Coop Will Add More Floors; Hopes to Rent Space in Mall

The Harvard Cooperative Society will expand into two additional buildings in order to make room for new merchandise, James A. Argeros, the Coop's general manager, said yesterday.

The Coop will rent two floors in addition to the one it presently occupies in the Harvard Trust building and 6500 square feet of a new Brattle St. shopping mall, Charles F. Wu '79, a student member of the Coop board of directors, said yesterday.

The Coop plans to complete its $500,000 renovation of the Harvard Trust building by early November, Argeros said. One of the new floors will contain expanded men's clothing, sporting goods and games sections. The Coop's credit office will be located on the other floor.

In April, the Coop hopes to expand into the shopping mall that will be built on the site formerly occupied by F.W. Woolworth's, Zum Zum's and Chez Dreyfus. The four-story complex will contain two restaurants and four or five retail stores, including the Harvard Book Store's textbook, used paperback and law book outlets.

Male Chauvinism

The Coop's mall section will feature ladies clothing, Argeros said yesterday. "I've been told we're too male-oriented," he added.

Argeros would not divulge the amount of rent the Coop will pay for the shopping mall space.

Wu said yesterday the expansion would not jeopardize the Coop's annual rebate to members. "Financially speaking," he added, "the Coop is very, very secure."

Additional plans call for walkways connecting all buildings now used by the Coop. Argeros hopes all work will be completed sometime next spring.