I am in need of some new NIU gear. I’m at a lost after VCB closed. Any recommendations on where to find some decent shirts, etc.

(11-20-2023 09:51 PM)Growler83 Wrote:  I am in need of some new NIU gear. I’m at a lost after VCB closed. Any recommendations on where to find some decent shirts, etc.

Fanatics has some okay stuff. I've got a hoodie in the cart right now and about an hour and 45 minutes to decide on it to get the 30% off deal.

Fwiw, they always have deals but 30% off is pretty decent for them. A lot of times its free shipping or like 10% off.

I typically try to stay away from the Fanatics brand gear but the also sell other brands that usually are a better quality.

Oddly enough Meijer usually has a section of NIU gear. It’s hit or miss but can occasionally have some good stuff. Not sure about all Meijers…but the St.Charles one did.

Dick's used to have decent sweatshirts for about $20 clearance at Christmas. Polyester blend but they were worth it I thought.

The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

(11-21-2023 10:38 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

Thanks for that link. Some cool looking items there.

(11-21-2023 10:38 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

Though I've never purchased from Vintage, I do like their stuff but there is literally zero variety. They have one design (granted, a super cool throwback design that I wish NIU would embrace more...though it does seem they might actually be doing that) and a selection of different things you can put that logo on.

(11-21-2023 03:38 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 10:38 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

Though I've never purchased from Vintage, I do like their stuff but there is literally zero variety. They have one design (granted, a super cool throwback design that I wish NIU would embrace more...though it does seem they might actually be doing that) and a selection of different things you can put that logo on.

Agreed. but Vintage is the exception to the wide-range of other sites out there, in that they've got something. Literally "in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king"

besides the fightin huskie (something NIU will not sell) there aren't a whole lot of other options for old NIU logos.

(11-21-2023 06:12 PM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 03:38 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 10:38 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

Though I've never purchased from Vintage, I do like their stuff but there is literally zero variety. They have one design (granted, a super cool throwback design that I wish NIU would embrace more...though it does seem they might actually be doing that) and a selection of different things you can put that logo on.

Agreed. but Vintage is the exception to the wide-range of other sites out there, in that they've got something. Literally "in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king"

besides the fightin huskie (something NIU will not sell) there aren't a whole lot of other options for old NIU logos.

maybe not for everyone but you can find all kinds of different NIU stuff on Ebay.

Thanks for all the feedback! I’m going to check out Vintage. I think I remember someone stating that their sizes run small. Is that true? I really like the old Fighting Huskie stuff I see some people wearing.

(11-21-2023 10:38 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 09:32 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 01:09 AM)NIUHuskie4life Wrote:  The Bookstore which is run by a third party (Follet Corporation) is an absolute abomination. Their selection never seems to change, and their customer service is outsourced to India. I ordered a Men's hoody and was sent a woman's hoody instead. When I called their "customer service," I spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a hoody is and could barely understand the CS agent. Unless there is something you really want from that site and you are confident in the size/style, I would steer clear.

Agreed, NIU deserves a way better selection of gear and better customer service then they are getting from Folett. They are always out of items and sizes at the Bookstore. I also ordered 2 NIU t-shirts for my kids, and both arrived with the logo crinkled and disintegrating. I sent photos of the bogus shirts to Follet, they were very unapologetic, and said they would issue a refund, but only if I mailed the products back to them at my cost. Follet sucks, whoever approved that contract needs to go.

Both Folett and fanatics are terrible. Its mass produced crap that doesn't vary other than the school name. It makes me furious that some of the unique vendors have reached out to the school and had no luck. Homage, Homefield, 47 Brand, Authentic Brand all carry very cool unique items from other in-state schools but no NIU. In fact Homefield did carry a very cool NIU 70s tee but NIU had them pull it down.

The only one I've had any luck with getting unique, quality stuff from is Vintage Brand.

https://vintagebrand.com/l/college/t/nor...university

I’ve had zero issues with Fanatics. It’s simple designs but I’ve had NIU shirts last a decade +. But I will say I haven’t ordered NIU stuff from there in a few years. Their site is exactly the same as Bears for NFL stuff.

Does anyone remember Steve n Barry’s? They were only in this area like 6-7 years. Nothing more than 7 bucks I think, even cheap jackets. I still have a plain black NIU ON red shirt that’s probably 15-20 years old. I once got a U Minnesota stitched heavy sweatshirt while there. Weird part, is like elastic stretch on each side lol. Super warm.

(11-21-2023 11:44 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  Does anyone remember Steve n Barry’s? They were only in this area like 6-7 years. Nothing more than 7 bucks I think, even cheap jackets. I still have a plain black NIU ON red shirt that’s probably 15-20 years old. I once got a U Minnesota stitched heavy sweatshirt while there. Weird part, is like elastic stretch on each side lol. Super warm.

I remember that place. Near the Buffalo Wild Wings in Sycamore. We used to get unreal deals at that place. They even had shoes for under $10. I got a heavy jacket from there, I wore it all of freshman and sophomore year. Really wish I still had it. It was pretty decent.

I like buying vintage stuff for EMU on eBay. We have Folett too, and they are the worst.

Ordered a used charging dog sweatshirt off eBay for 20 bucks. Thanks for the suggestion.

Haven’t seen anything with that logo sold new and I own a few others, so nice to add that to my collection.

Chilton’s in downtown DeKalb has a limited selection of NIU gear, including some quarter zips with thevfighting huskie logo