Spring Break
Union bookstore gets a facelift (7/2/08)
Sarah Zeeck
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: News
Due to remodeling and renovation, the Western Illinois University Union bookstore has been temporarily moved to the lower level of the union in the billiards room. Where pool tables and arcade games were once housed, now books, apparel and office merchandise call the room home.
Union Bookstore director K. J. Johnson said the renovations had been going on since the beginning of June and would probably last until the end of July.
"We moved the merchandise to the billiards room and our office to the Student Organization Center," Johnson said. "(The SOC) was nice enough to free up some space for our staff to have some office area to answer the phones, answer questions and things of that nature."
He added that just because business slowed during the summer months, that did not mean workers in the bookstore were less busy. "In the summer months, although we don't do a whale of a lot of business, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to get ready for fall," he said.
Being in the billiards room has limited floor space for the bookstore, which has, in turn, limited the amount of merchandise available. "It has cut our size and ability to offer things drastically, but hopefully it's short-lived," Johnson added.
Renovations will include new carpeting and painting as well as a new layout for the floor design and a more centered entryway. Johnson said that rather than being across from the women's restroom, the new entrance would be across from Burger King and thus next to the restrooms. "(This entrance) is really the old entrance from way back when I went to school here in the 60s," Johnson said.
Another change made will be the location of non-textbook goods. According to Johnson, clothing items and souvenir-type items will switch places, placing clothes to the right of the new entrance and souvenirs directly to the left.
Additionally, a new color scheme will be used as opposed to the white walls, which Johnson said would be "very Western Illinois University-ish."
Renovations should be done by Aug. 1, and all merchandise should be relocated in the freshly redesigned store by the beginning of the Fall semester.
Union Bookstore director K. J. Johnson said the renovations had been going on since the beginning of June and would probably last until the end of July.
"We moved the merchandise to the billiards room and our office to the Student Organization Center," Johnson said. "(The SOC) was nice enough to free up some space for our staff to have some office area to answer the phones, answer questions and things of that nature."
He added that just because business slowed during the summer months, that did not mean workers in the bookstore were less busy. "In the summer months, although we don't do a whale of a lot of business, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to get ready for fall," he said.
Being in the billiards room has limited floor space for the bookstore, which has, in turn, limited the amount of merchandise available. "It has cut our size and ability to offer things drastically, but hopefully it's short-lived," Johnson added.
Renovations will include new carpeting and painting as well as a new layout for the floor design and a more centered entryway. Johnson said that rather than being across from the women's restroom, the new entrance would be across from Burger King and thus next to the restrooms. "(This entrance) is really the old entrance from way back when I went to school here in the 60s," Johnson said.
Another change made will be the location of non-textbook goods. According to Johnson, clothing items and souvenir-type items will switch places, placing clothes to the right of the new entrance and souvenirs directly to the left.
Additionally, a new color scheme will be used as opposed to the white walls, which Johnson said would be "very Western Illinois University-ish."
Renovations should be done by Aug. 1, and all merchandise should be relocated in the freshly redesigned store by the beginning of the Fall semester.
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