Bookstore offers much more than books

What is the bookstore? I guess you go there to buy books, but there is so much more. You have clothes, socks, coats, folders, candy, cold medicine for those nights when you feel like crap, and a helping hand named Miles Pruitt (’19), who has many nicknames. The bookstore is committed to serving its customers, whether they attend Hope, are from the surrounding community or are complete strangers coming to visit. The bookstore is also a place where you find lovely students such as Jazlyn (’19), Joseph (’21), Brittany (’20), Sean (’20) and many more. It is truly an all-inclusive community.

Here you will often find Miles, who saunters in and out of work, wondering when 4:30 p.m. will roll round since that is when he will finally be off the clock. He leaves to do homework, projects or sometimes even to take a power nap before becoming a night-crawler. As he stays up into the evening, midnight rolls around, and he immediately falls asleep. The cycle repeats itself at the bookstore every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Work may or may not be steady, but you will always find him there. He might be taking his time perusing through the beautiful array of manila folders or looking through the one-dollar candy to see if he even likes any of it. This only ever results in passing over it day after day and returning to his station. When you walk in on one of your occasional trips here, you can immediately admire the stylish decor, complete with the newest technology available to man.

The computers glisten with the Dell logo, allowing the staff to complete tasks in a jiffy. Then you can go to the back, where there are boxes galore of extra clothing reigning free. You walk up the partially painted staircase, and there you find bulks of incoming deliveries. Walking back downstairs and towards the registers, you will find both the DJ location and the breakroom nestled in the back corner. The students and staff take turns playing an intriguing blend of music, ranging from country to pop to the occasional rap song that everyone likes. The store is trying to get more variety in their music playlist, but having it on an iPod touch says something about those attempts. The floor is even more amazing. Stacks and stacks of books sit on the shelves, in all of their slightly overpriced glory, waiting to fall into the hands of unsuspecting students who will all burn holes in their pockets.

At the end of the year, the bookstore kindly offers students the option of selling their books back for about 10% of what they originally purchased them for. The best way to go is aiming for the apparel, in all of its enticing aesthetic and comfort. The shirts, pants and sweatshirts lure you in with their soft touch, but many fail to notice the price attached, usually leading to a large bill. Luckily, students’ accounts save many from the toils of paying their bills, or at least saving them the heartache of viewing their bank account. This is your invitation to the bookstore. Come as you are.