Boulevard Records recently closed its doors, but a new store will soon take its place. Yet to be named, this store focuses on wellness: mind, body, and soul.
Elizabeth Gortmaker, Director of the Cone Center for Entrepreneurship, explained that the Cone Center allows students to create a student-run campus business.
“It’s very hands on learning experience for students to go through the process of putting together a business plan and launching a new venture,” said Gortmaker.
The business idea slated to replace Boulevard is the result of several student-initiated ideas that all focused on better health from a holistic approach, she said.
“It’s all about wellness, mind, body, soul, physical, mental, spiritual wellness, kind of a one stop shop for students to come and get a holistic view of wellness. So anything from healthy foods and snacks on campus, some fitness gear, athletic wear, to all natural cleaning supplies, skincare, home care–eco friendly caring for the planet and for yourself.”
While the store has not yet opened, students were invited to shop-along and give feedback to a survey of potential products. The plan is to start with a soft launch in April and then keep doors open all semester; by fall, the product line will be completely built and finalized.
Erin Eversole, a junior involved with the project, began working for the Cone Center in September. When Everstole heard about the launch of a new store, she knew that she wanted to be involved from day one.
Currently, Eversole works as a general team member but aspires to move into the marketing department. She says the experience thus far has been really positive.
“It’s been really great to work collaboratively and kind of get different points of view and bring it to life.”
Eversole said the pandemic shifted people’s focus to self-care, and that new perspective prompted this store. So while the name and products have yet to be determined, their vision is clear:
“We’ve just been pushing through and continuing to go to school like nothing is going on. People aren’t really having the time or the resources to take care of themselves and I don’t think they’re realizing what deep psychological effects that this is going to have on us. And so I hope that this will be a space that people feel safe and somewhere that they can turn to to find those resources that they need.”
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This article written by Isaac Wetzel.