Book lovers in West Chester can breathe a sigh of relief, as the recently closed Chester County Book Company in the West Goshen Shopping Center has quickly gained a worthy successor, writes Brian McCullough for the Daily Local News.

The former store’s longtime employee and brother-in-law of the previous owner took up the mantle by opening a new book store in the same location.

“I’m a townie,” said Michael Fortney. “West Chester not having a book store? Didn’t seem like a good idea to me.”

The new store, which opened in November, is not affiliated with the former store, and is putting an emphasis on discount pricing. It is currently trading as West Chester Book Outlet, but Fortney is considering holding a Facebook competition for a new name.

“The response has been phenomenal,” said Fortney. “I’ve had people cry. I’ve had people come in and hug me. It’s been great, just great.”

In the coming months, Fortney plans to bring back some features of its predecessor, including author visits, poetry readings, and story times.

“I’m open to anything the customers might want,” he said. “I’m listening to them.”

Read more about the new bookstore in the Daily Local News here.