Vendors selling in MUC presents opportunity to connect with students

A splash of California color has made its way to the main concourse in the Muenster University Center through an opportunity for outside vendors to sell merchandise to students on campus.

Chris Suter, with CLN Art, based out of the Los Angeles area, has been selling posters at the MUC since Monday and said he tentatively plans to sell until Thursday.

“We encourage businesses to come into the student center and advertise and get out to the students so they know what’s going on outside of campus,” said Kyle Schoenfelder, director of the MUC.

Similar to a student organization or department of the University of South Dakota, outside businesses reserve a table through the event planning and scheduling section of the Student Services’s page on USD’s website. Organizations affiliated with USD do not have to pay a tabling fee.

Outside vendors have to pay a $50 fee per day or 15 percent of their gross sales for that day – whichever is more, Schoenfelder said.

On the other hand, Schoenfelder said there is a way for vendors to escape the charge.

“To avoid that fee, they can have a USD affiliated organization or department essentially make their reservation for them,” he said.

The money then goes to the organization or department which assisted the business in reserving a table.

A group may not reserve a table in the MUC for more than five consecutive business days and may only sell between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to the Sales and Solicitation policy. It also states no sales or solicitations will be permitted during finals week.

Any organization selling on campus must have a sales tax license, as stated in the policy, and collect state and local tax on the merchandise distributed.

Outlined in the policy, the only type of business not allowed to sell on campus is credit card companies. Schoenfelder added any plans for food to be sold would need to be approved by Aramark, and apparel would need to be approved by him.

Since Schoenfelder took the position in January, he said he has not experienced any problems with outside vendors, but it may possibly present restrictions for campus organizations to be out in the middle of the students.

“We do have a maximum of 10 tables that can be put up per day, so if an outside vendor comes in wanting five of the tables and five are already reserved by other student organizations and another organization wants to (table), we’re kind of limiting the space available for the student organizations to advertise for their own well-being,” Schoenfelder said.

Suter, who sells a wide variety posters, some of which are framed, including pieces of famous artists to a Friends cast photo, travels around to about 10 different states with his products. Nearly all of his merchandise is made in California and is licensed from different companies, such as in New York and Europe.

In his travels, Suter sells not only at universities but also at fairs and similar locations. This week was the first stop he has ever made in South Dakota.

With a price range from $7 to $39.99, Suter said he sold more than $700 dollars of merchandise Monday. Despite having troubles finding the parking office, he said he enjoyed his first time visiting a South Dakota university.

“It’s a good campus and definitely a friendly place,” Suter said.

While browsing through the selection the first day, junior Lenette Haliburton said Suter had good prices and appreciated the presence of businesses showcasing merchandise on campus.

“I think it’s pretty interesting that they would come all their way just to try and pique an interest in us,” Haliburton said.

Charles Nearman, a sophomore, said he would take the time to look up a business after seeing them in the MUC.

“If something really spiked my interest, I would go check them out if they were local,” Nearman said.

Junior Jimmy Cuadros said it’s a good opportunity for businesses to get their name out to students and the selling location is perfect.

“All of the students have to come to the MUC to eat food,” Cuadros said. “Just walking past something like this, you can’t really pass up the offer.”

(Junior Anthony Zeliadt and senior Kyle Glazier look at an array of CLN art posters on sale in the Muenster University Center on Monday. Malachi Petersen / The Volante)