Reinventing the YSU Store as a Retail Powerhouse

As a center of opportunity and community pride, Youngstown State University needed a college store that would serve as a vibrant gathering place and deliver the retail experiences today’s students, parents, alumni and fans crave. The university transitioned bookstore operations to Barnes & Noble College (BNC) in 2016, partnering to build a branded mecca in a central location on campus.

The reinvented store and its refreshed selection of branded apparel and general merchandise create a sense of community, drawing people in to shop, study and spend time with friends. For recruiting tours, the pops of red and visual display of Penguin pride also make the store a can’t-miss stop. By FY20, the store saw an 86% increase in GM, café and convenience sales from prior to its transition to BNC.