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WEST VIRGINIA STATE COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS
HELP AGRIBUSINESSES PROSPER AT SOUTHERN CHRISTMAS SHOW
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) and Division of Tourism’s efforts at the recently concluded Southern Christmas Show in Charlotte received a huge boost from a group of students from West Virginia State Community and Technical College (WVSCTC).
And their labors were richly rewarded. The West Virginia store – stocked with a wide variety of West Virginia Grown specialty foods products from roughly 50 Mountain State companies – brought in approximately $55,000 this year, a jump of more than 20 percent over last year.
“The Division of Tourism welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Department of Agriculture,” said Commissioner of Tourism Betty Carver. “Together we were able to reach a remarkable number of people in one of our target markets.”
“The goal of these types of shows is to help West Virginians build better businesses,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “Normally, it’s our many small, family-operated businesses that benefit. In this instance, we’ve also been able to provide some of our future business leaders with some practical, hands-on experience.”
Real-world experience is exactly what WVSCTC Professor Donna Jarrell had in mind for her students. Jarrell coordinated the student effort and said that students from management, retail buying and visual merchandising classes helped with designing, building and staffing the temporary, 1,400 square-foot store. Eleven students traveled to Charlotte for at least part of the show and approximately 75 were exposed to the project in some way, including training.
“It really was a very valuable experience. Students learned about dealing with customers, what helps products sell, traffic flow patterns and how to be good representatives for the state of West Virginia,” said Jarrell. “I had a student come in my office and say he was ready to go tomorrow if I could come up with another trip. I think the trip also gave students the idea that they could become entrepreneurs as well – they saw that there is help available from the state.”
WVDA Marketing and Development Director Jean Smith was thrilled with the success of the show. “The students weren’t just there to sit back and watch; they worked very hard and were tremendously helpful to my staff,” she said. “And our companies did extremely well too. The great products we sell are gaining word-of-mouth advertising. Shoppers come looking specifically for our store.”
Smith said that product samples provided by producers are a key element to successful sales efforts. She also noted that 22,000 shoppers passed through the Charlotte Merchandise Mart on Veteran’s Day, helping to build awareness of West Virginia as a shopping and tourism destination. In fact, the Division of Tourism, co-sponsor of the West Virginia Store, ran out of brochures, even though they took 10 percent more than last year.
Tamarack also participated in the store. Four exhibitors from the Beckley-area visitor’s center demonstrated their crafts throughout the 10-day show, which ran Nov. 9-19.
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