Welcome office in Charleston to connect future students, alumni
USC is opening a swanky new welcome center in the upscale shopping district of downtown Charleston.
After buying out the remaining three years of a leasing contract for a property on historic King Street, the university plans on turning the building into its first off-campus welcome center.
The 1400 square-foot facility is down the street from J. Crew and Victoria’s Secret and will feature a retail storefront with Gamecock merchandise and an office with information on campus admissions, athletics and alumni memberships.
President Harris Pastides said that a university center in Charleston had been a vision of his for years, but it was only a few months ago that he commissioned Vice President for Communications Luanne Lawrence to accompany him to look at real estate. Pastides had already had his eye on the property on King Street, formerly a jewelry store, when it suddenly opened up. Rent for the remainder of the contract will cost a total of $246,000 for the next three years.
“This is about being visible and prominent in a visible and prominent city ... and bringing the Gamecock spirit to Charleston,” Pastides said.
Charleston is home to 2,400 USC students and 10,000 alumni. It is also home to many of the university’s feeder high schools.
Laurence said the center would help strengthen relationships with Charleston alumni as well as with Charleston’s prominent international and local organizations. Construction on the site won’t begin for another two to three weeks, and requires a permit from the City of Charleston, but Laurence anticipates the center will be open by Labor Day. She added that university is currently looking to hire and train an office director for the center, while the retail operation will be run through Barnes & Noble. The corporate bookseller’s contract with the university was officially renewed last week by the board of trustees. The center will be continue to be funded through trademark and licensing revenues, as well as direct sales from the center.
The university is not currently planning opening welcome centers in other cities, but depending on the success of the new King Street location Laurence says expansion may be a possibility.
“This is just dipping our toes in the water,” Laurence said. “We’re trying to see where we can go with this, but there’s nothing else on the books for now.”