Some California high-school students and a giant corporation are hoping that their unusual partnership will bring profits--monetary or otherwise--to both.
Students at James Logan High School in Union City and Southland Corporation, the parent company of the 7-Eleven chain, have joined together to open an on-campus convenience store.
Logan’s student government will reap all the financial profits, an estimated $18,000 a year, while 7-Eleven will have a training ground from which to recruit future employees.
The Logan store, which opened its doors last month, was begun by Maile Seney, a business teacher, with the help of Marlene Borloug, owner of a local 7-Eleven franchise. Once permission was secured from the school board and Southland, operation of the mini-store became a part of the curriculum for participants in the school’s advanced business classes.
The 75 students in the program are re6sponsible for every facet of the store’s operation, from keeping the shelves stocked to handling all the necessary accounting, says Ms. Seney.
The company has donated employee uniforms, shelving units, and a neon sign. And it plans to offer its expertise on product selection, provide managerial training, and give interested students opportunities to open their own store franchises someday.
The partnership is “a win-win situation,” according to Margaret Chabris, a Southland spokesman. The chain donates its expertise, she says, “and we, in turn, hope to get them excited about convenience-store retailing and have an opportunity to groom potential franchisees.”
And hungry or hurried students also may gain from the project. During lunch hours and after school, they can purchase cosmetics, snacks, school supplies, newspapers, and flowers, while benefiting their own student government.--jw
