EDITORIAL: A deal that's worth its wait

It's taken months of negotiations, but it appears that the Penn Book Center is here to stay. Although the University and the Pennsylvania Book Center still have to hammer out a few final details before a lease can be signed, after months of negotiation they appear to be getting close -- so close, in fact, that an official University publication, The Pennsylvania Current, has already called it a done deal. And it looks like a deal that's going to be good all around. The University has a quality tenant in the Book Center -- a loyal campus presence for 35 years. And the former Sam Goody space in the 3401 Walnut Street complex is one that Penn officials have been trying to fill for some time. The future of the Book Center looked bleak when the Wharton School announced that a new classroom building at 38th and Walnut streets would force the store to relocate. But with any luck a move to 3401 Walnut, near the burgeoning retail area of Sansom Common, will be a boon to business. Certainly students and professors alike have long appreciated the selection and competitive prices of the Book Center, preferring it over the official book store. Even with the potential threat of Barnes & Noble around the corner, the Book Center's collection of used and out-of-print books is hard to match. We are glad that it will remain a viable resource well into the future.