The University Book Store set to close its doors

The UWT University Book Store is among the many retailers who have closed its doors and left on Pac Ave.

The University Book Store at UWT on Pacific Avenue will close its doors next week, January 13. The University Book Store, which has been in operation since 1990, was one of the first retail tenants of UWT when it became a permanent campus back in 1997.  

In a schoolwide email from Chancellor Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange, Lange notes the difficulties that have come with the ever-changing retail market announcing the hard decision to close the University Book Store location.  

The University Book Store, which closed its Bothell location earlier this year, will move to an online format and a location for students to pick up their books and supplies ordered online will be announced in the near future. 

Workers at The University Book Store are not employed by the University of Washington, but some employees have been offered positions to fill at the Seattle location. 

Trevor Peterson, the Chief Operating Officer for the Book Store noted that there were five employees of The University Book Store, one of these employees being full-time and the others part-time workers who are also students. Peterson stated that the full-time employee will work at the Seattle location and part-time workers will not as it did not make sense for them to commute to Seattle for part-time work. 

Pacific Avenue, which has seen many store closures and moves in the past few years due to rent increases, lack of shoppers, and a variety of other factors, will be including The University Book Store to its roster of businesses that could not thrive or survive. At this time, it is not clear if a rent increase was a reason for The University Book Store closure.

A representative for UWT overseeing retail spaces was contacted regarding The University Book Store closures as well as other retail spaces but at the time of publication has not responded.

Until The University Book Store closes its doors, students are encouraged to order online and receive free shipping with a coupon code the school has offered.