By Emily Petsko

Kathy McCann received an e-reader for her birthday this year, but still enjoys reading the old-fashioned way, too.

“I love looking at books, I love the feel of books, I just love books,” McCann said after strolling through Bradley’s Books Downtown during her lunch break. “It’s the experience of being in the bookstore and seeing all the different things. You see things that interest you that you wouldn’t ordinarily see.”

McCann is a regular at Bradley’s Books on the ninth floor of Macy’s department store. The book store opened in the early 1990s.  Bradley’s Assistant Manger Lisa Kane said she believes customers like McCann keep the store in business, along with the affordable prices on its discount books.

“A lot of people say this is the only bookstore they come to because of the prices,” Kane said. “They’re wonderful, the discounts we give.”

Many of the books at Bradley’s are purchased through overstock sales, rather than directly from publishers. This allows for reduced prices and better deals for customers.

The store glows neon orange with stickers on discounted books. Bradley’s offers a 30 percent discount on New York Times Bestseller hardback books, 20 percent off mass market and trade paperbacks, and 10 percent off new release hardbacks.

“We are affordable,” Kane said. “We’re not like the big corporate — and now some defunct — bookstores.”

The key to being successful as a bookstore chain, Kane said, is to be selective in determining new locations, unlike Borders, which “exploded” across the nation and went bankrupt as a result. There are currently several Bradley’s stores in the Pittsburgh area and surrounding counties, as well as a store in Youngstown, Ohio.

Kane also stressed the importance of a knowledgeable staff and “suggestive selling” to help customers find books they may not have known about prior to coming into the store.

Although Kane, who has worked at Bradley’s for 12 years, has no fear of the bookstore chain going out of business, she admitted she has had to make some sacrifices in order to increase sales.

Even if “Pride and Prejudice” remains covered in dust, titles like “Tall, Dark, and Texan” are flying off the shelves. Part of being a successful business is catering to what the customers want.

“We’re unfortunately reputed to be a huge Romance store,” said Kane, who jokingly said she was nicknamed “the book snob” by co-workers. “When I became manager I tried to do a little bit more of literature, but it’s the Romance that sells here.”

Many bookstores are also organizing special events to attract more customers. Bradley’s periodically holds meet-the-author events and is planning to host sports author Jim O’Brien and novelist Sister Souljah in upcoming months.

“Now if we can get Stephen King in here, I think a lot of people would be extremely pleased,” Kane said.

As Macy’s is in the process of downsizing to six floors, Bradley’s is preparing to relocate to the fifth floor. Kane said she believes the new location may make them more visible and accessible to customers.

Bradley’s employee Nathan Gwillim, 23, of Verona, said that even as the popularity of e-readers rises, books will still hold value to many.

“It’s sort of the same thing as why people buy CDs or records,” Gwillim said. “Even if it’s more expensive, people want to have that physical product in their hands.”

While some believe the lifespan of books is nearing its end, Kane remains optimistic.

“The books will be out there for as long as there are books, unless we experience ‘Fahrenheit 451’ where the books are banned,” Kane said. “They’re still going to be making books for a while.”