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The Harvard COOP is a lot of things to a lot of people: It's a full-fledged Barnes & Noble complete with café; a place for textbooks; a souvenir shop for students, proud parents and every tourist ever; an emporium for dorm basics and sublet supplies; there are even neighboring Clinique and Vera Bradley shop-in-shop kiosques—amazing.
What you need to know—the front, Harvard Square facing entrance is that multi-leveled Barnes & Noble with the curving monumental staircase and second level café. The Brattle Street entrance is for Harvard-branded hats and insignia clothing. The Palmer Street entrance is all about framing your diploma; Harvard-branded furniture; Clinique and Vera; insignia childrenswear, gifts, luggage and accessories; plus your average Boston souvenirs. Above all that: The dorm shop—waste paper baskets, Tommy Hilfiger bedding, towels and cleaning supplies and home accessories and furniture and electronics; branded school supplies; custom framing; textbooks and class packets; and finally—the restrooms.
All that square footage is connected by a series of catwalks, tunnels, escalators, elevators and a slightly-shabby stairwell. It's basically a Harvard Wal-mart—good luck finding your way out.
· The Harvard COOP [Official Site]
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