Big-name chain comes to small-town shopping mall

The Olean Center Mall will house a Steve and Barry's retail store by November. Steve and Barry's is most noted for carrying T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts bearing college logos and for selling apparel for under $20, Andrew Gildin, a spokesman for Steve and Barry's, said.

"We're hoping this will act as a catalyst to get the smaller shops filled," Stephen Zamias, president and CEO of Zamias Services, said. Zamias Services owns the mall.

Students seem to be excited, not only about the low prices, but also about the effect the store could have on the rest of the mall. "I think it could really help turn the mall around," junior George Roland said. "I think they'll do really well selling cheap college hoodies and stuff."

The store will be where JCPenney used to be, with the outside entrance toward the center of the mall. JCPenney has moved to opposite end of the mall.

Gildin said the store should bring about 100 jobs, and applications are being accepted until Oct. 12.

The store will carry St. Bonaventure University apparel and clothing with SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo State University, Syracuse University, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Fredonia logos, Gildin said. The store also will have screened T-shirts, Sarah Jessica Parker's BITTEN, Amanda Byne's Dear and NBA player Stephen Marbury's Starbury lines.

Zamias Services approached Steve and Barry's last year about opening a store at the Olean Center Mall, Zamias said.

"It seemed like a natural thing to do because it's a college town," he said.

The lower prices may draw many students away from St. Bonaventure University's bookstore, where apparel and gifts account for roughly 60 percent of sales.

Price seems to be the determining factor for students in search of St. Bonaventure apparel. "I would go (to Steve and Barry's) if it's cheaper," senior Stacey Knutti said.

"You're saving $30-$40 on a hoodie at Steve and Barry's," senior Carrie Farrell said.

Hoodies at the bookstore range from $35-$50. T-shirts are generally $20 or less.

Annette McGraw, campus bookstore manager, said she isn't concerned about losing business to Steve and Barry's.

"We're always going to have competition," she said. "I hope the students realize that shopping here gives money back to the university, and they can find better quality apparel here, too." The Follett Corp. owns the bookstore and leases the store space from St. Bonaventure University.

Some students agree with McGraw. "The St. Bonaventure stuff they have (at the Steve and Barry's in Buffalo) is ugly," senior Rachel Siepierski said. "If you're going to buy school stuff you want it to be nice. I don't think Steve and Barry's will put the bookstore out of business."

Money still plays a role in students' shopping decisions. "I would shop at Steve and Barry's in a second," senior Jessica Kraft said. "A $50 sweatshirt here is like $10 there.