Harvard will get a small dose of Las Vegas this week when the Shops by Harvard Yard open, complete with a flourescent street sign and heated shopping strip.

The new shops are slated for an official grand opening at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, but many stores in the remodeled alleyway have been welcoming eager customers for almost a week.

The newly renovated area currently has only one shop in business. Artsmart, a store described as a place "where art and life collide," sells "art objects with a purpose," according to Donna, a shop salesperson.

The store opened last Monday, and while business has been steady, it was a "madhouse" on Saturday, according to those working there.

A number of small stands in the newly enclosed and heated Holyoke Center mall space are making up for the dearth of open stores. Nine are open for business and report lots of clients.

Nora Duclos, the operator of a stand called "Headgame by the Body Lab" which specializes in hair accessories, says business has been good so far. Holyoke Center staffers and students have been the strongest constituencies, she said.

Others reported a primarily non-student clientele. Cathy Greve, who co-owns the "On the Go" T-shirt stand with her friend Terri Stengel, reported moderate business mostly from tourists.

"Zipa," a stand boasting a collection of Pre-Columbian and Native American jewelry, relies "more on local residents and visitors than on students," according to operator Olga Lopara.

But some businesses have not fared as well as others. "Life's a Grind," run by Sergio Torres, is not only the stand's name, but seems to sum up the feelings of the merchant as well.

"Business has been slow," he said of the store, which sells salt and pepper grinders and exotic peppers.

And Ivy League Sports, an independently-run stand selling sporting goods and accessories reported slower sales aswell.

"Our business so far has come mainly fromstudents and somewhat from some of the employeesworking in the building," said Frank Guinane, whowas working at the stand.

No shopping area would be complete withoutfood, and Rebecca's Santa Fe Express Cafe fillsthat void.

Elisa LeBlanc, a student who works in the cafe,said the restaurant "has opened on weekendsearlier than had been expected."

Reaction to the new shops from shoppers wasgenerally very positive. "I'm so excited aboutthese new stores," said Erica S. Schacter '97. The"Animal Vegetable Mineral" store, which sellsgifts, "has such cute cards," she said.

But others questioned whether Harvard Squareneeded the extra shops. Cheryl Greenberg was upsetthat the new sign in front had deprived streetperformers of one of their usual stages. While theshops were "perfectly pleasant," Greenberg alsocharacterized them as "superfluous." Scheduled toopen on Wednesday are Bernardo's Men's Shop, asweet shop, Marino's, an Italian restaurant andBarsamian's, a restaurant serving various exoticfoods