Creative small businesses gear up for Friend Fest in San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Hundreds of designers, artists and creative small business owners are setting up their booths in San Jose for this weekend's Friend Fest.
San Jose Made holds several craft and retail fairs each year.
They help emerging makers grow their local businesses and brands.
Kevin Biggers is the Chief Strategist for SJMADE.
"Our goal is to kind to enable people if they want to potentially be able to do this full time," Biggers said.
This Saturday and Sunday will be their fourth annual Friend Fest.
Biggers said this weekend's free event that is expected to draw in 15,000 people.
"It's also kind of like a tone setter because I think you'll find that a lot of these vendors who are doing this event this is their first big event of the year," Biggers said.
These small business owners sell unique and handmade items.
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Jody Mascarenas creates and sells toy figurines.
"It's what keeps me going I've been doing this full-time since 2009. So like I'm able to be my own boss because of San Jose Made it's what started me," Mascarenas said.
Some vendors wanted to get a head start on setting up inside South Hall on Friday.
Anna Musgrove founded EnV Bags in 2007 out of Cambell. EnV Bags sells a line of reusable and eco-friendly products.
Musgrove said events like these are especially important for her.
"We started off as a wholesaler, so we started out by just sending to stores and since COVID, our business has really changed. We were primarily in the resort area - Hawaii was my biggest customer, Carinal Cruise ships, when COVID hit all that business disappeared. So we've been really lucky where we've had a really loyal customer base," Musgrove said.
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Musgrove said she tries to set up her 10x10 space with her best sellers.
"These kind of events are just great because you can sell direct to consumer. They get to know your product - if they like it they'll go to your website," Musgrove said.
Nikita Ravindranath owns Ajna California. She creates and sells naturally-dyed silk items and other art.
"So this type of scarf is called an abundance - so they're only dyed with flower petals," Ravindranath said.
She's been a vendor at SJMADE events for the past three years. Ravindranath said she's been able to create a community with fellow vendors and returning customers.
"There's something for everyone and I think that's what also my calling - we make something for everyone so I'm glad that they kind of find joy through artwork of mine," Ravindranath said.
Friend Fest will be open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. both on Saturday and Sunday at 435 S. Market Street in San Jose.
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