One of the things that can make markets miserable is when you are uncomfortable. Proper seating can be essential to your mood and your back!

Different shows or markets have a different vibe. Some might be really laid back while others may be more “proper” (for lack of a better word). Your choice in a chair can make a difference.

The blog picture is of a woman named Natasha with Burdlife Jewelry (www.burdlife.com). Smart woman. She opts for no chair so she can set up and tear down easily. However, she has a great solution that works for her. I’m not sure that would work for me, though.

There was a market in Houston that we were regulars at. Across from us was a woman who sold skin care products. Her husband would regularly tag along and would bring his reclining tailgate chair. I got to try it out and was so comfortable that I didn’t want to get out of it. The big problem though, is that it made her booth look unprofessional and I’m sure that her sales suffered because of the guy lounging just on the other side of the display.

One of the markets that I used to do was a local farmer’s market where I set up a tent directly behind my truck. That made loading and unloading a breeze! An added advantage was that during slow times, I could sit on the tailgate! No chair required.

A chair is not a chair. Let’s look at some of the types of chairs worth considering.

Tailgate chairs

Commonly found around the parking lot of a stadium before game time, these chairs are really, really comfortable. However, they may not fit the vibe of your show. For county fairs and city markets, these might be a great fit.

Metal folding stools

We found ours at Walmart for about $15 each. Not only are they cheap, but they fold up flat and easy to transport. However, they are not great for the back unless you have something like wall to lean on.

They are extremely well suited for almost every show we do from the laid back fair to the more formal arts markets. We can easily hide what we are sitting on behind our display and they are higher than a regular chair so we can see people easily.

Director’s chairs

These will be our next purchase. Good director’s chairs that fold up for transport can be a bit pricey. However, they sit higher than a lawn chair allowing us to see our customers at eye level, and they look much nicer. This allows them to be used in all of our situations – from the county fair to formal art shows.

The types of chairs we are looking at are like these on Amazon.

When you begin to do shows on a regular basis, even your choice of chair to sit in will be important. Choose poorly and your back and legs may suffer long after the show is over.