Beyond Sweatshirts : Posh New UCLA Student Store Offers High-End Amenities

It used to be a place where students could buy an econ textbook or maybe a new sweatshirt before the big game. Now, Clinique makeup or Calvin Klein jeans are the popular items for university shoppers.

UCLA’s newly remodeled and long-awaited student store--which boasts the country’s highest sales for a university store--was officially open for business Monday, heralding a decidedly upscale era for university retail and a new way to keep student money on campus.

With more and more retailers targeting college students’ limited income, college stores across the country are changing their wares in an attempt to keep their best customers on campus, college store directors across the country said.

“We used to think all we sold were textbooks and supplies, but that’s certainly changed,” said Bob Cross, general manager of the University Bookstore at the University of Washington. “If you look at USC and UCLA and Stanford, they’re looking more and more like high-end retailers than college stores.”

At the UCLA Store, gone are the musty corridors flanked by textbooks and cramped racks of Bruin apparel. No more interminable lines under warehouse-style fluorescent lights. Now, students can browse through a spacious new building, cruising down a tile aisle (blue and gold, of course) from one high-end retail department to another.

The interior of the new store, decorated with hints of UCLA’s trademark brick and terra-cotta buildings, was designed by the firm that created the trendy Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie stores. The expansive rows of books--105,000 regularly stocked titles--rival Borders, officials claim. There’s a food market, a card shop and, of course, endless shelves of UCLA merchandise.

“If anything, students say it’s intimidating,” said Hugo Maldonado, an undergraduate board member of the student association.

The new store in Ackerman Union is owned and operated by the student association, which studied other large retailers including Barnes and Noble and CompUSA to develop the mix and design for the new facility.

“We are the largest university store in the country and therefore we need to be the best,” said Carol Anne Smart, director of retail operations. “We took the best of what’s out there [in retail] and gave it a UCLA signature.”

While shoppers marveled Monday at the face-lift, student association officials congratulated themselves and hoped that this $30-million investment will be the linchpin in the recovery of the flailing student union.

The student association is a nonprofit corporation. The project was funded in part by a $13.6-million bond approved by the UC regents, university loans and student seismic fees.

After years of budget shortfall, officials are counting on higher sales from students and tourists.

Completion of the two-year project, which included a seismic renovation of Ackerman Union and a 40,000-square-foot expansion, was delayed for several months because of trouble getting materials and contractor problems. Many students milling inside said it was worth the wait.

“It’s probably as nice as any department store,” said senior Daniel Gryczman.

“It looks like something out of TV, like the set of ‘The Fresh Prince’ or something,” said Hector Aquilino, a junior studying mechanical engineering.

Seniors Anne Louise Cox and Kristen Dulac checked out the Clinique counter approvingly before heading to the career center . “This is great,” said Cox, after buying a compact and makeup remover. “For college women, this is probably the most popular brand. It sure makes it convenient.”

Clinique counter person (and UCLA sophomore) Marie Sanchez said students have descended upon the makeup counter--some asking for beauty make-overs. “People love it--a lot of them don’t like walking down to Macy’s” in Westwood Village, she said.

Some warned that the new student store flirts dangerously with over-commercialization. But, they acknowledged, it could be the only thing to pull the student union back into the black.

“Ackerman Union strikes me as like an airport now, but maybe it’s better for the school to attract tourists,” said Diane Jun, a senior. “It’s a public university, but it’s got to have some avenue of finance besides student fees.”

“I guess it’s what we need to do,” sighed student body president John Du.

But many others gave the answers student association officials had been hoping to hear.

“Now we don’t have to go to the mall,” said sophomore Melissa Alcantara.