The Kent State University Surplus Store, located at 414 E. Main St., resells items the university no longer uses for affordable prices. 

The store is open every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and carries items such as chairs, couches, desks, electronics, books and more. 

Jeremy Watson came into the department three years ago and is now the storekeeper for the outlet. 

“It was something Kent State has been working on, and it’s to help the university to try to move assets around instead of just throwing them into the trash,” Watson said. “We bring items back here and try to sell them for a very affordable cost, just so that we can avoid throwing items away.” 

Before items come to the store, they are available to anybody on campus to claim for free through the Campus Surplus Redistribution website. If items are not claimed after 30 days, they get sent to the surplus store where they will be put on sale. 

“We make sure items are not broken or scratched up,” Watson said. “We make sure it’s able to look nice in someone’s house if they want it.”  

Watson said he is often amazed at what items come into the store and said electronics seem to be the hot ticket item. 

“We have everything from paper clips to desks and tables,” Watson said. “Anything that you could think of that would be in a work office setting, we have it.” 

Watson said he wants to continue to see the store grow and hopes to gain a bigger clientele by continually advertising about the store. 

“The turnout every week has just grown,” Watson said. “Every week we get new people that come in looking for an array of different items.” 

The Kent State University Surplus Store will be open next Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and plans to open on some Friday and Saturday nights. 

“If an item has anything to sell, we try to keep it so that it avoids the landfill, that’s the bottom line,” Watson said. “We don’t care what it sells for, it’s just trying to avoid items going into the landfill.”

Adrianna Quinlan is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].