By Nina Nowakowski
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD — Let there be light! Students are now enjoying the floor-to-ceiling windows among many other changes in the newly renovated Barnes & Noble bookstore on Camden County College’s Blackwood Campus.
Work proceeds outside the newly renovated college bookstore on the Blackwood campus. By Nina Nowakowski, CCC Journalism Program
Renovations, which began last May, have just wrapped up and passed final inspection for the expansion of the on-campus bookstore. The bookstore added 1,000 square feet to the far end of the store as well as an exterior entrance for increased convenience for students.
“The idea was to add square footage onto the store and increase general merchandising,” said Amanda Howe, bookstore manager at Camden County College.
This additional space has allowed the store to expand the clothing section in the existing area of the store to four to five times its original amount. The expansion has also allowed for the new convenience section of the store, which offers snacks, drinks, condiments, utensils and a “heat and eat” area, which will soon include a microwave.
“This is sort of a ‘grab and go’ area where students are able to quickly get something to eat if they are in a rush and is not meant to take away from the options available in the cafeteria,” Howe said.
The bookstore has also relocated the reading section toward the back end of the store where the new windows are to allow more natural light for reading.
“This section of the store is much more well lit and makes the area more shop-able and generally allows us to display better,” Howe said.
Along the floor-to-ceiling windows is a bar area complete with stools and personal electrical outlets for students to sit and study or sit and eat.
“I really like the new bar area. I needed a place to plug in my laptop in between classes so this is great,” said Dana Ostrom, 19, a Camden County College student.
The new entrance to the bookstore will be opening within the next few weeks once the construction is completed on the concrete outside.