Campustown, local IU wares store, to close its doors after 40 years

Jim Cushing remembers when CDs sold like wildfire. He remembers when an IU T-shirt cost $3.99. He remembers when physically going to a store was the only way to buy things.

A lot has changed since those days, but Cushing has been manager of Campustown, an IU goods and apparel store, through it all.

Now Cushing must manage the store through its biggest change — its closing.

Campustown will close its doors for good Sept. 28.

The store is part of a chain of college campus stores in six states.

Campustown came to Bloomington in 1976. Originally named Discount Den, Campustown has changed locations three times.

Cushing moved to Bloomington at the same time as the store. With the exception of a few years when he worked as the music buyer for the chain, Campustown has been Cushing’s life work.

“I could do this job with my eyes closed,” Cushing said.

Cushing said a number of factors has been driving the store downhill for years. The most obvious is the economy.

The jump in the price of cotton has made T-shirt prices at the store rise from $6.99 to $9.99 in the last year.

“The recession hurts everything,” Cushing said. “The price of rent, utilities and payroll all increase.”

Technology has also lowered sales in the last decade. When students can choose from 50 websites to buy an IU T-shirt, they are less likely to come into the store, Cushing said.

“We’re a local store, and we employ local,” Cushing said. “That used to mean something. But these days, not so much.”

Cushing said he also wishes the store were in a better location. When it was located on Kirkwood Avenue, it received better foot traffic.

The closing of the store has increased the number of customers, Cushing said. All items are currently marked 40 percent off.

School of Optometry student Kayla Black decided to come back to the store when she heard about the sale.

“When I was an IU undergrad, I used to get shirts custom made here,” Black said. “It’s really sad to see it close.”

Cushing said that although he will miss interacting with the public, he is not too sad the store is closing.

“Forty years in retail,” Cushing said. “I’d say that’s enough.”