By SUSAN COLTRI
One of the most heavily trafficked entrances to the bookstore will close sometime between May 20 and June 1 because of Wilkinson Center construction. The entrance is likely to remain closed until this fall.
The entrance from the Cougareat into the bookstore and the three registers next to it, will shut down, said Dennis Lindberg, assistant director of operations/training services.
The three registers will only be open around education week and those times when the bookstore is the most crowded, he said.
We will only keep the entrance shut as long as is absolutely necessary. As soon as the steel and major structures are up, the entrance will be reopened, Lindberg said.
Our biggest concern is customer safety, he said.
“There is going to be some heavy demolition,” said Dick Aland, assistant director for student leadership development over renovation. “We will reopen as soon as it’s safe, probably sometime this fall.”
This shutdown will really cut down cross traffic, said Roger Utley, bookstore director. “We know this will have an effect on sales.”
“It’s hard to say how much effect it will have — not having done this before,” Lindberg said.
Although the construction will affect bookstore sales, we are still very much in support of the upgrade of the Wilkinson Center, Lindberg said.
This is not going to change anything, he said. Customers will still have good access to the bookstore. All three floors of the store will remain open.
All it will really do is challenge us to be innovative, Lindberg said. We are starting to think of things to go in the area where the entrance will be closed and for promotions that will get people in the store.
