Local businesses are beginning to capitalize on their relationships with the 30,000-plus student body by offering discounts on goods and services.
On Feb. 3, Student Government announced the 11 local businesses, ranging from Ann Taylor to I Love New York Pizza, that will be the first to participate in the new “Wolfpack Student Discounts” program. The program will allow students who present their University IDs at these businesses with a discount on items sold at the store.
Matt Thomas, marketing coordinator for program participant Athlete’s Foot, said the business’ location makes having a productive relationship with members of the N.C. State community a necessity.
“Being so close to campus, we really want to have a good relationship with the University,” Thomas said. “Right now, we have that relationship with the club cross-country and track teams. This program would be beneficial to all Raleigh businesses because the University is such a huge part of Raleigh with 30,000 people. It would be really hard to project that anywhere else, so it’s important to have a relationship with such a huge and concentrated market.”
According to Thomas, the Athlete’s Foot store in Cameron Village will offer students a discount on everything in the store – but the retailer wants to go well beyond the program to strengthen its relationship with the University.
“As part of the discount program, we will give all N.C. State students a 10 percent discount off of all regularly priced merchandise, whether it’s footwear, apparel, nutrition, anything,” Thomas said.
“But it’s much more than that. We have sittings with club athletes on the track and cross-country teams, and given that they have a shoestring budget—they don’t really get that much help from the University—we try to help them source their uniforms and needed travel to get into races,” Thomas said.
Athlete’s Foot gives the club track and cross-country teams a couple thousand dollars a year, according to Thomas.
While some businesses like Athlete’s Foot are trying to maintain long-lasting relationships with the campus community, there are others businesses, like Tin Roof Teas, that are trying to get their foot in the door with students, according to co-owner Ryan Hinson. Tin Roof Teas will also offer a 10 percent discount, Hinson said.
“We’re also participating in a similar program with Meredith College because we really want to get involved with community. We’ve even talked to N.C. State’s horticulture professors to find a way to create a partnership within the classrooms,” Hinson said.
The tea shop’s participation in the discount program is only a part of its Raleigh outreach.
“We do a lot of work with the Museum of Art to hold Victorian tea parties, art walks and other events to try to participate as much in our community as possible,” Hinson said. “With the University, that’s much harder to do, but it’s important because it lets people know we’re here and exposes our products.”
Hinson said this exposure will not only help his own business, but to help the N.C. State community as well.
“Even though we know college students are used to drinking coffee, our loose leaf teas have many more health benefits than coffee and tea bags,” Hinson said. “There is an N.C. State professor who does tea research in the nutrition department who wants us to come in and discuss its applications in his classes.”
Hinson hopes that the demand for Tin Roof Tea goes through the roof with University exposure.
“A lot of times students either go to Bojangles’ for iced tea or they don’t drink it because they think it can only be a hot drink,” Hinson said. “What we want to do is use this beginning tie to the University as a way to not only better our own business, but help better our community.”
According to the Student Government website, as the discount program progresses more businesses are expected to be added, and the updated listings will soon be featured on their own website.