 "Photo:")
In April, everyone walking down Sheridan Road will see another closed down business. However, this time the closing is not a result of the economy, but the transition of Loyola's bookstore contract from Barnes & Noble to the Follett Higher Education Group.
The Barnes & Noble bookstores, on the Lake Shore campus at 6435 N. Sheridan Road and in Baumhart Hall at the Water Tower campus, will close on April 9. Follett was chosen to run Loyola's bookstore after Barnes & Noble's 10-year contract expired this year. The new company will begin its transition into the spaces and will be reopening the stores by April 20, according to Vice President of Finance Tim McGuriman. Follett will be operating out of the Rambler Shop in the Gentile Center until then.
According to the Follet's regional manager Esther Brown, Follett, Barnes & Noble and Loyola decided to move up the date of the takeover to address concerns about textbook buyback.
"Taking over management of the bookstore earlier than finals enables Follett to accurately diagnose which course materials (through faculty outreach) will be necessary and adopted for the subsequent terms, thereby offering the best possible price at buyback to Loyola University Chicago students," Brown wrote via e-mail.
According to an employee, workers were told about three weeks ago that the store would be closing. Many of the student employees interviewed to become employees for Follett.
"We supported all our employees to interview with Follett for positions with the new bookstore," Barnes & Noble general manager Jeremy Boni said. "I believe most, if not all, students have been hired by Follett."
Graduation gowns will not be available for purchase while the store is closed. Follett will be purchasing all of the gowns from Barnes & Noble so they will be available again when the store reopens.
"Regarding graduation, again, our goal is to have no impact on the graduating class," Brown said. "We will be taking over the existing process from Barnes & Noble using the same vendor, and all existing orders will be processed as usual."
Seniors who have not yet purchased their gowns can buy them at the Water Tower campus Grad Fair on April 2, any time before the store closes on April 9, in the Rambler Shop while the bookstore is closed or in the bookstore after it reopens on April 20.
"It probably wouldn't affect me otherwise, but I have to buy my robes," senior Laszlo Pinnyei said.
All textbooks purchased for spring semester have been sent back to the publisher already. Of the remaining books on the shelves, some cost as little as 99 cents as the stores try to rid themselves of most inventory. Barnes & Noble gift cards are still being accepted but Follett will not accept these cards after the takeover; however, they will accept Rambler Bucks.
Down the street on the Lake Shore campus, Beck's Bookstore at 6550 N. Sheridan Road will remain open during its competitor's closure.
"We'll be here doing the same thing we've been doing, servicing students," Beck's manager John Mazar said.
There is no mention of the store's closure on the Loyola bookstore's Web site nor is there any notification in the store itself. Some students around campus were unaware that the official student bookstore would close for a short time. Freshman Elizabeth Stevenson suggested the university send out an e-mail to inform students about the store's temporary closing.
"I sometimes go there during the semester to buy other things for class," said Stevenson, who was unaware of the closure.
Be the first to comment on this article!