The Friends of Art Bookshop reopened Aug. 24 after being closed for five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students can buy textbooks, class materials, books, supplies, snacks and other goods at the bookshop located on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building, bookshop assistant Natasha Heines said.The Friends of Art Bookshop is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We also have fun things like greeting cards that are unique, you won’t really find them places in town,” Heines said.
The bookshop has implemented safety measures, including allowing only five people in the bookshop at a time to keep students and staff safe. Heines said the shop has also been reorganized to encourage social distancing and has hand sanitizer at the door.
The pandemic is still affecting the shop in a different way, Heines said.
“We’ve definitely seen a lot less foot traffic we were hoping to have,” Heines said.
Less visitors is a problem for IU students who sell their artwork at the bookshop.
“We are looking into options where we can sell things online,” Heines said. “It’s a bit of a slow process.”
She said it’s easier to stock smaller items such as cards and sketchbooks for online sales than ceramics and jewelry, which are harder to make on a large scale.
Despite the changes, Heines said she is excited for new and returning students to come visit the shop and experience art.
“We’re so happy to have you come in and see us, if you’re new to art or even if you’re just curious about art,” Heines said. “Everybody on staff has an interest in it.”
