Advocacy Articles

Stay Prepared!
By Mark Palmore, Institutional Store Advocate and Executive Director

Maybe you haven’t noticed, but the college bookstore leasing industry has changed.  Fewer stores are being outsourced to contract management companies.  But, don’t let that development lead to complacency, you still need to be prepared, maybe even more than in the past.  Why?

The two major college bookstore leasing companies have changed from a “get all the stores you can” to a “get only the stores where the company can make large profits” strategy.  Though that philosophy seems rather obvious, it was not their strategy up until recently (or even when Wallace’s was around) because none of them wanted to lose a store to the other.  We are seeing a new trend; both companies are in the process of returning less successful stores back to the institution and they have closed less profitable off-campus stores.  Why has this change in philosophy taken place?  Because they have realized that making a profit in a college bookstore isn’t easy.  It takes hard work and well-trained professionals to make a store succeed.  As both of those companies change their strategy, I become even more concerned for the institutional college store in the battle against leasing.

I urge you not to be lulled to sleep by their seemingly less aggressive pursuit of stores.  They are out there, don’t worry.  Their marketing people continue to maintain a large presence at NACAS, NACUBO, CCBO, and ACUI.  They are gearing up and working behind the scenes to lease only the best and most successful stores, so stay prepared, know what your administration expects from your store and make sure your mission and that of your boss are the same.  Achieve your goals together and your institutional store will stay institutional.

As always, if you who feel you need any assistance from the Connect2One Advocacy program please contact me at 800-563-9034 x 228.

And remember, be positive, be proactive, and be prepared!