Over 20 vendors turned up to offer their home business wares to shoppers at Fair Oaks Elementary School on Nov. 5 at the first “Vendor Blender” fair. Hosted by the Fair Oaks Parent Teacher Association, the event also brought out a large number of parents who stopped in to shop when they picked up their children after school.
Event chairperson Laura Cunningham said she initially thought there would be 10 to 15 vendors and was happy with the larger turnout of home-based business vendors. She said they had to add a number of extra tables to squeeze the extra vendors into the school cafeteria.
Cunningham reported that the vendors were busy selling stock on hand and a number of shoppers were also placing orders for Christmas gifts.
“I think it’s great because it gets the word out that (Fair Oaks) parents have businesses,” said vendor Jacie Fields. “It was really busy after school… It’s been a good turnout.”
Fields had two vendor tables at the event: Premier Designs, a jewelry business, and Charming Cakery, where people can custom order cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods for parties and events. There were also staff members and outside vendors who had their home-based businesses at the fair as well.
Other booths at the event included craft businesses such as custom hair bows and flowers, hand-painted decorative blocks, homemade baby items, a photographer, as well as Tupperware, Arbonne, Mary Kay, Scentsy, Gold Canyon candles, and more.
“What we’re hoping for at the end is that they sold a lot of product,” Cunningham said. She added that the “host” gifts they receive from the vendors benefit the PTA and those items will be added to baskets that will be in the silent auction at the Fair Oaks Family Fun Night held in early May to raise money for the PTA.
Door prizes donated by the vendors were given away every 15 minutes and light refreshments offered as well.
Cunningham said that they had good participation in the event both from vendors and shoppers. She added that people were asking when they were going to have the next one. She said they are considering a possible springtime vendor blender.
