The reimagined college bookstore came together this summer through hours of work from students, faculty, staff, even President Dan Kelting.

“It took a village,” Forestry Professor Dave Simmons said.

He supervised the work by students Zephyr Brown, Hudson Heberlein, Jared Verblaauw and Nate Shocke, who did a lot of the design and construction for the store. They’re part of his Forest Operations Microenterprise “Lean-tos, Cabins and Trails” crew and are actually employees of college, as well as students.

The bookstore has the college essentials — calculators, pens, adhesive wall hangers — as well as a pick-up shelf for textbooks ordered from the storeroom downstairs. But the store is also a community shop for Paul Smith’s merch, outdoor gear, Adirondack products, clothing and items reflecting PSC’s specific culture — stuffed bears, syrup and packbaskets.

Paul Smith’s College Forestry Professor Dave Simmons shows off some of the wares inside the new PSC Mercantile on Wednesday, a combination bookstore and merch shop which students, faculty and staff all had a hand in creating. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Simmons said it’s a place for parents and locals to shop, too.

This idea was proposed 15 years ago by college Marketing and Enrollment Vice President Kathy Bonavist. Her vision for a bookstore in a classic Adirondack trading post style was inspired by the former Paul Smith’s Hotel, which had a mercantile.

Last year, Simmons said Bonavist and Dean of Faculty Brett McLeod gave it the kick it needed.

The room is cozy, decorated like a cabin. Simmons said the student employees were very involved in this project. They’re builders, after all. They moved a large open wagon from one of the college’s other properties into the center of the store. They milled, stained and sealed live-edge shelving.

They also designed and crafted a twig-work birch sign over the entrance to the store — Simmon’s favorite part.

Colleen Wimsatt peruses the wares at the new Paul Smith’s College Mercantile on Wednesday along with Kellyanne, 1, and Easton, 3. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

“Pretty proud of that thing,” he said.

Some of the work took “good old Paul Smith’s ingenuity,” Simmons said. The team designed and rigged a block and tackle pulley system to lift a massive war canoe into the air over the shelves.

Simmons hopes the students got a sense of pride and community from the work. They’ll be able to return to campus years from now and show their kids and grand-kids the project they had a hand in.

“It’s beautiful,” Bookstore Manager Mary Haskill said. “It feels very ‘Paul Smith’s.'”

The room used to be the student lounge and game room and the bookstore used to be in the basement of the student center. The two have swapped places, making the bookstore more accessible and doubling the size of the lounge.

Paul Smith’s College Forestry Professor Dave Simmons looks up at the birch twig-work sign outside the new PSC Mercantile on Wednesday. “Pretty proud of that thing,” he said. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)