Stallion Shop opens in Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Carlton Center Monday

TIFTON – The hub for books, supplies and ABAC gear is now located in the center of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College campus. The Stallion Shop, formerly known as the ABAC Bookstore, has moved to the newly renovated Carlton Center with an expected first day of operation on Monday.

Stallion Shop Manager Tracy Dyal said she is trying to make the move as seamless as possible from J. Lamar Branch Hall to the Carlton Center.

“We do not plan to shut down at all during this time,” Dyal said. “We are crossing our fingers that all of the pieces come together as we have planned in order for this to happen.”

The movement of merchandise began on Oct. 5. The Branch Hall location closed on Friday, and the Stallion Shop will begin formal operations on Monday. Although the new space will be slightly smaller, Dyal said she is looking forward to offering more ABAC-related products than ever before.

Much of the new merchandise will feature traditional ABAC logos with vibrant ABAC green and gold colors. Along with an array of jackets, T-shirts, sweatshirts, pullovers, caps and other items, the Stallion Shop also will be the home for the campus mail center. A small snack bar area will be added in the future.

The Stallion Shop hours of operation are from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Friday.

As a part of a $21.4 million project with the construction of the new fine arts building on campus, the Carlton Center has undergone a complete revitalization during the past two years. The Carlton Center’s primary purpose since it opened in 1990 has been as the home of the Baldwin Library.

The library was temporarily located in J. Lamar Branch Hall during the renovation and has now returned to the second floor of the Carlton Center. The Carlton Center is named for the late O.D. Carlton II, a long-time ABAC benefactor.

“The Carlton renovation will allow us to take advantage of a large space that was underutilized,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “Moving the Stallion Shop campus store operation to Carlton opens all kinds of possibilities.”

Besides the Stallion Shop, the mail center, and the Baldwin Library, the rehabilitated 51,600-square-foot Carlton Center is now the home for student academic support, information technology, offices of the dean of students, veterans’ lounge, ABAC archives, the Student Government Association offices, reading and study areas, computer lab, One Button Studio, the Student Engagement Programs Center, symposium/exhibit space, the Academic Success Center, campus media and student development.

Special Photo: ABAC