Shoppers encouraged to visit May 9 Children’s Business Fair

By Sherry Lucas

The Children’s Business Fair reaches its five-year milestone this year, as it continues to bring a youthful spirit to Main Street Clinton’s Makers Market on Saturday, May 9, in Olde Towne.

The Children’s Business Fair, inside the market on Jefferson Street, offers the opportunity for youngsters to create and launch their own businesses, working with every step of the process – from the initial dream to production, branding, pricing, marketing and selling. The fair is open to business owners ages six to fourteen.

The young entrepreneurs will be selling their creations form 9 a.m. to noon at the fair.

At press time, eleven businesses had already been accepted for the fair’s twenty available spots. So far, the outlook includes a variety of baked goods, handmade jewelry, handmade wooden toys, original artwork and more.

“We have first-time businesses and some that are participating for the third or fourth time,” said Erin Fults, Children’s Business Fair host.

Ike Brown, 14, of Terry, will mark his fourth year in the Children’s Business Fair this time around, with his Wheels, Wings and Things handmade wooden toy business. He started out with wooden airplanes and later added helicopters, cars, trucks and 18-wheelers to his toy line.

“I keep growing my inventory each year,” he said. This year, he’ll add wooden cameras to the mix.

The toys are hand created, from the band saw start to the hand-sanded and hand-painted finish. One of the biggest things Brown says he has learned is money management.
“I buy supplies, and then you make money and have got to figure out how much you have to sell to even it out.”

The fair has also challenged him to expand his inventory each time.

“It’s always so fun to see the creativity of these young entrepreneurs each year,” Fults said. “We’ve had business owners start with the Children’s Business Fair, and, as they have aged out, they have ‘graduated’ to participate in the larger Main Street markets.”

The fair continues to be well-received in Clinton.

“Each year, we get asked if we’re doing it again next year, which is a good indicator of both interest and that it’s becoming more known in the community,” Fults said. It also benefits the Makers Market, as both events drive traffic to the other.

“Lots of folks come out specifically to support their young entrepreneurs and then make their way into the main market, and vice versa.”

Main Street Clinton Program Director Tara Lytal said, “We love what hosting young entrepreneurs at the event brings to the market. They have amazing ideas and products. The larger win is the experience it gives the children and the enthusiasm that they bring to the market.”

“We plan to continue it each year,” Fults said, “and would love to see it grow.”

Whether students continue on with their businesses or pursue other interests, the hope is that fair experience provides confidence to try new things and plants seeds of inspiration to nurture their gifts and ideas, going forward, she added.