New JCTC bookstore in downtown Louisville offers improved access for students

A celebration was held Tuesday morning for the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the intersection of Broadway and Second Street. 

In addition to textbooks, the bookstore offers school merchandise, a marketplace with snacks and drinks, and other reading materials, according to a news release from the college. Officials said the bookstore is in the home of a former bank headquarters, with the bank's original vault now operating as a lounge space.

For many years, the bookstore was in the basement of another building with poor access. JCTC's president said the store is a key piece in creating a great first impression for students.

 

"I'm so pleased now that students can come into an admissions area, a financial aid area ... The first four floors of this building have been renovated," President and CEO of JCTC, Dr. Ty Handy said. "Come into financial aid and into advising, and then come into other opportunities and on their first day here, come into a great bookstore and have that first impression that they go home with recognizing that this college is going to be a great place that they can have some pride in."

School officials said the project is also helping to revitalize an important corridor of downtown Louisville. 

About 6,000 students use the downtown JCTC campus, with more than 12,000 in the JCTC system.

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