Apple is coming to campus.

The UK Bookstore will begin making room for an Apple Store by the end of this week, said Sally Wiatrowski, UK Bookstore director.

“The products are largely already here,” Wiatrowski said. “There’s no grand opening until the beginning of November.”

Apple Inc. approached Follett at the beginning of the semester because the company thought the bookstore would be “an excellent location for an Apple retail location to service the University of Kentucky community,” Wiatrowski said.

She said agreements were “just finalized” between the bookstore’s academic products provider, Follett Higher Education Group, UK and Apple.

UK Apple representative Bill Kiel was unavailable for comment.

Wiatrowski said because of strict Apple guidelines, only UK students, faculty and staff can purchase Apple products at the store.  Customers will be required to present a student ID and complete a verification certificate, and the UK Bookstore will record what equipment the buyer purchases.

Discussions on offering a repair option for customers at the UK location are also in the works, Wiatrowski said.

Wiatrowski said students will be able to buy Mac products such as MacBooks at a student discount or in a bundle.  For example, students might get a free printer with the purchase of a Mac. However, items such as iPods are regularly priced.  iPhones will not be sold in the store.

“Some (products) will be the same (in price), but sometimes we’ll be able to secure better prices because of special bundles (Apple is) running,” Wiatrowski said.

Wiatrowski said all of the bookstore employees are undergoing Apple training.

Toward the end of this week, UK Bookstore employees will begin clearing out an area of the store specifically for Apple products.

“You will see Apple products on the floor by the end of this week,” Wiatrowski said.  “We have a little bit of everything.”