They Roar at this store

Story and photos by Taylor Marleau/Special to BayToday.ca.

The aroma of fresh popcorn and herbal teas has been filling the hallways of Widdifield Secondary School all year.

There is a continuous line up and sales are brisk throughout the day to purchase various food products and merchandise from The Roar Store.

The Roar Store, run by those students taking Business courses at Widdifield, offers a new fresh and innovative way in learning business.

“The Store was developed to provide students with a real life experience in the retail industry as well as coming up with new ideas and then implement them to see if they work or not,” states Business Teacher Tyler Kidd.

“Working at the Roar store is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in the business world who wants to see what its like to run a stable business,” says Luinn Ricci, a student taking part in the Business Leadership course.

The students are given an opportunity to experience a sense of real world business while remaining in school.

“The main duties are to serve, restock supplies, and keep things tidy,” adds Ricci.

The Roar Store is in its second year of operation for the Widdifield population and has been having exceptional results.

Students can purchase a variety of products from school supplies from fruit bars, deodorant to freshly made popcorn at any time before, during, and after school.

“It provides a huge convenience to the students who are looking for a quick ‘pick me up,” says Ricci.

For the future of The Roar Store, Mr. Kidd and his students hope to maintain $80 in sales per day in order to raise money for various programs and extra-curricular activities at school.

As the sales continue, there could be an online store in the works to create purchasing opportunities for Widdifield alumni.

“Overall, I think the school is proud we have our own store that sells our Wildcat logo which plays a big part in school spirit, and we are just glad we can support the school and students whenever they’re searching for a quick convenience,” says Ricci.