TAMPA, Fla. — A South Tampa store known for its high-end audio systems and artwork is creating an immersive experience for customers — while also serving as a learning opportunity for college students.
The Sound Attic, a listening and art gallery in South Tampa, sells high-end audio equipment and provides students with hands-on experience in marketing and business operations.
Amani Clark, a graduate student at Nova Southeastern University, has been interning at The Sound Attic since March. As part of her role, she develops marketing campaigns to showcase the store’s audio products.
“We’re partnering with an audio file society, where they are actually going to specifically be looking at the turntable and speakers, so I’m doing some pieces on them leading up to the event,” Clark said.
Clark said the internship has allowed her to gain practical experience using social media marketing to help drive sales and attract customers.
“Being able to, OK, how are we able to use our social media marketing to drive sales? What are going to be the things that help bring people into the door?” she said.
According to owner Charles Weiner, The Sound Attic was established not only to sell audio equipment but also to provide students with opportunities to learn marketing strategies and develop creative skills.
“It’s giving them opportunities that otherwise they wouldn’t be able to get, particularly while they are in college,” Weiner said.
Weiner described the business as a listening and art gallery with a mission beyond retail.
“What makes us unique is that 100% of our profit goes back into supporting student opportunity, art and education,” he said.
Kassidy Negron, a graduate student at the University of South Florida, is also taking part in the program. Negron, who hopes to pursue a career in marketing, said she was quickly given significant responsibilities.
“I thought maybe, ‘Oh, I’ll just jump in a little bit and walk around, get used to all the systems,’ but immediately Charles gave me this opportunity to start a business proposal with Bermeister, so I started working on that immediately,” Negron said.
Though they are interns, students like Clark and Negron are playing a major role in the day-to-day operations of the business.
“It gave me the ability and the opportunity to show some of my creativity and be able to apply the skills that I learned in the classroom and out in the real world, which I thought I wouldn’t be able to do for a couple of years,” Negron said. “You know, maybe running coffee, but I’m out here doing the work.”
Clark said the experience is helping her build skills she can use throughout her career.
“No matter what path I end up taking, for example, if I go full steam ahead with digital marketing, a lot of the skills I learn here will be useful for when I create campaigns for other brands, no matter where they may be,” she said.
For students like Clark and Negron, the venture offers an opportunity to gain professional experience and develop skills that can help launch their careers.