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[Ryan Jones/The Daily Pennsylvanian] Booklover Joe Quinton explores the Last Word bookstore along Walnut Street near 39th. The block faces an uncertain future.

The face of the 3900 block of Walnut Street could look significantly different in the coming years.

The futures of the block's two largest tenants -- Cinemagic 3 and CVS -- are both in question.

CVS recently announced it will be opening a second location just blocks away, on 34th and Walnut streets. The University is currently in litigation to evict Cinemagic, which owes approximately $100,000 in back rent.

Additionally, a PNC Bank kiosk has been empty since early last year.

Despite a 2001 campus plan calling, according to University President Amy Gutmann, for the "redevelopment of that block," none of the nearby business owners know of any upcoming plans.

"I've heard rumors. I approached the University and asked them what future projects they had planned," said a business owner on the block, who declined to be named.

But according to the owner, the University had said, "It's up in the air."

Stanley Shapiro, who has owned both the Campus Copy Center and land underneath it since 1959, is similarly in the dark.

"I've watched the whole University change ... but I don't know anymore than anyone else regarding plans," he said.

Shapiro added, however, that over the years the University has made casual offers.

"I'm not interested in it. It's been in my family for years, and my son Ron is going to take over after me," he said.

Many local store owners say that their businesses are doing well.

The Last Word used bookstore has been at its location on Walnut Street for more than two years.

"I wanted to be on campus but accessible to West Philadelphia," said store owner Larry Maltz, who lives in the area.

Maltz said that the bookstore's customers are an even mix of college students and West Philadelphia residents. He thinks he's in the perfect location.

"If I were a block or two over one way, I would lose a lot of student customers, but if I were one or two blocks the other way, I would lose a lot of residents," Maltz said.

Employees at other stores on the block echoed Maltz's comments.

"We're making a living, even in the snow ... nobody here is driving a Porsche or a Lamborghini, but we're surviving," said Bruce, a chief technician at University Micro Center. He declined to offer his last name.

And as a class was about to start at Power Yoga Works, with students walking in from the cold, General Manager Sarah Reilly said that the business was doing well. Reilly also said that not only are many of the customers Penn students, but many of the employees are as well.

College junior Alexis Weill said that because he lives on Walnut Street he often goes to the CVS and Philly Diner.

"I think we have everything we need, but it is always nice to get new stores and new places to hang out," Weill said.

Shapiro noted that while the University does not own the entire block, they own the land stretching from College Pizza to CVS.

Staff reporter Marissa Montenegro contributed to this report.

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