my worry for Sherwood...

[BarbarianQueen]

...And I haven't even been there yet!
Before I share my concern, I need to share a story - the last weekend at TRF, we were enjoying all, as usual, and I saw this family of 'Danes enjoying some food outside the pub. The father, though, was wearing a beautiful coyote Barbarian style cape - one that I've looked at all season! However, it cost around $1000, so "looked at" was all I was gonna do .  I went up and spoke to him and told how beautiful his cape was. He said, "oh, thanks! Yeah, I saw it, and just had to have it". I asked him I  he was enjoying himself at faire, and he said "I'll have to admit, yes. I wasn't going to come, the wife and kids come once a year, but at the last minute I thought I'd tag along. We've had a great time seeing  the sites, and shopping".
That's when I noticed they all four of them had several different bags with them and scattered about the table. Moresca, the glass shop, sword boxes... just a bunch of stuff.
I couldn't help but think - this guy comes on a whim, and drops a thousand big ones on a fur cape, just like that!!! And no telling what else was in the bags.

I realized - that's the difference between Rennies and Danes - one comes to fellowship, one comes to SPEND MONEY.

That's my worry for Sherwood! I keep reading how it's a faire for the Rennies, everything was done for the Rennies, etc. Then I read about acts not coming back this year, eating establishments closing, etc. despite reports if good attendance. I can't help but wonder...is the business model off slightly???  Could it be  possible that in catering so much to the Renfaire folk, they risk stable  growth among the general (and higher spending) public??

I would hate to see it begin to show decline due to finances, especially before I even get to visit!!

Any comment on this? Are there concerted efforts to expand into the 'Danish Austin community?

[ravic]

Even at the biggest money-making faires the profit margins (if any)for the individual vendors is very tight. Shops & food booths come & go all the time. The acts can be even worse. And for some, the physical hassle can get to you. When I was still a booth manager at TRF there were times I wanted to say "Eff it"& just walk away... in the middle of the day. Without knowing the backstory on the individuals it's hard to say.

[PollyPoPo]

Not to worry, BQ,

Sherwood welcomes danes with a smile.  There are some shoppes and food vendors that change out sometimes.  Some shoppes do not do well in some places and food vendors sometimes change their menus.  For every one that leaves another comes in.  It is simply part of a growing faire. 

There are new buildings each year so traffic flows move. 

Sherwood, being smaller, has only so many stages, so some entertainers are only there certain weekends, being replaced by others in the same season.  Closer to faire, the weekend schedules are posted on-line, so you can see who will be there on what weekend.  Some entertainers, who work close to their homes, move out-of-state and we wish them well on their new stages.

Danes coming out can walk around the faire in one day, but not stop to see even a 4th of the entertainers.  They can get an idea of shoppes and foods, but there's no way to sample more than a few on one day. 

Naturally, some new visitors come once and never return, but that happens to all faires.  Sherwood is still small and intimate enough so that newcomers might be surprised at every turn, but will not be intimidated by the sheer size and hub-bub going on all around them. 

Each year we can see the number of visitors increasing.  Sherwood still has room to grow for years to come. 

Besides, each year more and more danes turn into patrons. 

[Merlin the Elder]

RenGypsy (I believe it was) reported at the close of season last year that they were thrilled with the growth, and that it was in line or exceeded projections in their business model.

Faires have to change, lest they become stagnant and die.

As for spending money--that is what is going to keep ANY faire operating, regardless if it's Rennie-focused or `Dane-focused. I'm no `Dane, but I spend a lot of money at faire--maybe not as much as your new friends, but I have spent a lot. It's really counter-productive, if not destructive, to not spend money at they faire, accounting for the individual's available resources.

[PollyPoPo]

Spending at Faire?

I'm a poor old retired lady with little gold to spare.    I come in with an absolute budget and spend no more than that, usually only one major purchase a season (maybe a belt, maybe a portrait).  My treasure is in my children and grandchildren.  They, happily, do not have such a miserly budget as more than one vendor has found to their delight. 

Few Sherwood vendors offer items that are not hand-made or special.  (There are a few in the children's areas, priced for children's pockets.) 

And Sherwood has a pawn shop; I believe the only one at a Faire (have not heard of or seen any others advertised).   

As for danes shopping more than rennies, there are often times when my son-in-law (more rarely my daughter) will spend a day at faire in mundane clothing for the express purpose of shopping.  I think it has something to do with carrying large plastic bags of purchases clashing with their faire garb.   

[Merlin the Elder]

Spending at Faire?

I'm a poor old retired lady with little gold to spare.    I come in with an absolute budget and spend no more than that, usually only one major purchase a season (maybe a belt, maybe a portrait).  ...

...as I said, accounting for an individual's resources. Totally valid, Polly!  I guess what I find distressing, from a business standpoint, are those who take pride in their free admission and the fact that they spend no money while there. Garb or not, that isn't a Rennie.  I get Grinchy this time of year...forgive me.  A belt, a portrait, or any other item STILL supports the faire and the vendors. A dollar or two in the basket at the end of a performance... These people aren't doing this for giggles. For some it's their livelihood.  If we all don't give back at least something, however modest, it cannot survive.

Referring back to the original question/post, having missed only the inaugural year, I have witnessed positive growth and change with each passing season. 

The excitement that we as Rennies impart to the faire only sparks the interest of those `danes who come so see what it's all about.  Yeah, some come and spend a LOT of money. Be thankful for that. It makes up for those of us who do not have a lot to spend.

[DonaCatalina]

I guess what I find distressing, from a business standpoint, are those who take pride in their free admission and the fact that they spend no money while there. Garb or not, that isn't a Rennie.  I get Grinchy this time of year...forgive me.  A belt, a portrait, or any other item STILL supports the faire and the vendors.

I completely understand this. If I am going to make a garb purchase that I cannot make myself, I will save my money and do it at Faire. Between my three family member we have probably well spent over $1000 in the Renboots/Marcie's Shoes at TRF. I couple of weeks ago I talked a shop owner into selling me a gold chain that I could wear to the office. She wanted to give me a patron discount but I explained that I had no use for her Gypsy jewelry but if I was going to buy a necklace somewhere, I might as well support a faire vendor. She said only about half the garbed people she saw expressed that same sentiment. I've also heard Danes brag about spending money on nothing but a couple of beers. So I think the balance lies somewhere in the middle. Regardless of garbed or not, some people are willing to spend money at faire and others do not.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

We can't always afford to make large purchases at each faire we visit, taking into consideration our traveling expenses, gas, hotel, meals.  Even our home faire, Bristol, is 3 hours each way, and on a couple of weekends does include hotels, etc.

But wanting to support the faires, I buy as many Christmas and birthday presents there as I can.  I know for whom I buy presents each year, and while at the faire, I look for something that I know the person will enjoy.

It's not a win-win situation.  It's a win-win-WIN situation!  I get to shop, I support the faire, and the person receiving the present gets something unique, made by hand, and not another cookie cutter present!

Edited:  I DO know how to spell.  However, my IPad thinks it knows better, so a lot of my posts will have typos and spelling mistakes and very weird wording, unless I can catch it, like I just did with this one.   

[*Teach*]

I think that while a major purchase (like the leather coat I have been drooling over for years) may be a boon to a booth it's the little things that most of them sell to make the real profit. A scarf here, a shirt there makes a lot of jingle in the pockets at the end of the season.
Also, even though the mundanes may spend a lot in one shot the rennies are constantly buying upgrades and things to tweak there appearance.
I have no worries about Sherwood.

*now if a booth would start selling rum then I would be dropping some major cash...*

[ravic]

As a former vendor I can say that while selling a big ticket item is a rush its the small dollar items that keep you in business.

[Merlin the Elder]

As a former vendor I can say that while selling a big ticket item is a rush its the small dollar items that keep you in business.

No doubt! Very few people are going to be spending in the $thousands. 

[BarbarianQueen]

This is all good to hear!
The barbarian hubby does business consulting on occasion, and this was really his thought.  He has seen a lot of businesses get in trouble because their ideals and values don't always line up with a way to stay solvent, and they don't see the disconnect until it's (sometimes) too late.

As mentioned in the original post, this thought came about when we read about the changes at Sherwood.   I HAVE NO DESIRE to accidentally start a misinformation thread, so I'm happy for all the good reports and wanted to clarify how the question came about, which was based on no actual information from Sherwood management.

To reiterate - his basic thought process was based on observation (which may or may not be accurate) -> There's more 'Danes than Rennies -> Danes generally seem to spend more money than Rennies -> any faire that hopes to be financially successful has to keep the goal (and subsequent actions) of attracting Danes as a high priority -> sure hope Sherwood is continually looking for ways to attract all those hundreds of thousands of Austin, Tx  faire "newbies".

Glad to hear Sherwood has good business heads as part of their team!

[<Alex>]

  I don't worry too much about Sherewood.  It's only 45 minutes outside of the Austin area, and while Austin isn't as heavily populated as Houston, it has that well known reputation for having a population and many institutions that are "outside of the mainstream" and would be more than at home at a renfaire. 

[Merlin the Elder]

Yeah...I don't consider that a far drive.   It's as close to Austin as TRF is to north Houston, so that isn't really a valid argument. Lots of folks I know in the Dallas area live further than that from Scarby.

As for us, Majikah, I'll drive to Sherwood, but won't drive to TRF, even though they are about the same distance from home...about 8 hours. Our typical budget for a faire weekend is about $500-600, excluding travel and lodging. Obviously, we can't go every weekend because of distance, but a lot of "Rennies" spend a lot of money, too. We started trading at your shop at Scarby because of a Rennie connection we met on this very forum [Raevencait]. Saw your shop at KCRF, but didn't bother to stop.

TRF may have a stronger gate than Sherwood, but it's also 35 years older. I would be careful not to write off Sherwood as a "money maker."

I apologize if I sound a little defensive. I have made some very close friends here...

[rengypsy]

just a bit of history about the two partners in sherwood...both aggies (classes of 79 and 91).  i have been a school teacher, run a medium sized not for profit ($16m.annual budget and 185 employees), had a small retail store for 22 years, bought and sold property, had two booths at trf (and occasionally other faires) for 22 yrs.  I understand business ok.  then there is my partner--mba and mpa from harvard, coo for a $3b company, ceo for a couple of companies, business consultant for the oldest business consulting firm in the usa--booz and company.  but having said all of that, we are rennies at heart.  we have attempted to take our understanding of business and meld it into the heart of sherwood.  we have attempted to take the best of other faires and build on those to create a better faire--not only a business that will endure 700+ years, but one that incorporated our community's values and desires.  we are about the business, but we are also about the soul.  something few businesses embrace.  we love our rennies...but we also know the role for the mundanes--that being potential recruits into our rennie world (lol).

cheers and much love,

rengypsy

btw. we love the questions and inquiries.