Judson fair-trade store 'wildly successful'
More than 50 people perused handcrafted items from all over the world at Judson University's new fair-trade store, which opened Friday on its Elgin campus.
The Just World Goods store offers a variety of items, including coffee, tea, chocolate, jewelry, shirts, ornaments and book bags from Haiti, India and Latin America. It is situated in Lindner Tower's first-floor lobby near the Riverside Café.
It's been a labor of love for Briana Williams, 20, of Plainfield, the university's Global Outreach student leader who developed the idea for the store and put it together with a team of fellow students.
"We've been working on this for three months," Williams said. "The last month and a half I've been putting over 50 hours a week into the store. I spend literally all night staying up working on the store when I don't have homework ... just sending emails and contacting people."
It was worth the sleepless nights just to see the excitement on the faces of patrons Friday, she said.
Williams is grateful for the support, which means the university will be able to help more students go on mission trips and also help its global ministry partners.
Judson's Global Outreach program this year will be sending teams of 10 to 15 students on mission trips to Belize, the Bahamas, Peru, Mississippi, and East Saint Louis. Students engage in service-learning activities, including helping at schools with after-school programs and building houses.
Prices for items at the store range from $5 to $40. The Christmas ornaments, coffee and chocolates were a big hit.
"It was wildly successful," said Lisa Jarot, Judson associate vice president of Student Life, who bought socks for her children there.
Jarot said because it was a student-led project, there was "a level of buy-in from our student body because they are her peers."
"It was really exciting to see that many students there, as well as faculty," she said.
Jarot said it always has been the university board's goal to give students a global experience.
"Someday we hope to expand and create more of a merchant experience within one store," she said, adding the goal is to combine it with a bookstore and convenience store.
Among the products available, Williams' favorite are bags created by women in India who have been rescued from sex trafficking and abusive homes.
"I have a really close relationship with that family, and so I was able to hear some of the stories of the women who created the bags," she said. "Just knowing that I'm helping rescuing those women from abusive homes, sexual (exploitation) ... that I am able to provide a sustainable income for them through the store, that's just a blessing knowing that I'm able to help them from so far away."
The Just World Goods store will be open to the public 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, when classes are in session. It will be closed during school breaks.
• Daily Herald staff photographer Laura Stoecker contributed to this report.