University Book Store

University Book Store at the University of Washington first opened for business on January 10, 1900 in a cloakroom next to the University president's office in Denny Hall. Two enterprising students who had learned of the existence of student stores on Eastern campuses are credited with establishing a student store at the UW. One of them was to become the store's first manager. Although the Student Assembly—later to become the ASUW—gave its moral support, no start-up capital was offered. Instead it was proposed that the store should be a self-supporting business.

The store opened with only a sparse inventory of goods that could be obtained from suppliers willing to extend credit. At the close of Spring Term, just four months after the store first opened, an accounting of the store's business showed it to be technically bankrupt and its ability to reopen for Fall Term appeared in doubt. However, two concerned faculty members stepped forward with words of encouragement and a gift of $100 to pay off the store's debt. The store did open for business in the fall and, although not without periods of distress, grew and prospered from that time forward. The $100 gift is the only outside capital invested in the store. Accumulated cash from operations and mortgage loans have been its only source of capital to this day.

Although it is one of more than 5,000 college stores in the United States, University Book Store can be likened to very few. It is third in total sales volume and leads all college stores in the sale of books and supplies. It is one of only a few that are organized as independent, tax paying corporations with direct student involvement on the board of directors.