The Retail Detail: Angry Vendors Bail Out of North GA State Fair

SMYRNA, Georgia -- October 3rd, 2010: The future of the North GA State Fair is being questioned by local and out-of-state vendors as rows of booths are now standing empty.

Hundreds, if not thousands of people visited the North GA State Fair. Attendance seemed high, but spending was lighter this year. "Look, but do not buy" seemed to be the mantra of the crowd.

Some vendors are also reconsidering their decision to sell at the fair next year. A Kitchen Craft Cookware chef gave a thumbs-down gesture when asked about his sales. Workers at the Fried Vegetable booth wore grim expressions on their faces as they cleaned out the booth on August 30th, a Thursday. Sales were so slow that a baseball pitch booth owner decided to time his own throws to kill the boredom. An employee at the Giant Snake booth declared that she could not afford to be standing out at her booth if people could not afford the $1 to see the snake.

Even the local politicians are declaring the fair a disaster through their actions - the Democrats' booth was seen empty at times two days before the fair ended. With one day left to go, the Republicans quickly stripped their booth bare and fled. The last to leave were the Libertarians. David Chastain, a Libertarian, spoke: "We're supposed to be here until 11pm, but this hall is empty. Everyone else is leaving." Hall B was almost completely empty.

The only people who actually appeared to profit from the fair were the parking attendants and gate sales staff; Admission for the fair, at $5, and parking, at $3, is considered affordable for most people when compared to the prices of a movie ticket. Sadly, budgets are so tight these days that $8 is too much to spend - Must Ministries had a successful canned food drive from October 1st to October 3rd that traded cans for admission.

The North GA State Fair and its vendors face an uncertain future for several reasons. The economy has people worried about jobs and spending is limited. The winter chill has arrived early, sending people running for coats and jackets. Advertising could have been better, too. The fair staff should have posted a detailed fair map with a listing of all vendors. Marketing should have gone out to more East Cobb residents, who have more resources and time to spend at the fair.

Sources: (1) David Chastain, (2) Amy Barnes as Personal Experience directly at the North GA State Fair.