The OU Information Technology Department will add a different flavor to Campus Corner with the relocation of its IT Store to the old Harold’s Stores Inc. Future university construction plans forced the store to vacate its previous location at 1305 S. Jenkins Ave.

“We hope students will find the new location to be just as useful as the last one,” said Nick Key OU IT spokesman. “We also hope more people will stop by now that we are on Campus Corner.”

Key said the new store will be double the size of the Jenkins store and will have space for students, faculty and visitors to view demonstrations on new technology offered by OU and sold in the store.

Key said students can use the new store just as they would the old one.

“We’ll still offer products for sale and offer discounts for students,” he said.

Students shopping at Campus Corner said they hope the new store will bring a different experience to shopping and dining in the area.

“I hope more people will come to Campus Corner,” said Kassidy Lee, health exercise science junior. “Campus Corner has a lot of restaurants, but if you don’t want to eat, there really isn’t much else to do.”

Lee said she currently goes to the IT store’s old location and the new location will entice more people to visit the store.

“I think more people will take advantage of the discounts since the location is at Campus Corner,” Lee said.

Gianna Reese, finance sophomore, said the store will bring more diversity to the shopping area just north of campus.

“All there really is here are clothing stores,” Reese said. “I think a computer store will add something different to the experience.”

Key said the new store is undergoing $150,000 of renovations before it opens in the middle of the fall semester.

“Where possible, we are maintaining the fixtures and cabinets from the old Harold’s store to reduce costs,” Key said.

Harold’s Stores, Inc. closed in November 2008 after 60 years of business.

The Campus Corner location has been vacant since it closed just before the company folded.

Key said the store’s 5,060 square feet of retail space is being leased for five years for $7,590 a month. The current OU IT Store, which is significantly smaller, costs $2,500 per month.

The current store on Jenkins Avenue opened just before Harold’s went out of business.

Key said the IT store has sold $850,000 in equipment and software for the combined months of July and August so far.

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