Steve and Barry's University Sportswear opened in 1985 at the University of Pennsylvania. By the time I got to campus, it was pretty much the rule that the store on Spruce Street was the go-to spot for collegiate apparel at prices well below the university bookstore.

The store remained on campus for 17 years before closing silently in 2002. That wasn't long after Steve & Barry's superstores began sprouting up in malls around the country, resulting in more than 200 locations in 33 states.

Alison Church / Special (ENLARGE)

Steve & Barry's, which carries several celebrity clothing lines, celebrates its six month anniversary at the Discover Mills in Lawrenceville.

Alison Church / AJC (ENLARGE)

Starbury, a line by NBA player Stephon Marbury, includes basketball jerseys for $8.98, basketball sneakers and other apparel.

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Things have definitely changed.

Steve & Barry's is now 50,000 to 100,000 square feet filled with everything from sportswear to casual clothing. In recent years, the company upped its profile with clothing lines from celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Amanda Bynes and Venus Williams for women, and Stephon Marbury, Ben Wallace and Bubba Watson for men. This month, the store will introduce a surf- and skate-inspired line by Laird Hamilton.

Streamlined operations are the key to Steve & Barry's ability to keep prices low and quality high, so here in four simple parts is my assessment of the store.

The easy part

After initially being baffled by the lack of price tags, I noticed small black and white signs above the clothing racks.

"Is everything $8.98?" I asked a nearby sales clerk.

"Yes, but there is some jewelry in the back for $2.99," she said sounding apologetic.

The company rolled out the $8.98-for-everything promotion a few months ago, and it did so well nationwide, it just never reverted to the almost-everything-under-$20 policy. So, here's a sample of what you can get for a mere nine bucks:

• Removable sleeve puffer jackets by Venus Williams for Eleven

• White chino sailor pants by Sarah Jessica Parker for Bitten

• Polo shirts for men in every color from pastels to jewel tones and every style from solids to stripes to contrast trim

•High performance athletic sneakers by Stephon Marbury for Starbury

• Preppy cable knit sweater vests in light blue and white for boys

• Tweedlike skirts in pink and orange plaid for girls.

The hard part

The drawback of offering clothing for $8.98 means nothing stays on the store racks for long. Some popular styles, like the SJP sailor pants in gray, were available only in size 2 or size 22. But, hey, at least Steve & Barry's is kind enough to carry both those sizes. Men might have some trouble finding a range of sizes in some styles of the Starbury shoes.

The surprising part

At $8.98, it's fair to question quality, but Steve & Barry's appears to make good on their promise. Pant and shirt seams are solid. Some jackets are fully lined. Several shoe styles are cushioned for comfort. And a lot of the stuff actually fits well.

The scary part

The $8.98 pricing has been extended indefinitely, but who knows when it may all come to an end.

STEVE & BARRY'S

10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon-6 p.m. Sundays.

Discover Mills

5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville.

1-877-762-9444,

www.steveandbarrys.com.