Squirrel Hill’s Amazing Books & Records to write a new chapter with move

Eric Ackland’s love of books came from before he was born.

“I feel like I’ve been reading since the womb,” said Ackland, standing in the newest location of Amazing Books & Records in Squirrel Hill on Thursday. “My mom was an English teacher. I was reading by age 3. I cut high school so I could stay home and read.”

Ackland plans to open his new, expanded store at 5858 Forbes Ave. by March 1. Twice as big as the current shop on Murray Avenue, the new location is located in the former Avalon Exchange, which moved down the street in November.

The store will have more than 20,000 books and 4,000 records. Most are used, though Ackland said he stocks a few new items occasionally.

Dandelion greeting cards will be on sale in the front. In the back, the Steel Quill Writers Workshop will be be set up, offering classes in short story, novel and screenplay writing.

“To me, reading an actual book is aesthetically pleasing and satisfying,” said Ackland, who grew up in Conshohocken, outside of Philadelphia, and lives in Greenfield.

Ackland said his business has been able to survive the pandemic because they have adapted.

Before the pandemic, he began a program of “get one free when you buy three,” for both books and records. Last year, he created the “Lit Love Book Box” subscription service: customers receive four books based on genre of choice, subject and author interest for $30 (plus tax and shipping).

Ackland said being in Pittsburgh is a plus because there wasn’t a lengthy total shutdown like in other cities in the United States.

“There were some great businesses, businesses better than mine, that failed because their cities were shut down,” he said.

Ackland said his business has also suffered, but that the buy-three-get-one-free concept helped make average sales increase by 30% . He said he’s lost about 40% of his business during the pandemic but that customers who were buying were purchasing 30% more.

Ackland opened his first store in Downtown Pittsburgh in April 2013. As a writer and a freelance copyeditor, he said he had always thought about owning a bookstore. He had helped with the opening of a used book store in Philadelphia.

He found out the Downtown location was available for sale after a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV was closed because it was Presidents Day. The bookstore across the street, Awesome Books, was open.

The owner of the bookstore told him it was for sale. Ackland’s wife, Tzipora, a Squirrel Hill native, encouraged him to buy it. The store name “Awesome” was not for sale so he chose one that was close to keep continuity — “Amazing,” he said.

He started selling records in 2015.

The Downtown store is temporarily closed and is expected to reopen by Feb. 21, Ackland said.

Ackland said at first he was worried about supporting his family. His wife had three children and they have two children together. He was also concerned that, as an Orthodox Jew who observes the Sabbath, his store’s hours would be out of synch with the secular world. Amazing Books closes Fridays at 4:30 p.m., is open Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m., and is closed on all Jewish holidays.

“When we first opened, I thought, how can a business do well that is closed that many days?” he said. “But we have been able to do it because of the city of Pittsburgh and all of our customers who love to read.”

He said his family has been so supportive of his dream to open a bookstore, especially his mother, Susan Ackland.

“I get share the love of reading with others,” he said. “Just like she shared reading with me.”