Copeland’s set to move into Ackerman Union

By Marion Wise
Daily Bruin Contributor

In an effort to generate more business, the Associated Students
of UCLA hopes it’s hit a home run by recently signing a
five-year lease agreement with Copeland’s Sports.

Slated to open in May, the West Coast sporting goods chain store
will occupy space on the B-level of Ackerman Union, adjacent to the
market, and is expected to bring in an additional $225,000 per year
for ASUCLA.

“I hope it will bring additional traffic to the store by
providing a service the students have said they want,” said
Patricia Eastman, executive director of ASUCLA.

Among other things, the association wanted a company that would
not rival the BearWear department.

“We will not be in direct competition. We’re there
to provide an addition to what the store already has,” said
Eric Tomasi, director of operations for Copeland’s
Enterprise.

According to Tomasi, the on-campus store will sell athletic
equipment and shoes and will feature a skateboard shop, as opposed
to the BearWear department, which sells athletic apparel.

The store will occupy the space left by Fast Track, which moved
to a location near the UCLA Store’s entrance at the base of
Bruin Walk. When Fast Track moved, it took space from the computer
store and BearWear.

Last May, the association hired a consultant to assist in
deciding whether to continue maintaining the store or to have it
run by outside sources. The consultant recommended it lease out a
portion of the space.

ASUCLA identified the B-level space adjacent to the grocery
store, which Fast Track occupied during the 1999-2000 school year,
as ideal for leasing to an outside company. According to ASUCLA
Financial Director Rich Delia, Fast Track did well in the location
Copeland’s will be occupying, but was not able to bring in
outside business.

“It was successful. It had a good contribution, but we
felt it could do better,” Delia said. “We’ve lost
a little bit, but it’s held up very well (in its new
location).”

For the past five years, ASUCLA has been losing significant
amounts of money, resulting in its decision to lease space to
outside retailers. Campus Cuts, Moby Disc and Post Office Express
all moved into A-level of Ackerman before this school year
began.

According to ASUCLA officials, the UCLA community expressed
interest in a sports-related business.

“We did a survey among not only students, but also
faculty, and this was identified as one of the things the campus
thought would be good,” Delia said.

ASUCLA looked into deals with REI and other sporting goods
companies before deciding on Copeland’s. Preferring a company
that would both benefit and interest students, as well as one that
could agree to ASUCLA requirements ““ specifically an
agreement not to sell athletic clothes and not compete with
BearWear ““ Delia said the association found that
Copeland’s best met its needs.

Copeland’s contract with UCLA marks its first association
with a college or university, something the company has been
interested in since its opening 25 years ago. Additionally, the son
of Jim Copeland, one of the founders of the chain, graduated from
UCLA in the ’90s.

Copeland’s is not concerned its on-campus store will take
business away from the one in Westwood Village.

“We’re not really thinking it’s going to
affect us too much,” said Chris Ogden, sales manager at
Copeland’s in Westwood.

But Copeland’s Enterprises believes the new store in
Ackerman will improve sales at the one in the village.

“We actually believe this store will make that store
better,” Tomasi said.