Part of what makes Barnes & Noble College Marketing unique is our direct/firsthand access to a network of over 700 on-campus college bookstores, and the store managers who help us execute our programs in market, and who help us ensure exceptional customer service during our marketing programs.
BNCM interviewed bookstore manager Don Royal, at Store #737, Barnes & Noble at Bucknell University Bookstore, to get some insights on his store, and his experience with our company. Go Bison!
Bookstore Location:
Our address is:
400 Market Street
Lewisburg PA 17837
Our store is located on Market Street in historic downtown Lewisburg.
-How many students does the bookstore serve?
We service approximately 3,500 students, mostly undergraduates.
-What is the most popular major(s) at your university?
While Bucknell is probably best known for its School of Engineering, some of the most popular majors here include Business Administration, Management, Economics and Psychology.
-How many years have you worked with BNC?
I’ve been with BNC for 17 years. I started in 1997 as a student employee at Robert Morris University.
-What makes your bookstore unique?
Our store opened in 2010 following a year-long restoration of the former C. Dreisbach’s Sons Hardware Co. The rear portion of the building dates to circa 1900. Several other features of the original structure have been preserved, most notably the original Otis freight elevator. During construction, workers discovered a black steel safe inside an interior wall. The safe contained bank records and architectural blueprints for the post-fire (1941) construction. The bookstore features the only escalators in the entire county and a 68-foot skylight welcoming visitors.
-What has been your favorite/most successful marketing program at the bookstore?
Students have been really receptive to the sampling programs. Whether it has been razors, gum or snacks, students have really enjoyed the programs. The most recent program with 5 Hour Energy was a hit. Once students knew the samples were in the web order boxes, we would see them breaking open the boxes to get the 5 Hour Energy before they left the store.
-In what ways does the bookstore also serve the local community?
Moving the store downtown has added an anchor location to the business district and has really allowed us to focus on more community service. We are active participants in the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, which is an organization tasked with making downtown Lewisburg a cultural and economic magnet for the region. We are sponsors of the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival. Every year, our bookstore team also puts together Thanksgiving dinner baskets for local families in need.
The store is a gathering place for students from the local high school in town. To make our bond even stronger with the downtown, we brought in Lewisburg and Lewisburg high school merchandise to the store and we actually take care of their merchandise sales at their home football games. We have a 2,000 sq. ft. community room that can be used for meetings, community events, large scale author signings or just to watch your favorite TV show.
-What is the “best kept secret” about your bookstore?
That our café has really good pizza! I know most people won’t think Barnes & Noble and pizza…but they are tasty.
Fun Bucknell University facts and trivia:
Mascot’s name
Bucky the Bison is our mascot. The Bison was suggested by Dr. William C. Bartol in April 1923, because of the location of Bucknell in the Buffalo Valley. The State College (PSU) football team was named for the lions that once roamed the beautiful Nittany Mountain nearby, so Dr. Bartols’s suggestion was thought to be very appropriate, and it was immediately adopted.
Funny student traditions
One funny student tradition is taking pictures on the Bison statue outside of Sojka Pavilion. That Bison statue is a must for any self respecting Bucknellian’s selfie.
Favorite places on campus
The Flying Bison is my favorite place to eat on campus. It is the only place with late dining hours in all of Lewisburg.
The best place to relax has to be the comfy couch room in the library.
Any haunted stories on campus, famous alumni, athletic team fanatics, etc.
Students and custodians say that Hunt Hall has been haunted by a ghost…or ghosts for over 20 years. They say the ghost is most active in the summer when students are away from campus. The ghost will hide tools, turn on/off lights and radios. It said that the ghost emits a strange perfume smell.
Famous Alumni
Kenneth Langone – co-founder of Home Depot, and former director of the New York Stock Exchange
Les Moonves – President & CEO of CBS Television
Christy Mathewson – MLB player and Baseball Hall of Famer
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