River Falls businesses offer student discounts

Everyone is looking for a way to save money and college students especially are keeping a watchful eye for any way to save money.

Being a college student isn't easy, and dealing with money is always a struggle for college students. However, there are many places around the UW-River Falls campus that has discounts for students with valid IDs.

All across River Falls, stores have decided to give college students a break by giving them a discount to specific stores. The discounts vary from store to store. Some have five or even 10 percent off all merchandise. Among these stores is Family Fresh.

Family Fresh has a 10 percent discount for all UWRF students, faculty and staff, but all must show an ID, according to Tracy Waid, costumer service manager.

“We have no problem supporting our students and giving them a discount, but we just got to make sure that is for the students and faculty of the university,” Waid said.

Another store that gives discounts is St. Croix Lanes, where students don't have to show any form of ID to bowl. Stating that you're a student is enough for the discount. The reason that St. Croix Lanes does not make student show any form of identification is because most the people who come into St. Croix Lanes are typically college students.

This discount is not only for students but for alumni, faculty and staff at UWRF as well. A reason for giving students this discount is to offer college students some bowling deals and a recreation alternative, according to John Meyers, owner of St. Croix Lanes.

Meyers also explained some of the deals that the St. Croix Lanes has.

“Sunday night is 'buck night.' It’s geared toward college kids, where bowling is only $1 a game from 9 p.m. until midnight,” Meyers said.

Next year, St. Croix Lanes is planning on having some student nights that encourages college students to go bowling. Meyer explained that in the past they tried marketing through a UWRF organization but it did not turn out well. St. Croix Lanes haven't found a good way to market their discount to students or the college yet.

Foster Sports is another store in River Falls that is here to help students save money. Foster Sports offers a 10 percent discount to students, but unlike St. Croix Lanes, students must show an ID. The way that Foster Sports markets its discount to the students is by having signs in the windows at the beginning of every school year.

Foster Sports also has a red t-shirt that is hung up for all to see when walking into the store, which reads: “UWRF students 10 percent discount.” The reason that Foster Sports markets this way is because it has tried to market through the university before.

“It never seemed to bring much in and then over the years I said ‘well, might as well just give it a word of mouth,’ as a discount for students,” said Craig Foster, owner of Foster Sports.

All around River Falls there are places here to help college students save money. Although these businesses don't have huge, bright, flashing signs that say "we have discounts."