Virginia Tech Merchandise

Summer has arrived in Blacksburg, and with it comes new students, great community events, and (mostly) beautiful weather. We at Campus Emporium want to make sure you have all the Hokie gear you need for a great summer.
With temperatures creeping into the 90’s, keeping cool is a must. Wearing lightweight and breathable clothing can help you beat the heat, like our VT Inferno Sleeveless Shirt for guys, or our adorable VT Ruffled Tank and Hokie Heart Tank for ladies.

Another great warm weather choice is Under Armour– its lightweight moisture transporting fabric keeps you dry, and some garments even offer UV protection. We’ve just received a shipment of Virginia Tech Under Armour Catalyst shirts, which are made from recycled water bottles! Hop over to our VT Under Armour shop to shop our latest men’s and women’s styles.

When dressing for the heat, don’t forget your feet! Keeping your feet cool can help you feel cool all over, so air out those piggies! We’ve got two great suggestions for you: our new VT Rhinestone Flip Flops and our insanely popular VT Piro Shoes. For men and women, Piro shoes offer super lightweight comfort and ventilation. A special mesh in the sole also prevents the growth of odor causing bacteria, keeping you feet fresh. After a summer of hitting the pavement, simply throw them in the washer to brighten them back up.

Although it’s important all year round, summer is definitely the time for protecting yourself from the sun. Wearing a hat, like one of our Virginia Tech Visors, and a pair of quality sunglasses is a great start to staying safe from the sun. The most effective form of protection is sunscreen. Doctors recommend you wear at least SPF 15 every day, but you should definitely increase your protection in the summer. Believe it or not, Campus Emporium’s got you covered there, too! We now carry small bottles of VT Sunscreen for summer festivals and game days so Hokies don’t go home with faces matching their shirts.

Our last bit of advice for beating the heat is to stay hydrated. Water is the best– add lemon if you need flavor– and drinking it cold can help lower your body temperature. Keep water handy all day long with our Virginia Tech Camelbak Water Bottle to help you remember to drink. CamelBaks are BPA free, spill-proof and dishwasher safe and feature an easy to use bite valve. They’re a little pricier than cheapo bargain bottles, but worth every penny.

Now that you’re ready for summer in Blacksburg, head out of the A/C for one of our great community events. On July 17th from 9-2 is Art At the Market, where local artists will be displaying and selling their artwork near our new Farmer’s Market. There will also be breakfast served– don’t miss it!
On August 6th and 7th is Steppin’ Out, our largest event of the year. Over 150 artists, crafters and countless food vendors flood the streets of downtown Blacksburg with amazing merchandise and munchies. This year is the event’s 30th anniversary, so it’s sure to be the biggest yet! T-Shirts are now available at select downtown merchants including Campus Emporium.

It looks like we’re finally going to get some sun here in Blacksburg. Thank goodness- we were all starting to get a little grumpy (and pale) around here! It’s amazing the effect weather can have on your mood. The warm nights are bringing people to the streets of Downtown Blacksburg, including many visitors from out of town. We have been staying open later than usual, glad for the customers and their cheery dispositions.

Our managers are wrapping up their major buys for the year, and with that comes a pile of purchase orders for new Virginia Tech clothing and gifts. We’re excited to offer some new lines this year, and are fine tuning some of our existing merchandise. We thank you for your suggestions and requests and have done our best to accommodate them all. We’ve added tall sizes in some of our VT menswear and plus sizes in our women’s department.

We are adding some fun new designs in clothing, like Hello Kitty, and are revisiting some of Virginia Tech’s vintage logos.

Of course adding new stuff means getting rid of old stuff. We’ve lowered prices on tons of our Virginia Tech merchandise to make room for our new arrivals. Check out our sale page for some great deals!

There are BIG things on the horizon for Campus Emporium in the next year or two. Stay tuned to see find out what we’re doing to be the best Hokie Gear store around town and online. Accept no imitations- we are your One Stop Hokie Shop, your Unbookstore, and your Hokie Heart of Downtown Blacksburg!

‘Til next time,
GO HOKIES!

We’re proud to announce the debut of LimbGear®- a line of MP3-enabled performance wear available exclusively at Campus Emporium!
Advances in technology have made it possible for us to take music everywhere via iPods and MP3 players. But even the smallest player can be a burden when you’re walking to class or working out. Enter LimbGear®…
LimbGear® uses simple but innovative design to allow hands-free listening with your favorite MP3 player. Available in hats, ear bands, scarves, armbands, and even hoodies; there’s a LimbGear® product that fits your lifestyle!

Using LimbGear® is easy! Simply thread your earbuds through the channels in the product. Connect your buds to your player and tuck your player into the pocket. Now, Hit play and hit the road! Campus Emporium even sells earbuds with shorter cords to allow for sleek and tidy use.

LimbGear®’s latest innovation is the InterActive™ Hoodio- a screen-printed hoodie with the ability to control your iPod right on the sleeve. Using hidden channels within the garment, your earbuds run from your player (contained in a hidden pocket) to your ears. Your player then connects to the PANiQ controller, allowing you to play, skip, pause, and more, simply by touching the control pad on the sleeve! The Hoodio is now available at Campus Emporium and will soon be available in our online store.

View our current selection of LimbGear here.

On behalf of the Hokie Bird and all gobblers everywhere, Campus Emporium begs Hokie fans around the world to spare the lives of our feathered friends this Thanksgiving. Each year billions of innocent turkeys meet their Maker throughout the holiday season, and we say it’s time to stop the slaughter (or just slaughter something else).

Without further ado, Campus Emporium is proud to announce its support of G.O.B.B.L.- Gibleted Objectors to Birds Becoming Leftovers. G.O.B.B.L. was founded in 2006 by a small flock of friends troubled by the annual cooking and devouring of their brethren. Rather than live in fear and denial, the flock decided it was time to take action.

Among G.O.B.B.L.’s most notable achievements are the Million Beak March on Washington, the Cranberry Sauce Boycott of 2007, and several organized “prison breaks” from major poultry farms across the country.

This year G.O.B.B.L. has decided to use the media to spread its message, launching a multi-million dollar ad campaign advocating the consumption of ham over turkey. A spokespig for S.L.O.P (Saving Lives of Pigs) could not be reached for comment.

Campus Emporium has joined forces with G.O.B.B.L. to advocate the consumption of alternative meats for the Holiday season. May we offer the following suggestions…

• Ham. Pigs are cute, but unfortunately are very tasty. Serve it up on our Stadium Platter.
• Venison. Bag one while wearing ourVT Hunt Club Tee.
• Beef. Burgers anyone? It’s never too cold to grill!
• Fish. It’s healthy and delicious, especially in stick form. And kids love ‘em. too!
• Tofu. Errr… Ummm… Might we suggest a wine to pair with it? Get something with an angry-looking animal on the label. And get two of them.
• Ice cream! Hell, you only go around once.

If you would like to join G.O.B.B.L. in its efforts to save the turkeys, show your support by wearing one of these great tees…

We just got these silicone VT logo cake and ice molds in stock and were talking about the different ways they can be used. The conversation naturally drifted towards alcohol.

The large VT cake mold can be used to make a giant frozen VT logo for punch. Use either water, soda or juice. Add fruit pieces if you want to be fancy. Add fake flies if you want to be a jerk.

The VT ice trays can also be used to make gelatin (jello) shots.
Here’s a recipe for your basic vodka shooter:

1 (6 oz) box of gelatin, any flavor
2 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups vodka, chilled
¾ cup cold water


Depending on the octane level of your alcohol, adjust the proportions of alcohol to cold water to ensure that the shots still set up.

• 3 oz of 30-50 (~20%) proof alcohol to 3 oz (3/8 c) cold water
• 10 oz 80-100 (~45%) proof alcohol to 6 oz (3/4 c) cold water
• 6 oz 150-200 proof alcohol to 10 oz (1 1/4 c) cold water. This is apparently going to be a serious party. Forget the jello and just try not to get arrested.

In a heat-safe bowl, pour the boiling water over the gelatin and stir until thoroughly dissolved- about 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir in the vodka and cold water.
Pour the mixture into mold or cups. Refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours. Bring to Campus Emporium.
Makes roughly 30 1oz jello shots.

Tips:
• Use a bowl or measuring cup with a spout to make pouring easier. Make sure it is heat safe, though.
• Spray mold or cups with cooking spray so the shots come out easier.
• For firmer shots, stir in a packet of unflavored gelatin OR decrease the amount of water and alcohol slightly. Practice makes perfect! And you can eat your mistakes.
• Serve molded shots on pieces of wax paper so your guests can pick them up.
• Match your gelatin flavor to flavored vodkas.

Once you get that one down, you can move on to Jigglin’ 102: More Shooter Recipes. We want to hang out with this guy!

Serve up your shots on one of our VT plates or platters.

You can, of course, use the ice trays for ice. Use juice or soda to add flavor to your punch or cocktails. Serve your fancy shmancy ice cubes in our Tervis Ice Bucket.

After you’ve enjoyed your jello shots and fancy ice cubes and are “sleepy”, aim for our VT Bean Bag chair. It’s a lot softer than the floor.

OK, ok. We’re not a bunch of crazy drunks here at Campus Emporium. We found some other uses for the molds that don’t involve alcohol:

• Candy and chocolate.
• Ice cream and ice cream cakes.
• Soap.
• Candles.
• Butter. Imagine- little VT butter pats!

If you have recipe ideas, photos, stories, or product feedback email us!

‘Till next time, keep jigglin’ and GO HOKIES!

(Please note that Virginia Tech does not support or encourage reckless drinking, putting fake flies in punch, or passing out in bean bag chairs.)

You’ve perused the pages of CampusEmporium.com and scored some sweet new Hokie apparel. You’ve sported your gear around town and it’s inevitably lost that new shirt smell. You send it for a spin in the washer and dryer and prepare for the moment of truth- will your brand new shirt come out the same or will it shrink up to the size of a postage stamp? We’ve all been there and have faced both outcomes. In an effort to spare our fellow Hokies from the wrath of the laundry gods, we’ve compiled a list of garment care tips. Happy worshing!

1. Know thine enemy…
Before you wash any new garment, read the label. The label will tell you what the garment is made of and in most cases how to care for it.

2. Shrinkage
If washed in warm or hot water then dried in a hot dryer, cotton will shrink. The more cotton in a garment the more noticeable the shrinkage. If your garment fits just right and you want to keep it that way, wash in warm or cold water and hang to dry. Remember heat is your enemy. To prevent weird stretching while drying hang the garment over a door, shower curtain rod, or drying rack. Hangers are not nice to wet clothes!

3. Stop the bleeding!
Most garments will fade over time and some more than others. Manufacturers often load the garments with excess dye to compensate for this, which can seriously mess with your laundry mojo. Ever made your own pink socks?
To avoid bleeding, wash similar colors together and avoid mixing lights and darks. For rich, bright, or dark colors, wash in cold water to extend their life. When possible, wash the garments inside out– this reduces the amount of abrasion on the surface, which can protect the color (this is especially true with jeans).

4. Print and Embroidery
Garments with embroidery or print need special care. To protect delicate embroidery or applique, wash the garment inside out and on a gentler cycle. We always recommend washing in cold water and hanging to dry, but drying on low heat may work as well depending on the material. Items with print should also be washed inside out to minimize abrasion, and generally areas with ink should not be ironed.

5. Under Amour
Under Armour is one of the longest lasting and low maintenance fabrics on the market. Caring for Under Armour is simple- wash it cold, hang to dry. Fabric softener is not necessary for UA garments and can actually interfere with its moisture management abilities. Think of Under Armour as skin and fabric softener as lotion. You want to keep Under Armour nice and thirsty so it can do its thing.

At Campus Emporium, we want you to enjoy your Virginia Tech clothing for years to come. If you ever have any questions about caring for your garments or anything else, give us a call at 866-488-9327.

Our much anticipated 2009 Virginia Tech Football Schedule T-Shirts just came through the doors!

Our new tee features “Sheriff” Hokie Bird presenting Hokie Football’s 12 Most Wanted. Shown are the twelve mascots of the teams VT will face this fall along with the dates of each game.
100% preshrunk cotton with full back print and coordinating left chest design.

These won’t last long- grab yours today!

The always highly anticipated spring football game is fast approaching. Now is the perfect time to pick up a new Virginia Tech jersey, t-shirt, or hat to kick off another great year of Hokie football. For more information on the spring game visit HokieSports.com.


Whether you’re there in person be there in spirit, be sure you’re sporting our new Spring Game T-Shirt. It starts at only 17.99 and supplies are limited!

As Spring Break draws closer, have you started thinking about how you want to spend it?

How about a nice day at the beach, reading up on some Hokie history with a great book from CampusEmporium.com? As you curl up in the sand and enjoy some sun, learn about the history of Blacksburg Virginia in Images of America: Blacksburg or study up on some Hokie Trivia in What It Means to Be a Hokie. Even though you’re spending time away from your alma mater, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on some great reading!

Looking to have some fun over Spring Break? Why not grab your favorite Hokie Tees and take your spirit on the road with a fun roadtrip? Load up your car, van or RV with some great Tailgate Gear and other essentials to enjoy the great outdoors on your cross country adventure. Just be sure to let everyone see your Hokie pride with some Auto Accessories from CampusEmporium.com.

No matter how you choose to spend it, just remember to be safe, have fun, and show off your Hokie pride!

Our famous VT recliner needs a new home! Normally $899, if you take the floor display model and haul it’s yours for only $599. Call 866-488-9327 if interested.

Here’s some information about the recliners.

The recliners are also available new and can be drop-shipped to your door. Did we mention the matching sofa?


UPDATE: Our recliner found a new home on Sunday the 8th, but you can still order yours new by clicking the links above.