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Community Events
August 1, 2007
Barnes & Noble opens new chapter of bookstore service at Central Arizona College
(This release is the fifth in an ongoing series on Central Arizona College’s commitment to serving the community through education, strong fiscal management, community needs and environmental awareness.)
PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. – The nation’s largest bookseller has now opened two new locations at a pair of Central Arizona College campuses.
After late-June renovation projects at the former bookstore locations on the Superstition Mountain and Signal Peak campuses, Barnes & Noble unlocked its doors for business on July 2 for both the students of the college and residents of Pinal County.
Store hours will be Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. until August 10 to coincide with the college’s summer schedule. The hours will expand to five days a week when school is in session with exact hours being announced sometime in August.
“The stores will carry a full range of textbooks, school supplies, apparel and gift items,” Bobbie Kroman, the regional manager for Barnes & Noble, explained. “Later this summer, we will launch a customized, state-of-the-art bookstore website to support online shopping.”
The plan to bring one of the top operators of institutional bookstores in the country to Central Arizona College was initially presented to the Pinal County Community College Governing Board on April 17.
A Request for Proposal was posted with three companies responding. After a thorough review, Barnes & Noble offered the best scenario for the institution.
Some of the benefits of using an outside company include greater customer service to students, professors and staff, and the ability to keep the same profit revenue numbers that were being generated under the school-run bookstore. Future increases for Central Arizona are tied to profit growth from campus and center sales.
Barnes & Noble also gives Central Arizona College some high visibility thanks to the partnership with a nationally-recognized company. Patrons from the community visiting the stores also will be exposed to the many amenities of Central’s campuses and centers.
In addition to the stores at the Superstition Mountain and Signal Peak campuses, Barnes & Noble will be at many of the other Central Arizona College centers for rush sales and buybacks.
And textbook shopping couldn’t be easier. Once students register for class, they will immediately have the ability to fill book orders for the semester based upon their course selection.
Many of the same services found in retail stores, such as the purchase or redemption of Barnes & Noble gift cards, will be available at the campus locations.
From a customer service perspective, the situation keeps getting better. The company provided some renovation dollars for the two bookstore locations at Signal Peak and Superstition Mountain. Students also will be able to fill book orders online upon selection of their classes.
“In addition to purchasing their textbooks and other goods online,” Kroman said, “students can also find out which books we are buying back at the end of each semester. The new website will also give faculty members the freedom to place their textbook requests for the upcoming semester online, 24/7.”
Customers who shop at Central’s online bookstore can have purchases delivered to their place of residence or pick them up at the appropriate campus location.
Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc. is a privately held, sister company to Barnes & Noble, Inc., based in Basking Ridge, N.J. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers manages bookstores at more than 600 colleges and universities across North America.
Patrons visiting the stores will find campus bestsellers discounted 20 percent every day, any denomination of Barnes & Noble gift cards available for purchase, and new Central Arizona College apparel available in a variety of colors.
Supply items, including flash drives, ethernet cables and more, will be available through a fast checkout system that takes just seven seconds with a credit card.
Magazines, expanded convenience stock, more clothing and gift items, prepaid phone cards (including international cards), planners, calendars and bargain books will all be stocked in the new retail bookstore.
Barnes & Noble has named Sherri Goodman as manager of the Central Arizona College bookstore after she spent the last five years as manager of the Barnes & Noble location at Mohave Community College.
“Her strong experience in building faculty and student relationships, managing multiple locations, introducing electronic financial aid programs, creating strong customer-focused bookstores, as well as her passion for sports, makes her perfect for Central Arizona College,” Kroman stated.