By Noah Ravan
Student Intern
Prices’ Store for Men opened in downtown Spartanburg in 1904 and has been supplying Wofford students with clothing and opportunities ever since.
“As I understand it, in the early 1900s, many Wofford students were from rural communities in the South,” says store owner Harry Price. “When they would arrive in Spartanburg, Prices' would outfit them in proper college attire. That relationship has been built upon for almost 120 years.”
A 1904 photo of Prices’ storefront includes a young man wearing a coat and tie, which is described by Price as being proper college attire for the time.
Prices’ Store for Men also provides learning experiences for Wofford students interested in business.
“I like to think that working in a retail environment and being exposed to all aspects of an entrepreneurial environment is a great way to prepare for the business world,” says Price. “Developing personal relationships with customers and networking is a key to success.”
Pierson Hotchkiss ’23, a business economics major from Lexington, Virginia, is one of five Wofford students currently employed at the store, which Price calls his “largest class so far.”
“It’s great to see the connection that the store has with the students and with the campus,” says Hotchkiss.
These connections have already led to new opportunities for Hotchkiss.
“I work with four Wofford alumni at a law firm,” says Hotchkiss. “We have a lot of alumni come in and shop, and working here has provided us with opportunities to network with them.”
Luke Willis ’23, a government major from Laurens, South Carolina, is another Wofford student working at the store.
According to Willis, his experience working in the store and his interactions with Wofford alumni have helped him plan for his future. “I’ve been looking into the business world from my experience at Prices’ primarily in marketing,” says Willis. “It’s what I’ve had the most experience in and something that I hope to continue doing in the future.”
He’s also getting career insight from the Wofford alumni that he’s often meeting.
“When you find out someone’s a Wofford alumnus, you can ask them about their career and what their day looks like, and what I can expect if I’m looking to do something similar in my life,” says Willis.