and it has proven to be an ideal "shop window", and point of sale for my business. The market can be quite a tough environment. Sometimes the weather can be bad. loading and unloading the van, travelling, Setting up and packing away makes it a long day. There are also reasons why an outdoor market is not ideal for a Picture Framing business. But despite these minor drawbacks, it has worked well for me. My plan had been to build a small and manageable business with low financial risks and low overheads. A market stall ticks all those boxes.
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My stall is next to Barclays bank. I always have a wide range of samples of all types of frame mouldings. I keep selector charts and samples of mountboard, and hand-finishing products.
While the market is not always suited to have a design discussion for every framing job, a one-to-one chat about the work can often set the ball rolling.
My job on market day is to help in any way I can with all aspects of Picture Framing. I offer a mount cutting and glass cutting service, and can always advise on repairs and money saving ideas, for modifying existing frames.
I also sell a selection of readymade frames designed for standard size photo's, certificates etc, together with an exclusive collection of ready to frame prints and original paintings.
My Friday's at Romsey Market always fly by!
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