UA BookStores History

When the University of Arizona held its first classes in Old Main, any idea of a "bookstore" was simply part of the original university administration. In 1928, the first unnamed and unofficial bookstore opened in the basement of Old Main, selling textbooks rather than issuing them to students. After the Great Depression, this basement bookstore was sold to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

With the arrival of thousands of World War II veterans attending UArizona on the G.I. Bill, things began to turn around for the entire campus and the BookStores as well. In January 1954, the store moved into a new 8,000 sq. ft. space to accommodate the sharp increase in student population. New locations opened up in the 1970s, and a major expansion in 1981 gave the main BookStore a space nearly three times larger.

In 1989 Frank Farias became Executive Director of the UA BookStores, instilling a strong sense of community among BookStores employees that redefined the bookstore model. He wanted the place to "do more than just exchange product for money," and that's what it became.

In February 2003, the BookStores unveiled its new flagship store in the Student Union Memorial Center. At 63,000 square feet, this store provides students, faculty, and the Tucson community with a premier university shopping experience. The versatile space also serves as an event center, a meeting place, an art gallery, and a tribute to University of Arizona students from all over the world.

Debby Shively became Director of the BookStores in 2009 and tirelessly works to create innovative partnerships with new brands, to navigate the BookStores' transition into the age of digital content, and to oversee the expansion of outreach programming to off-campus constituents and young learners.

At a Glance

1928 – The first unnamed and unofficial bookstore for the University of Arizona opened in Old Main, the first building that was constructed on campus.

1978 – The first satellite store opened at the Arizona Health Science Center, serving the law, medical, nursing, public health and pharmacy community.

1993 – McKale Sports Stop (now known as the A-Store at McKale), in partnership with Inter-Collegiate Athletics opened. This is the prime destination for official sports merchandise and management of souvenirs within all stadiums.

2003 – The BookStores unveiled its current flagship store in the Student Union Memorial Center. The versatile space also serves as an event center, a meeting place, an art gallery, and a tribute to University of Arizona students from all over the world.

2007 – In partnership with the College of Science, the BookStores opened at BioSphere 2, one of the world's most unique facilities serving as a center for research and teaching about Earth and its living systems.

2007 – The A-Store at Park Place opened, operating as an off-campus learning lab for students in the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing where they gain valuable real-world experience in retail.

2010 – The store in Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, in partnership with the College of Science, opened exploring our universe from earth to space and everything in-between.

2010 – In partnership with the College of Humanities, the store in the Poetry Center, one of the finest and largest print/digital collections of contemporary poetry in America, opened.

2012 – Wildcat Threads at Campus Recreation opened its doors to serve campus health in the community. This store sells athletic shoes and insignia gear, as well as a wide range of workout essentials.

2014 – The pop-up shop at the Phoenix College of Medicine opened to serve the University of Arizona population in Phoenix.

2018 – The official team shop at Arizona Stadium opened, highlighting football apparel and souvenirs, with products worn by the coaches of the team.

2019 – Hillenbrand Memorial Center opened a store to serve softball fans.