When: Sat, Aug 23 - Sun, Aug 24, 2008
Where: Fort Mason, Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco, CA
Link: http://www.bluedotboutiquesale.com/SanFranc08.html
Description:
Remember to bring cash to this event - some vendors will only be accepting greenbacks.
There are NO DRESSING ROOMS provided, so wear something baggy, like a mu-mu, that you can use as a cover while pulling stuff on or off… or, just get crazy with your bad self and change in your underwear in front of hundreds of people… your choice. 
The idea is great - bring together a collection of local, smaller boutiques and have them all off-load their out-seasoned wares at a massive warehouse sale. One gigunda event + a little charity giving + lots of promo + good prices = great sale, yes?
Well, um… I dunno. I think I’m going to miss this sale, but I really hope to catch what other bloggers have to say about it, or get a few comments.
My main hesitation is that the sale requires an entry fee, which is not uncommon, but the fee itself seems really pricey - $25 for a 2 hour window of “VIP pre-shopping” from 10-12 on Saturday (obviously where the best deals will be with the greatest variety), then the normal “cover” for the rest of the event is $15.
(((Update To the Original Posting))) In case you don’t read comments, the folks who put the Blue Dot Boutique events together added this comment today (8/15), which is pretty clarifying:
Just to clarify, the door charge is to offset the price of the venue rental, insurance, security, utilities and advertising. We keep the booth cost very minimal for the boutiques so they can pass along the deepest discounts to the shoppers. The stores are already losing money on inventory that they sell at these prices. Also note, a portion of the door proceeds are donated to charity. In San Francisco, the charity is 7×7 Charity Partnership. In Orange County, it is Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. If you save 75% on your first purchased item….you’ve aready recouped your ticket price! Hope you’ll come check out the bargains!
(((Back to Original Posting)))
Don’t get me wrong - I’m presently writing out of sheer ignorance, having never been to a Blue Dot sale yet. It may be that the deals are so unbelievably fabulous that the cover charge is warranted - especially if it helps to keep a thronging mob out of the space and allow for a more relaxed atmosphere (ie, no clawing or elbowing folks to get to the last shirt in a certain size). These events are a regular feature in California, so I’ll make it a point to get to one soon and see if it lives up to the entry price. Until then, if you go, PLEASE report back (contact at wheresale dot com) on your experience to me. It would be very helpful!
Thanks!
Also, this is more than just your average “high end designer clothes for skinny chicks” sale - a number of boutiques being represented are higher-end children’s stores, so could be really cute! I’ve marked in bold the ones I know are great children’s stores in this list of participating vendors:
- canvas
- dylan
- bryan lee
- nicolette
- august
- red dot
- the firm
- iniam
- deliciouz
- bread and jam
- bryna nicole
- flaunt
- infiniti
- edge
- mcmullen
- mesh apparel
- ciao ragazzi
- helena de natalio
- jonathan-kaye
- candystore
- jeanine payer
- romi boutique
- sarah shaw
- bellies n babies
- mill valley baby & kids co
- goodnite moon
- honeys & heroes
- dixie park
