In the summer of 2013, the UT Book and Supply Store was renamed the VolShop, in recognition of the diverse merchandise it carries. The store was preparing to assume updated and expanded space in the new student union under construction. The name VolShop was chosen by the Chancellor’s Cabinet. The VolShop traces its history to the 1892–93 establishment of the College Book Store, which was given a room in the YMCA building.
In 1897 the College Book Store became the Cooperative Bookstore and was moved to East College. The Cooperative Bookstore had two hundred shares of stock ($5), which paid an annual dividend of 8 percent. The stock was held by professors and students. Professors could sell their stock to students at any time. Students could hold the stock only while enrolled and had to sell their shares before leaving the institution.
In 1901, at the urging of Professor Charles Ferris, who had played football for UT in 1892 in addition to his professorial duties in engineering, the bookstore was formally designated to contribute profits to the Athletics Department. It was incorporated in 1902 when it moved to South College. The bookstore equipped the football team and built the iron fence around Wait Field. When the concrete bleachers at Shields-Watkins Field (Neyland Stadium) were built, the board of trustees lent its credit to finance the project, and the Athletics Association, backed by the bookstore, agreed to pay the interest on the loan. In 1933, as a result of losing $4,000 in the failure of the East Tennessee National Bank, the bookstore borrowed $3,000 from the Athletics Association.
In 1936 the bookstore ceased to be a stockholders’ company and was operated by a voting trust, which determined where any profits would be spent. The 50-year-old University of Tennessee Cooperative Bookstore was placed under complete control of the university in fall 1947, and J. A. Bacon, chemistry instructor, was appointed acting manager.
The bookstore was expanded and moved to the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center when that building was built in 1954. For the first time, students could browse the shelves and make their selections, instead of asking for an item and having it brought by a clerk. Phase I construction of the new student union facility provided new space for the VolShop, with the VolShop proceeds funding the bonds required to build its new quarters.