Barnes & Noble new vendor

Filling the seven-month void left by the closed Co-Op Bookstore, corporate bookstore moguls Barnes & Noble will take over the vacant West College Street location within the coming weeks.

After months of negotiating with the Co-Op Bookstore, the College purchased the retail space last week, having already purchased the leftover bookstore inventory earlier this year following the dormant Co-Op vs. Oberlin College lawsuit. The College finalized its decision to sell the space to Barnes & Noble last Friday, and is currently in a contract negotiation phase for the purchase, expected to be official within the next few weeks. Assuming all paperwork is completed as scheduled, Barnes & Noble hopes to open their new store in time for commencement on May 22.

Bidding Adieu: Senior Lauren Cornell gives a forlorn farewell to the former Co-Op. (photo by Nick Stillman)

"We are intent on working with [Barnes & Noble]," said Vice President of Finance and Administration Andy Evans. "Our goal remains to have the bookstore open before commencement."

Evans said the purchase agreement specifies square footage on the first floor and basement of the building only, and that Barnes & Noble will occupy the same space as the former Co-Op bookstore. The second floor space, which the Co-Op was eventually forced to abandon last year due to inventory cut-backs, possibly will be rented to the Conservatory.

"We have some really strong interest from the Conservatory," Evans said. If structural engineering is feasible for a proper renovation, the space would be used for a combination of administration and teaching activities.

"[The College] is very interested in checking out the space for the Conservatory," Evans said. "I think it would be exciting for them and good for the business to have a close approximation to the academics."

While Barnes & Noble might represent a safe, predictable book-buying process for students, the question of the corporation's effect on the small Oberlin community is still at hand. The College's opinion is that the big business will support the smaller ones.

"What the merchants and city have told me months ago is that they look forward to having the anchor back, and that a well-known retailer would be advantageous," said Evans.

College President Nancy Dye said, "What I think is really important is that we have a really good bookstore and a viable business for the downtown. In the bookstore business today, I'm sorry to say that it is very difficult - if not impossible - for an independent bookstore to make it in a community like this, or in any community, for that matter."

Senior Jesse Woghin worked at the Co-Op Bookstore and lost his job when it closed down last fall. "I feel like it's like that ridiculous movie You've Got Mail," he said. "Chain bookstores squelch all creative life and culture involved in bookstores. I think it's good that something is being done and it's good to have a bookstore, but it's kind of sad that it's come to this."