Shopping at The Shack ... Looking Back

At the R2K reunion in Williamsburg, VA, the Shack was as busy as a Saturday evening at the night market in Bangkok. From suitcase salesmen to full-blown store, the history of the Shack, like the history of the ISB Network, grew from the imagination and efforts of Network volunteers. The seeds of setting up the Shack began in 1990 when Jim Hanlon (class of 1973) brought some items to sell at the San Antonio reunion. At the Seattle reunion in 1992 Bob Bridges, reunion coordinator and board member, offered Singha mugs and a limited number of T-shirts. Additionally Jed Davis (class of 1970) father of the famous "I Survived Youth In Asia" (TM) T-shirts had been printing and selling tees at his own expense, but being a board member and facing a potential conflict of interest, the ISB Network bought his remaining inventory.

In 1993 then President of the ISB Network, David Wilkerson, recognized the need for alumni to be able to purchase ISB-related merchandise, especially T-shirts, so he brought a load of sample shirts to the 1994 Clearwater reunion to sell on behalf of the Network. The T-shirts were such a huge success that 75 post-reunion orders were taken. Over the next two years, leading up to the Dallas reunion in 1996, the store continued to grow and began selling merchandise through the newsletter. At the 1996 Dallas reunion Bob Bridges named the store "The Shack Mercantile" after the Shack at the end of Soi 15.

It is important to note that Michael Nebeker, former Director of Development for ISB, brought ornamental iron work, teak shutters and floor boards from the original Shack to the Seattle Reunion. The Shack was torn down, and this was all we had left of the after school gathering place that so many of us has experienced. He also brought yearbooks and other archival materials that were used to help make the video documentary "Perspectives." These items were placed on temporary loan to us but later Freda Williams, Activities Director for ISB, asked the school to donate them because she saw how much joy they brought alumni at the reunions. At the reunions, these items are set up to enhance the atmosphere at the Shack mercantile and act as a catalyst for people to reminisce about their days at ISB.

Bob Bridges also designed the first true order form and helped with sales at each reunion. John Dammon, former treasurer of the Network, designed our first web site and gave us a place to sell ISB Network merchandise online. The Shack was a hit and sales increased so much that by the 1998 we were hauling hundreds of pounds of inventory to the Long Beach reunion. As interest in ISB-related merchandise continued to grow a new board member, Glenn Connolly, took over the web site adding graphics and a page dedicated to the Shack.

R2K was a record breaking reunion by all measures, including Shack sales and growth. The Shack added embroidered clothing, books, music, jewelry and the like. Thanks to marketing ideas over the years by key players including Kris and Kathy Stahlman, Dawn Twing Van Allen, Deb Twing Thompson, Mimi Drake Parks, John Dammon, Mark Brandes and Bob Bridges, the Shack now stocks over 30 different items. Additionally, the Shack displays hundreds of archival books and artifacts at reunions that have been donated by Alumni and by ISB, allowing us all to walk down memory lane, generation-by-generation.

We will forever be in debt to Michael Nebecker and Freda Williams for their energy in helping make our reunions something unique and special. The ISB Network is the sole owner of the Shack. All proceeds from sales go to the Network which helps support the ISB Network and greatly enhances the quality of our reunions. Stuck for ideas for birthdays and holidays? Help support the Network and shop at the Shack! (visit www.isbnetwork.com for a listing of Shack merchandise for sale)