With more than 32,000 students enrolled at CSUN, some stores near campus offer discounts that most students are not aware of.

On Nordhoff Street and Reseda Avenue near the Northridge Plaza, Gold’s Gym offers discounts for students living on and off campus. Several offers are available only to students who have a valid CSUN ID.

“First of all, we waive the enrollment fee, which varies between $5 and $7,” said Chris Hucklebay, a trainer at Gold’s Gym. “We also offer a package where a student can receive $5 off the normal monthly fee.”

The normal price for membership requires a $10 enrollment fee and $29.95 for monthly membership. For students who attend CSUN, the enrollment fee is waived, and students receive a discount of $24.95 for a monthly membership. The students receive the discounts whether or not they live on or off campus.

Other stores like the Northridge Copy Center, also in the plaza, offers all CSUN students 10 percent off any purchase they make.

Subway and Northridge Cleaners, do not offer any discounts or coupons to students.

“We don’t offer any discounts to students, but we do honor any coupon they present,” said Sam Sharmar, manager of Subway. “Because we are part of a chain of nationwide fast food stores, we can’t offer any special discounts to students.”

A majority of the Subway customers are students, Sharmar said.

Three stores in the Nordhoff Plaza said that a majority of their business comes from students.

“We’ve been here for 17 years in the same location, and have always offered discounts for students,” said Steve Rabbani, owner of Northridge Copy Center. “We also offer deals for professors who want to make their own copies for their students.”

Still, a majority of students fail to take advantage of these discounts.

On the front of the door to Northridge Stationary Copy Store, it states, “10 percent off for students,” but Rabbani said only about 50 percent of students ever ask for the discount.

“I’ve gone to the Copy Center a few times, but just never really (asked),” said Ernesto Flores, undecided sophomore. “It’s one of those things where you forget that there are places that have discounts and just don’t ask.”

Sirtaj Singh, junior sociology major, did not know about discounts at Gold’s Gym.

“When I joined Gold’s Gym half a year ago, I didn’t even know that there was a discount until I asked,” Singh said.

Out of the hundreds of members who belong to Gold’s Gym, Hucklebay said only about 15 percent of them are students.

However, local stores around campus recognize they need to advertise and make students the focal point of their business.

“As far as any other advertising, maybe if we tell more students, it will help get some more business,” Rabbani said.

These stores also generate business from students through employment. Hucklebay said at least two students work at Gold’s Gym, and they inform their family and friends about some of the offers at the gym.

“We’re going to be at the job fair that the university is going to be having in a couple weeks and pass out fliers,” Hucklebay said. “Hopefully that will get more of an interest from students.”

Dan Hernandez can be reached at hhhern@yahoo.com