New Colloquium Bookstore location to expand business

Apr 30 2009 - 12:38pm | Gabby Jarrett

A San Marcos landmark is moving away from campus in a new expansion plan.

The new Colloquium Bookstore held its groundbreaking ceremony April 24.

Kym McMahan of Vance J. Elliot Realty Group said the new bookstore will be part of a three building complex.

“It will be a 20,000 square foot building,” McMahan said. “It will be surrounded by restaurants and retail.”
She said the cost of the addition is not available at this time.

Christopher Secrest, Colloquium general manager, said the new store would expand business.

Secrest said there are no plans at this time to move or close the other stores in the area.

“This was not a short-term decision,” Secrest said. “We have always wanted to be located off of Aquarena Springs or Hopkins Road.”

He said the realty company made the announcement to build a center approximately six months ago, giving them the opportunity.

He said the company is unsure when the new store will be open for business, but he hopes construction will be complete mid-August when the new school year rush begins.

Patrick Samuels, pre-international studies freshman, said he wishes the Colloquium Bookstore had one main store that could satisfy students’ needs.

“I would hate if it they moved one of the locations,” Samuels said. “The move would not be convenient for students who live on campus. I wish they would notify students on the plans for the other stores. I would also like to know what they have planned for future stores, because decisions should be based on students’ needs.”

Lissette Artie, pre-psychology freshman, lives at Sterry Hall and uses the Colloquium located on LBJ Drive to buy textbooks.
Artie hopes the LBJ location will stay open.

Mark Velasquez, health and fitness management freshman, and Christopher Rogge, communication design freshman, said the new location would be too far for students on campus.

Rogge said people will not go to that location because stores are already centrally located on campus.

“They should just make the one by Tower bigger,” Velasquez said. “Every time I go into that one, it’s empty and nobody is shopping. They should just improve the locations in the area.”

Rogge said instead of spending money to build a new location, they should just expand onto one of the locations here.

McMahan said the new building will be located on Aquarena Springs Drive behind Mamacita’s. McMahan said other companies moving to the location include Subway, a yogurt shop, Hot Spot Locators and Vance J. Elliot realty, the company providing the space for the Colloquium.

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