The first weekend in November will be groundbreaking for the University community. Not only does the football team face one of its toughest competitors, the University of Alabama, but LSU will also mark the grand opening celebration of its Barnes & Noble. The date set for the official grand opening celebration of Barnes & Noble at LSU is Nov. 2, but the bookstore will open to the public after fall break, said Jason Tolliver, director of Auxiliary Services. “We think it’s going to be one of the most impressive stores in the country that will serve our students and University community,” Tolliver said. Barnes & Noble at LSU will be the largest Barnes & Noble campus store in the country, Tolliver said. The University has had a contract with Barnes & Noble since 2000, said Paul Stevenson, general manager of LSU Bookstore. Stevenson said they had a joint vision and goal to develop an academic bookstore. “We want you to feel the LSU spirit in the store,” Stevenson said. He said the design team researched the academic and athletic history of the University and incorporated those aspects in the construction and design. The first floor of the 50,000-square-foot facility will have the largest LSU clothing and gift store in Baton Rouge, which will include a custom Nike shop, Stevenson said. He said the first floor will also feature a Clinique cosmetics counter and a display center of Barnes & Noble’s Nooks. The Highland Road entrance of the bookstore leads out to a massive porch and courtyard for students to congregate, Stevenson said. He said the first floor will have a larger “Proudly Serving” Starbucks café with seating for 100 customers operating independently from the bookstore. A replica of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk military aircraft from the Flying Tigers unit used during World War II will be suspended above the bookstore escalators, Tolliver said. It has been designed to represent LSU’s colors, and the University’s SEC East and West rivals will be depicted on the sides, he said. Stevenson said the second floor will have a more academic atmosphere. Three textbook reservation desks will minimize lines and expedite service for students that reserve textbooks, he said. The second floor is home to the reading and special events lounge, which is open to students, but could also be used for scheduled events or department meetings, hosting approximately 60 people, Stevenson said. He said a large children’s section in the bookstore will contain a Barnes & Noble Tree and host author events and story time. “We are building a store for the campus community,” Stevenson said. But not all details of the store have been easy to negotiate. “Apple is an interesting company to work with,” Tolliver said. He said he is still working on contracts with the company. If all goes as planned, the full-service Apple Store will open on schedule and also provide repair services. The attached parking garage should be completed by late October, said Mary Miles, assistant director of Facility Services. The garage will hold more than 700 vehicles and offer parking for faculty, staff, students and visitors, Tolliver said.
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