I wanted to post a question about something... As being a woodcarver in the past years at SDC, what kinds of wood carving souvenirs do people like. There has been some discussions with woodcarvers about the traditional items ( hillbillies and such) have diss appeared from SDC. What do you all think about the old traditional items being gone. It seems that the items in the shop were too expensive and too artsy for SDC. Would you like to see some old style carvings back in the shop?
I guess you'd better supply them with items that SELL! The hillbilly stuff has slowly disappeared from all over the park, as general interest in hillbillies, moonshiners, and so on have dwindled. I have two woodcarvings of hillbillies that I purchased at the Valley Woodcarvers in the late 1990's and they were on heavy discount toward the end of the Christmas season one year. I paid about $20 to $24 per figure. I love them, and the figures are on a shelf in my library.
I think the larger pieces are only sold when people go looking for those particular items...mantles are cool to look at, how many of us ever bought a new one on a whim? The general public will buy crosses, caricatures, ornaments, jewelry boxes, etc, anything smaller that won't break the bank on an impulse buy...I see the large pieces as being a specialty piece, much like some of the furnite in Heartland Home Furnishings...pricey large items, but really how much of those pieces actually move off of the showroom floor?
I like the humorous, hillbilly kind of stuff. At my grandparent's house, my grandpa's "bald man's hairbrush" is still sitting on the dresser with Silver Dollar City engraved in it. He's been gone a few years, but that 'hairbrush' brings back GREAT memories! And he loved that thing! He liked joking around with it. When us grandkids would wander through the house hollerin "Grandpa!", we would usually find him sitting in front of the mirror in his room with that in his hand. He would say, "Just brushing my hair, kids! I'll be done in a minute!"
Quote from: tiffanylynnt on April 15, 2012, 09:55:04 PM
I like the humorous, hillbilly kind of stuff. At my grandparent's house, my grandpa's "bald man's hairbrush" is still sitting on the dresser with Silver Dollar City engraved in it. He's been gone a few years, but that 'hairbrush' brings back GREAT memories! And he loved that thing! He liked joking around with it. When us grandkids would wander through the house hollerin "Grandpa!", we would usually find him sitting in front of the mirror in his room with that in his hand. He would say, "Just brushing my hair, kids! I'll be done in a minute!"
:D :D :D Arn't grandpa's great!
I want the Round Tuit back
I like the Hillbilly products...moonshine jug salt and pepper shakers, hillbilly figures, hound dogs, plus the hillbilly golf clubs, hillbilly fly swatter, and other notvelty items like the round tuit.
I got a round tuit!
I noticed this hanging in my grandma's kitchen :D
(http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z436/tiffanylynnt1/120503_0008.jpg)
I'm usually looking for Christmas ornaments or other Christmas items...santas, elves, animals, etc.
My dad is a woodcarver, and he carves a lot of little items that he sells to people for around $15. I think SDC crafts in general have gotten away from small, affordable items. I would like to see small, affordable handcrafted items in the $25-$30 range in the woodcarving barn, pottery shop, glass blowing shop, etc. If those were available, that's all people would get from me for gifts! I am afraid the crafts are pricing themselves out of business.
Quote from: Pudgy Jones on September 19, 2012, 10:32:04 AM
My dad is a woodcarver, and he carves a lot of little items that he sells to people for around $15. I think SDC crafts in general have gotten away from small, affordable items. I would like to see small, affordable handcrafted items in the $25-$30 range in the woodcarving barn, pottery shop, glass blowing shop, etc. If those were available, that's all people would get from me for gifts! I am afraid the crafts are pricing themselves out of business.
Unfortunately, I think you are right about that. It's not that handmade items aren't worth it - they are! But, it's difficult to let go of money right now, unless it's absolutely necessary.
I too loved the hillbilly figurines from the old days. I could never afford them back then ( not sure I could today either!) but I did take a couple of photos, so I can at least remember them. Last weekend when we were there, I bought a little carved figurine in the new Woodcrafter shop. It's about 6 inches high and is a "Ozark Baldknobber" It's done in the style of the old hillbilly figurines and was very reasonable. It's probably as close as I'll get to one of those.
Over the years, I've bought a bread board (I assume it was from the Woodcarvers, I've had it for ages), one of the axes and a log carvings (which I saw was still in the shop last weekend) and a carved Santa face ornament from several years back.
I always liked the carved mantel's but never really considered one for our home. But when I see the one in the Culinary and Craft School, I want one! Matter of fact, anything I see in that school I want. I think it was a good thing for them to build that school and decorate it with items crafted in the city. I never really wanted pottery other than my doily pie plate I have, but after I was in that building, I had to get myself a vase from the Pottery Shop and put an arrangement in it. I also never really cared for the blown glass, now I love it and while I haven't found what I want to buy yet, I spent quite a bit of time watching them demonstrate last weekend and have a whole new appreciation for blown glass, and can't wait to add a piece to my home.
Lori
The two hillbilly woodcarvings I picked up at the woodcarvers shop in the late '90's were originally listed for about $40 ea, but I got them the last few days of the Christmas festival, so I paid half price! One of my best purchases. They are on the shelf in my library right now.
The last wood carved door is for sale. They aren't going to make them anymore - just not enough buyers.
A shame.
You know, looking at the prices of the mass-produced doors at the local Lowes suggests to me that their hand-carved ones can't be all that more expensive, Yikes!
There is a guy who live sorta down the street from me who does woodcarvings for a living. Its fun to take the long way home just to pass his house and see what he's got going on in his garage that he usually leaves the door open on. The stuff he makes isn't overly expensive, so I don't really know why the people at the City have to make their stuff so dadgum costly.
Tiff: Theme parks have a monopoly on your day. In addition, they have HUGE costs of operation. I've reported it here before, but back about 1978 or 79 when I was in food service at SDC, it cost three cents to fill a small cup with ice, Coke, and to pay a server for selling it to you. The guest cost for that drink was about a buck with taxes. A huge profit. Same goes for the stuff sold at shops. Remember, everytime they add a new attraction like OUTLAW RUN, it is a giant expense...I think the number I've seen on it is ten million. The prices across the entire park including your admission, help pay for those attractions. Again, if I saw the correct figures, SDC hopes about 26,000 additional visitors will come next year due to Outlaw Run. What is it now for a one day ticket, about $60? Multiply and thrown in at least another $40 per head for food, drinks, stuff from shops, and it is a significant number. Now think of the repeat guests next year that will make a special trip to ride Outlaw Run...the number roll up faster. Big money is collected by parks, but much heads out of the park in the form of them paying their bills and for employees. In the end, though, they do make a profit. That is why they open their doors again year after year.
That makes sense.