The UM Bookstore

On a sunny afternoon, life outside the bookstore is noisy and swamped with students crowding the hallways to get to their next class or heading to the food court for a quick bite to eat. While some excuse themselves, others absentmindedly push through the crowd, holding an intense conversation over their cell phone.

For those who step through the doors of the University of Miami Bookstore, the deafening noise of student chatter abruptly ceases and is replaced with a friendly greeting a breeze of cool air and soft background music.

Even though it is officially called a bookstore, the bottom half of the store is solely dedicated to the display of UM labeled apparel and knick-knacks.

“I like to buy clothes like sweatshirts and t-shirts and stuff like that, oh and I guess books too, more clothes though,” sophomore Julie Schollenberger said. “But I expect a college bookstore to have clothes in it.”

The bookstore is home to a vast amount of supplies, from books, clothing, art and stationary supplies to iPod accessories, soft ware packages, XBOX and PlayStation games. Textbooks are not the only books sold, there are a vast amount of shelves displaying magazines and books of leisure commonly found at any bookstore.

But not all days at the bookstore are this peaceful. During the beginning and end of each semester, the bookstore is filled with noisy students and parents, and a dozens of working cashiers and sales personnel.

“The first three weeks of the semester are the worst,” senior and employee Lauren Vandepas said. “During the first two weeks everyone comes in to buy their books and during the third week every one comes back to return some of their books.”

Aside from students, the bookstore’s key customers include the student’s parents.

“Most of the customers that we see are parents buying books for their kids,” junior and cashier Ima Altidor said. “You have two extremes, the parents that are apathetic and those that are bursting with excitement. Also, books are expensive and most kids don’t have well paying jobs.”

For students looking for a job, the bookstore offers flexible hours and hands on experience with customer service.

“It’s all right I guess, but its got flexible hours,” Altidor said. “You have to deal with customers who are rude at times. I remember one girl who walked up to the register talking on her cell phone about things her and her boyfriend did, she ignored me and kept talking.”

The bookstore is open year round Monday through Saturday.