Things are starting to look a little brighter for Nashville's bibliophile community. First came news of
Ann Patchett's venture into the bookstore businesswith former Random House sales rep Karen Hayes. And now,
as Nashville Post reports, Vanderbilt has entered into an agreement with Barnes & Noble to relocate the university's bookstore to the site of the former West End Borders.
The store will be operated by B&N, and will offer books and materials for a general audience, as well as typical campus bookstore items, textbooks, course materials, apparel, etc.
From the press release:
“A strong and thriving bookstore where a campus community can easily gather for literary and intellectual offerings is critically important to a university,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos. “This new location and partnership give us an even greater opportunity to advance our academic mission for the campus and the larger Nashville community.” ... Several factors came into play in the university’s decision to relocate the existing bookstore. Because it is in the interior of campus, there is no adjacent and little nearby parking, making it difficult for off-campus patrons to reach. The 2525 West End location has access to a 200-space garage and 100 surface spaces. The Rand bookstore has limited hours of operation; the new one will be open evenings and through the weekend. Because the new store will be near Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt Stadium and other athletic venues, it will be more convenient for sports fans to purchase Vanderbilt apparel. ...“We're honored to have formed this new partnership with Vanderbilt University and look forward to bringing them what’s next in educational content and retailing excellence,” said Max J. Roberts, president, Barnes & Noble College. “Our commitment to driving innovation, delivering advanced technology, understanding what students need and supporting the needs of higher education will help us to transform the Vanderbilt bookstore into a robust and vital part of the university and the surrounding greater West End community.”
