University Co-op

The University Co-op at the University of Texas, one of the largest independent college bookstores in the U.S., underwent a strategic renovation to enhance its retail efficiency and customer experience. With the University of Texas moving to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024, the store needed to prepare for increased foot traffic, particularly on home game weekends.

 

Primary strategic objective:

The University Co-op operates as a nonprofit, reinvesting all profits into course material scholarships for students. The primary objective of the renovation was to create a more engaging and productive shopping experience, ultimately maximizing scholarship dollars for Longhorn students. Key enhancements included:

• Interactive donor engagement features, such as the “Support-a-Steer Chandelier,” which animates the Co-op’s mission and encourages new levels of giving.

 

Physical renovation scope:

The project encompassed the ground, second, and third floors, including:

• Interiors.
• Branded graphics.
• General and feature lighting.
• Ceiling treatments and fields.
• Flooring and perimeter walls.
• All new fixturing on floors and walls.

 

The renovation was strategically phased over six months, allowing the store to remain operational with minimal disruption while implementing a future-ready retail experience.

 

What were the project goals and objectives?

The primary goal was to transform the Co-op into a more efficient, engaging, and high-performing retail destination that supports both everyday shopping and game-day surges.

Key objectives:

1. Accommodate high-traffic game days while maintaining an intuitive layout for daily visitors.
2. Bring order to a field of fixtures: Optimize the shopping experience by introducing distinct product zones and experiential elements.
3. Increase checkout capacity: Enhance operational efficiency with a streamlined checkout layout and improved queueing.
4. Strengthen brand loyalty through immersive design elements that celebrate Longhorn pride.
5. Reinforce the Co-op’s nonprofit mission by incorporating donor engagement opportunities into the retail environment.

 

Any unique challenges involved in this renovation? What solutions did you take to overcome them?
Challenge 1: “Tell me you’re with the University without telling me you’re with the University.” The University Co-op is an independent business subject to licensing restrictions. The challenge was to renovate this home for Longhorn students without relying on licensed iconography.

 

Solution:

• Access and curate historic photographic assets.
• Let the merchandise speak for itself.
• Create a heroic reference to the Longhorn through commonly associated elements and finishes.
• Give this vibrant crew “More Cowbell!”

 

Challenge 2: Define our winners and let them win.

Strategic assessment of the most productive lines and brands gave the design team permission to relocate and position the best products in the best places

 

Solution:

• Grow hats to show authority in category.
• Consolidate better brands into a bigger, better shop.
• Create a destination for customization of athletic licensed apparel.
• Relocate youth products to a more visible premium shop on the second floor.
• Fitting rooms: Used as a lure to the third floor nearest women’s apparel and added to the ground floor (apparel is here, too).
• Clearance relegated to third floor to activate prime corner.
• Souvenir category became home to queueing traffic to encourage shopping.
• Lower producing brands moved to second-tier locations.

 

Challenge 3: Keep the Co-op open throughout construction. The University Co-op is a vital resource for all Longhorn students, serving their needs throughout each week and each season from football to women’s volleyball to graduation and right back around to new student orientation. There was no good time for the store to close.

 

Solution:

• A phased construction schedule strategically allowed completed work to create available space for the category moves; beginning with the third floor there was a procession of domino-like department overhauls and reconfigurations.
• Closed poor-performing categories and minimized others to focus on the 80/20 SKUs to display them in much reduced space.
• Completed new fitting rooms prior to the seasonal apparel push, which mitigated impact on conversion.
• Relocated clearance, a highly flexible category, to open space for higher-margin categories.
• Moved checkout operations to the dock area when the north half of the ground floor was being renovated.
• Support an incredible staff of associates motivated by purpose to succeed.

 

Challenge 4: Craft one unified, up-to-date retail experience.

 

Solution:

• Clear the slate, repaint, conceal slatwall, clean the ceiling, and add definition.
• Clear the path, and create a journey through, up, and around.
• Display the product with the same level of respect held for the university heritage: show pride and quality.
• Re-lamp using LEDs to lower power consumption and install LED track to bring the space up-to-date in retail presentation.
• Show the university’s history but tie it to their future.

 

Challenge 5: Prepare for a surge in traffic.

With the move to the SEC, the Co-op anticipated a significant increase in visitors, particularly for home game weekends. The building can handle big crowds but checkout was the bottleneck. The existing linear successive layout for checkout capacity was space-hungry and inefficient; a hallmark of checkout station design is repetitive wastes of space.

 

Solution:

• Increase checkout capacity in a smaller efficient footprint to return space to merchandise and shopping.
• Innovative workstation design for checkout: New design folds space, making it more efficient and saving hundreds of square feet.
• Labor rationale guided checkout placement on the mezzanine.
• The renovation introduced modular shelving and flexible layouts that can be adjusted based on demand, along with strategically placed checkout stations to reduce congestion.

 

What makes your project unique in terms of store planning, concept, materials, fixtures, lighting, etc.?

The hero element:

• The Support-a-Steer Chandelier, crafted from aged leather and authentic longhorn cowbells, serves as a donor recognition feature—customers who contribute $100 to student scholarships ring the chandelier, creating a tangible and celebratory giving moment.

 

Rock-solid strategic store planning:

• The new layout maximizes efficiency and flexibility. The new circulation path increases the shoppable area by 700 sq. ft. The new cashwrap configuration and workstation design returns 850 sq. ft.—nearly 50% of space required for traditional layout—back to the shoppable area.
• The space adapts seamlessly between high-traffic game days, event occasions, and everyday shopping.
• Distinct product zones improve customer wayfinding, including a premium Better Brands Area, a floor-to-beyond-the-ceiling hat wall, and a dedicated shop to customize and personalize jerseys and apparel.

 

Innovative fixtures and materials:

• Modular and reconfigurable shelving enables quick layout adjustments based on seasonal demand.
• Sustainable materials were incorporated, reflecting the Co-op’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

 

Experiential graphics and interactive features:

• Bold signage and wayfinding graphics guide customers through the store effortlessly.

 

Lighting and brand experience:

• Layered lighting strategies highlight key product zones.
• Integrated digital screens enhance storytelling and brand engagement.
• Longhorn-themed experiential moments throughout the space create a dynamic retail environment that strengthens school spirit and loyalty.