Tiger Express Apparel, a new clothing and sportswear retailer, celebrated its grand opening in St. James on Sept. 23. The store operates like any other clothing maker–employees design and press merchandise like shirts, hoodies and hats, tag and merchandise products, count inventory and market new items.

But, unlike other local clothing sellers, Tiger Express Apparel’s business operations, from initial design to final sale, is run by a group of enterprising St. James High School students. Instead of earning a salary, student workers earn class credit and learn essential life and business skills.

This is the fourth year of operations for the School-Based Enterprise (SBE), in which students design, print and sell original merchandise inspired by the St. James Tigers. During previous years, the business would sell their products at school events like football games. This year, for the first time, the business is operating a storefront located inside St. James High School.

Business and Marketing Teacher Jordan Hance, a sort of CEO of Tiger Express Apparel, said that SBEs are an opportunity for students who are interested in running a business to get practical, hands-on experience doing just that.

“They get real world experience. They have to learn how to talk to customers, how to keep a budget, do finances, market it,” said Hance. “It’s important for them to get that customer interaction, building confidence and being able to talk to others. They don’t learn any better than by actually doing the work.”

Not all students involved in the program will go on to start their own business. Hance said that no matter what students’ future careers may be, the practical business skills they learn in her class will help them in any line of work.

“They may not graduate and do this as a career, but the skills they learn doing this can translate to any career,” Hance said.

Students are involved at each stage of the business, starting with design concepts. Hance said that Tiger Express Apparel not only creates school-spirit-inspired designs, but also takes custom orders from various school clubs and organizations.

After the design stage is the production stage. Tiger Express Apparel operates two t-shirt presses. Students then market and promote the venture. They even have to keep track of company finances.

According to Hance, the company’s sales have been consistently growing year over year. The business became profitable last year. That year, Tiger Express Apparel’s sales were four times higher than the year prior.

This year, Hance expects that sales will perform even better. Over the summer, the company ordered and prepared enough merchandise to last until the first football game of the season. By the time back-to-school week was over, their entire stock had sold out.

“So, in just the first week of being over between the football games and back to school, our sales were what they were two years ago,” Hance said.

At the shop’s grand opening Jillian Baker, a high school senior who wants to be a businesswoman after graduation, was operating the store’s point of sale system.

Baker said that she appreciates the opportunity to learn by doing.

“It’s really cool that it’s a business that students get to have such a big hand in. Students don’t get to do this much, especially in school, and we get high school credit for it,” Baker said.

The two presses that Tiger Express Apparel employees operate allow them to produce professional quality shirts and other St. James Tigers-themed gear.

Gabriel Adams, a senior, said that the printing process is his favorite stage of production. Adams has learned the process well, and described the printing process from receiving materials to having the product on shelves.

“We get the shirts, it’ll come in a big box from whatever website we get it from. We have a heat press. So, we’ll put the shirt on, level out the design, place the design down, put a sheet over it, press it, heat it, cool it, and then fold it up and package it right here,” Adams said.

The storefront will be open on select dates all throughout the school year and include Oct. 27 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. during parent-teacher conferences, Dec. 1 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for a “Sweatshirts with Santa” event, Dec. 7 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for the first girls’ basketball home game and Dec. 11 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. for the first boys’ basketball home game.

Starting in October, Tiger Express Apparel plans to be open every Friday during school lunches so that students can shop.

Community members can also shop by appointment.