Students will have another option when purchasing books this semester, thanks to Big Worm Books.Big Worm Books, on 1651 St. Mary St., is the new-and-used textbook store recently opened by high school buddies Dane Meets and Dathan Chauvin.

The owners of Big Worm Books want to provide students with an alternative to buying and selling books at the Nicholls Bookstore and the Internet or renting them from TRI Rentals.

They plan to build a clientele by offering competitive prices.

“If I’m more expensive on a book, tell me and I’ll change it,” Meets said.

Meets currently sells the book for MATH 105 for $84.95. He estimates to be selling it next semester for about $75.

While Big Worm Books will deal primarily with used books, they will also offer a service to order any book that they do not have in stock.

“If you need a book, I can order it and have for you in two days,” Meets said.

Big Worm Books receives new and used books from textbook distributors, but will also be buying back all the same books the Nicholls bookstore will, and more.

Meets and Chauvin, both 25, say they expect May to be a very busy month with students reselling their books.

“What they do (NSU Bookstore) is get their necessary quantities and then they will stop buying,” Meets said. “They also require a Nicholls I.D. You don’t have to have that with me. If it is worth money I will buy it back.”

After a price comparison of five commonly used books, Big Worm Books came out several dollars cheaper than the Nicholls Bookstore. Big Worm Books was more expensive that Amazon.com and TRI Rentals, but unlike those two choices, Big Worm Books offers a local store to buy back books.

Meets said he modeled this business after one he worked for in college at Southern Arkansas University.

“After I worked there for a while, I realized how much it helped the students and helped us,” Meets said.

Meets decided to locate in the Thibodaux area because of the student population and the lack of off-campus bookstores.

“We want everyone to know that we are here to make some money, of course, but we are also here to save the students a lot of money,” Meets said.

Students will able to access Big Worm Books through its website, www.bigwormbooks.com. On the website, customers can view a list of books that the store has in stock.

“If you need a book, and it is not on the website, you can request it and I will get back with you within 24 hours,” Meets said.

Meets said they have gotten cooperation from the Nicholls Bookstore.

“They have been really helpful,” Meets said. “At least as helpful as a competitor could be.”

Meets and Chauvin are currently the only employees of Big Worm Books but plan to hire more workers, possibly Nicholls students, as the business grows.

“We want to be accessible to our customers,” Meets said. “If anyone has any problems, they can talk to the owners because we are the owners.