The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, July 21, 1982-Page 5
Fair makes business boom

By CHARLES THOMSON
It's a merchant's dream.
Almost half a million people crowd
into a few square miles of Ann Arbor for
four days-and nearly all of these
visitors come with bulging wallets and
an inclination to spend.
"IT'S JUST unbelievable what the
street fair has done for buisness," said
Mary Dibble, who owns clothing stores
downtown and on South University.
"People just can't believe how blessed
we merchants are."
The art fair itself started as an at-
tempt to increase summertime sales
for South University merchants, but
has grown far beyond original expec-
tations.
"You can't just get that number of

people in town and not be busy," said
John Stone, manager of Steeplechase
clothing store on South University.
"The art fair makes or breaks a sum-
mer for a lot of people."
LIKE MANY other Ann Arbor
retailers, both Dibble and Stone said
they sell much of their sale merchan-
dise during the art fair, but also begin
displaying fall items.
Local restaurants also do more
business during the art fair.
Bob Seward, owner of the Maynard
Street Burger King, said his business
triples over the four-day period. "From
the time you open in the morning until
the time you close at night, it's just con-
stantly busy," he said.
BURGER KING will probably sell at
least one and a half tons of hamburger,.

'You can't just get that number of people in town and not
be busy . .. The art fair makes or breaks a summer for a

lot of people. '

-John Stone,
manager of Steeplechase
clothing store


more than 40,000 soft drinks, and hun-
dreds of shakes during the fair, accor-
ding to Seward.
Seward also said he has to double the
restaurant's staff in order to deal with
the business. "Our major problem is
building up our number of employees
during the year to cope with it," he
said. "You can't just hire somebody for:
four days."
The increase in business stretches
even further than Ann Arbor.
HABB'S, AN Ypsilanti restaurant,
has some of its busiest nights of the
year during the fair and will stay open
late this Friday, according to manager
Steve Yandian. "Otherwise, it would be
a typical weekend, and July is one of
the slower months," he said.

Yandian said he was unsure whether
he thought the fair has become too
commercial. "I'm not a good one to
ask," he said. "I never get to see it. I
have to work."
Some businesses, however, experien-
ce little or no increase in sales, and a
few actually close down during the fair.
"WE HAVE a sales increase, but
nothing very substantial," said Joe
Gable, general manager of Border's
Books on State Street, who expressed
concern that some of the store's regular
customers might be kept away by the
crowds. He said most of the books sold
during the four days are on sale.
Gable also expressed concern about
changes in the fair. "I think the nature
See BUSINESS, Page 15

'Our major problem is building up our number of em-
ployees during the year to cope with it. You can't just hire
somebody for four days.' -Bob Seward,
manager of Maynard
Street Burger King
Guild festival gives
students a chance

(Continued from Page 3)
Now, however, the guild has set up
"standards" for the artistic develop-
ment of its members, according to Bar-
tolo. "We have evaluation forms, and
most of it is actually comparative
evaluations, self-critiquing," she said.
For example, Bartolo said, artists
who by their own admission have made
little or no progress artistically for an
extended period of time, might be ad-
vised to stop exhibiting for a while.
"It fits with the nature of the guild as
a teaching, nurturing place where
people gather for a common purpose,"
Welford said, explaining that feedback
from one's colleagues is necessary for
artistic development. "The guild
provides a mechanism to get that feed-
back," Bartolo added.
NO GUILD member is "juried out" of
the festival, according to Welford, who
said the standards are set up only to
"upgrade the quality" of guild shows.
Although only exhibiting members
can run a booth, a member may share

the booth with another artist who holds
at least an associate membership.
"Generally, we have 19 or 20 extra
booths available, and we give those to
students who maybe haven't exhibited
before or have little or no experience
with selling their work," Welford said.
"This year we were filled up by the
deadline, so some younger artists will
share a booth with older members,"
she added.
JUST AS its members have matured
artistically over the years, the guild has
grown organizationally.
"I've seen it grow just amazingly in
terms of organization and
seriousness," Welford said. "We have a
high degree of credibility with the state
and other guilds are being referred to
us for help and information."
During a recent Humane Society art
fair, for example, guild resources were
used considerably by the show's
organizers. "We're happy to do that,"
Bartolo said. "That's what we're here
for."

Schlanderer on South University
invrites You tojoin us in our
ART FAIR SALE
all items in stock will be reduced at least 20%7
Some as much as 50o
Hours: Wednesday through Friday 9:30 A .M -5:30 P. M.
Sat urday 9:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.


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