Goodbye Knight and Day Campus Bookstore

[Goldie Knight]

August 29, 10:30 AM

I had heard reliable rumors this July that the University would be closing the Knight and Day Campus Bookstore at Cheel.

When I ventured into Cheel this week to pick up my season's tickets, low and behold, I was horrified to discover that our nice little bookstore is indeed gone! In its place and taken over by ARA Mark is an Einstein Bagel shop. After talking with several students and adults, I learned that this new business endeavor closes early in the afternoon and is still attempting to straighten out beginning business woes.

In my opinion, an untimely decision has been made. Why would the Knight and Day close before a replacement for it could be constructed? On game nights, the Knight and Day was a favorite for multitudes of hockey fans. Gone is the advantage of purchasing Clarkson mementos at a discount when the Golden Knights defeat their opponents by a certain number of goals.
I am most disheartened by this decision. Good business sense should have dictated more realistic, long range planning.

Vic--Mark mentioned the other night that the trip to Ohio State is about 10 1/2 hours, so I can assume the team is traveling by bus.

Having talked with a couple of Golden Knights, they are already anxious for the season to begin. No disagreement here.

OUR KNIGHTS WILL BE AWESOME!

[chuck]

I will too sorely miss roaming through the store with ticket in hand searching for Clarkson paraphenalia after a triumph! I was a student when Cheel first opened and the Knight and Day was open 24 hours. I loved it. I often strolled in in the wee hours for a coffee or food or just to see another human being. I was disappointed when they stopped staying open all Knight, but this is terrible!:(

[joecct]

Perhaps they have moved locations? Anybody ask Guy Arnold?

[Goldie Knight]

Friday, August 30 9:45 AM

Joe,

Everything in the Knight and Day Bookstore has been moved. It is currently downtown in The University Bookstore, leaving no bookstore on campus.

That was my concern--there is no bookstore accessible for students and others, located directly on the campus. I understand that there are plans to construct a new bookstore on the hill campus, but the question remains--what do students and hockey fans do in the meantime? And it could be a while, quite a while, before that new bookstore is operational.

I still contend that many people will be annoyed by the lack of services that are no longer available. It was always fun to browse around the bookstore, looking at and purchasing stuff with the Clarkson logo.

OUR KNIGHTS WILL BE AWESOME THIS SEASON!

[scottcomstock]

Originally posted by Goldie Knight
When I ventured into Cheel this week to pick up my season's tickets, low and behold, I was horrified to discover that our nice little bookstore is indeed gone! In its place and taken over by ARA Mark is an Einstein Bagel shop. After talking with several students and adults, I learned that this new business endeavor closes early in the afternoon...

The closure of Knight and Day has apparently been in the works since late last semester, from what I remember reading on the Daily Jolt. It's a crying shame...it was the only convenient place to get Clarkson swag without having to take a trip downtown.

(The last thing I purchased from K&D was a Clarkson coffee mug I bought during the 2001 Alumni Reunion)

As for Einstein Bagel closing early in the afternoon, it just seems to be another example of seemingly bizarre Aramark scheduling -- just like 'no dinner in Graham Hall on Friday nights' when I was a student.

[petal]

Obviously they have no common sense, I mean between having no dinner at Graham on Fridays which was a real pain in the bum to closing K&D and putting in an early-closing bagel shop. Not very bright. Brekkie wasn't a big deal when I was there. I reckon there won't be much business. It was nice having a little quickiemart on campus instead of having to haul it all the way downtown for something simple, like brown mailing envelopes or a t-shirt. I have no idea what world these folks are living in....

[Stemmer]

Well, I'm an old son of a gun compared to you young-uns and we had nothing like the K&D when I was at Tech in '70-'74 but I agree that it will be missed and that the "plan" appears suspect.

And why a bagel shop? Aren't bagels and the like available in the Commons anyway?

I'll check it out in Nov. when I hope to be up for hockey homecoming. Goldie, see you then!
:)

Petra, I hope you have Calgary's visit to the Fleet on your calendar...I'll be sure to tell Craig you're gonna catch up with him this time! :D Their visit to MSG this season is in October I believe so I'll be there!

[scottcomstock]

[Note: I moved this thread to the North Country Chat forum since there's a thread discussing the impending closure of Ames there]

As most of you in the North Country probably know by now, one of Potsdam's best sources of inexpensive student supplies -- Ames -- is in the process of shutting its doors. The closure of Knight and Day is only adding to the inconvenience students are going to face in the upcoming semester. While one event had nothing to do with the other, the timing of these events is terrible for students.

Sure, students can get supplies like pens & notebooks at the University Bookstore, Kinney Drugs, or the P&C. The problem is that none of these places are within easy reach of the campus, and only the University Bookstore is within walking distance -- very inconvenient for those students who don't have cars.

Goldie Knight, you mentioned possible plans for a bookstore on campus. If there are such plans, and if anyone in the Clarkson administration is reading this (as I suspect they are), I would seriously consider fast-tracking those plans, or at least consider having whoever had been in charge of K&D (Barnes & Noble?) reconsider its decision.

return($OFF_SOAPBOX);

[joecct]

I recall from the old old board that the Pit Cafeteria had closed. It is a large enough space that could accomodate a store.

[scottcomstock]

Originally posted by Joe
I recall from the old old board that the Pit Cafeteria had closed. It is a large enough space that could accomodate a store.

The old Pit cafeteria was renovated just before my senior year into additional classroom space & shared kitchen space for students. A store there would probably require additional renovation; the classroom space might not be needed with the advent of New Snell.

I've written a (postal) letter to Denny Brown asking that the university fast-track any possible plans for an on-campus bookstore.

[chuck]

Maybe I'm nit-picking but Clarkson is in a remote location anyway (ref: millions of other threads... esp on the big board), but it seems to me that the relative remoteness has been multiplied by both the closure of Ames and the K&D. I wonder that as prospective students looked at the campus if the on-site convience store made any impression? Like maybe to temper the remoteness of the place? Hmmm...

[demock]

From a student's perspective, I really miss the K&D store...

However the bagels are great. Aramark had terrible bagels before. Its convenient and reasonably priced. I do wish it was open past 2pm though!

It sure is strange walking into Cheel and not being able to get an envelope or some candy or some Advil, or a Clarkson mug/hat/hockey stick etc...

Also I'm not gonna miss Ames, but I hope something else opens soon.. (I've heard rumors of Wal-Mart and Target).

[Pete]

There have been rumors about Targete looking at some real estate but nothing even close to definite yet.

[scottcomstock]

Wal-Mart's been talking about a possible Potsdam presence for at least the last 3-1/2 years or so. If they wanted to, they could buy the former Ames store space, and probably the retail fixtures as well. Doing this would negate the need to build a new store on Route 56 and lay to rest many of the environmental & village annexation concerns that have been brought up in the past.

I'm surprised this doesn't appear to have been brought up, as far as I can tell. (The Potsdam paper doesn't put articles online, the Watertown paper wants $ to read online articles, North Country This Week [nee northcountrynow.com] doesn't have a whole lot, and the Clarkson Integrator hasn't been updated since last semester)

[vicb]

I for one would like to know if there is anyplace on line I can buy a Clarkson Hockey Hat. Last one I got was 3 years ago and is now in pretty bad shape. Does the university bookstore have an online URL???? Any help would be appreciated. I want to get it to wear to the Ohio State games :) .

[demock]

http://www.bkstore.com/clarkson/
That was the URL but it appears to be down. Not sure whats going on with that, but you could call the University Bookstore at (315) 265-9260.

-Eric

[demock]

I've been meaning to post this from the Integrator's 9/2 edition...

"The store will re-open in the evening during home hockey games.

For those students who miss the Knight and Day store, Einstein Brothers Bagels continues to offer the bottled beverages, and check cashing is available in the Aramark office in the lower level of Cheel. Part of the old Knight and Day store was set aside as a kiosk where Clarkson apparel will be offered for sale during hockey games."

That helps a little, but I know a lot of students are concerned about the hours. Why can't we grab a bagel for dinner? Or even a late lunch? 2:00 is very early to shut down in my opinion. The bagels are great and the prices are pretty good... so give us a chance to eat them :)

Thats all for now!

[Bill]

Originally posted by vicb
I for one would like to know if there is anyplace on line I can buy a Clarkson Hockey Hat. Last one I got was 3 years ago and is now in pretty bad shape. Does the university bookstore have an online URL???? Any help would be appreciated. I want to get it to wear to the Ohio State games :) .
Vic:
Bookstore is at http://www.bkstore.com/clarkson/
and it is up today -- I didn't go looking for hats, but they usually have lots..... Bill

[vicb]

Originally posted by Bill
Vic:
Bookstore is at http://www.bkstore.com/clarkson/
and it is up today -- I didn't go looking for hats, but they usually have lots..... Bill


Thanks to you and demock. I went to the site and ordered myself a Clarkson Alumni hat :) . Should arrive in plenty of time for the Ohio State series :) .

[Bill]

Vic:
Apropos of nothing...... We have just completed the sales/purchase paperwork to move to ..... OHIO...... Unfortunately, it looks like we aren't going to make it until the week after the boys are in Columbus, so will miss the shootout at the Schot...... It's one heck of a college hockey facility....... Please make enough noise for us as well and enjoy your journey from MD to the hinterlands and back...... LGT!!!!

[scottcomstock]

Originally posted by demock
I've been meaning to post this from the Integrator's 9/2 edition...

"The store will re-open in the evening during home hockey games..."


From the same article:



"The operations at the Clarkson [Einstein's Bagels] location, including its hours, have been based on Aramark's experiences with its other locations."
(emphasis mine)

Now why do you think Aramark would need to explain something like that to the student media?

[Chaz]

Well it took all of one game and the bagel shop quickly turned into the hangout for the high school kids. I just don't see this lasting too long. I guess time will tell.