08/31/2026
As I was setting up for this weekend’s fair, I had a moment to really reflect on our Back-to-School Bash, and honestly, I’m incredibly disappointed.
We went out of our way to make this event special for the kids. We prepared and printed a large amount of inventory, kept our prices as low as possible—often just enough to cover our costs—and created a fun T-shirt Bar where kids could choose the shirt style and color they wanted.
Our goal was simple: to give local kids something fun and affordable to help them get ready for the new school year.
Unfortunately, what happened at the beginning of the event was extremely disheartening. Regardless of language barriers, cultural differences, or background, there is one thing that should never be unclear: stealing is stealing. If something is not clearly marked as free, it should not be taken.
We had approximately 30 adults taking handfuls of clothing from our racks and putting them into their bags. We also had children taking our 3D-printed minis, putting them into their pockets, and walking away without paying.
At the time, we tried to focus on the event and continue making it a positive experience. But while setting up for this weekend’s fair, we went through our inventory and realized just how much was missing.
We lost more than $700 worth of merchandise.
That number is difficult to process, but what hurts even more is knowing how hard we worked to keep our prices affordable and create something fun for the kids in our community.
I understand that times are difficult for many people right now. I understand that everyone comes from different backgrounds and circumstances. But those things do not change the basic principle that you should never take something unless you know it is being given away.
The people most affected by this are not just us. It’s the kids.
Because now, as we look toward next year, we have to seriously consider whether we can afford to attend an event like this again. And that is heartbreaking.
We wanted to give kids a fun experience, affordable options, and something exciting to take home for the start of a new school year. We never expected to lose hundreds of dollars in merchandise simply because people chose to take what wasn’t theirs.
We truly appreciate everyone who came out, supported us, purchased from us, and respected our business. You are the reason we continue doing what we do.
We just hope that moving forward, people will remember that behind every small business is a person who worked hard, invested their own money, and put their heart into creating something for the community.
