By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Tiger Book Shop gives its final roar to the Hays community by selling its remaining inventory, a result of years of declining business.
For about 19 years, the local bookstore served Fort Hays State University students and faculty, providing course materials and tiger-themed apparel.
Jerome Conner, the store manager, has led the shop for 17 years and said the bookstore tried to adapt to the evolving landscape of school textbooks.
"A lot of the industry went to textbook rentals," Conner said. "We went along with that and gave cheaper options to students so they didn't have to pay as much upfront."
The store, 509 W. Seventh St., will close on May 15. It will host a "final liquidation" sale, during which customers can save 50 to 70% on clothing, merchandise, books and more.
The remaining textbooks on sale for $5 or less are older editions. Students may still find course materials that are beneficial for current classes.
After the store's closure, textbooks will no longer be purchasable through the bookshop website.
Conner said the decline in business was ongoing due to a shift in buying habits, further amplified during the pandemic.
"When COVID hit, everything went online with the campus," he said. "it made it more tricky to let students know we were here, and we never really bounced back since then."
The bookstore's student workforce decreased over time, reflecting a decline in business activity and long lines it once experienced.
Following the closure, Conner said students seeking books will need to turn to online resources or purchase from other students instead of relying on the local shop.
"We may be one of the last off-campus bookstores in the state of Kansas," he said.
FHSU operates an official online bookstore that provides price matching, free shipping and digital books. Additionally, within the Memorial Union, the Victor E. Apparel & Gift Co. offers similar apparel and school supplies.
The shop maintained strong ties with FHSU departments and organizations, allowing quick and easy textbook access.
"Thanks for the many years of supporting our business," Conner said.
The bookstore served more than a dozen generations of Tigers, but the building's roots date back as far as 40 years under different ownership.
The Tiger Book Shop is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The bookstore made its announcement in a Facebook Post.