Real Talk

My husband, Matt, and I just returned from our first real in-person fiber show since the pandemic started. We both took a week off of work for this event as the travel time for this event was 14+ hours each way.

We were really excited to be going back to in-person events after limping our little yarn business along through the pandemic. We were nervous because with the rise in cases we weren’t sure if the event would continue as planned or if when we got there it would be shut down. This was the worst case scenario we had thought of. Luckily, the event went ahead as planned. So, full steam ahead! Or, so we thought.

It took longer to setup our booth than we anticipated. This was our first time trying out some new displays that we had bought before the pandemic and never actually got to use. But, we rallied and got everything set up for our big show.

The first day wasn’t great for sales, but it was the middle of the day on a Thursday and people were at work, so we told ourselves the sales would get better as the week turned into the weekend. Well, it didn’t. It didn’t get better. There were no crowds. Often times the vendors were just chatting with each other in the aisles because we had nothing else to do. I started a sweater. I knit two full skeins into it while sitting in the booth just on Saturday afternoon (OK, they were worsted skeins, but still…).

It’s been three days since we’ve been home and I don’t even want to look at how much money I lost because I don’t want to know. This isn’t the typical “I had a bad show” vibe. This is three shows in a row (the previous two were virtual) that we have lost money at and I feel so defeated. We weren’t the only ones to take a loss at the last shows, the fiber community as a whole is hurting. These shows were supposed to bring in well needed income to help revive our businesses. Instead, they are putting us more and more in debt.

It can’t be sustained. Vermont Sheep and Wool announced today that they are cancelling the show for 2021. This is our biggest show of the year and it was our saving grace. Honestly, I am not sure what I’m going to do. As a business owner, all of the pressure is on me to figure this out and I honestly don’t have an answer right now.

I’m not writing this to whine or complain, but to let you know what’s really going on. Take a look around you. A lot of fiber companies have gone out of business the last year. Festivals and shows have lots of open spots now for new vendors whereas before it was years of being on a waiting list to get in (which opens up a whole other can of worms).

So, I guess what I’m saying is that if you want these shows to continue and if you want your favorite vendors to be there, show up. Get your vaccine, wear a mask, and show up to events in-person or shop on their website. The only way we’ll get through this is to show up for each other and support each other however we can. I don’t know what’s next for us, but I’m going to keep fighting until I can’t anymore. I hope you do, too.