Co-Op Bookstore, which has served the University and Baton Rouge community for more than 70 years from its north campus location, has expanded its boundaries to south of campus.
W.A. Prescott, the father of current owners Bill, Bob and Chris Prescott, started Co-Op Bookstore in 1933.
This family-owned and operated business, located outside the north gates of campus on West State Street, will keep both stores open for students’ convenience.
“Our business has grown tremendously over the past 30 years,” said Billy Prescott. “And essentially, we’ve run out of space at the old store. The new location will give our customers some much-needed breathing room, and will more than double our shelf space.”
The new store was supposed to open in November 2003, but production fell behind. Bob Prescott said it is hard to open so late in the school year.
The original store, located on Chimes Street, burned in 1971. The store was then moved to the West State Street location in 1972.
“People who haven’t been to LSU in 30 years still think we are in our original location off Chimes,” said Bob Prescott, owner.
The new south gate location sells new and used textbooks, office supplies, art supplies and engineering supplies, and LSU apparel.
“The store looks nice – a lot bigger, more parking and a great location,” said Katie Chol, a dietetics junior.
It also specializes in art and graphic design supplies and features gallery space for local artists.
“We are still not done with the building,” Bob Prescott said, “There are still a few things which need to be done.”
“I have seen the new location and building and it is extremely larger than the old location,” said Lance Wise, a theater junior.
Co-Op serves as one of the anchor stores in the South Gate Village retail development, which is currently under construction.
The new location is a large building, approximately 27,000 square feet, with a 1,500 square-foot, multi-use room available for book buy-backs, author appearances, seminars and other cultural events.
“With the bigger space, we can also carry new items such as general books and 1,000 square feet of LSU apparel, while also maintaining our cozy, community bookstore feel,” Chris Prescott said.
Students are able to use in-store computers to check PAWS accounts for current class schedules, make textbook reservations online for convenient book pick-up, and receive computer maintenance and repair from skilled staff members.
The Co-Op Bookstore owners decided to move two years ago based on customer surveys. The choice of the new location was centered on the University’s long-term expansion plans to the southern end of campus.
Students believe the new location to be more convenient and accessible.
“The store is awesome, more convenient and the parking isn’t bad like at the other store,” said Melanie Breaux, a secondary education senior.
“This was an opportunity to better serve LSU students,” explained Bob Prescott. “We will now have a location on both sides of campus. The South Gate Village location carries an increased inventory, larger selection of items and is a self-serve store.”