Campus Memories

#1      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
[Moderator note- attempted to move this topic that formed in another thread to its own thread here. It's not perfect but has the majority of the content.]

LouHenson said:
We must be the same age? I grew up in Champaign and went to Central graduated in 1979. I remember when Lou came and what if felt like to really have a sport to root for.

Football was already in the dumps, I was 3 in 1964 when they went to the Rose Bowl, so Lou built what I ever knew or cared about in Illini sports.
You're five years older than me. I grew up in Columbus watching OSU and admiring from afar what Lou was doing in the late '70s/early '80s. I recall going to an OSU-Illinois game in Columbus in ~ 1975. All I remember was that Bartow was coaching, and Bill Rucks and Otho Tucker were on the Illini (I was OCD about rosters and player/coach trivia as a kid), both teams were pretty mediocre, and St. John Arena was barely half-filled.

I also recall that Derek Harper team in '82. OSU went to Champaign in January when the Illini were undefeated and beat them in OT. It made the cover of SI the following week. OSU had a really good team that year, though under the radar until they beat the Illini. I remember watching Harper play (I was a 16-year-old guard and loved watching BT games) and thinking he looked nearly as good as Isaiah Thomas had the season before.
 
#2      
You're five years older than me. I grew up in Columbus watching OSU and admiring from afar what Lou was doing in the late '70s/early '80s. I recall going to an OSU-Illinois game in Columbus in ~ 1975. All I remember was that Bartow was coaching, and Bill Rucks and Otho Tucker were on the Illini (I was OCD about rosters and player/coach trivia as a kid), both teams were pretty mediocre, and St. John Arena was barely half-filled.

I also recall that Derek Harper team in '82. OSU went to Champaign in January when the Illini were undefeated and beat them in OT. It made the cover of SI the following week. OSU had a really good team that year, though under the radar until they beat the Illini. I remember watching Harper play (I was a 16-year-old guard and loved watching BT games) and thinking he looked nearly as good as Isaiah Thomas had the season before.
My best friend lives in Van Wert Ohio and went to tOSU and is a die hard Buckeye. Even he understands just how hard it is to be a fan of Illinois. So many “heartaches”, Lou was the one thing that was “moving in the right direction” for the athletic department.

My dad always told me how good Illinois was before the slush fund, but I can’t remember it so I grew up with a school that simply was a also run. In HS we used to go to Illinois games, and one guys would get i the end zone for (started as $1.00) then they killed us when it went to $2.00. That kid would then leave and get his hand stamped. He would then come out and “roll” the stamp onto about 4 or 5 other guys. It was all there was in Champaign in the 70’s.

When Lou came, it was sort of like well we have this “old” guy with funny hair and so what really? Little did I know that 45 years later, he would be far and away the most influential person in the history of the school (at least for me).

I did not have the grades to go to the U of I, so I went to ISU, but never followed the Redbirds. Always loved and followed the Illini.

in 1986 i went to grad school at Purdue and was such an Illini fan that I would drive half way to Champaign from Lafayette (Hoopston) and a guy who owned a small motel would let me watch Illinois games on their TV (Hoopston could get channel 3 via antenna) for $5.00. Only catch was I could not sit on the bed or use the bathroom lol.

After grad school I came home to Champaign and ran my parents business for 10 years. In 1985 or 1986 my wife (working at Lincoln Lodge in Urbana) And Kendall stayed their with his HS team. Well I met him and we have been friends ever since, but something cool happened.

In 1988 my buddy from HS was watching an Illini game where Dick Vitale called the Illini the “flying Illini”. Well my friend called and said you should make a shirt saying that. Well the chief with wings was born. We made them first with Flight #33 on them Kenny Battle was just so huge. Kenny was pretty shy back then, but Kendall he was so personable. Well he asked me if I could make one with flight #13 on it? I did and then we were off to the races. We made them with every players number on them.

Back then we could not print our own shirts, so we had them made in all places (Des Moines Iowa). Every night I would leave Champaign and Drive to the Quad Cities and pick up every shirt our printer could make in one days time (he would drive to meet me in Davenport). I would bring them back to the store and in 10 minutes every one was sold out.

Soon after Champion allowed us to sell the basketball shorts (Remember Illinois and Michigan sort of invented the baggy shorts look). We could not stop selling these $50 shorts in 1989.

Well, 2020 has been a tough year Lou passed on and my parents (my grandfather started the store in 1955) closed its doors for the last time last Friday July 31st. TeShurt will no longer be a part of the University of Illinois campus.

I am sure there are many many people with a much deeper love for Illinois, but it is tough to imagine? The greatest thing as a fan for me was I was able to be in the locker room after the Arizona game with my best friend from college (he knew Roger Powell senior from ISU).

Anyways, enough of the trip down memory lane. To say the least last week was very hard for me, so seeing both Ayo and Kofi return was like a present from above for me. Ayo is and will be another Kendall, Jerry C, Deon who simply gave all they had to the school and the town.
 
#3      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
Well, 2020 has been a tough year Lou passed on and my parents (my grandfather started the store in 1955) closed its doors for the last time last Friday July 31st. TeShurt will no longer be a part of the University of Illinois campus.
I'm really sorry to hear that. TeShurt was a big part of my years on Campus. I remember walking in there as an 18-year-old and buying my first Illini shirts and a plastic mug that I used as a drinking cup in the dorms. That store is a campus institution. I love your story about driving from Lafayette to Hoopeston. That's dedication as a fan.

Thanks to you and your family for all you've given the C-U community. I left campus 30 years ago this coming Tuesday and still remember your store, and so much more. It's a wonderful place, campus and community. Time has passed in an eye-blink.
 
#4      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
In 1988 my buddy from HS was watching an Illini game where Dick Vitale called the Illini the “flying Illini”. Well my friend called and said you should make a shirt saying that. Well the chief with wings was born. We made them first with Flight #33 on them Kenny Battle was just so huge. Kenny was pretty shy back then, but Kendall he was so personable. Well he asked me if I could make one with flight #13 on it? I did and then we were off to the races. We made them with every players number on them.

Well, 2020 has been a tough year Lou passed on and my parents (my grandfather started the store in 1955) closed its doors for the last time last Friday July 31st. TeShurt will no longer be a part of the University of Illinois campus.
I was on campus from 1986-1989. I bought one of the Kendall Gill and Kenny Battle Flyin' Illini shirts from your place. Sorry to see that you had to close for good. Good luck to your family, whatever comes your way.
 
#5      
I'm really sorry to hear that. TeShurt was a big part of my years on Campus. I remember walking in there as an 18-year-old and buying my first Illini shirts and a plastic mug that I used as a drinking cup in the dorms. That store is a campus institution. I love your story about driving from Lafayette to Hoopeston. That's dedication as a fan.

Thanks to you and your family for all you've given the C-U community. I left campus 30 years ago this coming Tuesday and still remember your store, and so much more. It's a wonderful place, campus and community. Time has passed in an eye-blink.
That means a lot to me. I was raised in that store. We’re you there after the renovation (second floor addition)? That was done in 1990. I worked 90 hours a week to make that happen.
Small business in the world today is very tough. The university started selling “soft goods” in the 90’s at the Illini Union Bookstore, then TIS (that is Ray Tischner) moved into Lando place. Then Folletts expanded (and even they went out of business). Really the only game in town now is Game Day, and they have a nice store, but most of their money is made at the stadiums.

Teshurt (it used to be called Campus Book Store) in the 60’s and 70’s was as you say an “institution” (right across the street from Altgeld hall lol). It was really nice to hear someone else feel it was an “institution” thank you very much for saying that.

I am still in touch with Kendall from time to time and I have basketballs signed by the 1984 team (one of my favorites), 1989 team and the 2005 team. It was a great run, and I consider myself very lucky to have grown up there.
 
#6      
Thanks
I was on campus from 1986-1989. I bought one of the Kendall Gill and Kenny Battle Flyin' Illini shirts from your place. Sorry to see that you had to close for good. Good luck to your family, whatever comes your way.
Thanks for putting me and my two sisters through college we really appreciated it :). My parents are in their 80’s now, so it was time. The building was a great location so it had some value. Just sad to see things change.


Someone on here posted about being from downstate and how all we had to root for was the Illini. That’s how it felt. The St. Louis and Chicago pro teams were always favorites, but nothing like the Illinois kids.

When I was in grade school we had a girl working for us that dated a QB named Mike Gow. He was like my hero back then. Well long story short, I got to go meet him in his fraternity it was such a high for a 9 year old lol.

When I lived there it was sort of a negative to be a “townie”, but now it is something I am simply grateful I got to experience. Watch the movie Breaking Away, sort of the child hood of growing up in a small Midwest college town. Only thing is, all the kids that came from Chicago and the suburbs were great to us. It was a fun time to live there.
 
#7      
Not G
Thanks

Thanks for putting me and my two sisters through college we really appreciated it :). My parents are in their 80’s now, so it was time. The building was a great location so it had some value. Just sad to see things change.


Someone on here posted about being from downstate and how all we had to root for was the Illini. That’s how it felt. The St. Louis and Chicago pro teams were always favorites, but nothing like the Illinois kids.

When I was in grade school we had a girl working for us that dated a QB named Mike Gow. He was like my hero back then. Well long story short, I got to go meet him in his fraternity it was such a high for a 9 year old lol.

When I lived there it was sort of a negative to be a “townie”, but now it is something I am simply grateful I got to experience. Watch the movie Breaking Away, sort of the child hood of growing up in a small Midwest college town. Only thing is, all the kids that came from Chicago and the suburbs were great to us. It was a fun time to live there.

not Gow (he was a cornerback) Wells sorry 😐. Old age getting me
 
#8      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
That means a lot to me. I was raised in that store. We’re you there after the renovation (second floor addition)? That was done in 1990. I worked 90 hours a week to make that happen.
Small business in the world today is very tough. The university started selling “soft goods” in the 90’s at the Illini Union Bookstore, then TIS (that is Ray Tischner) moved into Lando place. Then Folletts expanded (and even they went out of business). Really the only game in town now is Game Day, and they have a nice store, but most of their money is made at the stadiums.

Teshurt (it used to be called Campus Book Store) in the 60’s and 70’s was as you say an “institution” (right across the street from Altgeld hall lol). It was really nice to hear someone else feel it was an “institution” thank you very much for saying that.

I am still in touch with Kendall from time to time and I have basketballs signed by the 1984 team (one of my favorites), 1989 team and the 2005 team. It was a great run, and I consider myself very lucky to have grown up there.
Yes; I remember the addition of the second floor. It happened IIRC as I was leaving campus in 1990 and I certainly recall shopping up there when I returned to visit friends and attend football games in '90 and '91. Your place was sandwiched between the old IUB store and Garcia's, wasn't it?

I still have a Champion reverse-weave sweatshirt that I bought in your store in late 1987 when I was a senior. I've worn it for 33 years now. When I saw Ayo and the boys take down Maryland in Madison Square Garden in Jan. 2019 I wore it (and an orange Chief t-shirt underneath that I rocked when the arena got warm.) One of the Illini fans approached me after the game (I'd been sitting the whole game in the MD section with a friend who's an alum) and asked me where I'd bought it. When I told him "TeShurt in the late '80s" he laughed and said "that store was classic."

I'm impressed that your store survived all those years given TIS (it opened in '90 as I recall) around the corner and other competition. IMO you a strong brand and a reputation of being the place to get Illini gear and specialty stuff. All the best to you and your family.
 
#9      
Yes; I remember the addition of the second floor. It happened IIRC as I was leaving campus in 1990 and I certainly recall shopping up there when I returned to visit friends and attend football games in '90 and '91. Your place was sandwiched between the old IUB store and Garcia's, wasn't it?

I still have a Champion reverse-weave sweatshirt that I bought in your store in late 1987 when I was a senior. I've worn it for 33 years now. When I saw Ayo and the boys take down Maryland in Madison Square Garden in Jan. 2019 I wore it (and an orange Chief t-shirt underneath that I rocked when the arena got warm.) One of the Illini fans approached me after the game (I'd been sitting the whole game in the MD section with a friend who's an alum) and asked me where I'd bought it. When I told him "TeShurt in the late '80s" he laughed and said "that store was classic."

I'm impressed that your store survived all those years given TIS (it opened in '90 as I recall) around the corner and other competition. IMO you a strong brand and a reputation of being the place to get Illini gear and specialty stuff. All the best to you and your family.
Your 100% on the money. Yes we were right next to Ralph and Joe (flew the ballon when i was in HS lol) and the old Illini Union bookstore.

I have been on these “boards” for many years now (don’t post much), and never told who I was before. Always felt strange promoting the store or anything on the internet, but given last week it just seemed ok?

You paid $39.98 for that reverse weave in the 80’s. They were the thing. I would run up and down the stairs. (the back of the building had a second floor for storage that was built in about 1900) I have to bring down reverse weaves for 9 - 11 hours straight on football game Saturday’s. The shirts were so thick we could only fit a limited number on the shelf’s we had.
Thanks for shopping there :)
 
#10      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
Thanks

Thanks for putting me and my two sisters through college we really appreciated it :). My parents are in their 80’s now, so it was time. The building was a great location so it had some value. Just sad to see things change.

Here you go. It's just a piece of painted fabric but this sweatshirt embodies so many fond memories and my love for the University. Your family is responsible for providing me that vessel to carry them through 30 years. You and I remember them the same: incredibly well-made, durable sweatshirts. And, lol, I do remember the $39.98 price. As an annuity it's barely $2 a year in today's dollars!

IMG_0032.jpg
 
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#12      

chiefini

Rockford, Illinois
I have to tell you, Lou, how sorry I am that your family’s store closed. It was an important part of our life on campus and afterwards. I bought all my textbooks there (I always liked it better than Folletts) from 1970-1974. I remember your store was one of the only (and best) places where we could get our Alpha Gam paddles and clothing. I came back to campus (never missed a Homecoming) often, then my husband (who I met at U of I in1973) bought Football season tickets which we held until last year. We owned blue Flying Illini Kenny Battle #33 tees. Your store was our go-to place for our Chief gear. We also appreciate how your family honored him and fought so hard to keep him. Please know that Te Shurt will be missed. :chief:
 
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#13      
I have to tell you, Lou, how sorry I am that your family’s store closed. It was an important part of our life on campus and afterwards. I bought all my textbooks there (I always liked it better than Folletts) from 1970-1974. I remember your store was one of the only (and best) places where we could get our Alpha Gam paddles and clothing. I came back to campus (never missed a Homecoming) often, then my husband (who I met at U of I in1973) bought Football season tickets which we held until last year. We owned blue Flying Illini Kenny Battle #33 tees. Your store was our go-to place for our Chief gear. We also appreciate how your family honored him and fought so hard to keep him. Please know that Te Shurt will be missed. :chief:
Thank you so much! AGD, yep sewed those on a lot of shirts also.

I really did not mean to make this about anything, but it was a “tradition” and it makes me really happy people appreciated it being there while you were in school.

Obviously, when you name your self after Lou and your grandfathers business closed after almost 70 years lots of emotion :(

Thanks again :)
Mike
 
#14      
Are you the person who posted as TeShurt on the old Illiniboard?

Your 100% on the money. Yes we were right next to Ralph and Joe (flew the ballon when i was in HS lol) and the old Illini Union bookstore.

I have been on these “boards” for many years now (don’t post much), and never told who I was before. Always felt strange promoting the store or anything on the internet, but given last week it just seemed ok?
 
#17      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Thanks

Thanks for putting me and my two sisters through college we really appreciated it :). My parents are in their 80’s now, so it was time. The building was a great location so it had some value. Just sad to see things change.


Someone on here posted about being from downstate and how all we had to root for was the Illini. That’s how it felt. The St. Louis and Chicago pro teams were always favorites, but nothing like the Illinois kids.

When I was in grade school we had a girl working for us that dated a QB named Mike Gow. He was like my hero back then. Well long story short, I got to go meet him in his fraternity it was such a high for a 9 year old lol.

When I lived there it was sort of a negative to be a “townie”, but now it is something I am simply grateful I got to experience. Watch the movie Breaking Away, sort of the child hood of growing up in a small Midwest college town. Only thing is, all the kids that came from Chicago and the suburbs were great to us. It was a fun time to live there.

It was a great store. I also remember the second floor addition. You guys did a lot of fraternity/sorority clothing as I recall.
 
#20      
It was a great store. I also remember the second floor addition. You guys did a lot of fraternity/sorority clothing as I recall.
We did sell a lot of Greek stuff. Thanks again, it was a fun business to grow up in. Certainly made a life long Illini fan out of me lol
 
#21      
Wow, that is soooo cool. Really nice of you to say.View attachment 6239View attachment 6240
I had a Flight #13 purchased with the fairly substantial amount of walking around money I spent at the store (often accompanied by a Garcia's slice). The two items I held onto all these years from your store are a pair of the orange Flyin' Illini jersey shorts (back when the Chief was on them) and a beautiful gray pinstriped baseball jersey (that I don't think was ever an actual Illini uniform) with "Illinois" in sewed on orange letters, which I gave to my son.

Best of luck to you and your family.
 
#22      
Thank you so much! Did the jersey look like this?
The shorts are worth money! The university would not allow the chief to be put on them after about 1995 or so? You got those shorts in like 88 or 89. They were soooooo cool!
 

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#23      
Thank you so much! AGD, yep sewed those on a lot of shirts also.

I really did not mean to make this about anything, but it was a “tradition” and it makes me really happy people appreciated it being there while you were in school.

Obviously, when you name your self after Lou and your grandfathers business closed after almost 70 years lots of emotion :(

Thanks again :)
Mike
I am trying to remember Lou. Your store was on Wright St.? Folletts was on corner of Green and Wright
 
#24      
Thank you so much! Did the jersey look like this?
The shorts are worth money! The university would not allow the chief to be put on them after about 1995 or so? You got those shorts in like 88 or 89. They were soooooo cool!
Yes, I still love those shorts. I remember swallowing hard to pay $60 or whatever, but now it's money well spent!

I remember those jerseys, which were nice, better than what the Bubba Smith-era team work, but the one I was referring to is below. It is possible that I got it at a different place. It's been a long time.
 

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