Stevenson University’s bookstore, The Starting Gate, assists students with gathering the appropriate textbooks and course materials for all their classes. The bookstore is prepping early for the summer and fall influx of students returning to campus. Most importantly, The Starting Gate offers many apparel options for students looking to show off their Stevenson pride.
The COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be quite a stressful and unforgettable experience in the lives of college students, especially here at Stevenson. For such an unusual year, the process of preparing and excelling in courses is a priority for students. After much anticipation, Stevenson University is aiming to resume in-person classes for the Fall 2021 semester succeeding in a year of remote/hybrid classes.
La Shaun Calderone, Manager of Stevenson University’s The Starting Gate, explained how COVID-19 has placed several restrictions on the store for the time being. “Online ordering through The Starting Gate is a great way to save time and stay safe. For pick up, all orders are secured in reservation boxes that students take with them,” Calderone said. For the upcoming summer and fall semesters, Calderone added that the store is prepping inventory for the return of a busy store while maintaining safety and sanitation measures of the store. “Our retail sales floor will continue to be sanitized regularly. We also reserve the right to limit the number of customers in-store at one time if the ability to social distance becomes an issue for the upcoming summer and fall semesters,” she said.
The Campus Store was an original store that began as a small room on the Greenspring campus designated for school supplies and merchandise dating back to when Stevenson was known as Villa Julie College, and then it was located in a strip mall near the entrance of the Owings Mills campus. Beginning in July 2019, the campus store moved to a space on the Owings Mills campus, along with updating its formal name to “The Starting Gate.” Although business for the school store has slowed during the COVID pandemic, its active engagement with students every semester has shown that Stevenson would certainly not be the same without The Starting Gate.
Along with Calderone’s expertise and insight as manager of The Starting Gate, fellow colleague and sophomore David Orenberg described his personal experience using the store. “When I used The Starting Gate, I had a great experience. The staff was nice, and it was easy to navigate the store, grab what you need, and be on your way,” Orenberg explained. “If you haven’t been to The Starting Gate, it is definitely worth checking out!” So, if you are in need of school supplies, athletic gear, or any Mustang apparel, stop by The Starting Gate.
The Starting Gate is open to all students, both on-campus and online, Monday through Saturday. Visit The Starting Gate’s official webpage for additional details and store hours. http://store.stevenson.edu/suom/home.aspx
