Sunday, February 22

Observations on the economy

While attending this year’s San Francisco International Gift Fair, we noticed two things: buyers are more selective, sellers are more absent. The four-day show, which takes place in February and August, has shrunken. The last time we attended, two years ago, the entire north and south halls of the 700,000-square-foot Moscone Center plus the entirety of the block-long Concourse a mile away were stuffed to the rafters with exhibitors. This year, only half of the Moscone Center was occupied; even that was not quite full. The Concourse was vacant.

Two years ago, it was a challenge to shove our way through the mobs of buyers. This time the crowds were thin. No long lines at the registration or information booths. The show’s catalog had shrunken from its full-color ad-filled extravagance to a much smaller listing of exhibitors and their merchandise lines. Sadly, many of our favorite sellers were absent from the display floor.

Everyone is hunkering down. It’s time to simply survive till the good times return (if the government would get out of the way with its pork-laden “stimulus”). It reminds me of winter: The rattlesnakes are in their dens and the robins have flown south.

One thing remained as it always had—coffee at the gift show was $3.00 for a 10-ounce cup. A caesar salad was $10.00. In our hotel room we feasted on a tiny bag of cheddar cheese flavored popcorn for $4.50 plus 20% convenience charge plus 8.5% sales tax—$5.86 for a few handfuls of popcorn! (I had opened the bag before I realized that it was an extra charge.) Fortunately I hadn’t opened the nine-dollar-plus-20%-plus-sales-tax tin of cashews! I questioned the sales tax charge on a food item; I hope the Westin Hotel people contact me with their justification since I mentioned it on our comments form when we checked out. (Update—they haven’t.)

Mid-priced breakfast for two at the nearby Marriott hotel was $46 but was really good.

The train ride was cheap and fun. Some things don’t change—for now, anyway.

No comments: