The Biola Bookstore is undergoing a complete renovation under the direction and dollar of Follett Corporation, the company that the store partnered with last May.
According to Don Sims, senior director of auxiliary services, the renovation is expected to be mostly completed by Nov. 22, but graphics and a few other elements will be added in the beginning of December.
Follett will be footing the bill of the renovation, according to Sims.
“Part of [Follett’s] proposal is that they would come in and spend a certain amount of dollars on renovating the store. It is Follett dollars doing it,” he said. “All of the shelves are gone, the space is opened up and there are new fixtures, flooring, paint and shelving. They are bringing in new fixtures [for the textbooks] that are moveable. The space, if not being used for textbooks, can be used for other merchandise.”
Despite taking out the Mac store, Follett will be adding new options for purchasing new technological devices.
TECHNOLOGY AND ICE CREAM
“We will be adding a technology center which has usable laptops and tablets that you can try out … we will also be adding a reading area. The old computer store will be changed to a convenience store — selling drinks, ice cream, candy, chips and we are looking into other possibilities because we will have an expanded area,” according to Biola Bookstore assistant manager Melissa Castellano.
Follet is working with Biola to ensure that the store fits the needs of the students and faculty.
“[Follett] asked my manager, myself, Don Sims and some people represented from Metzger. They were open to our suggestions … and how we felt the concept would work for us,” Castellano said.
The renovation has had little effect on the employees of the store, but the bigger space will require more positions to be filled, Castellano said.
“We will still hire during our typical seasons which are buyback and rush,” she said. “We will also hire a few more [employees] so that we have more people representing the store … more associates of each area to better help the customers.”
The store will also be carrying a bigger quantity of merchandise, as well as some new items.
“We have more resources instead of just our store’s and the publisher’s,” Castellano said. “We gave [Follett] a list of our absolutes — the Bibles, the faculty picks, Biola authors and various Christian authors. Once the renovation happens, we are trying to see about gift cards for other stores … and places to eat out. We will also be carrying Vera Bradley purses, wristlets, cups and school supplies from her.”
STUDENTS REACT TO RENOVATION
Students feel that the renovation will be good for the store and hope to see some improvements in certain areas.
“[I hope it’s] more organized. It’s kind of hard to find a lot of things. It’s kind of all over the place,” said freshman biological science major Lauren Csehy.
The store has been able to stay open during renovation, which has been helpful to students.
“I think they’ve maneuvered [the renovation] pretty well,” said Jenny Rulison, a sophomore pre-nursing major. “They keep the essential stuff easily accessible.”
Biola is hopeful that the store will be more appealing and useful for students.
“[The store is] 20 years old. It’s more of a classic bookstore which is going away. I’m hoping the students will think it looks more like a college bookstore. We hope that [Follett] will make a difference here for the students,” Sims said.
