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University Communications

University of Richmond-branded products on sale at Parham Road Wal-Mart; celebration planned Oct. 10 to launch Spider Web section

October 7, 2008

University of Richmond alumni, faculty, staff, students and fans now have a major retail location where they can purchase Spider-branded apparel and other products with the university's logo.

In a deal with Wal-Mart, UR items are now on sale at the retailer's 1504 N. Parham Road location in Richmond. An official launch of the "Spider Web" section of the store will be held Oct. 10 from 4-6 p.m., with Richmond cheerleaders and university mascot "Spidey" on hand for the celebration. The university also will give away two tickets to the UR vs. JMU football game Oct. 11.

It has taken more than six months to complete negotiations with the world's number one retailer, said Jessica Ryder Morrall, manager of collegiate licensing.

University of Richmond items have been available in a few other retail locations in the Richmond area for a number of years. This is the first deal with such a large retailer.

Items for sale include t-shirts, hoodies, hats, polo shirts, cups, travel mugs, car flags, stickers, magnets, suitcase tags, key chains, license plates, trailer hitches and other items, Morrall said.

Currently, the Parham Road Wal-Mart is the only Wal-Mart location to offer UR items. "If the products do well and the UR brand continues to grow, we look forward to expanding our presence into other Wal-Marts in the metro-Richmond area," said Herb Peterson, the university's vice president for business and finance.