From Classroom to Commerce: A Look Inside Baldwin High School's Student-Run Shop

If you’ve ever walked the halls of Baldwin High School and caught the scent of freshly-baked cookies mingled with the sound of laughter and the hum of commerce, you’ve probably found yourself outside The Tomahawk Shop, located just outside the cafeteria in the College & Career Academy building hallway.

This isn’t your average school snack stand. It’s a full student-run business managed by Baldwin High’s Marketing Pathway students, and under the guidance of marketing teacher and DECA Advisor, Kristin Grebel, it’s become one of the most creative classrooms in the district.

“I jokingly call myself a DECA coach,” Grebel laughs. “And the court I coach on now is The Tomahawk Shop; a place where students discover their passion for marketing, entrepreneurship, and business finance.”

Real-World Educational Experience

While The Tomahawk Shop is technically classified as an SBE (School Based Enterprise) and has existed for a long time as part of the National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality or management, it received a substantial overhaul when Kristin Grebel took on the role of DECA Advisor last year, and this year the shop has continued to level up!

They’ve opened months earlier than before, doubled their inventory, and expanded payment options with a brand-new tap-to-pay system thanks to a grant from Robins Financial Credit Union. It’s a hands-on lesson in financial literacy and digital commerce that even adults would envy.

“It gives them a real-world experience,” says Grebel. “They get to experiment, make improvements, and even navigate government regulations all inside their classroom business.”

Through this innovative Baldwin College & Career Academy Marketing Pathway, students learn to think like entrepreneurs from planning promotions and balancing budgets to mastering customer service and product design.

Creativity Meets Commerce

At the Tomahawk Shop, students don’t just run a business. They build a brand.

They’ve designed window displays, launched seasonal campaigns, and organized wildly popular school wide events like the Golden Egg Hunt and March Madness Drink Bracket, where students voted on new menu items and took a shot at prizes on a mini basketball hoop in the shop.

“They get ownership of the store,” Grebel explains. “I guide them, but the creativity and leadership are all theirs.”

That ownership fuels engagement. Students who graduate from the marketing pathway often return as work-based learning interns, mentoring younger peers and bringing new ideas to the counter.

And every August, the question on repeat is the same: “When are we opening the store?”

New Equipment, New Opportunities

This year also brought a major upgrade, three brand-new ovens funded by a Georgia Innovation Grant. The ovens have already tripled production and allowed students to experiment with new flavors while learning how to scale a business responsibly.

“The ovens were a game changer,” Grebel says. “They make us more efficient, and because they came from a grant. All profits can go right back into the store.”

Efficiency meets education and the results are delicious!

Beyond the Classroom

The Tomahawk Shop and DECA partnership represent the very best of Baldwin County’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs. Students are learning that marketing isn’t just about selling products. It’s about storytelling, problem-solving, and leadership.

Many graduates go on to study marketing, public relations, and business administration, while others head straight into local industries or start small businesses of their own.

“Whether they go into trades, college, or one day run their own business,” says Grebel, “these students leave Baldwin with real skills, real confidence, and real experience.”

Believe in Baldwin — and in the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

The Baldwin County School District continues to champion programs like The Tomahawk Shop as part of its mission to prepare every graduate to be Employed, Enlisted, or Enrolled. At Baldwin High, students are proving that learning can be hands-on, community-centered, and yes, even fun!

So the next time you’re on campus, stop by The Tomahawk Shop. You’ll find fresh cookies, friendly smiles, and a whole lot of Baldwin pride baked in.