The Campus Store's new name and new look: A Q&A with Executive Director Peter Neff

University of Arizona BookStores changed its name this summer to the University of Arizona Campus Store to more accurately reflect its offerings and place within the campus community. Along with the new name comes a complete renovation of both floors at the flagship location in the Student Union Memorial Center. 

The new look reflects a concerted effort by Peter Neff, executive director of the Campus Store, and his staff to keep the outlet relevant and appealing to all its customers, but especially students and the wider campus community. 

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Lo Que Pasa recently caught up with Neff, just before the Campus Store's "soft opening" on Aug. 19.

Why did you change the way you were using the space?

We had to rightsize our store because we aren't a traditional bookstore anymore. We surveyed students and engaged in some marketing studies, and we found students wanted to feel more connected to the store. They felt the way the store was before made it feel like their "grandparents' store," like an old-fashioned department store. They wanted something that represented the university as it is today and reflected their interests and desires. The name Campus Store reflects those broader interests.

The old store was good for 20 years. It had a great run the way it was designed. But its decor was a bit dark. It wasn't open. You couldn't see from one side of the store to the other. We wanted to make sure that, when we changed, people felt an openness, less claustrophobic, that it was brighter. I wanted the focus to be the products we sell, not the design of the building.

What are the main changes to the layout?

We changed the layout on the main floor to open up sight lines, to highlight high-end brands and to reserve space for seasonal promotions and special events. On the bottom level, we expanded the tech area and created additional event space. Just six to eight years ago, the entire bottom floor was nothing but pallet after pallet of textbooks. But that space kept shrinking because we no longer needed rows of shelves filled with course materials. Students today are more attuned to technology and are more adept at using digital methods of learning. In addition to that, most of our course materials – I'd guess 90% – come in a digital format. 

What will people notice when they first enter?

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Openness! They'll notice we have high ceilings. You couldn't really tell before because we had walls in the entryway. We took those down. We exposed some beams, so the whole space is more open. One of our most frequently asked questions before the renovations was "Where can I check out?" Now you can see very clearly where the registers are. We also removed a barrier on the stairs to the first floor and added glass panels to the railings around the staircase, so visitors can see below more easily. Now you can see the tech center, or whether there's an event going on downstairs. People may not realize, but the staircase itself is actually a piece of public art titled "Emergence," which was designed in 2002 by Native American artist and U of A alumnus Gerald Dawavendewa. We also added new backlighting for the panels celebrating Native American cultures that run along either side of the stairs to make them stand out more.

In terms of merchandise, what's new in the store? 

We introduced several new, higher-end brands. We brought in Lululemon at the end of last year to ensure they'd be part of this process. We also brought aboard '47 sports apparel, Mitchell & Ness and Summit Golf Brands, which are very popular. Additionally, we updated the styles of clothes on the racks. One of the complaints students made was that everything was red, white and blue, so we improved the mix of colors that our apparel comes in. We have found by having a broader selection, we meet the needs of our diverse campus community. Our customer base is more than just students. It's the faculty and staff. It's the whole Tucson community and our university alumni. We want to offer items for everyone.

What are some of the brand names that are returning to the shelves?

We kept the brands that are fan favorites and have been with the university for quite some time, like Nike, Champion, Columbia. We kept Logo Brands, which makes a lot of our tailgating items. A lot of our gift vendors stayed the same, but we asked them to design different types of products for us to broaden our selection. We always have a core T-shirt line that's a little less expensive. Customers can still rely on that. There are certain things that customers come to expect, so we wanted to make sure those traditional items are here while expanding our fashion brands.

If visitors are looking for new items, or seasonal offerings, where should they go?

There's a space between the entrance and Starbucks where student groups or local companies can promote their goods or services. It's supposed to be a testing ground for new retail ideas. We plan on that area changing almost weekly – just like when you go to Costco and you see whatever's new there. Across the room we also have an area where the products available will change as the year progresses. For example, right now it's full of football-related stuff and things for tailgating. That will be gradually replaced as we move into basketball season and the winter holidays.

There's a new space downstairs that looks a little like a classroom. What is that for?

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That's our event space. We want our store to be interactive. We want people to come and use our space. Our event space is designed so that student groups of all kinds can meet, as well as groups from outside the campus community. We have Story Time Character Hour there, which serves the children of Tucson. We hope to encourage ASUA clubs to use it for meetings or events. It's also an area that's available for students to study or hang out when there's not an event going on. We want it to be multipurpose.

What changes were made to the tech area downstairs? 

We expanded it. Half of the area mimics the look of an Apple Store. In addition to being an Authorized Campus Apple Retailer, we also operate a technology service center with technicians who have been trained through Apple to service iPads, Apple desktop computers and now even iPhones. Members of the campus community – anyone with an arizona.edu email address – and even U of A alumni with proper documentation qualify for a discount on tech services.

What takes up the other half of the tech area?

Anything a student will need for their entire adventure at the University of Arizona, from their first day to their graduation, is all located on the lower level. Students can go to the customer service counter and our clerks will scan their CatCard and be able to find what textbooks, or course materials, they need, and they'll go in back to retrieve those things. It takes only about two minutes. 

The Campus Store also has locations in all Arizona Athletics facilities, including Arizona Stadium, McKale Memorial Center, Hi Corbett Field and Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium, as well as an outlet on the University of Arizona Health Sciences campus.