Sudden closure of Fantastic Sams hair salon leaves Arizona Student Union officials seeking a replacement while overseeing the movement of other vendors in preparation for the start of the school year.

Fantastic Sams Hair salon opened Dec. 1, 2001, and was one of the ten non-restaurant charter businesses of the Student Union Memorial Center.

With the removal of their equipment over the weekend, Fantastic Sams became second to close, following Union Bank, which closed due to slow business in late May.

Fantastic Sams was also one of only four original retailers in the Union that were not part of or affiliated with UA, as All-Aboard or CatCard are. Now that Fantastic Sams and Union Bank have closed, half of the retail vendors who are not part of UA have closed.

"I was over there (the Union) on Friday the 27th and then all of a sudden on Monday, the owner called and claimed it was closing because of some sort of insurance thing," said Herb Monfisvais, who was assistant manger at Fantastic Sams in the Student Union Memorial Center.

Jim Crowley, owner of the Tucson Fantastic Sams locations was unavailable for comment.

"Basically when we bid out there are certain financial commitments that we each have to make and Sams had been having a difficult time fulfilling their commitment," said Dan Adams, Director of Arizona Student Unions.

The Union hopes to replace Sams with another hair salon and Union Bank with another financial institution, said Bill Shiba, associate director for business affairs of the Arizona Student Unions.

"We like the service but there were some business matters that caused the closing," Shiba said.

Shiba declined to say what the business matters were.

Originally scheduled to open last September, Fantastic Samsā debut was moved back until the beginning of December because of delays with "business operation things," Adams said.

"We were supposed to open in September 2001," said Monfisvais, who is also manager of another Fantastic Sams located at 1523 North Wilmot Road.

"(Business) was slow at first because of the winter break but in January, February, March and April we did pretty good and even got some business during Spring Break," he said.

Since Adams feels students tend to tend follow a routine, he acknowledges Samsā closure may have something to do with its late opening. For example when 5,000 to 6,000 freshmen arrive on campus, they need a bank; but by the start of the second semester they have their banking needs met, Adams said.

"I feel Crowley started business operation at the wrong time of the year, missing the tremendous window of opportunity because students get set in their ways," Adams said. "Personally I didnāt think Crowley went long enough. Typically businesses donāt assess their position until about three to five years," Adams said.

Union officials downplay the possible effects of the Fantastic Sams and bank closure.

When asked whether the closure of two businesses in the Union in less than a year reflects badly on the Student Union Memorial Center, Shiba said, "Once the entire building is finished it will be an exciting place to be."

In other Union retail news, U-Mart will be moving into the space where the U.S. Post Office was and Fast Copy is going to move nearer the U.S. Post Office. Samās Place ÷ the video game and billiard lounge ÷ will move underground into the first floor, near where the Cellar will be.

Each move should occur prior to the start of the fall semester, Shiba said.

More options are set to open up upon the completion of the Union, which is scheduled for Dec. 15.

"There (are) more retail spaces on the front side of the Mall. We are looking into possibly a CD store and an education-testing supply store," Shiba said.

Shiba believes that business will improve when more seats are added ÷ the number of seats is slated to increase from 220 to about 500 ÷ in the recently opened food court space near the U.S. Post Office.

Chick-fil-A has been selected as one of the vendors to fill one of the two remaining food court spaces. The other will be a Union-run eatery, possibly a sandwich shop.

"We are looking forward to the completion of Phase II. We know how the campus community has suffered," said Adams.