St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City is finalizing a contract to hand over operation of its Campus Bookstore and the Daily Grind café to Barnes & Noble College, with the transition expected to begin during spring break in March 2027, the Southern Maryland Chronicle reported.
The Campus Store, which describes itself as "primarily a student-run organization," returns all proceeds directly back to the college, a structure that will change once B&N College takes over. "The Daily Grind has long been one of the more distinctive pieces of that setup: student-staffed, student-managed, and known on campus for hosting open mic nights and serving as an informal gathering spot rather than functioning as a typical corporate café," the Chronicle noted.
In a message on the Campus Bookstore Transition web page, college president Rhonda Phillips wrote, in part: "I understand why this decision has prompted concern, particularly for those who have strong connections to the Campus Bookstore and Daily Grind and recognize that these spaces create opportunities for students to gather and connect, form friendships and community, and create memories that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives....
"An important factor in that evaluation was the financial performance of the bookstore. Like many campus bookstores across the country, ours has experienced significant operating losses for several years. As an auxiliary enterprise, however, it is expected to be financially self-supporting."