Ward store did not make dollars or sense
The coroner’s report on Ward Centre’s H-Zone apparel store should list the cause of death as “lolo idea.”
It was never the right choice to place a store where the foot traffic for sports apparel was limited and the decor resembled a seasonal store selling holiday-gift sausages. “Lose money,” as my Grandpa Kubo used to say.
It wasn’t the product. I go to Kailua’s Target five times a week and the checkout lines are jammed with tourists buying anything that says “Hawaii.” OK, it was the lack of products. In trying so hard to protect and promote the H logo — even changing the name from the catchy Rainbowtique — UH limited itself from expanding more into Rainbow and island-chain designs. ButiGroove and Barefoot League are among companies proving there’s a market — and demand — for an extensive and innovative merchandise line.
Now that UH is getting out of the off-campus-store business, it will continue to succeed in an area that it does best: licensing. Right now, H-licensed products can be found in supermarkets, service-station markets, and other places where they sell, well, things. UH does not need its own store to sell products; it just needs its products to be sold in stores. No overhead, no salaries.
It also would be wonderful if UH re-opened the Stan Sheriff Center apparel/merchandise store during the school hours and weekdays. It used to be a great opportunity for the many Lower Campus visitors to pick up souvenirs. Sure,there’s the debate whether it’s worth it to staff a store during non-event hours. But unlike the H-Zone, the Sheriff Center store is rent-free and in a convenient location.
* * * * *
UH baseball is 7-for-7.
All seven seniors will be graduating tomorrow or this summer, according to coach Mike Trapasso.
Kudos to third baseman Josh Rojas, outfielders Marcus Doi and Alex Fitchett, and pitchers Brendan Hornung, Casey Ryan, Kyle Mitchell and Isaac Friesen.
1st of 2nd, terrific grad rate for the baseball seniors.
Islandman
It’s impressive because baseball players usually don’t redshirt and many are JC transfers
Another beautiful day in Hawaii, lucky to live here.
After 12 years in retail, from Stock clerk to Buyer, I must say that H Zine was a great idea but poorly managed.
During the dream season of 2206-07, merchandise racks were empty on the floor. Sales staff said they were too busy to go upstairs and bring more merchandise down. Even at H Zone, most times there were tons of boxes on the floor. I wonder how many opportunities were missed? Lastly, H Zine is in direct competition of their own bookstore. That doesn’t make sense as they should be working together.
Licensing is easy but the agreement called for only 10%. That’s not enough so I hope it changes.
WDave…I’ve experienced this quite often as well.
The other thing is location, location, location.
Should have negotiated an Ala Moana Ctr site with heavy foot traffic. They never were able to garner their share of the tourist market.
Oh, well.
The product they sold was horrible! Everyone I went in there I walked out unhappy! I find better UH apparel at fitted
Everytime*
Al:
You’re right. Ala Moana and the airport are the perfect locations
I have bought lots of UH gear from H-Zone and other places over the years. My favorite item of all was a Black UA Polo given to me by a dear friend when I was in the hospital quite few years back.
Is there any single person or entity who oversees all of the UH merchandising at all locations?
Not sure how well they do, but Utah and BYU have a shared store in the Salt Lake Airport
8.
With Ala Moana rent though? they’d have to really think they’d do well to even make that a viable option
Also having shirts made of low grade
arm pit smeller polyester doesn’t help.
Whatever happened to the UH cotton
pollovers popular during the “rainbow”
years. I still have one but a bit snug.
🙂
License UH logo can be unlimited with creative
marketing. Toys like Barbi and GI Joe but featuring
football players—gotta get all 22 plus the kicker. 🙂
And how about gasoline?
Wouldn’t it be fun to fill up with
“Rainbow” super charge petro?
There’s a few million dollars right there.
Andrew,
High rent yes. It is why I suggested that they negotiate a lease agreement. As a state entity and a non-profit perhaps some contra account might have been a win-win situation.
How about a “Hawaii Logo Rainbow”
car? Electric and/or conventional.
Heck, how about a big truck.
Toyota with their strange brand names
might be interested. 🙂
Nike could come out with a UH logo shoe
ala Michael Jordon type. A whole line up.
Money honey 🙂
Gloves, baseball bats, uniforms for kids…
Fishing gear and lures 🙂
Great Afternoon All!
I recall getting into BOI and the first thing I would see is the store in the concourse with all kine BSU merchandise.
Das it.
I once caught a big bass
on a Schlitz Beer Can
opener promo piece…
Hmmmm… UH beer anyone?
It was too expensive. Unless you go uh or went uh you don’t need to buy an under armour polo for $70. Even then that’s steep. Hard to sell that to tourists or casual fans
Can’t understand why UH is struggling with their marketing when they have a school of business or is it a school of monkey business. They have many students in various curriculum which requires marketing and yet they can’t solve a relatively simple marketing problem which requires common sense. Oops I forgot common sense is no longer tolerated in universities. All they have to do is read the suggestions made by the Tsaikos.
I’m sorry that a dedicated UH apparel store couldn’t do better and think UH should take this opportunity to look around at other schools’ bookstores for an idea of how it’s done. Another state school that comes to mind is UW. Excellent product lines of logo items, but also books and regional omiyage (as our blog host mentions, let’s tap into not just the home market but visitors, too).
And if UH is taking the on-campus approach, rebate some of the parking cost for people who buy stuff. (Again with the UW example, you get a small chunk of time free, and so the little lot has good turnover, and for us here would help reduce the “special trip” hassle.)
In dealing with Ala Moana Ctr. in the past, they can play some hardball. Sometimes it seems like all they care about is the money. UH may have a tough time negotiating a deal. Don’t know if this was already tried. Now, the airport is also high rent but controlled by the state so maybe?? Butttt if they treat UH like they do with the stadium…… They may just have to have Duty Free Shoppers try to sell their stuff but they can be tough to deal with too.
Ben Jay thought he was smarter than the bookstore. Look at him now.
If memory serves the Under Armor contract is over this year. Is this accurate?
Part of the problem is that Under Armor is expensive. They also put little to no effort in coming up with items for UH. Men’s volleyball uniforms show that there are plenty of designs out there that would be popular in Hawaii.
Bring back Nike! Don’t even have to be same uniforms as JJ era
The idea of expanding sales though local companies is a great idea also!
I could never find a replica jersey of Antoine Goodlow.
16 points against College of the Ozarks.
I was there.
26.
I think Kahala Mall is worse.
We didn’t need another Ross’s.
It is ridiculous that Oahu has only one book store.
The sad part is I don’t think people realize this … for every $50 you spent you’d get a coupon for a sport based on the time of year you made your purchase … 2 years ago I bought 2 Under Armour “UH” golf shirts worth $150. The purchase time was mid-summer so I got 2 coupons for a fall sport so obviously I used them for football. A regular General Admission ticket is/was $32.oo to I got 3 coupons. Used them for football for $32 X 3 = $96.00 … do the arithmetic … I got 2 UA/UH golf shirts for $150 and throw in $96.00 for football tickets … I’M GONNA MISS THAT PLACE !!!
Looks like we got a kicker:
https://twitter.com/michael__boy/status/862856511361490944
UHM would sell more of their clothing line if they had a spot in Walmart or Sam’s Club. While both stores may sell some of the UHM sports line, they don’t sell everything, and their supplies are limited or non-existent around Christmas.
Does UH make money off any apparel it sells anywhere in the US? Most my stuff I get are from mainland stores.
Just what the doctor ordered…….a PK…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5opCNhrz_U&feature=youtu.be
Walking on
Apparel sales are important, but I’m concerned about UH’s ability to attract big-time (wealthy private and corporate) donors to the program, such as the Ching Family Foundation. There seems to be a disconnect there. Relying on the State is shaky, at best.
Congratulations to all of the graduates!
When I think of the Wiki Wiki bus at the airport, I think of the noisy motors, fumes, crowded quarters, and surly drivers = Welcome to Hawaii. A more pleasant experience was going to the old Wiki Wiki Coffee Shop at Ala Moana SC back in the day.
New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=43450