APLA Alum Reimagines AU Bookstore for Next Generation
The Auburn University Bookstore has long served as a vital stop for campus tours, a gathering place for alumni on game days and a hub for students throughout the year.
After a $1.6 million renovation completed this summer, the campus landmark now blends its storied tradition with a refreshed, modern experience designed for today’s students.
Led by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) with mechanical and electrical work by Pursuit Engineers and construction by Carlisle Construction, the 16,000-square-foot project reimagines the bookstore’s layout and function while honoring its heritage.
“The goal was to keep the same tradition of the bookstore but make it more efficient and adaptable to how students utilize it today,” said Madisyn Benyola ‘24, an alumna of the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA), who led the design and construction administration.
The biggest change from the previous bookstore layout is the open floor plan, which improves circulation and better accommodates student traffic, campus tours and football season crowds. Additional registers—including a new set on the Haley Concourse side—streamline checkout and reduce wait times, making the store easier to navigate during peak hours.
Inside, new finishes and campus-inspired graphics align the bookstore’s look with other recent Auburn spaces, reflecting the university’s traditions and current identity.
In response to evolving student habits, the design introduces a new book pickup counter to replace the once-crowded textbook aisles. With most students now ordering online, textbooks are stored behind the scenes, while the retail floor highlights books by Auburn authors and local voices.
“The bookstore is more than just a retail space—it’s many people’s first impression of what Auburn University embodies,” Benyola said. “It’s an important place on campus that will be seen by future Auburn students, as well as is enjoyed by current and past Auburn generations.”
Constructed between April and August of 2025 to meet the fall semester and football season deadlines, the fast-paced project exemplified teamwork between GMC, the university and bookstore director Rusty Weldon.
“He embodied what being part of the Auburn Family is all about,” she said. “That shows throughout all of the projects you work on in Auburn. The mindset is ‘we’re in this together, and it’s going to be a team effort’.”
The design of the AU Bookstore was one of the first projects Benyola has seen to fruition as an Associate Architect at GMC, and this one is close to her heart.
“It was an incredible honor to see something that I was creating come to life on Auburn’s Campus,” she said. “I have a lot of pride when it comes to being an Auburn graduate. To leave something that will be a part of my alma mater is really special.”
All photos by Cody Eason.