New W&M Spirit Shop and Bookstore now open
The William & Mary Spirit Shop and Bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble College, opened at 601 Prince George St. on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.
The newly renovated location features an array of William & Mary branded products, select trade books, outdoor seating for customers and free parking available to Triangle Building merchants.
“The move reflects W&M Bookstore’s continued adaptations to the sale and delivery of university textbooks and course materials while recognizing the value of in-person shopping for W&M merchandise and supplies,” said Cindy Glavas, director of William & Mary Auxiliary Services, when the move was announced in the spring.
The store is still operated by Barnes & Noble College (BNC), through a contract with William & Mary, but is also now supported by a partnership between BNC and Fanatics, the top retailer of collegiate merchandise. This new partnership provides even more apparel options through the newly launched best-in-class website and allows the store to provide a greater product selection. Online orders will either be fulfilled by the local off-site warehouse or by a Fanatics distribution center.
“Our new location has given us the opportunity to prioritize our inventory and ensure that we are meeting the needs of our customers with highly-desirable, on-trend products, while maintaining the traditional items that they also expect,” said Susan Lemerise, manager of the W&M Spirit Shop and Bookstore.
The move to an exclusively digital experience for textbook purchases is consistent with industry trends. The store has seen significant growth in the number of W&M students utilizing online textbook selection over the past few years, so this was a natural progression in service delivery, said Glavas. W&M students will place their orders through bookstore.wm.edu and are able to view availability for rentals, new, used and digital formats. Orders will be fulfilled out of a local, off-campus warehouse for convenient campus pick-up, or students may elect to have orders shipped to an off-campus address.
William & Mary leased the space in the Triangle Building from the Williamsburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
The store will hold its official grand opening on Wednesday, Dec. 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, students and community members can enjoy storewide savings, free T-shirts, a scavenger hunt, a merchandise customization bar, photo opportunities with the Griffin and more. Students are also eligible to win textbook scholarships up to $250 each. Customers are encouraged to follow the store on social media for complete event details.
The new William & Mary Spirit Shop and Bookstore is open Monday–Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
