The University made another major step in filling retail gaps on campus with an announcement yesterday that a Lacoste store will be the next addition to the 40th street corridor.
The store -- which will resemble its counterpart on Madison Avenue in New York City -- will replace the space formerly occupied by Cinemagic.
Cinemagic -- whose owners could not be reached for comment -- closed after failing to pay over $100,000 in back rent. Structural changes to the building will begin shortly to convert it to retail space and brighten the interior.
Students and administrators alike expressed their excitement as they anticipate the colorful line of clothes and accessories. The store is expected to open just in time for New Student Orientation this fall.
"I can't think of a more appropriate retail establishment for Penn's campus and the surrounding community," said University President Amy Gutmann, whose face was framed by doubled-up raised pink and green collars. "We welcome the crocodile with open arms."
Lacoste originally started courting Penn when it noticed a large concentration of online orders being shipped to on-campus locations. A visit to Penn's campus by company officials quickly sealed the deal.
"Lacoste was truly overwhelmed at the level of brand loyalty at Penn," Facilities and Real Estate Services spokesman Tony Sorrentino said.
He added that Lacoste is an attractive addition to Penn's campus because of the unlikelihood that it will attract any additional foot traffic from nearby Drexel University, whose students frequent Freshgrocer and the Bridge: Cinema de Lux.
"The large Lacoste sign on Walnut Street will let everyone know: This is Penn territory," Sorrentino said.
While many students expressed their excitement at the prospect of shopping at Penn's newest retail establishment, the College Republicans released an official statement chastising the University for giving Lacoste the green light.
"Placing Lacoste on Penn's campus is yet another example of the University's left-leaning politics being shoved down students' throats," the statement said. "The College Republicans will continue to boycott French brands as a result of the country's blatant disrespect for United States wishes concerning Operation Iraqi Freedom."
University spokeswoman Lori Doyle said the decision to bring Lacoste to campus was not taken lightly.
"The overwhelming demand for a Lacoste store on campus greatly outweighed any opposition when we conducted limited surveys of students," Doyle said. "The University supports any students' rights to freedom of expression, and we feel that the store's presence on campus will not exert any unfair influence on students' views."
"We believe that all students have the right to wear colorful shirts with playful logos on them regardless of what country the products are designed or produced in," Doyle added. "We feel that the addition of Lacoste accurately reflects the views of the majority of the student body and will be a successful addition to our continuing retail developments on campus."
Sorrentino cited "innate differences" between Penn and Drexel students as the motivation behind their latest preppy retail move.
