After three years at its location on College Avenue, Kraftees lost its lease agreement and will reopen Wednesday at its property on Dryden Road. Kraftees will scale back some elements of its business as it adjusts to the smaller space, according to owner Patrick F. Kraft.Before Kraftees moved into its space on College Avenue, it had operated its business from its Dryden location. Since then, the property has been used as storage. Now, the company will again conduct all of its business from the Dryden Road location. “We’re losing half of our retail space,” said Kraft. “Merchandise such as t-shirts will be scaled back.”The reason their lease agreement was not renewed is a recent change in building ownership from Tompkins Trust to its current landlord, John Navarr, who has not yet specified the future plans of the space, Kraft said.While losing its storefront on College Avenue poses a concern to the owner, he said that the continuous expansion in its online website will “take a little pressure off” the potential decrease in sales.
“When we moved [to 325 College Ave.] three years ago, we knew that we would be phased out someday” Kraft said.
Kraftee’s emphasis on online services is adapting to current market competition, as the percentage of textbook sellers offering rentals more than doubled from 20 percent to 58 percent from last year, said Kraft. He added that Kraftees will begin offering rentals in January.Although he says that their location on Dryden Rd. will remain “visible”, Kraft is currently looking for a different location for Kraftees on College Ave., where he says his business can continue to profit and contribute to the “street-engaging” atmosphere of surrounding businesses.Kraft started selling t-shirts during his college years, and soon after graduation started his own business in 1989 selling fraternity and sorority t-shirts. Since 1989, the business has expanded, and Kraft said he hoped the business would continue to expand. “We’re growing,” Kraft said. “We see change as good.”
Original Author: Sophie Lin