Nov 23

Nov 23 Seventeen-year-old opens a new discount outlet in Kinston

Shane Swindell inside Shane’s Discount Outlet. Kristy Bock/Neuse News

There is a new entrepreneur in Kinston, and he’s seventeen years old.

Shane Swindell, along with the help of his family, is opening a new business in the old K-Mart building on N. Queen Street in Kinston. Shane’s Discount Outlet will have its grand opening on Saturday, November 23rd at 9 a.m. He’s working hard to provide the community with a discount outlet store.

His father, Frank Swindell, acquired the K-Mart building. After brainstorming, they both agreed a discount outlet would be a good fit in a market like Kinston. Shane wants to provide quality pieces of merchandise at discounted prices so everyone in Kinston can benefit from it. He thinks people are tired of having to drive long distances for items when they should be able to shop locally.

Shane’s Discount Outlet in Kinston. Kristy Bock/Neuse News

In preparation for the store’s grand opening, it’s all hands on deck with unpacking and stocking clothes, furniture, and Christmas items. They came up with the slogan for the store: “If we weren’t selling it, we’d be buying it.”

With eye-catching brands like Polo and Calvin Klein, the discount outlet will offer appealing clothing. They also have housewares and furniture. There is a jewelry display stand with watches, chains, and necklaces. They have the hardware, tools, and a bunch of pocketbooks. Just in time for the holidays, there is also a Christmas themed section.

In addition to starting his own business, Shane runs cross country and is the captain of the tennis team. He’s currently 4th in his class at North Lenoir High School. Shane started and is the president of the chess club. He’s the president of the math club and 11th-grade president of the Science Olympiad. He teaches recreational tennis clinics on Mondays and Wednesdays to little kids. Previously every Saturday morning he was teaching RAD tennis clinics to handicapped children of Kinston.

College is still a priority for Shane, he’d like to get a business degree if the store is a success he’d like to expand it. If the store does not work out, he’d like to go into dentistry because he feels its a safe and stable job that has prestige.

He is entertaining the idea of playing tennis in college but he’d have to carve time out of his busy schedule for practice. He loves to surf and ski and help out with the campus cleanup committee. Shane is also working on getting his motorcycle license for the Honda he bought with his summer earnings as a lifeguard at Holloway Park.