I always see them in the airport. I have recently flown out of (or into) Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco and Las Vegas and there is no shortage of Vera in the airports. I have actually gotten into conversations with travelers who are also carrying Vera.

vera bradley in the 'burbs
 

In the uber suburb of Santa Clarita, north of LA, you see soccer moms, teachers (like me!), and other women well beyond college age carrying Vera Bradley. Younger people prefer trendier names.

Vera is huge at UT Knoxville. The bookstore there is an authorized retailer. They have a huge selection that usually sells out quickly until they get new stock. I know for my daughters sorority and all of her friends it is very big. My daughter has four different designs and most of the collection on each. I know many of her sorority sisters have REAL Louis Vuitton bags. Not the imitations...the 700.00 a piece variety. that seems to be big there as well.

Vera Bradley is huge at my campus. our bookstore also carries VB products mostly school type things. I love VB. My new pattern is raspberry fiz b/c my other patterns keep retiring :(

When I went to Las Vegas last year, my friends and I had our Vera, and found one person in the whole city who had it! We were pretty much on Vera alert all week! We didn't see it at the airport, it might be new. We felt like we were make in Vera country after we landed in Atlanta and nearly everyone had a Vera bag.

As for it being in the Tampa Airport, I haven't seen it, I will have to check it out!

What are you favorite patterns?

Current favorite is Daisy Daisy but my retired favorites include Piccadilly Plum, Apple Green, and Emily. :)

I also have a satchel(???) in Ming that was given to me in a Senior Will.

You obviously did not hit the strip :p (especially the center of the strip)

Fave patterns: java blue, daisy daisy, yellow bird, cambridge. I am starting to like raspberry fizz

retired-apple green, americana red, tavern on the green, and alpine black

LOL.

I wondered where VB was popular and now I know.

So has anyone seen the new colors? I am absoutly in love with the new Yellow Bird pattern

Oddly enough it is Black and Gold....hmmm.... :)

Thetagirl, your Vera would stay nice and clean in that combination.

I was just looking for this thread. :)

Two of my students had the cutest VB bags today. One was a blue and gold purse and the other was a backpack. Both looked expensive but they were the cutest VB I've seen. If it hadn't been for this thread, I'd still think these items were a result of quilting as a hobby.

yup, i'm a student at UT-knoxville as well...and i'm pretty sure that's true about KD's getting vera's as a gift on bid day--but like someone mentioned, i'm sure they buy in bulk and get a good discount because of vera bradley's KD roots.

haha and it's definitely true--they are EVERYWHERE on campus. almost every sorority girl has one, and a lot of non-greeks do as well. like TNmomof5 said, our bookstore is an authorized retailer. in fact, i rotate between my vera bradley ID holder and my sorority one :]

same deal with uggs and crokies...they are EVERYWHERE..

it seems like everyone i know has a VB ID holder... i love mine. :)

That would be Riviera Blue, one of the new five spring patterns. I love the new spring collection.

I recently just came around to Java Blue which I hated for a very long time but love now. I really want stuff in Yellow Bird, Riviera Blue, Raspberry Fizz, Daisy Daisy, Pink Elephants, well...my list of disliked patterns is shorter. But I don't feel the need to buy multiples in every single pattern to the tune of $30k like certain others known to some on this board (she doesn't post here. She says 'sororities are a load of bunk, no offense.' after going through rush and getting a bid. Right.)

Well, you know, when you and hubby are super-rich you don't need a sorority, because you really can buy your friends! ;)