April 3-4, 2010.  Hollister, CA

 

This show is held over Easter Weekend at Casa De Fruta in Hollister along Highway 152, the main thoroughfare between Highways 5 and 101.

 

THE REVIEW:  Here's the review - more stuff below this if you want to stick around and check it out. Mike had the full complement of vendor's once again.  Booths in the parking area and also around the West Lagoon.  Weather was fairly decent except for some cooler breezes during the PM on Saturday and rain on Sunday around 2:30pm. Seemingly, the overall crowd was down on Saturday, despite 7 busloads of Chinese rolling in mid-morning.  I don't think that very many of the vendor's here had decent sales, but fortunately Mike keeps his booth fees reasonable.  There were a number of new people there and also, the regulars.  A nice assorted complement of seller's. Even though I did poorly, I will most likely return next year again.  The same people that do this show year after year will return.  What else? I was able to pack up and leave around 2:15 Sunday afternoon, just as the expected rain came.

 

I have done this event many times over the years and the setting has changed dramatically since I first began around 1995.  The booths had been spread throughout the back of the complex.  At one time, many booths were located on the East side along the lagoon and stretching all he way in the back over to the area where the merry-go-round is located.  There was a lot of construction at Casa de Fruta and the parking lot was installed perhaps 3-4 years ago and that is where the vendor booths have been located since, just in back of it.

 

If the weather is nice, I do expect Mike to have a full house for this one - maybe 40 vendors.  This show was much better when they had the Easter Egg Hunt and that brought out the crowds.  Not necessarily people who were buying but that was around ten year's ago.

 

Saturday, April 3.  I left home at 4:10 and arrived at Casa de Knappa at 5:30am.  The drive down was uneventful and went smoothly.  I really don't like driving the 152 during the wee-hours of the morning.  Two lane traffic with opposing headlights blaring at you as you eek your way around the curves.  Can be tough.  This road is famous for the many accidents they have had over the years, most of which occurred before upgrades to the highway were made.  Sometimes, it can be quite foggy along here and you constantly have other vehicles bearing down on you from behind.  I was able to get behind another driver who was not racing around the curves and I was able stick reasonably safe behind him for around 10 miles.  I just followed him and kept my eyes focused on him, looking away from the headlights from the other cars coming toward me.  Stuck to him like glue.  If he goes in the ditch, I'll go with him.  When I am doing mountain driving, I always get behind somebody and just follow them easily around the curves, etc.  I remember one time when I was taking 80 through Utah outside of SLC.  It was raining cats, dogs, elephants....  the whole shabang.  I could not see a thing alongside me; it was coming down.  I got behind a big semi (away from the splash zone) and followed him for around 40 miles until the weather got better. I could see nothing and I could not find anyplace to pull over.  Scary.

 

 

 

 

 

And here is our memorial to dearly departed Mark, who packed up and left Sun AM in anticipation of a rainy day.  And on the right hand side is Don who was located in the booth in front of me.  Known him for year's.  Should charge him $49.95 for an 8x10 (picture, not space okay?)   Scary, isn't it?

 

 

 

 

TIME TO UNLOAD. So, I  backed up to my space and began unloading my stuff.  Set up the canopy, grids and then my merchandise.  Other vendor's were arriving and doing the same.  The weather was okay; a bit on the cool side and coudy but man oh man, my hands were freezing as I continued along.

 

EARLYBIRDS.  We had some straggler's around 8-8:30 walking around and the crowd increased (not much!!) as the morning wore on.  Sales were very slow in the morning and then almost non-existent the remainder of the day.  We had some sleeper's around the place and i ws one of them.

 

I guess it was around 10:30 that I required a bathroom trip.  As I strolled through the parking lot in back of the booths, I couldn't help but notice the number of buses that were lined up. Oh gosh, did I ever pick a bad time to go.

 

 

Sunday, April 4.  Easter Sunday.  We arrived there around 8:15 and began opening up.  Weather not too bad.  Somewhat cloudy and the sun breaking through.  No wind.

 

WHERE ARE THEY?  Of course, the crowds were light during the morning and I do believe that there was only one bus during the AM. 

 

SALES?  What sales.  Did poorly again as did mostly anybody else.

 

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE were a lot of kids there because of the Egg Hunt and we all benefited with better sales; even though a lot of them just came for it.  However, Casa de Fruta did away with it, unfortunately for reasons unknown to me.  Maybe they got rid of it because a lot of the people didn't shop there and their presence inhibited their sales.  No idea. Just a passing thought.

 

STRAWBERRIES were pretty good; as I am sure were the other fruits, etc. in the shops.  Picked up a box of them for $11.99 and brought them home.  Did not dare buy any of the chocolate or anything else which is ridiculously over-priced.