Poster Invasion hosts a student-loved pop-up shop every fall quarter at UC Davis
By GRACIELA TIU — features@theaggie.org
If you walk on campus during the first couple weeks of school, you will probably come across the poster sale, hosted annually at the Memorial Union (MU). Poster Invasion, the business behind the event, comes to the UC Davis campus every year to sell posters, tapestries, postcards and more to students, professors and everyone in the community.
Amina Adamjee, a sales representative for Poster Invasion, described the company.
“It’s a woman-owned business,” Adamjee said. “We’re a poster sale that goes campus to campus across the country. We do everything from posters and postcards to tapestries.”
At UC Davis, the poster sale happens right outside of the MU and next to the campus store, with several tables set up in front of the main entrance.
“I believe that having the location in front of the Memorial Union is really good,” Jacob Mashini, a second-year civil and environmental engineering major, said. “Not only do people at the beginning of the year have to enter the campus store but the bus stop is also right in front of it, so it allows for a lot of people to see the poster sale.”
Students also seem to appreciate the convenience of the sale happening at such a focal point on campus.
“You’re already going to campus, so you can get all the stuff you need to get done and shop for new posters,” Jaalon Terry, a fourth-year civil engineering major, said. “It’s pretty convenient for students who are always on the go. Some students don’t have cars to go places so it’s good for them, too.”
The sale taking place at the start of the year works well for students since it occurs close to move-in day, but some students say they would like to have another one later in the year as well.
“I like having the poster sale at the beginning of the year, because it’s a really good way to decorate your dorm or your apartment,” Mashini said. “However, I do think it would be nice if they implemented another poster sale throughout the year. For example, one of my close friends’ birthday was in the middle of the year and I remember the poster sale having star sign-themed postcards, and I feel like if I could buy that then I would have, but the poster sale isn’t available throughout the year.”
The event features folders with a variety of posters and designs ranging from visual art to album covers, all of which customers can quickly flip through when walking through the event.
“I like having the poster sale, because I like wall art, but I struggle to figure out what to put up, so having a selection already displayed helps narrow down the options,” Terry said.
Not only does the business sell posters related to popular music and visual artists, but it also features student designs.
“What’s really awesome is that we also accept art submissions from students,” Adamjee said. “So a lot of the medium-sized and smaller posters are done by students, and then they make up some of the proceeds of those sales.”
Mashini said that shopping for posters and tapestries at Poster Invasion’s campus events feels more special than buying decorations elsewhere.
“The poster sale features unique and curated artists, giving it a personal touch that I feel a lot of mass-produced decor lacks,” Mashini said. “Another thing that I find special about this poster sale is the fact that it doesn’t only include musicians, it includes actual artwork which can help people express themselves. People relate to many paintings, so I feel like buying posters can help people feel a sense of community within UC Davis.”
Adamjee also notices an enthusiastic energy among people shopping at their annual event.
“I think it’s the excitement; you’ll especially see it with the freshmen because usually, the second or [third or] fourth-years have seen us around,” Adamjee said. “But with the freshmen, it’s the first opportunity they get to decorate their dorms and have a little self-expression.”
Although the business primarily hosts pop-ups, it consistently has a wide variety of posters and decorations available for purchase.
“We have so many different genres,” Adamjee said. “And when we get to see each campus [we’re] like, okay, what’s more popular here? Is it sports? Is it art prints? Is it rappers? Is it movies? Is it music? You know, and there’s always a trend too. So that’s pretty cool statistically.”
Customers enjoy the poster sale particularly because the decor they buy can showcase their interests and prompt bonding with friends.
“I have two posters: I have a Lana Del Rey and SZA poster which I use for decoration,” Mashini said. “I have them on my walls, and it’s nice because I’m able to start conversation[s] with [people]. For example, I remember inviting a friend over to my dorm last year and they saw my Lana Del Rey poster — we were just talking about how much we love the artist, and ever since then I’ve been really close to that friend. I feel like it’s a way for you to show your interest[s] and express yourself without saying it directly to a person.”
Overall, the poster sale gives students the opportunity to decorate their personal spaces in their own ways.
“I feel like everyone can tell a bit about someone’s personality with their decorations, especially their music taste,” Mashini said. “The poster sale benefits a lot of people because they’re able to relate to people who have similar tastes, and I feel like it really helps bring the school community together.”
Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org
