Buy Local: The Book Case

Ever since I was a kid, I've been a bookworm. Back then, I used to read stacks of books at a time, leaving my family wondering how I managed not to confuse plots and characters. I dropped that habit in college, mostly out of necessity, but somehow managed to pick it up again in the few years since--my grand total of books of currently reading is 10, not counting the book I carry in my purse in case I need something to read in an emergency. People tell me I should get an e-reader, but I prefer physical books. These people have also probably not seen my CD collection and heard my reasons for not getting any sort of mp3 player, but that's a story for another day.

But no wonder, then, I have a weakness for used-book stores, and no wonder I almost always come out with stacks at a time. Sure, Half Price Books is great. And Greensburg has Patty Weir's Paperbacks, but the last time I was there, I saw a lot of books that had been required reading in a few of my college classes from nearby Pitt-Greensburg. But when you're in the Connellsville area? You need to hit The Book Case.

Bonus points for you bookworms who go into Greensburg for Patty Weir's and hit The Book Case on your way back through.

They specialize in mysteries, which means if you're hunting for Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series, your best bet is probably there--they've got stacks of 'em. Or at least they did until we wiped out a good chunk of them. But if you're not a mystery fan, they still have plenty for you. Sure, they're like an used-book store in that they can be kind of hit and miss depending on what you're looking for, but they're shelves are packed and just about each genre is represented, with everything from old classics to new-ish releases. They've even got some nice collectibles, like leather-bound and gilt-titled copies.

Their small shelf featuring local writers gives you the opportunity for a buy-local double whammy--you can buy a book and support our local writers as well as the business selling your books.

The Book Case is located at 809 Blackstone Road--heading to 119 in Uniontown, a bit before you hit the Walmart plaza but after Wendy's in Connellsville. They're marked by a green roadside sign. If you need new reading material or even want to save on some of that required college reading, stop in or buy from the online.

And remember, buying local supports your local economy and creates local jobs.