Plans for Student Stores renovation include study space and food options

Buying blue books and scantrons and taking the escalator to dodge the stairs — UNC Student Stores is functional, but it wants to be fun.

Because of the upcoming renovations to Student Stores, the University held a town hall Thursday to ask students one question — “What would make you stay awhile?”

“We really want to switch the store to be a destination,” said Student Stores Director Michele Gretch Carter. “We want the community to come and to be a part of what’s going on around campus.”

She said Barnes & Noble College wants to turn the Student Stores into a place where students want to go to hang out and study, instead of just somewhere to buy supplies.

“We will be putting in multiple study spaces, with group tables as well as soft seating and personal seating for students to study,” she said.

The inside of the store is being reshuffled, with Bull’s Head Bookshop moving to the top floor and doubling its inventory up to 70,000 books. The square footage will increase by 50 percent.

“The new space we are creating might be used for author signings and book readings, or even student events like live music,” she said.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Enterprises Brad Ives said this space will come with a place to relax and even a place to grab a bite.

“Lenoir Hall doesn’t have enough space and this cafe won’t just be for coffee — it will have meal options,” he said.

He said Barnes & Noble College has agreed to fund the expansion project and plans to integrate the Student Stores with the Pit and the Student Union.

“They will be putting $3.8 million into the project,” he said.

As part of the contract for privatizing the store, Ives said Barnes & Noble College has signed a ten-year agreement with the University and will be providing money for need-based scholarships on a yearly basis.

“We’ve got a million dollars as a signing bonus which we gave directly to student scholarships,” he said. “We have a guaranteed income to scholarship contribution of $2 million each year.”

Student Body Treasurer Harry Edwards said the official agreement has Barnes & Noble College down for $3 million a year, but roughly $1 million is being spent on operating expenses for the store and the transition.

“I think it’s having a very positive effect on student costs already,” he said. “This has always been about scholarships, and what’s blowing my mind is that we are going to have $1.75 to $2 million every year, regardless of sales. It’s fantastic.”

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