Iron Horses roll out new mobile spirit store
There’s a new addition to the Iron Horses fleet at Philip Simmons High School this year – and it’s generating a stampede of excitement.
A gleaming new mobile spirit store – known as the “Rolling Thunder” – debuted at Parent Night on Aug. 15 and students have been clamoring to get on board ever since! Inside the well-appointed “shop on wheels” you will find plenty of “merch” in the school’s trademark purple, black and grey. For Mary Nemeth, president of the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association, it’s all about the kids and the PSHS mission to provide “a promised education” to each one of them.
“We promise each of these kids that we’re gonna look at them individually and get them where they need to go, whatever that is,” she said. “Some of them have college dreams, some of them have workforce dreams. We want to meet them where they are. We want them to be proud of being here.”
The idea to open a mobile spirit store started with Nemeth. Previously, the store was located inside the building.
“It was so great,” said Nemeth, of the store’s beginnings. “It was like purple heaven and the kids really bought into it. They really want to be proud of their school. They want people to know ‘I am an Iron Horse.’”
But soon that interior space would be needed for an exciting new project with Heritage Trust Federal Credit Union. So Nemeth put on her thinking cap and came up with a plan. She wrote a grant request to the Daniel Island Community Fund asking for money to set up the mobile shop. The DICF agreed with her vision for the store and agreed to provide the funds to purchase a trailer. Nemeth found one that fit the budget and then started working on how to get it ready for business.
“Everybody just stepped up!” she said. “…Never do I go out and ask and not receive. The receiving has been a true blessing for this community.”
Holly and PJ Buceti took on doing the interior of the space, adding hardwood floors, shelving, and lights.
“With all of their labor and all their love for free,” added Nemeth. “Because they love this school and they love what we’re doing here and are just complete supporters of us…It’s just gorgeous in there! It’s a little business on wheels. It’s so cool.”
To complete the package, three other community businesses - Dockery’s, Palmetto Custom Carts, and Ace Hardware - wrapped the trailer with the PSHS logo and other exterior signage.
“It just all magically came together,” said Nemeth.
“Rolling Thunder” will be able to set up shop at home athletic games, but also travel to other locations in the community, such as Daniel Island School, parks, and special events. All of the money earned in the spirit store “goes right back to the kids,” said Nemeth.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to bring our name to other places,” she added. “Because we are the public high school and the more that people invest in us, the better we will get. Since I’ve been here from the ground up, it’s just been amazing to see the relationships, the families and the love that’s been built here.”