More area retailers now carrying Monarch merchandise

BY STEVE DANIEL

Until recently, if you wanted to purchase clothing or other products carrying an Old Dominion imprint, the University Bookstore and a couple of other Norfolk outlets were essentially your only options.

Not anymore. In just a matter of weeks, ODU merchandise has found its way onto the racks and shelves of more than a dozen additional area retailers, and more stores will be carrying university products soon.

This push, which coincided with the introduction of the new athletic logo, has been the result of a partnership between the offices of Institutional Advancement and Athletics - and in particular the efforts of Ken Gideon, a special events coordinator in the events office, Debbie Byrne, associate director of athletics, and Maria Ferguson, university marketing coordinator.

In July, Gideon was given the additional title of assistant director of licensing and the directive to get Old Dominion merchandise into as many local stores as possible.

Gideon, Byrne and Ferguson literally hit the ground running, making visits to dozens of retail shops, malls and local manufacturing companies, and all of the leg work is starting to pay off. By mid-September, sales of ODU products licensed by the Collegiate Licensing Co. were already up 13 percent over the same quarter (July through September) last year, a trend that is expected to continue upward.

In addition to the positive aspects of making ODU merchandise easily accessible to consumers, the initiative pays off in terms of money coming into the university for academic and athletic scholarships.

With more than 37,000 Old Dominion alumni living in Hampton Roads, Gideon and Byrne are convinced the market is out there for Monarch merchandise.

"We eventually want to have a presence in all of the area malls. At the moment, we're not in Coliseum Mall or the MacArthur Center, but we're working on it and hopeful that this will happen," Gideon said. "Our goal is to get as many companies as we can on board before the start of basketball season."

Another new outlet coming on board the end of this month will be on the campus itself. The Monarch Shop at the new Ted Constant Convocation Center is scheduled to open Oct. 26. Operated by Global Spectrum and Barnes and Noble, it will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and during events at the center.

In addition to "selling" retail outlets on selling Old Dominion merchandise, Gideon has met with local manufacturers to get them on board and even expand their product lines.

"We're hoping to put more items out there over the next year - everything from ODU coffee mugs and trash cans to flags and door mats," he said.

Richmond-based Evergreen Enterprises, which is owned by ODU alumnus Frank Qiu, is planning to begin producing university mats and flags by January.

Gideon gives much of the credit to the Old Dominion University Retail Recognition Club for his success in enticing retailers to carry ODU merchandise. Created by Byrne, this initiative offers retailers a number of inducements for selling university products - everything from providing ODU in-store signage to free advertising at basketball games, in university publications and during ESPN Radio broadcasts of games.

"Hopefully, we are establishing long-term partnerships with these retailers that will create a 'win-win' opportunity for everyone," Byrne said.

She added that ODU coaches, cheerleaders and Big Blue are even available for appearances at in-store promotions.

"A great way for everybody to help us in this endeavor is, first and foremost, when you're at a store, check to see if they carry Collegiate Licensing Co. merchandise. Then look for ODU products, and if there aren't any there, ask the management if they can start carrying them. And, of course, when you visit stores that do sell ODU products, buy them!" Gideon said.

In addition to pursuing more local outlets, Gideon eventually will be working on encouraging bookstores at distance learning sites to carry Old Dominion merchandise.

He also points out that you can now pay for your ODU products - as well as all other purchases - with official Old Dominion University checks. Clarke American, one of the nation's largest producers of checks, recently made the new athletic logo available on checks, which can be ordered at virtually any local bank.