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So I couldn't help but notice last year (my first time on the farm) all the unofficial vendors all over the place in the campsites selling alcohol, grilled cheese, or any other type of food.
I was thinking about setting up a little vending stand in the campsites selling some sort of mixed drink or grilled cheese or something to offset a little bit of the cost of Bonnaroo. (what can i say i'm an Entrepreneur)
I'm thinking I should bring a fold up portable table, some type of heating device (if i choose to sell grilled cheese) and sell sell sell.
Does anyone have any experience doing this? I could use all the advice you collectively have Inforoo! You haven't failed me thus far!
Some of the things I'm wondering are:
Does anyone actively bust unofficial vendors in the campsites?
Where is the best place to set up your shop? - for instance If my campsite is in the center of a particular block should I just set up there or walk to the side of the campsite where there is more foot traffic?
If you have done this before how much money have you made? (no matter how large or small)
and anything else that one wouldn't expect from doing this. (horror stories or success stories?)
Any and all advice would be appreciated inforoo!!!
Post by AgainstNunes! on Jan 14, 2010 14:10:33 GMT -5
I've never seen anyone get busted, but I have heard about it. I think they are strict about it at Bonnaroo... as compared to Rothbury where it is allowed.
Definitely go where there is more foot traffic. You won't make much money if you stay in the middle of a block... unless your grilled cheese is the shit.
Go to the edge and best of luck getting away with it all.
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Post by questionablesanity on Jan 14, 2010 15:45:16 GMT -5
I've never seen anyone busted but I've never seen an unauthorized vendor near any foot traffic. I think you just have to watch out for the guys/gals on the horses. If they see you, they will bust you. Good luck and make sure you put some garlic on them there grilled cheeses.
A Thieve's Parade 2/24 Conspirator 2/26 Kevin Smith 3/11 Keller 3/17 Papadosio 3/18 JJ Grey 3/25 Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer 3/26 Toubab Krewe 3/27 O'Death 4/11 Budos Band 4/22 EOTO 4/28 Summer Camp 5/6-29 All Good
Yeah. People get busted. I was camped on shakedown last year (granted, the center of all kinds of vending) and the tent right next to us was selling shish-kabobs. They were warned on Friday night. Saturday were selling again and plain-clothesed cut their bracelets and escorted them out. You're better off selling beer. You still get busted in high traffic areas, but your margin on investment is much, much better.
Yeah camping out and selling food is frowned on, and also not as much fun as you would think it is. I have a good friend that runs an official food vendor at fests and shows all over, and I have done a shift or two.
Now I would never recommend breaking the Bonnaraoo vendor regulations, but if I was gonna sell something I would get glowsticks and toys, and then go from campsite to campsite so they can not catch up to you.
Last Edit: Jan 14, 2010 16:16:25 GMT -5 by Deleted - Back to Top
Yeah camping out and selling food is frowned on, and also not as much fun as you would think it is. I have a good friend that runs an official food vendor at fests and shows all over, and I have done a shift or two.
Now I would never recommend breaking the Bonnaraoo vendor regulations, but if I was gonna sell something I would get glowsticks and toys, and then go from campsite to campsite so they can not catch up to you.
Nice thats a good Idea with the walking from campsite to campsite.
Im starting to maybe think about a smaller mobile setup and setup along feeder routes going into the shakedown area.
Also are you sure the profit margins on beer are higher? That sounds a little far fetched, although I can see how the turnaround could be higher on beer than margaritas or grilled cheese.
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With all that is going on, things to do and see, I personally would not see the time to set up and sell goods.
Would it be a better idea to get a part time job or work some over time at your current job for extra money, now before the festival. This way you will not need to plan, shop, setup, and sell your goods.
They will generally ignore unofficial vendors or just give you a warning if you are not too blatant but beware of selling any unofficial Bonnaroo merchandise. They are VERY strict about anything with a Roo logo and will throw you out and confiscate items in a minute.
Post by Lawn Gnome on Jan 15, 2010 11:10:03 GMT -5
My friend has sold vodka hunch punch the past couple of years. Fairly low-key operation and he has been never been hassled. Like others have said though, vending will eat into to your festie time significantly...
Great advice everyone! Really it's very much appreciated. I never took into consideration how boring it might be selling. With that being said I think it'll be Mimosa's in the morning and Bloody Mary's later on! haha I'll have to create some sort of ultra low key mobile drink station (cooler on wheels) I'm really looking forward to making drinks in my apache indian costume i'm going to be wearing!
Post by bamadancer on Jan 15, 2010 14:14:13 GMT -5
At his first Bonnaroo (per someone's suggestion...as I don't condone unofficial vending...ahem), my boyfriend brought a carton of cigarettes and on Sunday he sold what he hadn't smoked over the weekend. He sold them all in like, 10 minutes and recouped the cost of the carton and then some. People buy cigarettes because they don't bring enough with them and they are like, the cost of your firstborn child in the general store.
At his first Bonnaroo (per someone's suggestion...as I don't condone unofficial vending...ahem), my boyfriend brought a carton of cigarettes and on Sunday he sold what he hadn't smoked over the weekend. He sold them all in like, 10 minutes and recouped the cost of the carton and then some. People buy cigarettes because they don't bring enough with them and they are like, the cost of your firstborn child in the general store.
Add rosemary to that garlic grilled cheese and it will change your life. Seriously.
Clarity you have just shattered my world. That sounds so damn good I'ma have to have my roommates (who are chefs/cooks) make that fer me so I don't butcher it. But that sounds delicious!
Back to the vending bit...This year I was camped next to some dudes who got busted on the way in with either lots of jell-o shots or lots of it prepared and lots of shooter cups. I've seen a couple other unofficial vendors get shut down by the end of the weekend too in my three years.
As others have said, I think it would also cut into your time to go see music. I have also thought of the carton idea, but last year when my roomie and I had brought a carton to share, we had just finished it off on Sunday afternoon when we were leavin'. Might bring two this year. I would never charge those outrageous prices you see in Centeroo, probably just enough to get me a few brews in the brewers tent! Gimme that Starr Hill Love!
Add rosemary to that garlic grilled cheese and it will change your life. Seriously.
Clarity you have just shattered my world. That sounds so damn good I'ma have to have my roommates (who are chefs/cooks) make that fer me so I don't butcher it. But that sounds delicious!
It's amazing the things you learn from festie-wooks.
i think they are getting more organized about busting people every year. i supposed im a rule follower in most cases but one of my favorite parts of roo is finding cheap food. i dont think most of it is unofficial because most of what i find is near or beside of a larger cart. i did find an "area" year before last where i got a huge huge plate of grilled seafood and pita bread and one of those bloody marys. they had a huge cart so...im not sure if they were licened or not. it was an organized set up but it was out in the middle of no where. i was just glad it didnt kill me. it was DELISH! i bought some great banana pancakes from some guys who were giving them for "donations"...so technically....not sure if that broke the rules or not. they would just give them to you if you didnt have cash on you. they were GOOOD too.
you might try taking a small mobile cart to different areas on different days and times. if someone came around my way with a garlic rosemary grilled cheese i would buy one or two - legal or not. hey i dont do drugs so its my way of living on the edge.
At his first Bonnaroo (per someone's suggestion...as I don't condone unofficial vending...ahem), my boyfriend brought a carton of cigarettes and on Sunday he sold what he hadn't smoked over the weekend. He sold them all in like, 10 minutes and recouped the cost of the carton and then some. People buy cigarettes because they don't bring enough with them and they are like, the cost of your firstborn child in the general store.
MUCHOS CRUNCHIES! I completely forgot that until you said it. No joke. They are gone in a matter of minutes. You can make bank. Yes, you are contributing to the cancer risk for dozens of people, but the money is fast.
A Thieve's Parade 2/24 Conspirator 2/26 Kevin Smith 3/11 Keller 3/17 Papadosio 3/18 JJ Grey 3/25 Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer 3/26 Toubab Krewe 3/27 O'Death 4/11 Budos Band 4/22 EOTO 4/28 Summer Camp 5/6-29 All Good
i saw lots of people get busted last year for vending, if your gonna vend you need to be sneaky
vending used to be allowed, but money's tight all over, so they're cracking down...saw a guy get busted for selling shaved ice, others for food. I got shut down, had a sweet tiki bar...the cops told me if they saw me vending again they'd confiscate all my booze, had to drink my blues away after that...good thing I had a lot of liquor left....
The organizers absolutely KILLED unauthorized vending last year. I took some time to talk to one of the glass venders on what used to be shakedown last year. He was hiding his pieces under a tarp draped over a turned-over table. It was pretty pathetic.
Apparently, they set up an entire anti-vending squad that ran around thee campground in golfcarts in plain clothes and shut down any vending they saw. This particular guy had aslready been shut down a few times. He seemed determined.
I've only been to Bonnaroo in 08 and 090, but it was like night and day when comparing the campsite vending. The best glass at the festival was found on shakedown in 2008, but last year it was completely dead. You could make out the remains of the market in the empty EZ-ups lining the road, usually with sad-looking wookies underneath.
The food seemed to fare better in 09, but it was still limited. I can't really say much about the years before, but I have been told that Rothbury was more like it than anything, and the vending there was fantastic.
The organizers absolutely KILLED unauthorized vending last year. I took some time to talk to one of the glass venders on what used to be shakedown last year. He was hiding his pieces under a tarp draped over a turned-over table. It was pretty pathetic.
Apparently, they set up an entire anti-vending squad that ran around thee campground in golfcarts in plain clothes and shut down any vending they saw. This particular guy had aslready been shut down a few times. He seemed determined.
I've only been to Bonnaroo in 08 and 090, but it was like night and day when comparing the campsite vending. The best glass at the festival was found on shakedown in 2008, but last year it was completely dead. You could make out the remains of the market in the empty EZ-ups lining the road, usually with sad-looking wookies underneath.
The food seemed to fare better in 09, but it was still limited. I can't really say much about the years before, but I have been told that Rothbury was more like it than anything, and the vending there was fantastic.
Every major festival works hard to prevent unauthorized vending for a variety of reasons. You can find anything you need, but like the song says you just have to poke around.
Gimme that Starr Hill Love!
