Powell's City of Books Offers a Million Titles
World's Biggest Used and New Bookstore is Top Tourist Attraction
Apr 22, 2009
Powell's, occupying an entire city block in downtown Portland, has four floors crammed with books old and new. With more than a million titles it can be confusing, but it's all well-organized. The first place to stop is the Information Desk inside the corner entrance on NW 10th and Burnside streets. A map of the store shows the nine color-coded rooms, each featuring a broad subject area and numerous subsections.
Bookstore Themes by Color, from Thrillers to Gardening Advice
In the Blue Room, Literature, Poetry and Classics offer the wisdom and creativity of great writers. A few stairs up is the popular Gold Room, where Mysteries, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror and Thrillers share blood-drenched (metaphorically speaking) shelves.
The Rose Room is the place for Children's Literature, Education and Parenting, among others, while across the way in the Orange Room you'll find books on help for the home: Interior Design, Gardening, Cooking, Crafts and more. The Orange Room is also where people bring their used books to sell. About 3,000 are purchased over the counter every day. Powell's also buys from collectors, libraries and bookstores.
In the Pearl Room, on the third floor, the Rare Book Room resides behind a closed glass door. In a hushed atmosphere, aficionados pore over hard-to-find titles by hundreds of authors, from Edward Abbey to Virginia Woolf. (Fup, the elderly and beloved store cat, is not allowed here.)
Powell's Sells in Seven Metro Locations Plus Farmer's Market
Powell's, which began humbly in 1971 on a nondescript corner, now has seven locations in the Portland metropolitan area. At the Burnside store, visitors can get a walking tour, listen to acclaimed writers at monthly readings, and stop by World Cup Coffee & Tea, next to the Gold Room, for a hot drink and pastry. Here readers relax at tables and peruse their purchases. The store is wheelchair-accessible, with several elevators. Open hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. There's also a highly successful website.
One more location, open the last Saturday of the month from late April to late October, is a booth at the wildly popular Portland Farmer's Market in the South Park Blocks. Books for sale feature topics relevant to the fresh foods sold: gardening, cooking and preserving.
Heathman Hotel Partners with Powell's for Book-Lover's Package
Portland has numerous fine hotels, but book-lovers know to head for The Heathman, on S.W. Broadway. The luxury hotel has a library of 2,000 titles, each signed by an author who stayed at the hotel. The Heathman, in parnership with Powell's City of Books, offers a "books by your bedside" package which includes the loan of a book by the most recent guest author, a travel reading light, a literary bookmark and Portland walking map, a donation of $15 to SMART (a reading program for children) and a personal tour of The Heathman's unique library.
In addition to well-appointed roms, The Heathman Hotel is known for its excellent restaurant, afternoon tea in the Tea Court and live evening jazz.
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