With an email sent to the student body on Aug. 5, the beloved ‘Berg Bookshop was laid to rest, being replaced with ‘Berg Outfitters. As detailed in Dean of Academic Life Gretchen Gotthard’s email, University Gear Shop took over the “day-to-day running of the campus store” beginning on July 1.
An anonymous employee provided some more background information on the general process, claiming that “The initial discussion was done in January, proposals went out, three companies responded, two were called in… basically to say this is what we’re offering, this is what we can do, and they [Muhlenberg] went with the smaller of the companies called University Gear.”
University Gear’s mission statement is “Drive community engagement and brand recognition by delivering high-quality branded merchandise with passionate, world-class service.” University Gear is in partnership with seventeen colleges and universities, including Marywood University, Hood College and Manchester University.
The initial changes that were highlighted in Dean Gotthard’s email were the addition of a ‘Berg Outfitters online site, and the transition of buying textbooks from online and in-store, to solely online through an eCampus website.
In addition to these more procedural changes, the inside of ‘Berg Outfitters looks different from its predecessor. The new store seems to have much less merchandise on display, with its interior decorations looking much brighter and fresher. There is a lounge area in the middle of the store with bright red couches that closely match those in Generals Quarters. Pictures of Muhlenberg students now line the walls, while staple features like the homey wooden checkout desk and the carpet are long gone.
One of the largest, most jarring changes for students seems to be the lack of in-person textbook buying. With the new parent company of ‘Berg Outfitters, all textbooks must be bought virtually. The days of walking into the bookstore to buy textbooks minutes before a class are long gone– a weighty adjustment for many students.
Muhlenberg College Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Curt Topper touched upon this textbook-buying switch. When asked the reasoning behind the transition to ‘Berg Outfitters, he said, “Our goal in the transition was to improve both the quality and selection of merchandise, align textbook services with how students are actually purchasing their textbooks and improve the shopping experience for the College community.”
He also believes that this textbook-buying switch will impact students, stating that “students will find the new process for ordering textbooks more convenient and cost-effective.”
The same anonymous employee gave their perspective on the reason for such a drastic change in textbook purchasing. “A big issue has been students ordering things online before class starts… so we’re stuck with books that we have to send back, and we have to pay for shipping to send them back, and there’s a handling and restocking fee for when they put them back into their inventory, so there’s been a lot of money lost because of returns, and buying books and the instructor then doesn’t end up using the books after all. And it was always easy to say, ‘well the bookstore order the wrong thing, or the bookstore did this or the bookstore did that,’ but we were always blamed for instructors coming in a week before class and placing their order, and then getting upset because their books weren’t there when classes started.”
An anonymous student shared her thoughts on the switch to buying textbooks online. “I ordered a book for my English class two weeks ago that still hasn’t come, and I’ve had to do assignments on it, so I had to borrow one from the library, but if there were books in the bookstore I would have been able to go and get it that day.”
Looking at the logistics of the transition, Muhlenberg College was compensated for this change in ownership. Topper noted that “The College’s new partner, University Gear Shop, provided the capital investment dollars that made the renovations possible.”
He finds that the college will benefit from this transition “because members of our community– students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends– are excited about the new merchandise and shopping experience. University Gear Shop will directly manage daily operations, allowing Muhlenberg to offer a more extensive range of products.”
However, this transition was harmful to some. When asked if there were any employee transitions throughout the switch from the ‘Berg Bookshop to ‘Berg Outfitters, Topper said, “The new Berg Outfitters operation requires fewer staff. Of the five previous employees, two were hired by University Gear Shop and have been critical to the smooth transition.”
In allowing University Gear to take over the running of the store, three Muhlenberg employees were let go during the process, and no longer work for the college in any capacity.
Henry Floquet ‘25 shared his thoughts on the switch. “It seems like there’s less variety of products available, it’s not that big of a deal. It’s a nice change.”
The anonymous employee reflected on the experience, stating “Overall, it’s been an interesting experience… The store is brighter, there’s more room to move around, we actually have a lounge area for people to sit and talk… so opening it up has definitely made it easier for people to find what they’re looking for.” This transition has definitively changed the feel and purpose of an integral corner of Muhlenberg’s campus.
Amy Swartz ‘26 is an English & creative writing and political science double major. She is a General Editorial Assistant, and is thrilled to be a part of such an amazing organization! Outside of the Weekly, you can always find her reading a new book, updating her Spotify playlists, or rewatching an episode of New Girl!
