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Pirate Notebook Special
Monday, February 25, 2002

By Denny O'Brien
Staff Writer and Columnist

Don Edwards never strapped on the headgear for the East Carolina football team. The Greenville businessman didn't spend his days ripping base hits at Harrington Field or sinking open jumpers in Minges Coliseum, either.

In fact, Edwards never attended East Carolina University, instead, spending his college days elsewhere. That doesn't make him any less a Pirate fan, though. Browse through his downtown Greenville store and you'll see first-hand where his loyalties lie.

University Book Exchange, better known by its call letters — U.B.E. — has been a pillar of downtown Greenville since the early 60s. With a comprehensive supply of textbooks, art supplies, and Pirate paraphernalia, U.B.E. has everything ECU students need to score a 4.0, not to mention the gameday apparel to prep Pirate fans for a purple victory.

Opened in 1963 by his father, Jack Edwards, U.B.E. was first known as the Book Barn, located in the building currently occupied by Boli's 5th Street Pizzeria. The elder Edwards taught in the ECU business department, and saw an opportunity for a unique, downtown bookstore.

"When my dad (Jack Edwards) opened the Book Barn in 1963, it was a regular small-town bookstore," Don Edwards said. "We sold paperbacks, gifts, the Hallmark line, and all kinds of neat things.

"The store had a barn theme to it. It had check-out counters made of wood, old barrels - just the whole barn atmosphere."

A few years later, Jack Edwards got the idea of buying and selling textbooks. In 1968, the Book Barn moved its operation to the building currently occupied by the Bicycle Post and adopted its current name — U.B.E.

Don Edwards started working for his father in the summer of '69. Edwards, whose business has prospered over the years, remembers the time when U.B.E. encountered rough waters, as the business fought to solidify itself in its new niche.

"In the early 70s, the business struggled with cash-flow problems," the younger Edwards said. "It was very difficult getting information from the school about textbooks. So, if we went out and bought the wrong textbook for a certain class, we had to take a loss."

Eventually, the communication gaps between U.B.E and ECU was bridged, and the store began to branch out. U.B.E purchased a heat-transfer press in the mid-70s and began making simple tee shirts bearing the letters "E-C-U."

"Bit by bit, we expanded," Edwards said. "Then, around 20 years ago, we brought in the Russell Athletic line, which was a really big move for us because it is a top-quality product.

"We've always emphasized quality, and offering it and a very fair price. We like to pride ourselves on our customer service, too."

That emphasis on quality merchandise and impeccable service has enabled Edwards' business to prosper. What started out as a few plain tee shirts with iron-on patches has exploded into the most extensive line of Pirate wear to be found anywhere.

For most, fall Saturdays aren't complete without a trip to U.B.E. to purchase a new hat, tee shirt, or sweatshirt. And for those that arrive early enough, Jeff Charles broadcasts his Saturday morning show live from Edwards' store, which adds to the gameday experience.

Charles's signature saying — "You can paint this one purple!" — even prompted U.B.E. to market purple shirts bearing that trademark phrase, selling them for five dollars apiece. With demand annually higher than the supply, the decorative tees don't last long and, on game day, they collectively form a purple haze at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

But if you ask Edwards about his success, he won't cite ingenious marketing schemes like the paint-it-purple-shirts. Instead, the 49-year old businessman is quick to credit the success of the ECU athletic programs, which drives Pirate fans to his downtown store to stock up on purple gear.

"We have prospered because of the athletic program," Edwards said. "We couldn't do it without them."

Jack Edwards was a charter member of the Century Club in the early 60s. Named symbolically for the monetary amount donated — $100 — the Century Club was the first athletic booster club at East Carolina.

In the late 60s, the Century Club evolved into the Pirate Club, and the elder Edwards remained a loyal contributor. All totaled, Don Edwards estimates his family has been giving to the Pirate Club for about 40 years.

In four decades of giving, Edwards has grown to embrace the importance of his annual gift. While other schools lap the luxuries of lucrative shoe and apparel deals, East Carolina is dependent on the generosity of its die-hards.

"You just get caught up in the Spirit of the East, and how East Carolina just seems to get left out when compared to other schools," Edwards said. "We just have so much pride and want ECU to be the shining beacon of the East."

ECU's image extends much further than the university itself, though. Often identified by their location, institutions often assume the personality of the town in which they reside.

Thus, Edwards is striving to bring new life to the Eastern North Carolina town often referred to as the Emerald City.

Over the years, Edwards has developed an admiration for college towns. Experiences in Chapel Hill, Charlottesville, Virginia and Fort Collins, Colorado have left indelible impressions on Edwards, while giving him a vision for the future.

"When you look at our downtown, it is not what it should be" Edwards said, "There isn't the vibrancy. There aren't the nice shops and cafes like you find in other college towns."

That's why, in 1994, the organization known as Uptown Greenville was formed. Dedicated to the re-beautification of the downtown area, Edwards has been a member since the group formed, serving as president in all but one year during that time.

In those seven-plus years, Greenville has seen its share of cosmetic improvements. The most noticeable was the opening of Evans Street Mall, which has paved avenues for budding new businesses.

"That's what we want to do," Edwards said. "We want to make this place attractive for new shops and restaurants to come in."

Already, the downtown area has welcomed the addition of new restaurant. Sharing the same location with the Upper Crust Bakery, the Starlight Café serves up delectable dishes, giving downtown Greenville a viable option for upscale dining.

Renovations have also been made to the building in which the Percolator coffee shop resides. The upper levels have been transformed into trendy apartments, giving residents the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of downtown living.

Edwards likes the prospects for a hotel making its way to the downtown area, which would also enhance the character of the university. Noting how the triangle schools have thrived with an adjacent hotel, he believes ECU would benefit from the presence a quaint little Inn.

But that's just a taste of what could be ahead for Greenville, which has the potential to become a marquee college town.