A great opportunity for students, faculty and staff to get aware of the city of Bowling Green and see what type of business’s are out there is the Merchant’s Fair.
The Merchant’s Fair has been going on since the early 1990s bringing all types of different businesses together under one roof. Businesses are given the opportunity to come and show the University and the public what they provide and maybe even give away some of their products.
Fifty businesses from Marco’s Pizza to Staples are going to be representing their products in a way to get the public, especially University students, to become familiar with what they offer.
“It’s a great opportunity for merchants to gain exposure and for job opportunities for the students,” Jennifer Ruhe, executive director of the chamber of commerce in Bowling Green said.
The businesses are coming to let University students know that they are out there, what they offer and even give employment opportunities for those students who need a job but don’t know where to look.
The businesses will be demonstrating their products to the visitors with an array of table-top displays. Last year, Staples publicized the new wireless mouse.
“Staples will have neat products,” Ruhe said.
Staples is partnering up with Cricket and Sprint PCS this year to show off the new vision technology cell phone. The phone can send pictures to other cell phones with the display, Ned Palmer, manager of Staples said.
Staples will be displaying their current advertisement and “will have some give-aways,” Palmer said.
Staples is not the only business that will have free products to give away. Many other businesses in the past have given away items from brochures to food.
“Merchants are excited to interact with the students. They get the staff out to talk to the students to find out where they came from,” Ruhe said. This makes it easier to let the students know what Bowling Green can offer if they didn’t know before.
Marco’s Pizza is going to be at the fair advertising their specials and employment opportunities.
“We hope to spread awareness and to get Marco’s name out there to let people know we are still around,” Jovan Fish, manager-in-training at Marco’s said.
The businesses that attend the Merchant’s Fair have differed slightly from year to year depending on new businesses that enter the community and old ones that leave. Approximately 40-60 businesses have attended every year while about 1,000-3,000 students come to see what it’s all about.
Last year’s fair was postponed due to Sept. 11. When it was finally put on, Palmer said, “the turnout was not the greatest because of the bad weather.” This year the turnout is expected to be good, even though the fair was moved back a week because of timing, which scared a few people.
“We had people calling in asking if they missed the fair because it was moved back due to scheduling conflicts,” Ruhe said.
Both Palmer and Fish said that their companies are coming back to next year’s Merchant’s Fair to show the new students and faculty what they can offer them.
The Merchant’s Fair is going to be held today, Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 11a.m. to 4p.m. in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom, Union 202.
