The Grizzly Market, Glenn DECA’s School Based Enterprise (SBE), opened in 2018 to sell “Smart Snack” compliant beverages and snacks. At the time, the market also had a small selection of spirit wear and campus merchandise available to customers. The merchandise side of the shop eventually fizzled out – but not for long.

This year, under the management of Glenn Senior Mercedez Benavidez and DECA Advisor Israel Martinez Jr., The Grizzly Market has revived the spirit wear with some rebranding: the Glenn spirit wear shop is now known as Grizzly Outfitters.

Additionally, the shop implemented some new ideas. According to Benavidez, the shop currently offers seven shirt and crewneck options and 11 designs with prices ranging from $15 to $30. All spirit apparel is produced on site for a quick turnaround.

“The Grizzly Outfitters provides customers with the opportunity to create their own combinations of shirts and designs,” Benavidez said. “So if one customer wants design #3 with a heather navy t-shirt, and another customer wants the same design on a heather gray crewneck, they can totally do that!”

According to Mr. Martinez, DECA SBE competition team members Mercedez Benavidez and Spurthi Nannapaneni are working to earn The Grizzly Market Gold Certification as a DECA School Based Enterprise. This certification requires extensive work to compile a 50-page business plan to meet the specific requirements of the certification process. 

If earned, this certification would also bank Glenn DECA’s first trip to the International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California, to present their business plan and compete against other DECA SBEs from around the nation.

Glenn DECA President and Retail Team Lead Likith Kancharlapalli said that operating the Grizzly Market and Grizzly Outfitters gives GHS CTE students the unique opportunity to practice business management and entrepreneurship using real-world skills outside the prescribed textbook curriculum.

“It’s great to see organizations such as DECA, with the support of Leander ISD, taking great leaps to make education applicable while also fulfilling DECA’s mission of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management,” Kancharlapalli said.

Grizzly Market and Grizzly Outfitters Team Leads:

  • Likith Kancharlapalli – Retail Lead
  • Isaac Luna Corral – Food & Beverage Lead
  • Suriya Anbu Chezhian – Finance Lead
  • Spurthi Nannapaneni – Human Resources Lead
  • Rishi Shanigaram and Samhita Vajrapu – Marketing Leads
  • Mackenzie Williams – Design & Production Lead
  • Mercedez Benavidez – General Manager

Follow The Grizzly Market and Grizzly Outfitters on Instagram @Grizzly_Market_Outfitters.