Craft table owners in the Halifax area are facing the prospect of losing their livelihoods over the coming months.
A number of craft table operators have said they’re worried about the future of the industry as they grapple with a sharp drop in sales and declining clientele.
Craft table owners have said it’s a difficult time, and many have moved their businesses from the Halifax community to the community outside of town.
“It’s a tough time, people are feeling very much down,” said Michael Fiske, who owns Craft Table in the city’s West End.
“I don’t think you can take anything for granted in this industry.”
A recent survey by the Nova Scotia Craft Industry Association found that the number of Craft Table locations has declined by 40 per cent since 2010.
Fiske said he expects the industry to continue shrinking, and that there’s no guarantee that the craft table will be in business long term.
“When you have people who are out of work, you can only do so much,” he said.
“You can’t just keep them there.
You have to find a new way to make it work for people.”
While Fiskel believes the industry will survive, he’s concerned about the community’s perception of it.
“There’s going to be people out there that don’t believe you can get in a good place, but they just don.
I don’t know that that’s fair to anybody,” he added.’
We can’t afford to lose people’For many, the industry was a passion.FISKE, who also owns a craft table in the town of Leitrim, said he grew up in the industry, and still works at his table.
“A lot of people grew up with a passion for it.
That’s why we have this place,” he told CBC News.”
We can afford to have people lose jobs, but that’s the reality.
We can’t make any money and people can’t keep up.”
A number Craft Table owners have moved out of the Halifax region.
The Nova Scotia craft industry was once a thriving community, but many are now facing a bleak outlook.
Craft Table owner Michael Fiscke said there are many who have left town.
(CBC)”The industry has kind of fallen off a cliff.
You don’t see people coming in and they’re getting out.
I’m thinking that probably for the first time, it’s going away for good.”
Fiskel said he is optimistic about the craft tables’ future, but the community is feeling a loss of confidence.
“The way I see it, we have to start from scratch.
We have to rebuild, we need to grow.
We need to get the community involved, and get the businesses moving again,” he continued.”
If the people can see that there is hope, we’ll be fine.”
For now, Fiskells table is operating as a temporary space for him and his family.
“For the moment, it does the job for us, but if we see an opportunity for us to do something bigger, we will.”