Sales of NIU-themed apparel are up this year, due in large part to the success of the football team.

The Holmes Student Center’s University Bookstore and Village Commons Bookstore, 901 Lucinda Ave. – the two largest suppliers of NIU merchandise in the area – both report phenomenal increases in their profits.

Lee Blankenship, owner of the VCB, attributes much of the store’s success to football.

“It’s the primary factor that influences our apparel sales,” he said.

Sales at the University Bookstore are also doing well.

“Our sales are up about 10 percent from last year,” said Mitch Kielb, acting director of the Student Center. “I think our fan base is getting stronger this year. Football is also directly tied to the success of our sales.”

“We also just doubled our clothing space at the end of July,” said Denise Frakes, supervisor and clothing buyer for the University Bookstore.

Both Kielb and Blankenship said without the football excitement, sales would be lower.

“This is a big football school,” Blankenship said. “Sales would definitely go down if the team wasn’t as successful.”

The VCB also gets a lot of business from alumni through its Web site, said Jody Boardman, who works in the clothing department at the VCB.

“Last year, we shipped orders out to all except three states,” she said.

Kielb said since the University Bookstore launched its Web site last year, sales are five to six times better than having a catalog.

“We get Web site orders from everywhere,” Kielb said. “Even from outside the United States. It’s just more convenient shopping.”

Kielb also said a portion of their sales come from the Alumni Center in the Convocation Center on football game days.

At both stores, the most popular items are sweatshirts and hats.

“Obviously, it varies with the weather,” Blankenship said.

Some students have also noticed the success of the stores,but commented on other things, such as the amount of items sold and their prices.

“They’ve [University Bookstore] added a lot since last year,” said Beth Dominguez, a senior deaf education major.

“They’re overpriced,” said freshman Spanish major Megan Hencke.

Senior deaf education major Alexandra Contreras agreed.

“It’s expensive,” Contreras said. “I saw a sweatshirt for $45.”