After months of tearing down and revising moving date signs, New Jersey Books employees are piling up with cardboard boxes to move into their new store within the next few days, said NJ Books Store Manager Bob Thiel.
The closing for the Gateway/Transit Village project took place on Friday, which included the completion of final agreements to move NJ Books from 108 Somerset St. to its new location at 39 Easton Ave., according to a statement released by the University.
Thiel said he is glad to finally move into the new store he invested more than half a million dollars in.
“I’m thrilled. It’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said. “This store is much, much bigger than the current store, and it was just awful the way we had to squeeze everything in there.”
NJ Books Owner Ed Mueller said the store should have moved a long time ago. It was set to move several times in the spring beginning in March, then got moved to September, then was delayed again.
He said the University finally transferred the new property to the New Brunswick Development Corporation on Friday, but he is still waiting for Devco to transfer the property to him, which should happen within the next few days.
“I’m glad they’re finally done,” Mueller said. “But I wish we were in there for September, if people didn’t play games.”
He said the University was causing the hold up.
“Most of the problems were due to the setbacks. This was all held up since March, by Rutgers,” Mueller said. “They gave Devco a really hard time, for whatever reason.”
The University and Devco could not be reached for a comment at press time.
University officials previously cited a responsibility to prudently manage resources and said the transaction could not move forward until mutually agreed upon terms were met.
Thiel said the new store would bring in more business, allowing it to have more sales and promotions to better serve students.
“We’re going to be able to sell more products; it’s going to be easier to sell and much less crowded,” he said. “The store is so crowded, we’re not able to accommodate people, and the line is usually down the street. That’s not going to happen [in the new store]. No one wants to wait in a long line.”
Some students said although the new store would be more convenient in terms of space, they like the current location of NJ Books and its proximity to the College Avenue campus.
School of Arts and Sciences senior Dara Luke said she is going to miss the store’s Somerset Street location.
“I like it where it is now,” Luke said. “I commute, so it’s harder for me to get to Easton Avenue or the University bookstore, so if I need a book, I rush down to the bookstore [on Somerset Street], and it’s more convenient.”
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences senior Michael Buccarelli said the hold up of NJ Books moving to its new location does not concern him, because he only barely shops there.
“It hasn’t really affected me that much. I only go to NJ Books twice a year, once each semester,” Buccarelli said. “I mean, it’s kind of annoying having to wait in that long line, but I only go there a few times.”
He said once the Gateway project is completed and Barnes & Noble opens up, he thinks NJ Books may be at risk of going out of business.
Thiel said the new store would not only benefit its employees, but the University community as well.
“We’re going to be able to do a much better job of providing service to the Rutgers community,” he said. “It’s a much better atmosphere for everybody. It’s going to be nice.”
Once NJ Books officially moves to its new location, demolition for the Gateway project will begin, according to the statement.
NJ Books relocates after 8-month delay
Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
 "Photo: Albert Lam")
Albert Lam
NJ Books employee Vincent Cricco moves boxes to be transported from 108 Somerset St. to the new, larger location at 39 Easton Ave.
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