Sniffling the wind and deciding that Christmas was a pretty fine time to open a new store, the Mandrake Book Shop will have its grand opening early next week, at the latest.

Among the veterans in the book field, Phillip's forsees the annual lust for literature, and has been stocking up its non-text department for some time in preparation. The Harvard Book Store, almost alone in the rare and ancient book department, is happily counting the shopping days till Christmas.

Alteration Sale

Christmas or no Christmas, Schoenhof's has a "mammoth" alteration sale underway. If your relatives read French or German, or if you just want to take advantage of a 25 percent reduction, search out a place with shavings at the front door instead of holly.

Among the individualistic stores paying no attention to the storekeeper's favorite season, is J. Press, at present in the throes of a giant bargain sale. No holly for J. Press while yet one reduced-price topcoat remains unsold.

Stubborn in a different way is the Hayes Bick, which at last report was still clinging to its Thanksgiving pumpkin and cornucopia.