The inside of the new Ohio State Team Shop, soft-opening on May 31. Credit: Davis Beatty | Campus Editor
On May 31, Ohio State will soft-open its first Team Shop outside the athletic campus, catering to everyday apparel, game day merchandise and more.
Located on 15th Avenue and High Street, the store will host its grand opening for students as they head back to campus come August. Apparel will consist of Ohio State’s most notable brands—Champion and Nike—but other companies will bring more options, said Kevin Griffin, the vice president of brand management, services and partnerships at Ohio State.
“I think the variety for me, you know, I’m excited with all the different brands we’re going to be having here, and all the different style representations,” said Alexis Shoemaker, the general manager of the store.
The store’s goal is to cater to what Ohio State fans are interested in wearing on a regular basis, not just the game day jerseys and hats they wear on the weekends. Items will be sweatshirts, polos, University President Walter “Ted” Carter’s letterman jacket and more.
“This store really represents that thinking, which is more lifestyle, more office, more golf, more every day,” Griffin said. “Whatever you’re doing, whether it’s just hanging out, going for a walk, this is the kind of gear you might wear instead of the game day feel.”
When considering what to include in the store, Shoemaker said they looked at what is popular amongst their customers.
“It’s constantly trying what’s new and seeing what the fan likes, right?” Shoemaker said. “It’s not just the styles and silhouettes or the colors, but also some of the brands. What are they recognizing, and what do we want them to start recognizing?”
Due to this Team Shop location being the first outside of an athletic facility, Griffin says it can help prove that apparel is not just for game days.
“I think there’s a lot of trust with our audience around like ‘I can go into the team shop for anything, not just a jersey or a hat or a polo,’” Griffin said.
Even before the store is open, people have attempted to enter the store and are disappointed when the door is locked, Shoemaker said.
“We’ve been over here every day for about a week and a half now, and every day there’s multiple people trying to open the door, just from normal, classic foot traffic,” Shoemaker said. “I think some of the natural excitement that people are seeing is like ‘oh my gosh, this is a team shop right there by the union and these restaurants’, and I think some of the foot traffic is natural on top of the announcement that we are here. I think fans and people are really excited.”
Legends, a live events company, is Ohio State’s operating partner for Team Shops. They operate the other Team Shop store at the Schottenstein Center and the retail stores found at other athletic venues on campus, Griffin said.
The Team Shop plans to have a grand opening in August after students return to school, according to Griffin.
