The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will celebrate the grand opening of its new VolShop at the University Commons development on Saturday, Aug. 30.

 

The new store, next to Wal-Mart, is the latest satellite location of the main VolShop.

 

Door prizes and giveaways are planned throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Customers can enter to win skybox tickets for the UT versus Kentucky Wildcats football game on Nov. 15, autographed merchandise and more. The first 50 customers on Saturday will receive gift bags.

 

The location also will celebrate with students on Friday, Aug. 29. UT students who stop by the University Commons location will receive UT foam bricks while supplies last.

 

The new University Commons development opened earlier this month just west of the UT campus. The shopping center is accessible from Kingston Pike and Joe Johnson Drive. The campus community also can access the center by taking the city’s free Vol Line trolley. Knoxville Area Transit’s trolley, which makes a loop from the Civic Coliseum to Cumberland Avenue, has now added a stop at University Commons as well as additional stops along Volunteer Boulevard through campus.

 

 

VolShop Marketing Manager Tommi Grubbs said the new store would offer a unique mix of gifts, apparel and services.

 

“The new VolShop’s central location gives us a convenient hub from which to serve our students, faculty and staff. We also expect it to be a popular place for the community to enjoy and shop for Volunteer gear and gifts,” Grubbs said.

 

A store kiosk will allow students to order books, technology items, graduation supplies and student tickets for games and campus events.

 

The store accepts cash; Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express credit cards; and UT VolCards. Faculty and staff will receive a 10 percent discount on all items in the store.

 

The University Commons VolShop is the second new VolShop location to open this month. The VolShop on Cumberland Avenue, which sells primarily gifts and apparel, opened on Aug. 23.

 

The University Commons store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The Cumberland Avenue location is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

 

All VolShop proceeds benefit the university through student scholarships and campus building projects. For more info or to shop online, visit http://shop.utk.edu