Many students may buy and resell products, but some choose to sell their talents at this year’s Woodmen Mall.
Woodmen Mall is an event held by business students, where they have their own tables to showcase and sell products in the gym. Out of the sea of students preparing to sell perishable items, freshman Robert Hecker is selling something almost as priceless as gold: memories.
“I am selling photos at a photo booth. I named the business Fun Frames. I don’t exactly have a photo booth, but I have a camera and a printer, and I’m going to purchase props, so that’s pretty much what you need,” Hecker said.
Hecker provides his thought process as to why his product is different from everyone else.
“I don’t believe that I have to buy an excess amount of items and stock. It’s also much easier to keep track of the stock this way. If I sell photos digitally where all they use is props, I’ll sell it for about a dollar. Then, I don’t have to lug around a bunch of stuff. Just some stuff I already own,” Hecker said.
He is not the only one to have such a unique take on vending options. Freshman Hasan Tefenlili decided to introduce people to a piece of his culture by selling candy.
“My product is going to be Mexican candies that are popular in Mexico or just kind of rare here in the U.S. I will mostly be selling small stuff for less than a dollar. I might also sell candies in groups of five. The price will be around a dollar or less. The most expensive thing I plan on selling will be $1.50,” Tefenlili said.
Selling Mexican candies turned out not to be a new practice for Tefenili. He opened up to provide a glimpse of his childhood.
“I used to sell these candies when I was a younger kid, and I made like 40 bucks a week doing it. When I went to Mexico with my mom to visit family, I genuinely enjoyed the candy there; it’s way different then what’s here in the U.S,” Tefenlili said.
When constructing an event like Woodmen mall, marketing is essential. Senior Jude Thompson is one of many marketing students who are working to attract demand through the artistic point of view.
“Me and Beetle have helped lead the art and visual kind of side of things. Like the posters and flyers are out of focus. Then, I led the surveys and Google forms going around to kind of gather information on what people would like to see,” Thompson said.
Alongside Thompson is senior Beetle Speedy. Speedy elaborates on their side of the marketing spectrum.
“We have a lot of different things we are doing. Marketing in general is a very broad term. But for us, it’s more visual aids like flyers, posters, and social media are a big part of it. Talking to people, announcements, and things like Student Council and journalism are all important. None of it is getting neglected, so we fully intend to cover all of our bases,” Speedy said.
The whole marketing team is trying to get the word of Woodman Mall out. Speedy revealed the intricacies of behind-the-scenes marketing.
“We are not advertising the individual vendors, but we are advertising the event as a whole. Everyone is collaborating in one big group, but we do have people that are specializing in one specific group. Those in separate groups are really decided based on skills that person has, and what they’re interested in,” Speedy said.
Overseeing this huge project is business teacher Mrs.Madeleine Waters. This is a first time project for the underclassmen involved in vending products.
“The results of the projects remain to be seen. The day will definitely be telling, but I think they are working hard to understand some vast concepts. Most of my kids are freshmen and sophomores, and you don’t take Econ until you’re a senior. So they’re ahead of the curve. Considering that, I am extremely proud of them for even attempting this,” Mrs.Waters said.
To find more information on Woodmen Mall, visit their Instagram page @Woodmenmall
