Mission: To provide children with a personalized, joyful experience in selecting gifts for those on their holiday shopping list, while providing a hands-on learning lab for the Marketing Education students of Heritage High School.
The Little World Brand: Facebook and social media were non-existent in the first 27-years of Little World's operations in Blount County. During this time, our method of promotion was focused on the reputation and history of the project, the entertainment value provided to children (and their parents) during the Christmas season, word of mouth and, of course, the appearance of LW elves at area elementary schools.
After six years of retirement, Little World came out of retirement in 2013, and opened at Heritage High School, a "brand-new" and possibly unusual location. It is our intention to use FB and our other social media outlets to get the word out to the 3,000+ former HHS Marketing students and now, their children, who have worked and have memories of this amazing project.
We are delighted at the success LW has seen since its resurgence in 2013, and we are excited to see what the 2018 year has in store for our shoppers and our elves!
Our History:
1979: Little World opens its doors for the 1st time by Heritage Marketing students & Advisor Gail Bray in the "now-town" area of Maryville.
1985: Heritage DECA/Marketing students & Advisor Janice Livingston re-locate Little World to Foothills Mall.
1985 to 2006: Little World operates seasonally inside of Foothills Mall.
2006: Little World closes its doors at Foothills Mall and shuts down operations.
2013: Heritage DECA/Marketing students & Advisor Janice Livingston resurrect Little World in a new location at Heritage High School and begin a rebranding effort.
2015: Advisor Janice Livingston retires; Heritage Alum and former LW shopper, elf (1994-95), and CEO (Chief Elf of Operations, 1996) Holly Burns assumes the role of advisor and continues the LW project with Heritage DECA/Marketing Students.
2016: Little World is recognized as a Gold Certified School-Based Enterprise
Awards: National finalist in the Pepsi Learn & Earn Competition; awarded portfolio of Pepsico stock; Top 20 Finalist in School Based Enterprise - Retail Operations Division at DECA ICDC 2018; Gold re-certification mention DECA ICDC 2019