LOCAL

MSU sells out first batch of Breslin floor pieces, and then some

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING - Bad news for anyone who missed out on Friday's sale of floor pieces from the Breslin Student Events Center: Those who came out Friday bought far more than the staff of the MSU Surplus Store expected.

A line of vehicles extends around and outside of the MSU Surplus Store Friday, July 14, where folks lined up to purchase sections of the wooden basketball practice floor from the Breslin Center.

Spartan fans started turning up around 5 a.m. Friday to buy their very own piece of MSU basketball history. Demand was such that workers closed the line at 7:30 a.m., just half an hour after the sale officially began, according to a Facebook post from the store Monday.

Customers bought up what stock the store had and staff began selling additional pieces that customers were expected to be able to pick up this week. As it turns out, customers on Friday bought nearly 500 more pieces than the surplus store had in-stock, according to the Facebook post.

James Ives, the surplus store's education and outreach coordinator, said Friday the store hoped to make an additional 400 to 600 pieces available for sale online this week. Ives said Wednesday that despite Friday's clamor for pieces, there are enough pieces to honor what has been sold.

He said staff members are determining how many other pieces exist to be made available in the future.

"In the event we do have some more available it will be announced on Monday, July 24th via our newsletter, Facebook and website," according to the Facebook post. The Surplus Store is on Facebook at facebook.com/msusurplusstore

The good news — for those that bought flooring Friday that wasn't at the store — is that all of the available pieces are now ready for pickup. Customers with receipts can do so Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 3:30 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Customers were limited Friday to buying 10 pieces of the former practice court. Each section was about the four feet square, weighing between 80 and 100 pounds. A new practice floor is being installed inside the Breslin as part of a $50 million renovation project.

Izzo Hall of History a part of Breslin Center facelift

A line of vehicles outside of the MSU Surplus Store Friday, July 14 where folks lined up to purchase sections of the wooden basketball practice floor from the Breslin Center.

Contact RJ Wolcott at (517) 377-1026 or rwolcott@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @wolcottr.