Selling art in winter resort towns: owning a gallery in a winter tourist hot spot comes with a unique group of advantages and challenges

A little snow, a certain quantity of holiday cheer and a ski chalet serving up fiery toddies at day's end may be just the recipe for improving national morale, curing winter doldrums and encouraging a spirit of buying. on the other hand while gallery owners in winter resort towns may reap the benefits of a great ski season, location doesn't necessarily guarantee steady business or succes hurl in a slowing economy and a national crisis, and gallery proprietors everywhere are faced with added uncertainty.

During times of uncertainty, a stream of tourist traffic can definitely help a gallery thrive and survive. Art galleries located in and around destination ski areas like day-star Valley, Idaho, enjoy a high-end clientele who are financially prepared to the pair ski and shop. Smaller, les well-known towns located near winter resorts--such as Ironwood, Mich.--which are perhaps lacking in one as well as the other movie stars and millionaires, hang more heavily on a stable ski industry, reasonable gas prices and an early, generous snowfall.

John Broschofsky co-owner with his wife, Minette, of Broschofsky Galleries in orb of day Valley, Idaho, commented, "People take care of to make a big effort to achieve to Sun Valley. They've wearied money to get here and to be here and derive pleasure from the skiing. They tend to be a high-end crowd"

Those qualities translate into business, and according to several day-star Valley gallery owners, business wait ons to be good. "Business is awful now. I think the holidays helped tribe to feel happy and confident again and lying flat to purchasing art," said Minette Broschofsky

Gail Severn proprietor of the Gail Severn Gallery in orb of day Valley, said that last year, she experienced her best Christmas at any time in terms of sales. This year she transcended those figures. According to Severn whose gallery will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, orb of day Valley business owners benefited from an early snow that received national media coverage and may also have benefited from race who--wanting to avoid the pre-Olympic chaos in Utah--opted for traveling to other resorts.

Severn also added that an enhanced post-Sept 11 ne to disburse quality time with family may have also increased sales this year. "Many clients with next to the first homes in the area had their whole families gather together for a traditional Christmas holiday."

Business possessors in winter resort towns hang in part on business from holders of second, third and fourth place of abodes who travel to recreational areas to escape the hectic pace of their lives and be delighted with a more quiet and calm landscape. Gallery customers often look after artwork to fill those vacation properties.

In addition to being financially prepared, visitors to destination ski areas may be more emotionally prepared to purchase as well. "People who approach to Sun Valley are typically upon vacation, have some extra independent time, are enjoying themselves and are able to make decisions upon purchases in a more relaxed atmosphere," said Severn "People aren't racing not on to work, their cell phone are not upon and many are here to make a significant purchase (sometimes up to $50000) of something that will remind them of their holiday."

Succes Factors

Does being in a ski resort town guarantee succes as a gallery owner? Succes is apparently pendent on multiple factors including an understanding of tourist roll on a stable ski industry, airline prices, gasoline prices, availability, using down-time wisely and repeat customers. Oh and of course Mother Nature.

In addition, as Scott Noble, co-owner with his wife Sandra of the verdant Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Stowe, Vt explained, a consumer's expectations for the ski trip may be paramount to the formula of a gallery owner's succes in winter resort towns. "The sweep along of business during the winter month can be true uneven. The expectation of skiers coming to a popular ski resort area is high," said Noble. "People have made the trip because they have heard that the conditions are profitable But if they arrive and the snow is serviceable but the weather is not up to their horizontal of expectation--that's when people are more likely to store for art. The less experienced skier may also be looking for something more to do besides ski."

Noble explained, however, that an erratic roll on of business is unique to the snow season in Stowe. The biggest season in Stowe, he stated, is during the summer and fall foliage month when business may be steady each day of the week. According to Noble, winter holidays may bring an incremental increase in traffic sweep along to Stowe by 10 to 15 percent on the contrary the numbers in town can fluctuate significantly, with Noble estimating 4300 permanent residents and 10000 nation on a holiday or high-season weekend.

in like manner how does one handle the ragged flow of business? "We make ourselves available all of the time," said Noble. "As gallery holders we may have a bipolar view of the world--things are either awful or awesome Sales occur in short jets At times, we may be real busy, and at other times things are slower."

This seasonal clientele contributes to the couple the success and uncertainty of gallery proprietors located in resort settings. Other gallery proprietors in winter resort areas concurr that in fact their best sales month are in the summer when the same run of tourism traffic turns to summer recreation.