Las Positas College is planning to convert the former JAMS program space into a merchandise store to encourage school spirit, create paid employment opportunities for students and provide a creative outlet for campus organizations.
The campus merchandise store will be located in Room 2409,, and will be called Las Po Collective. The creative studio will have equipment for student-created merchandise, and for LPC campus organizations to create their own merchandise.
This is according to Chip Woerner, Las Positas College’s director of marketing and communications. “Basically all the merchandise, when the bookstore closed, went online,” Woerner said. “We didn’t have a physical place where current students or prospective students could come in and get a T-shirt, sweatshirt, hat or other swag.”
The option of having pop-up sales was also considered. After being asked what he would do with a dedicated space, Woerner proposed creating a store combined with a workshop and studio.
“I’d love to have a little workshop where we could put heat presses in there, and then clubs or programs could come in when they needed to make their own T-shirts,” Woerner said.
The front of the space will be used for the merchandise store, while the back will be used as a studio. Planned equipment includes heat presses, a large-format printer, a large paper cutter, and a Cricut machine. Students and campus organizations will be able to use the equipment to make their own merchandise.
Woerner said the number of student assistants working at the store will depend on interest and demand. Student assistants will help with the front of the store, while Woerner will handle back-of-store operations.
“We will need student assistants to help run the store. So yes, paid,” Woerner said.
The apparel will likely retail for about $10 for T-shirts and $20 for hoodies. Students will also be able to use a touchscreen kiosk to browse hundreds of additional products available through the online store.
The physical store and online store are scheduled to open at the same time. Woerner is targeting Nov.1 or Nov. 2 for the opening. The space is about 90% built out, with final touches, inventory and stocking still remaining.
Savannah Richardson, coordinator for the Umoja Learning Community and the Black Cultural Resource Center, said she was excited about the development of the merchandise store.
“My initial reaction, it was wow, like, this is a great way for us to find different apparel and things for us to have to show our school spirit,” Richardson said. “So I thought it was a great addition to our campus considering we don’t have a bookstore anymore.”
Woerner also sees the merchandise as a way to promote LPC outside of campus. He recalled wearing an LPC shirt in Wisconsin and near Reno where people recognized the college.
“Every one of those items is a billboard,” Woerner added. “The more important step is to wear it, or use it in public.”
As Room 2409 prepares to become the new LPC Merchandise Store, students will have a physical place to purchase Las Positas College merchandise, paid student assistant opportunities and access to a creative studio where campus organizations can create their own merchandise.
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TOP PHOTO: Room 2409 previous journalism and media studies room is now empty and is being turned into a Las Positas merch store. (Photo by Sophia Sucato // The Express)
Mahmood Mansaray is a staff writer for The Express. Follow them on Instagram/Twitter/ect. @mahmoodm__.
