The downtown Jackrabbit Central store reopened their doors over Hobo Day with a brand-new look and layout.
Jackrabbit Central was remodeled for the first time this year. This gave the store a whole new look and atmosphere.
The store temporarily opened in 2009 due to the Student Union store being under construction, but Jackrabbit Central became so popular that the owners kept it open. It is now a community staple.
“Facilities and Services on campus did all of the construction and they did a great job,” Amber Healy, the store’s assistant director said. The remodel helped maximize the space of the store so it has double the inventory capacity.
Healy worked with the OPTO Company to design the store to have a more welcoming feeling as well as have the same aesthetic as the store in the Student Union.
With the new remodel, employees no longer worry about overcrowding or not being able to offer as much merchandise as they would like.
Both stores offer the same merchandise, but the downtown store now offers SDSU meat and cheese. Customers will also eventually have the ability to purchase SDSU ice cream at the downtown location as well.
“The biggest takeaways from that location is that it is open seven days a week for expanded shopping hours and convenient downtown access,” Chris Bisgard, manager of marketing and retail operations said.
“Everything ran very smoothly over Hobo Days… even when the line got long people were still able to shop on either side because of the new layout, it worked pretty efficiently,” said Madeline Cox, a student employee.
SDSU is a very close-knit community and Jackrabbit Central is not just a place to purchase merchandise, but a place to reconnect with old friends and potentially meet new ones.
“Just from working here the month and a half I’ve been here, I’ve heard people talk about when they went here, what year they graduated, you can hear people talking about it to each other in the store,” Melissa Timp, the new customer service supervisor, said. “They may come here to buy a shirt but there is more value in their visit than just purchasing a
shirt.”
Since the reopening, the store has been making great sales and has seen notable success.
The employees and directors are happy with the remodel, as it has given the customers a more comfortable shopping experience.
“Just seeing everything come together, you plan for weeks and wonder how it will all look,” Healy said. “The finished product was amazing and we are super happy with it.”
