Around the Corner: Robbie Heath
Trophy Shop owner Robbie Heath
In 2022, none other than Forbes magazine proclaimed Generation Z would become the most prolific entrepreneurial generation on record.
Robbie Heath is a prime example of the publication’s bold pronouncement.
The twenty-five-year-old Mississippi College graduate and Clinton High School (CHS) alumnus is the owner of The Trophy Shop, a one-stop store located at the intersection of Northside Drive and Old Vicksburg Road that carries all things involving awards and recognition.
Though trophies of all sizes, colors and descriptions dominate the interior of the former hamburger restaurant, The Trophy Shop also offers plaques, signs, banners, engraving services and even magnetic signs for vehicles.
Heath acquired the business in 2023 from former owner David Pryor. The young entrepreneur worked for Pryor at The Trophy Shop while still a college student.
“[Pryor] was ready to retire, and I was ready to step up and own my own business,” Heath said. “I knew the routine and the engraving machines like the back of my hand.
“I was well-prepared to take over the store.”
Heath admits owning and operating his own business weren’t exactly career goals. During his time as a student at CHS, he was an athletic trainer for the Arrows football team, which captured the 2016 MHSAA Class 6A state football championship title.
One of the players Heath helped keep healthy was legendary Arrows quarterback Cam Akers, who went on to fame and fortune at Florida State and the NFL.
“Cam was an unbelievable player, and we know each other well,” Heath said. “I often taped his ankles and wrists before practice and games. He seemed indestructible, but Cam still incurred aches and pains like the other guys.
“Those were fun times during that championship season.”
Heath’s roots in Clinton run deep – his mother Glynda is the office manager for the school district’s Career and Technical Education facility, while his father Kelly served for years as an assistant principal at CHS before retiring.
Growing up and living in Clinton has been a huge plus for his business.
“The impact of seeing former classmates and people I know has been tremendous,” he said. “I enjoy giving back to the community and seeing Clinton prosper.”
In addition to his athletic training duties with the CHS football team, Heath was a valued member of Attaché, the school’s award-winning show choir. One of the ways he gives back to the community is volunteering his time with Attaché as a member of the group’s technical support team.
The quick-witted businessman also sponsors the Clinton Junior High School’s Ambassadors show choir and Junior Civic Club, and is a member of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and the Keep Clinton Beautiful campaign.
For Heath, the key to being a successful small business owner is advertising.
“We advertise through the schools with ads and logos in game programs and just try to get the word out that The Trophy Shop sells more than trophies,” he said.
Engraving services are a huge slice of the store’s business pie.
“Lots of people come in and want to get items personalized. We have two different types of engraving machines and can engrave about anything,” Heath said. “Knives, cups, glass, acrylics, it doesn’t matter – we can do it.”
Of course, with “trophy” prominently displayed in the store’s name, Heath stocks the shelfs with a complete line of shiny metal awards, including individual trophies for school and Little League teams, bowling tournaments and even fishing competitions.
“We can also mount all sorts of things on a trophy,” Heath added. “Right now, we’re trying to figure out a way to mount a sword for a client. If you bring it in, we’ll do our best to find a solution to make it work.”
When he’s not fulfilling the awards and recognition needs of his fellow Clintonians, the avid outdoorsman enjoys hunting and fishing at his family’s 120-acre spread fronting the Mississippi River near Vicksburg.
