by Audrey Schwartzberg, ANCA Communications Director
Earlier this month, ANCA hosted our 39th Adirondack Buyer Days trade show, where we welcomed dozens of makers from across the Northeast to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. for a unique opportunity to connect with each other and with retail buyers looking to stock their shelves with locally produced gifts.
Adirondack Buyer Days is a not-for-profit event that empowers new, beginning and seasoned artisan entrepreneurs to grow their wholesaling skills, make connections, and build relationships with other makers and retail shops. The show gives retail buyers the chance to meet local artisans face-to-face, experience their products firsthand, and learn how they got to this point in their small business journey.
Every maker has a story.
Like Jeff Wager, who refined his leather and woodworking skills over the years to a point where he felt ready to leave his job in the public sector and establish his own business. At Woodpecker Axe & Leather Co. in Wynantskill, N.Y., Jeff now hand crafts beautiful and utilitarian leather goods like wallets, belts, purses, tote bags, bicycle bags and cup koozies. Using full grain vegetable-tanned leather from the U.S. and Italy and a sturdy hand-stitching method called saddle stitching, he creates durable leather products that last for generations. This year’s Adirondack Buyer Days was his first wholesale trade show. Judging by the impression he made with show organizers, neighboring vendors, and retailer shoppers, we’re guessing this won’t be his last.
And longtime Buyer Days vendor Christi Sobel, whose whimsical nature illustrations adorn a variety of paper products like notecards, calendars and bookmarks. Christi holds notable credentials beyond her illustration and graphic design business including degrees in biology, art and scientific illustration. Ever the entrepreneur, she recently partnered with other makers to open a new shop in Ithaca, N.Y. Star Tree Studio is “a collective of local working artists, dedicated to fair pay and control of their own creativity, and encouraging innovation and collaboration.” These ideals — access, empowerment, innovation and collaboration — are very much at the heart of Adirondack Buyer Days and all of ANCA’s programs.
Larry and Debbie Gonyea of Adirondack Etching in Glens Falls have attended several Buyer Days shows over the years, and each year they up their game. With a background in woodworking, Larry now pours his creative energy into his laser etching business, where he etches custom designs on a variety of materials and objects. Leading up to this year’s show, Larry fashioned eye-catching signs that depict examples of his designs and collections. Glass etchings, in particular, are hard to photograph. The new signage, coupled with the slick black and white illustrations on vinyl business cards, are the kinds of stylistic details that make a trade show booth stand out. Many show vendors say that learning tips and tricks from other artisans is one of the most inspiring aspects of the Adirondack Buyer Days experience.
Sometimes it takes a major life change, challenge or disaster to flip the switch for creative entrepreneurs. More than one show vendor established their business during the COVID pandemic — like Cohn’s Candle Bar of East Nassau, N.Y. and AMF Creations of Cape Vincent, N.Y.
For Menai & Co. in Therese, N.Y., it was the bears. Commercial bee-keepers since 2019, Rebeca Oblender and her family produced honey that was irresistible to local black bears. Repeated devastating attacks to the hives made their honey and beeswax business unsustainable. So they switched gears and turned their attention to their candle-making hobby. When their first batch of hand-poured soy candles sold out quickly, they decided to build out a new family-run business venture. At her second Adirondack Buyer Days show, Rebeca featured Menai & Co.’s luxury home products — including all-natural candles and one-of-a-kind recycled wool blankets made by family in Wales.
Each maker at the show has a story — details and anecdotes of the why, when and how they followed their small business dream. At Adirondack Buyer Days, artisans have a chance to share their stories and their talents with local retailers so that more shoppers can find their products in more stores across the region.
Want to support makers like Jeff, Christi, Larry and Rebeca? Let your local gift shop know about Adirondack Buyer Days, and ask them to save the date for next year’s show. The special 40th anniversary event is set for March 23 and 24, 2026 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.!
Finally, by becoming an ANCA member, you help keep this not-for-profit trade show affordable for new, beginning, and experienced artisan businesses eager to expand their networks and to sell their products in shops across the region. Join here.