CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — A new business may soon be coming to the Johnstown Galleria in Richland Township.
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown students are working on plans to remodel the retail space formerly occupied by a clothing company.
The plan is for the old Hollister store to be transformed into a modern co-working space, providing offices and common areas for those working remotely or running small businesses.
UPJ’s marketing and management course is taught by professor Skip Glenn who says it’s a capstone class meant to give these seniors a taste of the real world before they graduate.
“We try to involve every aspect of the marketing experience, as well as the training and knowledge that we give them through the course of their major, into this course with a project of this scale.”
Professor Glenn explained that students design the project and then develop a business model.
“This would be the front desk that would be on the wall right behind us. We would like a monitor right when we walk in that can put our business name or some advertising for other local companies if we want. And just some couches and chairs right in the middle,” says senior Madison Sedlemeyer.
“In this image you can see our dedicated desks; those are going to be where people can come in and they can leave their own monitors or we might provide monitors for them and they pay a little bit extra for them but it’s there office away from home,” adds senior Mary Smith.
The professor says the next steps are a marketing plan and proposal for prospective investors and says it’s a win-win for both the entrepreneurs and the students.
“Students that are in accounting, management, marketing, finance, they can act as consultants to help their business grow and engage with them and maybe become interns for them, ultimately, and employees down the road.”
Professor Glenn adds that they hope to have everything up and running within a year.
And mall owner Leo Karruli says he’s proud to donate the 6,000 square foot space to UPJ.
