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Just in time for college football season, a new sports store arrived in Christiansburg this week, bringing college, NFL, Nascar and other sports team merchandise.

But this store won't be selling Virginia Tech shirts, hats, mugs, t-shirts and other Hokie garb because of a non-compete clause at the New River Valley Mall.

B&C Sports Collectibles opened this week at the New River Valley Mall, which isn't too far from Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus. The retailer, which has stores in Roanoke and Lynchburg, sells other college team merchandise, from the University of Virginia to Miami and Florida State, all rivals of the Hokies. 

But B&C cannot sell Virginia Tech products, because another store at the mall sells Hokie merchandise exclusively, said B&C's owner Ernest Daniel. 

Many shopping centers have non-compete clauses that bar certain kinds of retailers from joining the mix and selling the same products as another store at the center.

Still, B&C can special order Virginia Tech-themed furniture from its Christiansburg location, Daniel said.

Though Daniel sells Virginia Tech items at his other stores, he told me that his Christiansburg location carries a variety of sports items, such as NFL jerseys and sports cards, that are in demand for that area.

The Virginia Tech retail market "is probably more saturated than I've seen it," Daniel said. Locally-owned stores devoted to selling Hokie garb continue to pop up throughout the New River and Roanoke valleys.

This is B&C's second year at the New River Valley Mall. The retailer came to the mall last year as a temporary tenant.

This year, B&C has a short-term lease there through January. Daniel told me that he's hoping to stay long term if the store has a successful several months.

At Lynchburg's River Ridge Mall, Daniel also is planning to open a seasonal B&C Sports store in October. B&C Sports already has a long-term store at that mall.