Jan and John Maggs Antiques
There's No Business Like Show Business
It's the height of understatement to say that shows are an essential component of our business. Exposure to the large numbers of shoppers who pay admission to visit a good antiques event is not only essential to our cash flow, it also introduces us to many potential new clients, clients who might otherwise never find us in Conway.
Only a few years ago we were exhibiting at over forty shows a year -- an outrageous number by most dealers' standards. Through a blend of our own common sense and the demise of many of the smaller shows that we once enjoyed, we have reduced that number to twenty-six. These shows range from one-day markets like Paul Davis' monthly Hampton Falls show and Dealer's Choice in Brimfield to major events like the Pier shows in New York (once was enough, thanks) and our most ambitious show, Rhinebeck.
A few years ago, Jimi Barton, then owner and organizer of the Rhinebeck show, asked us if we would like to move from our smaller, normal-sized booth (8' X 12') to a much larger, unusually-shaped space. The booth, thirteen feet wide and twenty-four feet deep, gave us considerable room for display, but posed a challenge in presentation: how could we encourage shoppers to explore the depths of this somewhat forbidding space?
We solved the problem by designing a wall which would divide the space into two areas, front and back. We hoped that the existence of a second room, partly hidden behind the first, might entice shoppers. Using leaded glass windows and shelves, we created a modular system which, though designed for our Rhinebeck booth, might be adapted tfor other venues as well. While we have used parts of it in several other settings, it is at Rhinebeck where they work best.
The pictures on the following pages will take you to Rhinebeck with us for the May 2005 show.