WCCO.COM At The State Fair
Sep 3, 2009 5:11 pm US/Central
Reality Check: State Fair Income
(WCCO)
It's a once-a-year event for State Fair customers. But for vendors, it's a once-in-a-lifetime income opportunity.
From cheese curds to chocolate chip cookies, the State Fair helps top vendors bring in a profit - and sometimes that means a year's worth in just two weeks.
Take the roasted corn booth near the grandstand. This State Fair tradition took in more than $600,000 last year. But it's only No. 5 on the list of top five State Fair moneymakers.
Cheese curds come in at No. 4. Fair goers ate enough of this deep fried delicacy last year to help a vendor in the food building gross $740,000.
Hot, salted and deep fried, Fresh French Fries weigh in at No. 3. With two Fresh Fries booths, this vendor took in $822,000 last year.
The State Fair keeps track of revenues at every one of these booths and charges each vendor a fee. Plus, there are state sales taxes, supplies and wages. But if you're a top vendor, there's also a profit to be had.
Take the Midwest Dairy Association's Dairy Goodness Bar in the Dairy Building. It may ask, "Got Milk?" But it's the Midwest Dairy Association that's got money. Roughly $854,000 from the Fair last year to be exact, bringing this booth to the second spot on our list.
Sure, that's a lot of money ... but the sweetest of them all?
Number one by a gooey mile was Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar, with two locations at the Fair, it brought in the most dough of all. Last year, Sweet Martha's Cookies brought in more than $2 million IN REVENUE.
Now, that's a sweet deal.
That's Reality Check.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Sept. 7: Day 12 At The Fair
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