How best to arrange a shared 10x10 booth?

[BGardenCreations]

I am doing an indoor show in a couple of weeks and am sharing a 10x10 space with a friend, as we both found the booth fee to be too high on our own. Neither of us have shared space before and we're trying to figure out the best way to set up.

Our booth will be in the center section, meaning there will be no walls adjacent to our space. The organizer is grouping the center section booths into clusters of 4, so each booth will have 2 shared boundaries and two sides open to the aisles. There will be no physical walls or barriers provided to separate the booth spaces. Between the two of us, we have a 6'x2.5' folding table, a 4'x20" folding table, a 5'x2' table, a couple of card tables, and a few misc. small tables (such as side tables). I also have a 3'x20" wicker chest that I would like to use, if I can figure out how to raise it up (it's only 20" high.) We want to maximize the amount of space we have for product displays, but also want to have a cashier space where we can take payments and store our bags, packaging, etc. where it will be out of sight. Any suggestions? Or resources for space planning? I find it very hard to plan 3D spaces on paper, and short of me hauling all of my stuff over to my friend's house and trying to figure out a real-world arrangement (which we might do if all else fails, and if it ever stops raining) I am having a hard time getting a handle on this. Any input would be much appreciated!

[Former_Member]

One table on either side running long ways, then on small table facing the public as they would enter......open area in the middle....clear concise signage about who is who. YOUR own money bank for change.

Hoping your products are not related in any way. A nice banner over your longest table hanging from the canopy bars along the top. OR some type of drapery to indicate your side. Push the longest table up front even with the entrance, then the second table small like a card table, where you would sit behind and be able to have a small area to receive customers and take the pay, wrap the items and say "Thank you".

One long 4 x 2 table (elevated if possible). And one small card table, also elevated 3 x 3. Viewing a back ward upside down "L".

Otherwise chalk this experience up to a lesson. I've never know "shared" spaces to go well....for SO many unforeseen reasons.

[BGardenCreations]

Thanks- and some clarification. No, our products are are not at all related, so it should be easy enough to figure out whose is what. There will be 4 booths clustered together in a square, so the inner two sides will abut other booths. The two open sides will be perpendicular to one another. Picture a 4-way intersection that divides the booths. So, the open sides would be an L shape, if that makes sense. That is what is throwing me. Originally, we thought that we would have only one open side, and we figured we'd just split it right down the center. Now that we know that the two shared sides are perpendicular and not parallel, we're a bit at a loss. Hope that all makes sense!

[Former_Member]

In this instance graph paper will be your friend. Let each grid represent 1' or even 6". Then cut out the tables accordingly. I know how I'd do it, if I had two long and two short tables but you have a bunch different sizes. Play with the angles is all I can say.

The thing is that you want to take advantage of that corner space, trust me they're nice to have and most shows you pay extra for them.

One last thing, most shows don't let you share a booth, so if you do it'd be best not to make that public knowledge.

[botanicalatelieretsy]

Can you measure everything, then block it out with masking tape on your floor? Hauling all your stuff when you don't need too sounds like a P.I.T.A.

[Mulchandmore]

I would go with the graph paper and cut-out scale tables too. To be fair, divide the space diagonally from front corner to back corner, leave the front corner section open for about 3-4 feet on each side for people to walk in to either side, keep your other outside tables shopable from the aisle as well as the inside if possible and put yourselves in opposite corners where the aisle "wall" and back wall join with maybe a side table for check out, or your bags hung from the back of your chair and your money on your person. With this set up you will inter-react with customers rather than each other and each can see the whole both if the other goes on break. Then see how many of your other tables you can fit along the rest of the back walls. Would one of your side tables work to hold your wicker basket?
Where your different items will butt together in the back corner, try to co-ordinate your displays to entice people in, and don't forget to have tablecloths that reach to the floor.

[CarolBradley]

If planning it on paper isn't your friend, look at craft booths on Pinterest and Flickr for ideas.

The two major options are:

(1) Line the rectangular tables up so they abut the neighbor's booths - 6' long on one side and the 5' and 4' together on the other side. One of the small side tables could go next to the 6' table. This would put you and the seller in the back corner. The card table might fit in your outside corner (the outer point of your square). I'm not real wild about this version.

(2) Line the rectangular tables up on your outside (open) sides, so people don't have to come inside your booth to see your merchandise. One side would have 9' of tables, then put the 6' table butting up to the edges of the 9' length. You'll have extra room on the 6' table side to get in and out of your booth. This makes it easier flow for dividing your inventory up, since you are working with one continuous length of tables instead of disconnected ones. Use your card table and/or small tables as a checkout area. Invite customers to step into the booth to the check-out table (leaving room for shoppers in the front). This option also makes it easier to keep an eye on your inventory.



Have fun!

[BettieKawaii]

Im also in this pickle - I am not 'sharing' but this was a free show for young designer/makers so I have to use a 3x3m space with 1 other woman. So essentially 1.5m x 3m is going to be tricky because I have no clue of the layout yet! Plus I dont know the other womans set up - will she leave enough space in the middle for a walkway? I hope so!

[Former_Member]

Carol is getting to the crux of the situation. You want as much table 'frontage' on the open sides as possible. If you can avoid having people make the commitment to come in that is the best. Her solution would work but can all your inventory fit on 15' of tables?

You also have the extra tables you're going to want to use too. You might just have to forgo using them...could make for a cleaner display? Your chest might make a great incentive for people to walk back there too. People love treasure. You could even turn it into a 'discount' table. I used one for years to get people into the very back of my booth.

I like having the checkout area on the inside. It gets customers away from the front and being in the way of your display.

[BGardenCreations]

Thanks all! We did start working with graph paper when we though the setup was going to be with only one open side. The two open sides scenario is what I'm having trouble with. My first thought was to just have tables fronting each open side so that they are on the aisle, but that seems like a waste of the rest of the space. We don't have to use all of the tables, I just listed what we have to work with. I forgot to mention that I also have a tall, skinny spinning card rack that will hold a lot of my cards, but not all, though since that does not take much floor space, I figure it won't be hard to fit in.

The organizer is allowing the sharing of booths, so that is not a problem. This is the 2nd year of this show (it's a Jane Austen Faire)- last year it was in a different venue, and our spaces were tiny, just 6x4. The booth fee was only $25, and I did great at that one. This year the venue is bigger and more expensive and she upped the size of the booths and the cost to $100, so that is why I'm sharing with a friend. We will get along fine with the sharing, we just have to figure out the setup. Thanks for the input- I will print all of this out and see what I can figure out with her.