Changes create shorter bookstore lines

The bookstore went under the knife at the beginning of this semester to alleviate customer congestion, heighten accessibility and create a comfortable atmosphere for patrons, bookstore officials said.

The renovation should be completed by Oct. 23.

Among the changes to the face of the bookstore:

All course supplies have been moved downstairs with required readings to increase customer convenience.

Directional signs will point customers to desired areas.

Merchandise and memorabilia are quarantined from the rest of the store.

Aisles will be enlarged to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act legal requirements.

According to Cindy Hawk, assistant director of the book division, plans are in the works to provide a browsing and reading area.

"We killed our two primary objectives with one stone," bookstore director Frank Farias said.

"The general book selection has been highlighted, because customers will see the books immediately when they walk into the store, and traffic has been regulated," he added.

Farias estimated the cost of the project at $350,000, all of which came from bookstore profits.

The renovations would ease a possible store relocation in the future, he added.

The former configuration of the bookstore disrupted the clothing area, which constitutes the bulk of the store income, Farias said.

Easing congestion will smooth the avenues for shoppers and increase net sales during prime periods.

"Renovations helped us during rush. We used to have to put eight extra cash registers and tunnel all the lines through the clothing area. People couldn't come through to buy non-rush merchandise," said Debbie Shively, assistant director of non-book merchandise.

Shively added she believes students will enjoy shopping more because of the new additions to the store.

"We're hoping to make the atmosphere a lot more friendlier. Hopefully these renovations will provide a comfortable ambiance for customers to browse and shop around freely," she said.

Blueprints for the construction were inked in January as Shively and Hawk became concerned with the narrow confines and "unfriendliness" of the bookstore's entrance.

Hawk said that the longest check-out wait after the renovations was 18 minutes and the retail lines were often clocked at seven minutes; pre-construction lines held students for 45 minutes.

Farias said he envisions an additional eight minute reduction.

"When you walk in, it will actually look like a bookstore, because you'll see books," Hawk said. "You don't want to be stagnant in the retail business. This is a welcome change, because it provides a different look, and a more open and inviting atmosphere."

Hawk has already received positive student feedback, and said she will wait to see student reaction through sales.

"At the beginning of the semester it was hell to come into the bookstore," said Greer Martin, a psychology senior. "The changes seem to make the store more accessible."

The grand reopening Oct. 23 will feature door prizes and games.

Shively added she would like feedback on the remodeling, which can be conveyed at the customer service kiosk near the store's entrance.