KANSAN.COM THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010 NEWS
BUSINESS
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Owners sell campus landmark
The Jayhawk Bookstore, 1420 Crescent Road, has been open for 33 years. It's known for its popular jingle, which reminds customers that it's "at the top of the hill." The store's owners sold it to Nebraska Book Company, which they say is better equipped to handle online book sales.
Book store spent 33 years at the top of the hill
BY JANENE GIER
jgier@kansan.com
The Jayhawk Bookstore was born 33 years ago when former owner Bill Muggy opened shop, selling books to KU students at a discounted price. On July 14, he gave up their baby.
"I took the store from conception to wedding," Bill said. "It has new life, but it's carrying my DNA."
Muggy sold the store to Nebraska Book Store, which he said was more equipped to handle the business. Although the Jayhawk Bookstore has new owners, the store that sat in the heart of KU's campus for more than three decades has solid memories with roots that run deep.
The store was one of the original Kansas Lottery retailers and sold one of the first Kansas Lottery instant tickets on November 12, 1987, said Sally Lunsford, employee for the Kansas Lottery.
A Playboy magazine signing featuring a Women of KU calendar model Carey Oroke, was held there in 2002.
Muggy's wife, Janet, also remembers rationing the store's 500 Kansan newspapers after the men's basketball team 2008 national championship win. Each person was only allowed one copy, she
said.
Diane Huges, who worked at the Jayhawk Bookstore for 18 years, witnessed a national championship win while employed at the bookstore.
"It was a mess."
for 20 years, and it was exciting to see so many faces she knew from her years as a student.
"Bill asked me, 'Do you know everyone who ever went to KU?"
Huges said, referring to the night of the men's basketball 1988 championship.
"I took the store from conception to wedding. It has new life, but it's carrying my DNA."
She said the championships brought friends to town that she hadn't seen
BILL MUGGY Former Jayhawk Bookstore owner
Janet, who worked at the store for 12 years, remembered when the store's jingle started. Customers would be on the phone and say, "I'm at the
Grandparents, parents and their children had all become loyal customers to the store and Huges. 78, said she had a wonderful time working there.
bookstore — at the top of the hill." That's how it all started, she said.
Janet talked about when a new student from Denmark appeared on the front stoop of the store, knowing little English and without a clue where to go.
"He had two giant suitcases on wheels. I remember he got out of that taxi and said, 'Here I am,'" Janet said. Those are the kinds of things she'll miss.
When Bill opened the Jayhawk Bookstore, it used about 2,000 square feet - about a quarter of the space the store now uses - and the business grew to take over the first and second floors of the building.
Bill said in the first year of business he bootlegged most of the infor
mation he needed to get books for students.
"There was a time when Bill Muggy meant competition. I've walked past that," Bill said.
The University and the Jayhawk Bookstore have had a long-standing written agreement to share information about course reading materials, said Mike Reed, director of Kansas Union communications and retail marketing.
Bill said he and Janet decided to sell the store when more business started moving online. Nebraska Book Company, originally called Cliff's Notes, was created by Cliff Hillegas. Cliff's son and Bill had been classmates, Bill said. Hillegas, who died in 2001, was an early partner and contributor to the Jayhawk Bookstore, Bill said.
Bill said the demand to move online wasn't something he wanted to try to keep up with.