Rocket Shop makes changes for new school year

By Hailey McPheron

McNicholas’ Athletic Department has taken full charge of the Rocket Shop this year with a new goal based to help students. In the past, McNicholas has always had a partnership with U Sports which also covered shipping to families, but this year U Sports closed its Anderson Township location and moved to Milford. The Rocket Shop’s vendor is BSN Sports. McNicholas already has a contract with BSN through the Athletic Department for the purchase of sports gear and sports uniforms.

“We are very protective of the [McNicholas] brand, especially [with] it being new,” said Mr. Drew McMillan, Rocket Shop Manager and Athletic Facilities Coordinator, who is also working with Athletic Director Mr. Drew Schmidt and others from the Athletic Department to make changes to the Rocket Shop.

In the past the Rocket Shop was run by a group of parent volunteers but is no longer having the parents run the shop. McMillan stated that it’s a lot of work for someone who is volunteering, so It just makes more sense to have somebody running and being paid.

McMillan is currently working on getting the Rocket Shop back online to make it more accessible for parents and students. He said that once the Rocket Shop gets back online, parents will be able to order but will have to pick orders up in the Rocket Shop. In the future, they hope to ship from McNicholas.

Their goal now is to get the Rocket Shop back online, have affordable high-quality products such as Nike products and to be accessible to students during school hours.

“We’re just dipping our toes in the water,” McMillian said about the new changes to the Rocket Shop and what changes are to come. He added that accessories will be available for themes later this year, like for Christmas.

Students and parents can volunteer at the Rocket shop by finding the sign-up genius in the weekly McNicholas newsletter from September 11, 2024. It will be open until the middle of December. McMillian stated he didn’t expect for students to sign up at first but loves the idea of students being able to learn all about how to run the shop.

The Rocket Shop’s hours are Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. McMillan said they are also looking to expand the hours in the future. The pop-up Rocket Shop will also be open at every home football game, and they hope to have the shop open at other home sporting events. As McMillian said, “Whereever there is a large number of people, we will try to be.”

“The reason why any of us is here is for the students of the school and that is my sole focus constantly, and I think that it should be as much the students Rocket Shop as anyone else’s,” McMillan added.