Since opening in December, the new Harvard Coop bookstore has become a popular watering hole for both Harvard students and Cambridge residents.

A self-proclaimed "scholar's resource since 1882," the Coop's slogan now boasts that it has been "renovated...in every way."

Under the new management of the national Barnes and Noble chain and with a refurbished interior, the store offers customers a comfortable environment for browsing its stock of academic, fiction, nonfiction, self-help and specialty titles.

But a glance around the building reveals that activity at the Coop centers not around its shelves but in the airy cafe on the second floor.

Carole Horne, a general manager of the Harvard Book Store located a few blocks away from the Coop at the corner of Plympton Street, identifies the Coop cafe as the "most popular place" in the store.

Horne contrasts her shop's "serious atmosphere of books" with the Coop, which she calls "a destination for people who want to have coffee in a bookstore."

Horne says it is unclear if her competitor's renovation and new management have impacted the Harvard Book Store's business.

The assortment of students and professionals congregated at the Coop cafe attests to the breadth of the market for literary offerings combined with edible treats.

"I come for a coffee stop at the cafe and to read," says Michelle B. Hartman, a Harvard extension school student who calls herself a "regular" at the Coop.

Well-lit and inviting, the cafe space is located next to the magazine display. Publications ranging from Backwoods Home Magazine ("Practical Ideas for Self-Reliant Living") to Tuff Guys--a body-building monthly--indicate the diversity of the Coop's clientele.

Some, like Hartman, use the store as a library with food service.

"I feel it's kind of relaxing--like a library with more activity," says Joana P. Damasco '01, who gives the cuisine high marks.

"I like the pastries, and the soup is excellent," Damasco says before biting into a puffy tart.

In addition to students, the Coop cafe attracts tourists, who come to snack after shopping and sightseeing.

The Suspene family from Toulouse, France, has stopped for coffee after purchasing some children's books.

They say the store compares favorably with French bookstores.

Local patrons like Glenda A. Medeiros provide insight into how the renovated Coop differs from the old bookstore.

Medeiros attributes the warmer atmosphere in the building to the addition of the cafe during the renovation.

"Since the cafe has opened, I spend a lot of time in the store," Medieros says.

The dining area not only satisfies hungry customers but encourages book sales, Medieros says.

"It used to feel like you weren't allowed to take a book to read; now they must sell a ton of books by allowing browsing," says Medieros.

She offers an explanation of how the cafe boosts the Coop's business.

"I just picked up a book of Chekhov short stories to read over coffee," Medieros says. "I will probably end up buying it even though that was not my plan."