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Harvard Coop

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Location: Harvard Square, Cambridge

Our thoughts: First things first: It's pronounced "coop" as in "flew the coop." Harvard Square is touristy enough without people walking around calling it the "Co-op."

The Coop used to be more of a unique place than it is now, with the largest music selection in Boston, a computer store, a full selection of clothing, a framing department, a huge stationery department, stereo equipment, and more. Nowadays it's pretty much your typical big college bookstore, as it's now run by Barnes & Noble. You can get general books, textbooks, magazines, dorm supplies, posters, Harvard clothing, and lots more things with the word "Harvard" printed on them.

Thankfully, the Coop keeps much later hours than many other bookstores (open til 10 pm most days), and it's got a Starbucks cafe for your late-night munchies and caffeine addictions.

Like many Barnes & Noble stores, the Coop has lots of tables, sofas and other seating, and many people take advantage by sitting there all day and reading (possibly to avoid having to actually buy the books).

The Coop is technically divided into three separate stores:

• The Palmer Street Coop sells posters, tchotchkies, beverages and snacks on the first floor; office supplies, dorm essentials, and furniture on the second floor; and textbooks on the third floor.
• The Brattle Street Coop is sort of the basement of the Palmer Street coop (with a street-level entrace at the corner of Palmer and Brattle), selling mostly Harvard clothing.
• The Book Building has pretty much your typical Barnes & Noble selection, with some areas concentrating on Harvard authors or Boston topics. Kids' books are in the basement. Magazines and the Starbucks are on the mezzanine. More books are on the third floor, which has a bridge over Palmer Street to the textbook floor of the Palmer Street Cook.

Tip: There's a bathroom near the textbook area.

More from Harvard Square

Restaurants
• Charlie's Kitchen
• Crazy Dough's Pizza
• John Harvard's Brew House
• The Border Cafe

Shopping
• Out of Town News

Activities
• Harvard Yard

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