Coop Will Expand Operation, Creating More Book Space

The Harvard Cooperative Society will expand its retail sales operation this fall into the office space above the Oxford Ale House on Church St.

The merchandising space added by the expansion will help relieve overcrowding in the Coop's textbook department, Howard W. Davis, general manager of the Coop, said yesterday. "Textbooks are our first priority, even though we take a loss on them. We need more room to handle them properly," Davis noted.

An enclosed bridge, similar to the one which connects the Coop's two main buildings, will run from the second floor of the Coop's Palmer St. Annex to the Church St. building.

The Coop will move its prints and games departments into the Church St. building, opening up extra space in the Annex for textbooks, Davis said.

The Commission of Inquiry investigated in 1971 complaints concerning the Coop's textbook service. Davis termed the investigation "a profitable experience" and said that it resulted in the present expansion. He added that the Coop is seeking increased faculty cooperation in the ordering of textbooks.

The expansion should generate enough additional sales volume to cover the rent of the approximately 4000 sq. ft. of new space, according to Davis. He said that the Church St. building will open on September after undergoing minor renovations.