Shop ’til You Drop
Where to find what you need for that empty dorm room
Find out more about stores in the BU vicinity at the red dots.
You’ve arrived, unloaded the car, and realized you need more storage bins, another flash drive, and some munchies for the MicroFridge. One sure bet: you’ll find it close to the BU campus.
Housewares
Bedding, towels, and room accessories can be purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston. The store even has a back-to-school checklist. Did you buy extra-long sheets for the bed?
Economy Hardware, 1012 Beacon St., Brookline, has all manner of practical items, such as kitchen appliances, irons, fans, even those L-shaped brackets if you want to hang a plant or make bookshelves (remember books?).
If you have the time and a car, try IKEA, a discount furniture megastore in Stoughton, Mass., a half-hour drive away. Directions are available here. An added perk to shopping at IKEA is its food court—be sure to try the Swedish meatballs.
Electronics
BU students can purchase computers through the Information Technology Office, 533 Commonwealth Ave., which sets you up with discounts on computers, software, printers, and even iPods. It’s important to consider your intended major when computer shopping. For example, film majors need more memory than English majors.
Computer help of all kinds can also be found at the IT Help Center at Mugar Memorial Library.
Nearby are a Best Buy, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston, and a small Radio Shack, 730 Commonwealth Ave.
School supplies
Staples, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston, has deals on office supplies such as pens, notebooks, calculators, and flash drives.
Barnes and Noble at Boston University, 660 Beacon St., Kenmore Square, is the University’s official bookstore—it doesn’t get bigger or better. Buy course books, magazines, BU sweatshirts and other clothing items, and school supplies.
Outerwear
Fall will get chilly, and wet, so so find fleece vests and waterproof jackets at REI, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston, and Eastern Mountain Sports, 1041 Commonwealth Ave. Eastern Mountain Sports offers a 15 percent discount when you show your Terrier Card.
Food
For fortification during those late-night study sessions, head to Shaw’s, 1065 Commonwealth Ave., for Easy Mac and Hot Pockets. If your taste inclines toward the organic, try Trader Joe’s, 1317 Beacon St., Brookline. For more exotic alternatives, there’s the Asian grocery store Super 88 Market, One Brighton Ave., Allston, which carries fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and hard-to-find Asian foods. While you’re there, try the bubble tea.
Miscellaneous
You can find most of the items you need for your dorm room at Target, 180 Somerville Ave., Somerville, but you’ll need a car. Then again, you can cruise over to Harvard Street, which crosses Commonwealth Avenue a few blocks beyond campus, and find a handful of independent stores that specialize in things used, especially funky and cheap desks, chairs, lamps, and the like.
If you have too much stuff for one car, there are several U-Haul locations in the Boston area. It’s a good idea to reserve trucks and trailers in advance.
Dan Mercurio contributed to this report; he can be reached at dmerc@bu.edu.
Amy Laskowski can be reached at amlaskow@bu.edu; follow her on Twitter at @amlaskow.
This story originally ran August 28, 2008.
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