Pointer Place Grand Opening set for November 16

Pointer fans will soon have a one-stop shop for all their school-spirit gear. The district’s new campus store and café, Pointer Place, will celebrate its grand opening on November 16.

Located inside the Commons Area at Van Buren High School, the store is the brainchild of VBHS educators Danielle Ross and Kelly Hays. The two partnered for the venture with the goal of providing their students a unique, hands-on learning experience. “We had a dream to train our students in customer service skills and provide them with ways to gain workforce ready skills and earn industry certifications,” noted Hays.

The project gained momentum after receiving an Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Grant for Food Productions and Human Services. Hays and Ross worked in collaboration with district leaders to construct an on-campus storefront for selling merchandise, food, and beverages. Pointer Place will feature a wide-range of Pointer-themed apparel and accessories, all designed by students in Ross’s Clothing and Textiles and Consumer Services courses. New products will be added to the store on a routine basis. “Our hope is to add up to two designs per week,” noted Ross. The café will serve lattes, mochas, smoothies, snack food, and more. Day-to-day operations will be managed by students through Hays’s Entrepreneur Experience course.

The students and staff will also utilize social media to showcase products and new arrivals. Team members will market the store using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. “In addition to providing our school and community a one-stop Pointer shop, the store gives our students the opportunity to learn valuable skills that will benefit them now and in their future careers,” said Ross. “We are so grateful to the District for its support of this initiative and look forward to celebrating our opening this Friday!”

The Van Buren Chamber of Commerce will hold an official ribbon cutting for the store Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. Van Buren High School is located at 2001 Pointer Trail in Van Buren.