T.I.S. to replace Steve & Barry’s

Even in a recession, space on Kirkwood is highly sought-after.

The Indiana Shop – a play on T.I.S. – will open in March or April, T.I.S. president Tim Tichenor said.

The new T.I.S. store will replace Steve & Barry’s on Kirkwood Ave. The Steve & Barry’s chain went bankrupt and, earlier this month, closed all their stores across the country.

The new store will sell IU clothing and merchandise, like Steve & Barry’s did, but with more selection, Tichenor said. The “super store” will not sell books like the T.I.S. on Third Street, he said.

The Third Street store will continue to sell clothing, but the new store will have more IU gifts besides clothing, Tichenor said. There will be the “buy some get so many free” deals at The Indiana Shop, like on Third Street, he said.

Despite a bad economy, a space opening on Kirkwood was an opportunity T.I.S. couldn’t pass up, Tichenor said. The timing isn’t always the best, he said.

But spaces with a built-in market that attracts alumni, students and game day traffic are rare and sought-after, he said. In addition, more students go back to school in bad economies, Tichenor said.

“Do we expect it to be as strong as it would be? No,” Tichenor said.

Businesses sometimes try to line themselves up for when the economy improves, said Jeremy Sowders, vice president of business development for the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation.

Though T.I.S. is not “recession-proof,” T.I.S. and Kirkwood are always going to have alumni and student business, Sowders said.

While the Bloomington community is struggling, it’s worse in other parts of the state, Sowders said. Bloomington has IU and companies such as Cook Pharmaceutical that give it a steady base.

“The economy will come around,” Tichenor said, adding that a location on Kirkwood doesn’t come around often.

Tichenor said the lease was competitive and didn’t know why the landlord specifically chose T.I.S. He said the company has been involved in the community for more than 45 years.

He said T.I.S. was probably the largest supplier of IU merchandise in the country.
They will take a place beside Nick’s and the rest of Kirkwood’s landmarks, he said.

“It just seemed like a natural fit to us,” Tichenor said.