Spirit shops update look

As students, faculty, and staff return to campus, they’ve been greeted by a wave of updates on campus, some more subtle than others. Many updates took place over summer while most students were off campus, chief of which was the rebranding of the bookstores into the spirit shops.

In prior years, students were able to order books and pick them up at either the CSB or SJU bookstore, which also sold school apparel. This year students order the books and pick them up at either Alcuin Library at SJU or Clemens Library at CSB.

Casey Gordon, chief information and transformations officer, said these changes reflect the mission of the institutions.

“The changes in the bookstores this past summer are part of a transformation that reflects our strategic vision, our brand promise, and what today’s students and families are telling us they want most: access, ease, value and a vibrant sense of belonging,” Gordon said via email.

The new model separated bookstore operations into two distinct areas. Gordon said the CSB+SJU bookstores will be focused on affordable, accessible course materials that support student learning. She said the CSB+SJU spirit shops will be dedicated to quality, on-trend merchandise that builds school spirit and deepens community connections.

One key difference structurally is that the new spirit store at SJU is much smaller than it was in prior years, with a new wall partitioning the old space in half. Gordon said this is due to the new layouts that were involved in the rebranding process.

“We are currently in the midst of in-store updates that include new layouts, fresh merchandising and a more welcoming customer experience. This transformation was rooted in the priorities of our strategic plan: student success, operational agility and brand alignment. It’s also directly informed by research on what prospective students and families value: personalized service, a cohesive and inspiring brand experience and simple, streamlined systems,” Gordon said.

Gordon also said that this pivot is intended to help with textbook costs and streamlining operational processes.

“For years, textbooks and merchandise have shared a space but served entirely different goals. With this change, we’re fine-tuning our operations to better serve our academic mission. We know from research that the high cost of some textbooks can be a challenge for students, and with these changes, our bookstore will be partnering more closely with the library to explore ways of delivering textbooks that can drive greater affordability for students,” Gordon said.

Students have had mixed reviews on what they think about the switch.Leo Krueger, SJU junior, said he understands the change and thinks it will be better for visiting students and their families.

“I think logically, the move to offer books through the libraries makes sense. Additionally, it gives visiting parents another location to meander,” Krueger said.

Bailey Heald, a junior at CSB, mentioned how she thought the name choice was an unexpected change.

“I thought it was odd because most people recognize apparel shops as bookstores in college, not spirit shops,” Heald said.

Additionally, Anne Oberman, chief financial officer at CSB and interim chief financial officer at SJU, detailed all the other work that took place over the summer to get the campuses ready for the new academic year.

“CSB and SJU completed a wide range of summer projects, focused on strengthening facilities, infrastructure and long-term strategic priorities. Immediate summer work included fire alarms, irrigation systems, roofing, HVAC, grounds improvements and resiliency projects, with concentrated activity scheduled through August to ensure readiness for the academic year,” Oberman said via email.

At SJU, student mailboxes were all put along the one wall in lower Sexton so that the mailing office could have more space for their operations.

These initiatives were part of the facilities master plan that was announced this spring.