CAMPUS SALE: UNIVERSITY FACILITY USED BY TRAVELING MERCHANTS

Sportswear and lingerie were hawked at the Southeast Missouri State University Center Thursday by a Lenexa, Kan., company that regularly travels the campus circuit in search of sales.

The company, Clothing Concepts, held a "warehouse" sale from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

Some Cape Girardeau merchants have complained about such vendors, arguing that they compete against local businesses and take dollars out of the community.

"It is a concern to us when a public institution ... gets involved in renting space and promoting retail business," said Harry Rediger, chairman of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a retail merchant.

Rediger said the chamber and merchants are concerned about "the traveling arcade" of vendors who hawk their wares both on campus and around town.

Merchants, he said, understand the need for the University Center bookstore. But he said, "Any kind of expanded retail business on public institution property has got to be a concern to the chamber and retail business.

"It's not a necessary service for the university to provide their students," Rediger said.

Mary Thompson, city collector, said the company has met city licensing requirements, purchasing a $50 traveling merchant's license for the occasion.

Clothing Concepts paid $500 to rent the ballroom for one day.

In cases where there is an admission charge, the University Center also receives a percentage of the revenue, said Sandra Bedwell of the University Center staff.

She said a number of companies rent space at the University Center during the course of the school year, selling everything from clothes to jewelry.

The university can reject a rental request. "If it is competing with something in the (University Center) bookstore ... then, yes we do," said Bedwell.

Clothing Concepts held a similar sale at the University Center last year and several years ago held a sale at the Show Me Center, she said.

"There's lots of things sold in the University Center by vendors who come in and set up," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast.

"I don't know where you draw the line."