Antique store/ flea market

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There are various discussions on starting a business and folk’s success/challenges on this forum.

Here is a link to someone asking nearly the same question you asked but about 16 months ago:

Here is someone suggesting a “help” site. The page almost appears as an ad:

I am recalling, a discussion on this forum about mid-summer. Various members were discussing some of the challenges encountered. (Perhaps someone can reference that topic. I believe @Phillipw was involved). Here is some of what I remember, but it could be grossly paraphrased:

  1. Saturation of the market in your local community
  2. Price of metal and paint. Can you make something and sell for a profit and be in the range that will entice a buyer to buy something they did not know they needed?
  3. Can you expand your business to include a broader market: art, welding and painting services, repairs. This will help keep food on the table and pay the bills while you get your name out there.
  4. Current economy is seeing less monies being spent at street markets. Many people using it as a form of entertainment (looky-loos) but not really spending money.

The answer, I am sure is “Yes.” But I have not tried. My wife has enrolled both her and I in a number of street fairs locally. We participated in one. I sold zero metal pieces but sold out in some wood game boards that I make. I noticed many customers did not even glance at the metal items even twice. Our area has been saturated for more than a decade with this type of art. You cannot go to a flea market without seeing at least one vendor with such items.

I never bought any metal art before I bought my table. Years ago, I remember saying to myself “They just run a program and spit that out!” When I bought my table I never planned to sell any art: just wanted it for making things for myself. My wife is the one that suggested the art stuff, granted, I am not really what you would call ‘artistic’ so I am a bad example for your research.

If you have some unique flare and want to sell something that you believe people will like and it is not presently easy for someone else to duplicate…

…then I say “Go for it.” But don’t mortgage your first born child for the venture.

Edit: Just found the topic/thread I was thinking of:

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