Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

Few things can be as big of a deal as remodeling your store. It gives stores the opportunity to expand, offer new services and even rebrand, as well as create a general air of excitement among students and alumni who want to see the new store once it's complete. A remodel could even significantly boost sales.

Unfortunately, it can also be a big headache. Even if you time your store's renovation with subsequent construction on campus like a new student union, a complete remodel is a very expensive and time-consuming venture. Furthermore, it can interfere with your business to have entire sections of your store closed off for weeks at a time while building teams work.

Do you worry your store looks stale but you don't have the money, time or resources to do a full-scale remodel? Don't worry, you can freshen up your store's look every few years if you need to, without breaking the bank. Use these tips to give your store a face lift, on a budget.

Summer’s nearing, and the days are getting longer… and longer… and longer. Soon they’ll hit their peak, with the longest day of the year, and people will want to take advantage of each and every hour of summer they can get.

In their combined 40+ years of experience, De Azna College Bookstore Director Kelly Swanson and Foothill College Bookstore Director Romy Paule have seen a lot of change in the industry.

If you missed our recent webinar series that gives a closer look at Arc, don't worry — MBS Systems customers can still catch it.

If you've been reading along this week, you've seen how far Foreword has come in the last half a decade — and we're just getting started.

We've spent this week celebrating how far Foreword Online has come in five years, but without our loyal readers and content contributors, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Today, MBS is known across North America as a leading wholesaler and systems developer for college stores. But did you know that before we had hundreds of thousands of titles on hand in a 350,000-square-foot warehouse, there was a time when we were just two full-time employees in an old grocery store?

The mezzanine at MBS' corporate headquarters was overflowing with sourdough bread and puns as friends, family and coworkers gathered to congratulate former Western Regional Manager for Wholesale Steve Schwarz on his retirement.

Vice President of MBS Customer Relations Sarah Shiflett has seen a lot of positive reactions over the years she's given product demos and feature presentations. She's seen smiles, she's heard applause and cheers, but she'd never seen the level of excitement she witnessed at CAMEX.

Sometimes it’s frustrating for college stores to see their customers shop elsewhere, despite knowing the value you offer them as their on-campus store. You might say it’s downright foolish. Take advantage of April Fool’s Day to play a few harmless pranks on your students and show them why they shouldn’t shop anywhere else with the Foolish Flash Promotion!

This promotion will involve a lot of humorous shenanigans everyone can enjoy, but also gives big savings to a few lucky students and points out all the reasons your store is the best place to shop.