Clearing Out & Connecting at Minerva’s 2nd Friday Event

This past Friday, I packed up my booth and hit the road for the 2nd Friday event in Minerva, Ohio — and whew, let me tell you, vendor setup is always a workout! Between hauling bins, organizing displays, and trying to keep my hair from looking like I’ve been in a wind tunnel... it’s a lot. But honestly? It’s always worth it.

This event was especially important for me. I’ve had a LOT of inventory sitting — not because it isn’t great stuff (it is!), but because I just haven’t done enough events or promoted like I should. Life happens. I’m a full-time mom, partner, caregiver, scheduler, social media manager, nurse-caller, referee, snack-fetcher… you name it. My business tends to take the back seat to everything and everyone else. So when I do get a chance to show up in person, it means something.

This time, I wanted to really make a dent in my stock. So I brought back one of my biggest hits — the mystery bags. And let me tell you, they did not disappoint. Each bag was loaded with surprise goodies — tumblers, apparel, home décor, Croc charms, badge reels, and more. The values ranged from $11 to $65, and I was selling them for just $5. Yep. FIVE.

One woman came by and grabbed 12 bags right off the bat (she’s my kind of shopper!) and after that, they flew off the table. But I’ll be honest — the start of the event was sloooow. I was starting to doubt myself and thinking, “Okay, at least cover the vendor fee and maybe dinner.” But as the crowd picked up, so did the sales.

I sold a lot, but everything was priced so low I probably just broke even with supply costs. Definitely no profit. But that’s okay — this wasn’t about profit. It was about clearing out old stock, making room for new ideas, and reconnecting with the community. And I did all of that.

💛 I’ll be back at next month’s 2nd Friday event — so if you missed out, don’t worry! I’ll have more mystery bags and deals ready to go. I’m also looking to join more local vendor markets in the Canton, Alliance, Carrollton, and surrounding areas. If you know of any events or market opportunities, please reach out! I’d love to connect and continue growing TashMade in the community.

Thank you to every single person who stopped by, chatted, shopped, or even just complimented the booth. It was so nice meeting new faces and catching up with familiar ones. These events aren’t easy, but I love them in the end.

Now it’s back to restocking, reimagining, and maybe finally posting all the things I’ve been hoarding in my craft room (no promises).