The nearly empty parking lot was a disturbing sight three hours into the Inside Outside Antiques Show, held May 6 and 7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Any time you can easily count the number of cars in the lot, it’s not a good thing. Most antiques events at the fairgrounds bring out people in droves.

That wasn’t the case, however, during the first day of Inside Outside when about 70 vehicles dotted the large parking area to the west of the Exposition Hall where the event was held. Not that there wasn’t anyone shopping. Those cars belonged to customers who were on the floor, looking over a variety of antiques for the home and garden—thus the name, Inside Outside Antiques Show.

Doug Supinger of Troy, Ohio, managed the event. Having taken over the Crutcher Antiques Show in 2004, this was the first event of his own making. He said the concept was "to draw people in with a different twist, to get them to come in out of curiosity."

There was more confusion than curiosity for some people. The name of the show was one reason. Some collectors weren’t exactly sure what an "Inside Outside" antiques show was, thinking it included dealers under cover as well as those in the fresh air.

Advertising for the event used the tag line, "An Antiques Show for the Home and Garden," but in Indianapolis, a city with its fair share of wonderful gardens, the concept seemed foreign. Buyers came, but on opening day they weren’t packing the aisles.

In a way, maybe the less-than-stellar attendance right out of the gate shouldn’t have come as a surprise. If the concept of "Quality Antiques and Art in a Beautiful Garden Setting" was confusing, the weather was downright discouraging. That is to say, it was absolutely beautiful—the first really great day of spring. People with a real interest in gardens were probably in short sleeves and a sun hat, wiggling their toes in freshly turned dirt in their own backyards.

Supinger was undaunted. From the start, he was optimistic about the show. "It’s like going to Vegas," he said. "It’s a crap shoot. I’m a gambler. I’ve gotten good comments from the dealers. We’re going to make it."

The 50 dealers who set up at the show offered an interesting mix of items, with a strong slant toward country, Americana, and garden. Filling the cracks in between was a diverse variety of items, from a Nazi helmet to children’s puzzles.

Supinger said he was pleased with the debut, "considering the way the times are."

He said buyers liked what they saw. "So far, ninety percent of the customers I’ve talked to are pleased," he added early on Friday afternoon, as a shopper who traveled from Winnetka, Illinois, passed by on a second trip to his vehicle to stash purchases. Those items ranged from paintings to architectural elements. In a way, they defined the show—inside outside, home and garden. At least one person got it.

Among the grumblings from the unhappy few was the comment that the show wasn’t strong enough on garden-related items. In defense of Supinger and the dealers, the show offered more garden antiques than can typically be found at an Indianapolis event.

Fifty dealers set up at the show. About half of them participated in Crutcher last fall. The rest added to the fresh look of the event.

Despite the low attendance on opening day, despite the gorgeous weather that had people doing other things with their weekend, despite the confusion over exactly what the show was, Inside Outside should still be considered a success. It was a new show with a new look, something Indianapolis hasn’t seen in quite some time.

Most of the buyers who attended Inside Outside seemed pleased. "From a dealer’s perspective, people are raving about it," one dealer noted.