Burkin says she takes pride in the store's inventory, which includes many books imported from Britain and titles carried on consignment from self-published authors.
"We're looking for things that are a little more quirky," she says. "There aren't necessarily 1,000 copies of the new John Grisham book in the store, but there are hundreds of books you can't find anywhere else."
Customer service is also a source of pride--and profit--for WordsWorth, Burkin says. She says the store always has at least five people specifically responsible for looking up titles at customers' request.
As for the discounts offered by on-line booksellers, Burkin says that for years before Amazon.com was offering across-the-board savings, WordsWorth already discounted every title every day.
Still, the store has had to adapt in the face of on-line giants.
WordsWorth's new policy of offering a 40 percent discount on new hardcover titles was a response to discounts offered by Amazon.com, Burkin says.
But the store's biggest draw, according to Burkin, remains "its indescribable nature"--specifically, its multi-level layout and the short outdoor jaunt required to travel between sections of the store.
"There is nothing chain-like about WordsWorth," Burkin says. "It's a great place to browse."
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