Bear Grips Pro ShopsOvernight Camp Alumni Shirts for Annual Return Weekends
- Alumni shirts extend the camp shop revenue beyond the active session window.
- Class-year tees, founding-year merch, reunion-weekend hoodies are the staples.
- Alumni weekend events sell more apparel per attendee than any session day.
- No minimum order means each class year can be its own piece without inventory commitment.
Alumni shirts turn the overnight camp shop into a year-round asset. The shop runs in the summer for camper families. The alumni layer runs in the fall, winter, and spring through reunion weekends, anniversary events, and class-year reunions. Below is the alumni apparel program that the most successful overnight camps run to keep the shop revenue rolling outside the session months.
Class-year tee program
The class-year tee marks the year an alumna completed her last summer at camp. "CLASS OF 2019" or "FINAL SUMMER 2019". Alumni order through the shop, the tee ships with free US shipping, the alumna wears it to reunion weekend or college.
- Class year prints large on the back
- Camp logo on the front chest (same as the camper program)
- Optional original-cabin name printed below the camp logo for extra personalization
- Adult-only sizing (S through 3XL)
Reunion weekend apparel
| Item | VIP base | When sold |
|---|---|---|
| Reunion weekend tee | $19.88 | Pre-order 4 weeks before reunion, walk-up at event |
| Reunion weekend hoodie | $36.88 | Pre-order for cool autumn reunion dates |
| Reunion crewneck | $34.88 | Pre-order |
| 5-year / 10-year / 25-year milestone tee | $19.88 | Anniversary-year reunions |
Founding-year merch
The founding-year tee is the heritage piece. "EST. 1962" or "SINCE 1948" with the camp logo. Sold year-round to alumni who want the camp-heritage piece. Often paired with the current-year camper tee as a "then and now" set.
Camps with 50+ year histories find the founding-year hoodie is one of the top sellers in the alumni layer of the shop. Older alumni and parents who attended themselves in the 1970s or 1980s buy these to wear to family events.
How to keep the alumni shop active
- Add the shop link to every alumni email newsletter
- Drop a new heritage piece each fall (vintage-look reprint of an old design)
- Open reunion-weekend pre-orders 4-6 weeks before the event
- Highlight class-year tees in the spring for college graduation gifts
- Run an annual founding-year anniversary release with year-specific graphic
Alumni shop revenue math
| Channel | Pieces sold annually | Profit per piece | Annual profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reunion weekend pre-orders | 80 | $13 | $1,040 |
| Class-year and milestone tees | 120 | $12 | $1,440 |
| Founding-year heritage hoodies | 40 | $18 | $720 |
| Spring graduation gifts | 30 | $13 | $390 |
| Annual alumni-layer profit | $3,590 |
For an overnight camp with 50+ year history and active alumni programming, the alumni layer often clears $3,000-6,000 in profit annually on top of the session-month shop revenue.
Open the Alumni Layer of Your Shop
Class-year tees, founding-year hoodies, reunion-weekend pre-orders. Keep the shop earning year-round, not just in session months.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How long do past-year tradition tees stay live in the shop?
Keep them live indefinitely for alumni purchases. The platform supports up to 250 live products on the DFY VIP plan.
When should reunion-weekend pre-orders open?
4-6 weeks before the event. Ship time is about a week, allow buffer for size confirmations and walk-up additions.
Can alumni from out of state order with free shipping?
Yes. Free US shipping on every order regardless of where in the US the alumna lives.
Should the alumni-only pieces have a separate shop or live with the camper shop?
Most camps run one shop with categories. The camper-side pieces and alumni-side pieces all live in the same shop, sorted by collection.
