Retail Shops in Garland Center Set to Open July 26

The nearly completed Garland Avenue Center on June 30, 2010.

The nearly completed Garland Avenue Center on June 30, 2010.

The nearly completed Garland Avenue Center on June 30, 2010.

The nearly completed Garland Avenue Center on June 30, 2010.

The nearly completed Garland Avenue Center on June 30, 2010.

Photo Submitted

This artist’s rendering shows the design for the Garland Center, which features new retail offerings and a parking garage.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University Bookstore is moving. The bookstore shops include the computer store, the general book department, the textbook department, the Razorback Shop, and the office, school, art, architectural, engineering and lab supply departments, all of which will be moving from their current locations in the Arkansas Union to a new location in the Garland Center. This new center located on the north side of campus contains a parking garage and retail facilities. The bookstore move will occur on the weekend of July 23 as the first of several retail activities. The doors to the shops at the Garland Center will open at 8 a.m., Monday, July 26.

Ali Sadeghi, director of the University Bookstore, said: “Our new store, is taking a bold new initiative in the college store and retailing industry. The new store concept will feature a series of name brand, store-within-a-store concepts. This initiative combines an exciting mix of private and public retailing to serve the campus community.”

The store-within-a-store concept will include:

• Peet’s Coffee and Tea
• Papyrus cards
• Nike
• Jones & Mitchell
• Russell Athletics apparel
• A full-service Clinique cosmetic counter
• A technology store featuring Apple, Dell, HP and other educational discounted products
• An OfficeMax school supply store.

This new store-within-a-store facility will have a combined area of approximately 30,000 square feet, built in two levels, and connected to a new 1,500-space parking garage. The complex is located at the north entrance to the university through which more than 50 percent of the campus traffic arrives. It is also located across from the largest on-campus residential units and the Pat Walker Health Center.

Additionally, the Garland Center will feature 20,000 square feet of private retail shops, providing a complementary and interesting range of merchandise and services to serve the campus community. Although leasing is still under way, these stores will include: a full service pharmacy (a partnership of the bookstore and the Pat Walker Health Center), Spoons frozen yogurt shop, and a sandwich shop, to name a few. The opening of these shops will occur as tenant finish is completed.

Parking information

Free one-hour parking will be temporarily available on two levels of the Garland Center parking garage when the bookstore opens July 26. Vehicles should enter and exit the garage from Lindell Street. Directional signage will be in place to assist traffic flow. Only garage levels B2 and B1 will be open from July 26 until Aug. 23, when the rest of the parking garage opens for use. The top two levels of the garage will be reserved for students holding a Garland garage parking permit, the middle two levels will become metered parking spaces for public use, and the lowest two levels will be reserved for faculty and staff holding Garland garage permits.

For more information about the new Garland Center and the upcoming grand opening events, please visit the University Bookstore online. To purchase a parking permit for the Garland Avenue Garage, contact Transit and Parking.