Kinko's Moves to Expanded Location on Mount Auburn Street

Thesis writers take note, your midnight runs to Kinko's Copies just got longer. The copy center has moved to an expanded location on Mount Auburn Street, leaving its former home on Dunster Street.

According to Kinko's General Manager Mark A. Ferrara, the move over the Fourth of July weekend allowed the copy center to offer expanded services for both students and professionals.

"We've doubled our previous services and added 12 new ones," he said.

Despite the distance, Mallar Bhattacharya '98 said decided to go to Kinko's to pick up some posters for the South Asian Association.

"We came here because we were excited by the possibilities of more space," he said.

In addition to the copying services of Kinko's old location, the new store offers oversize copying, dry-mounting, self service scanning, passport photos, a paper center, five IBM computers, computer design stations and new binding options, Ferrara said.

"Our old location was too small," he explained. "We needed to expand our services. We weren't representing all of the services Kinko's has to offer, especially the computer services."

"Lake the Kinko's advertising says, this is more of a branch office than just a convenience place to go and get black and white copies," Ferrara added.

Kinkos is also considering incorporating video conferencing into its services, Ferrara said.

The new location's longer distance to the river houses and the Yard will not hurt business, Ferrara said.

"Most of our customers are interested in an array of services, not just black and white copies," he said.

Paul Hahn '98, a first-time patron of the new Kinko's location was not quite as positive about the move.

"I liked the old location," Hahn said. "This is much more out of the way. It has more facilities and you can do more stuff, but you have to walk much farther."

"I think more people are going to go to Gnomon because it's closer," he added.

Ferrara said the store's biggest advantage over competitors is its 24-hour service, Ferrara said.

"Students work around the clock, especially Harvard students," he said.

Bhattacharya said he agreed the store's hours would be a big draw.

"The 24 hours is nice because there isn't anyplace else in the square that's open that late," he said.

Poential concern about the safety of walking to the new location at night does not seem to be an issue, Ferrara said, citing an increase in business at night versus the day.

Ferrara also said that while the new location may be farther from the houses, it is closer to the Business School and the Kennedy School.

According to Joseph M. Welch, an employee at Gnomon Copy on Mass Ave across from the Yard, business has picked up since Kinko's move.

"I would say about five out of 20 customers come from the new Kinko's," Welch said. "They say it's a nice place and everything but the prices are a little out of whack."

"I wouldn't think their new location would hurt [Gnomon's] business unless they went crazy and started offering copies for two cents or something," he added.

Kinko's closer proximity to the Post Office will be helpful to members of the Cambridge community, Ferrara said.

Non-students will also benefit from Kinko's ability to offer validated parking, he said.

Any new space, Ferrara said, would be better than the old one.

"Before we were spread across 13 and 17 Dunster Street," Ferrara said. "It was out the door, around the block and up two flights of stairs. Now we're all under one roof.

"Most of our customers are interested in an array of services, not just black and white copies," he said.

Paul Hahn '98, a first-time patron of the new Kinko's location was not quite as positive about the move.

"I liked the old location," Hahn said. "This is much more out of the way. It has more facilities and you can do more stuff, but you have to walk much farther."

"I think more people are going to go to Gnomon because it's closer," he added.

Ferrara said the store's biggest advantage over competitors is its 24-hour service, Ferrara said.

"Students work around the clock, especially Harvard students," he said.

Bhattacharya said he agreed the store's hours would be a big draw.

"The 24 hours is nice because there isn't anyplace else in the square that's open that late," he said.

Poential concern about the safety of walking to the new location at night does not seem to be an issue, Ferrara said, citing an increase in business at night versus the day.

Ferrara also said that while the new location may be farther from the houses, it is closer to the Business School and the Kennedy School.

According to Joseph M. Welch, an employee at Gnomon Copy on Mass Ave across from the Yard, business has picked up since Kinko's move.

"I would say about five out of 20 customers come from the new Kinko's," Welch said. "They say it's a nice place and everything but the prices are a little out of whack."

"I wouldn't think their new location would hurt [Gnomon's] business unless they went crazy and started offering copies for two cents or something," he added.

Kinko's closer proximity to the Post Office will be helpful to members of the Cambridge community, Ferrara said.

Non-students will also benefit from Kinko's ability to offer validated parking, he said.

Any new space, Ferrara said, would be better than the old one.

"Before we were spread across 13 and 17 Dunster Street," Ferrara said. "It was out the door, around the block and up two flights of stairs. Now we're all under one roof.