CU Book Store / About the Book Store / History
The University of Colorado opened it doors in 1876 with the completion of what now is known as Old Main (a building still housing academic programs along with the CU Heritage Center). We don't know when the first book store appeared, although mention of a small store goes back as far as 1921. Its intial location is lost in time.
During the 1930's it was located in the basement of Macky Auditorium where it shared space with the mail room and cap and gown storage. During the mid-1940s, the book store made a move to the east basement of Hellems Arts and Sciences, where the only entrance was a narrow, winding staircase. Shortly thereafter, Willard B. Cook, the manager, was able to get a real staircase and a loading dock built.
Upon completion of the University Memorial Center (UMC) in 1954, the Store moved into a new location, where UMC rooms 155-159 are currently. There was a glass walled entrance that looked out onto the main staircases and the Forum Room. The text book office even had a window for a short time -- until the next addition was completed.
The CU Book Store moved into its present location when a major UMC remodelling was completed in 1962. In 1981, the first modules of the RATEX management information system were installed and the store was ushered into the computer age. The most recent remodel of the current space occurred in the summer of 1993, and resulted in increased retail space (due to reallocation of space within the existing store footprint) and major improvements in the store environment.
Today the store occupies 30,000 square feet of the UMC's lower level & 5,000 square feet on the 1st floor, and is accessible from the Grand Atrium completed in 2002. This space is dedicated to sales floor, office, warehouse, and processing functions. About 60 employees staff the store, half of whom are CU students.
