Approaches to help achieve a professional college store operation in the 1980s are outlined for the benefit of the college store staff member, supervisor, or manager, as well as administrators responsible for the review of the college store. The following areas are addressed: objectives of the service, organization, equipment and layout, the service that the customer sees, what goes on behind the scenes, chart of accounts, forms for the college store, means of evaluation, some research findings, whether the service should be in-house or through contract, the manager, and recognition and salaries. Specific topics include: basic store needs--sales, storage, and office; equipment to cut expense and improve service; books as educational tools; text and nontext books; general merchandise lines; special services; branch operations; purchasing control; customer policies; accounting and cash handling procedures; internal controls; staff training programs; the policy, staff, and procedure manuals; measuring effectiveness; operating statements; customer surveys; complaint evaluation; budgeting for retail needs; accrual versus fund accounting; the place of the store in the university organization; and reporting lines and controlling factors. Appended materials include: sample bookstore policies and procedures; sample staff manuals and job descriptions; guide to bookstore services for faculty; and checklists pertaining to leasing, inventory, finances, personnel, and public relations. (SW)