Campus Bookstore Delays Caused by Attempts to be a Vic Books Dupe

Students have been left confused after the Kelburn campus space previously occupied by Vic Books has remained empty despite promises from the university that a new book store would open in April. The Lab shifted to replace the café portion of the Vic Books space, but it still lacks a bookshop.

A spokesperson for the university confirmed to Salient that the new Campus Books branch will open on Kelburn campus on 1 June, over a month and a half longer than the initially promised date. The university has cited delays in recruiting staff as the main reason. Until this date, the university encourages students to order textbooks directly from the Campus Books website.

Spokesperson for Campus Books, John Chisholm, explained to Salient that it was important that the branch was meeting the needs and expectations of the university. “The biggest priority was working with the university and its staff to identify what textbooks are prescribed [or] recommended,” Chisholm said. “Coupled with this, it was important we employed the appropriate manager. We have done so with Susan Murphy, an experienced retailer.”

Regarding Pipitea campus, the university is yet to confirm if a Campus Books branch will be opened. “The university is in discussions with Campus Books about a potential ‘pop-up’ store at Rutherford House on the Pipitea campus, but there are no concrete plans at this stage,” a university spokesperson told Salient. “There are no further updates on plans for the rest of the former Vic Books site beyond The Lab and Campus Books’ premises.”

Chisholm has confirmed that the Kelburn branch will offer “a mix of products, not only texts and stationery, but also other items attractive to both students and staff alike”, and the university has confirmed that the branch will also stock official VUW merchandise. Whether the new branch will live up to the legacy of Vic Books—which has been referred to as the ‘heart’ of the campus—is yet to be determined.