Campus Text leaves Penn campus

After failing to find retail space on campus, popular discount textbook provider Campus Text will not return to campus this semester, according to company president Michael Saewitz. Founded as Penn Text over five years ago as a cheaper alternative to the University Bookstore, Campus Text -- which had previously sold out of Ryder trucks beneath the 38th Street footbridge, a storefront near 40th and Walnut streets, and most recently the Christian Association building at 3601 Locust Walk -- will continue selling to over 30 other institutions worldwide by phone. "If you can't open for business, you can't sell," Saewitz said last week. In November, the University purchased the CA building, where Campus Text had sold from last spring and this fall, leaving Campus Text without space. "We know the real estate in the area," said Saewitz, who said he did not even contact the University to ask for space. "There is just very little real estate open and available." But the University's top real estate official, Tom Lussenhop, said Friday that it is not impossible to obtain retail space in the area. "Dozens of tenants find space regularly in University City," Lussenhop said. "It is a tight market but the persistent succeed." The relationship between Campus Text and the University has been a tumultuous one. "They've never made us feel welcome," Saewitz said last Thursday. Campus Text had feared University ill will for a 1996 lawsuit it filed against Penn, the City of Philadelphia and Barnes and Noble College Bookstores Inc., which has operated the Penn Bookstore since 1996, for allegedly harassing Campus Text's employees. According to the May 1997 settlement, Campus Text was required to seek University authorization to operate on campus. In exchange, Penn agreed not to discriminate against the company for filing the lawsuit in deciding whether it could stay in its former location. Last Friday, University spokesman Ken Wildes said that there have been "no changes" to the settlement that defined the terms of doing business on campus. Saewitz added that while the company will reluctantly abandon Penn this semester, Campus Text may return as an online delivery service in the fall. "We don't like walking away," Saewitz said. "We are exploring the possibility of opening up in the fall [with the new service]." According to Saewitz, the combination of call-in ordering and on-line purchasing would provide students with dorm and housing delivery, a better option than on-line shipping. In the meantime, he said that he thinks the Barnes and Noble University Bookstore has an advantage over discount online textbook stores, where consumers cannot see what they are buying or easily return products. Saewitz added that the plans for delivering textbooks "much like a pizza" are premature, needing further exploration over the next six months. The University Bookstore said last week that it is prepared for an increased demand for certain books in response to the loss of Campus Text. After learning about Campus Text's decision in December, the store identified between 50 and 60 titles -- mostly basic science and math courses with first-year enrollments -- that were normally carried by both outlets. "We don't know exactly what to expect," University Bookstore Manager Kevin Renshaw said, adding that he is not anticipating any problems. Saewitz said the surge of online textbook stores lessened the pain of leaving, since they provide an alternative to the Bookstore.