EWU Surplus Store set to reopen on campus April 3

There are changes ahead for the Eastern Washington University Surplus Store.

First, the facility will be finally making a long-anticipated move from its current location in downtown Cheney on 120 G Street to quarters adjacent to the new parking lot addition north of Roos Field.

The other change is in personnel where Friday, March 20 will be the final day on the job for current manager and EWU student Katie Emery.

"Spring quarter will be my last quarter at EWU," Emery wrote in an email. "I will be student teaching at East Valley High School starting on March 23, and therefore I am unable to continue my position at (EWU) Surplus."

The move of the surplus operations will take place by the first week of April with an anticipated first day of operations in the new building Friday, April 3 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no official address to the new building. Signs will be placed near the entrance on Washington St. to help guide customers to the building.

The current building will be closed March 20 and 27 to accommodate the move and build up inventory. The store can still be reached at 359-7377 or (509) 227-9778 (cell) or via email at surplus@ewu.edu. Doug Thompson is the new contact.

"We hope that our new facility will enable our customers to see how we are striving to become as modern and convenient as possible," Emery said.

The former surplus store location will remain university property, Emery said in a recent interview.

"What we've heard, and this is not confirmed is that it's going to be records storage," Emery said. Currently university records are stored at a variety of locations across campus. Moving records will not be completed until a new fire suppression system is installed.

The new location will consist of 2,500 square feet compared to 12,500 at the former Safeway store.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.