This week’s Spotlight on Bookstores is written by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts. If she’s not one of your regular blog stops, she should be! Lots of great reviews, other bookish chat, fun ramblings about roaming the globe, and did I mention she has a book giveaway each Friday?! Jill says “My favorite things are books and travel. So that is what I mostly write about. ” Jill will be going to Book Group Expo later in the month; I can’t wait to read about that fun! Today she shares the secret of her clandestine love affair with Powell’s City of Books:
Powell’s City of Books
1005 W Burnside
Portland, OR 97209 USA
COEME LIBRUM: Buy the Book
LEGE LIBRUM: Read the Book
CARPE LIBRUM: Enjoy the Book
VENDE LIBRUM: Sell the Book
I have long had a crush on Powell’s Books, although I can’t even remember when we met. Somehow, I stumbled on their online presence and signed up for PowellsBooks.news and the Daily Dose. And then their blog. Just like with in-person bookstores, I’ve spent hours wandering through the online stacks, reading staff recommendations and author interviews. Powell’s is an independent bookstore, and for someone who lives an area dominated by Barnes & Noble and Borders, it is the Mecca of bookstores.
Three years ago, I had a chance to visit the mother ship. Yes, that’s what they call the main Powell’s location, located in downtown Portland, Oregon. It’s also known as Powell’s City of Books. Every year, my boyfriend’s family holds its annual reunion in Sunriver, Oregon. Since my college roommate now lives in Portland, I decided to escape the reunion for 2 days and drive to Portland to see her. And Powell’s. Because my family doesn’t quite appreciate my fascination with books, I played up the visit to the roommate and glossed over the trip to Powell’s. However, guess which one I visited first?
Finding Powell’s was not easy. I drove back and forth (and back and forth and back and forth) over the river trying to find my exit. Finally, I just chose an exit, drove around in circles for a while longer, and then finally found Powell’s. Next time (and yes, there will be a next time) I’ll plan ahead with the directions so as not to waste valuable bookstore time with getting lost.
Powell’s is one ginormous bookstore. Seriously. It takes up a whole city block. And they hand out maps to guide you through the store…is that not the coolest thing?
Here are some facts about the store from the website:
- 68,000 square feet packed with books
- we buy 3,000 used books over the counter every day
- approximately 3,000 people walk in and buy something every day
- another 3,000 people just browse and drink coffee
- our parking garage provides space for 40 cars (ok, so there are bigger parking garages)
- we stock 122 major subject areas and more than 3,500 subsections
- you’ll find more than 1,000,000 volumes on our shelves
- approximately 80,000 book lovers browse the City’s shelves every day, in Portland and via the Internet. So is our mother ship the world’s largest bookstore? Heck, it may be bigger than your whole town.
One of the things I really love about Powell’s (besides their sense of humor) is the mingling of new and used books. They shelve all books together, which means they have the most incredible inventory. They even buy used books online. Of course, they don’t pay much, but they do pay for the shipping and offer store credit. Since most of our local used bookstores have gone out of business, this is one of my favorite features of the online site.
Because I had spent so much time driving back and forth over the river (aka getting lost), and because I did not realize the enormity of this store, my time at the in-person Powell’s was limited. I spent an hour racing through the store and drooling over books, mostly in the travel and fiction sections. Yet I still left with an armful of books. Good thing I had my car.
I dream of a return trip to Powell’s. I’d love to spend an entire day in the store. Heck, I’d love to spend an entire day in the red room (travel section). And then another day in the blue room (literature). Unfortunately, Sunriver is hours from Portland, so I can’t just pop over every time we visit Oregon. I’m thinking I need take my own, non-reunion, vacation to Oregon. Maybe I could stay here? Doesn’t that sound lovely?
All of these spotlights make me wish we had a better bookstore here or I could take a trip to visit one of these.
I love Powell’s. I have only been there once – but it was spectacular!
Jill, great essay. I’ve never been to Powell’s but it has always seemed like a booklover’s nirvana to me. I think it could be overwhelming though if I was visiting and only had a limited amount of time there.
I didn’t know they purchased used books online.
Oh, and Sylvia Beach Hotel looks amazing!
Have you ever been featured in the Daily Dose?
This sounds like a great independent bookstore with a fabulous online presence. I’m going to have to check it out online!
Jill..what about the elevator? Did you take a ride in it? It goes sideways. LOL.
Dawn… my reader is not picking up your feed again. I just noticed it today when Jill asked us to check out her post. I cannot get it to work but will keep trying! In the meantime I will manually check for updates.
Great post Jill. Powell’s sounds so awesome. I’d love to go visit there one day. And that hotel looks like the perfect place to stay. I can just imagine you drooling over all the books-I would have been too.
When visiting friends in Portland, I wanted to go to a bookstore, and they told me I had to visit Powell’s. I was flabbergasted that it takes up an entire city block. It kind of reminded me of the San Francisco Public Library, all kinds of rooms full of interesting stuff, old and new. They do have branch stores around Portland, but the mother ship is the mother lode. Great guest post, Jill.
Wonderful post. I’ve been to this Powell’s before and I agree – just to wander among the stacks is amazing. And I hope this doesn’t come out sounding wrong – but I remember the whole store had that cool, old book smell.
I really love Powells. It is awe inspiring.
I love Powell’s Books. Years ago I lived in Portland and I think I spent more time at Powell’s than I did in my own home. Now I live up in Seattle and still make the 3 hour drive down there whenever possible. Seattle has nothing like Powell’s….it’s a marvelous place.
I love Powell’s! I live in Oregon, and sadly, I’ve only been to Powell’s twice. The first time I went was in junior high, and my parents had to drag me out of the foreign language section when they were ready to go.
I went again a few years ago with my husband and he waited very patiently while I perused the gardening and cookbook sections.
I would love to go back sometime soon, but I think it’s not going to happen unless I go by myself. I can’t blame my husband for not wanting to entertain our boys for hours while I browse through thousands of books.
Kathy – first stop Guernsey, then Powells.
Shana – nope, no Daily Dose. I submitted a couple of blurbs a few years ago, but then I found myself compulsively watching to see if they used it. The anxiety got to be too much.
Serena – I read somewhere they’re re-launching their website soon…so watch out for a new look!
Ti – I missed the elevator. Yet another reason for a return trip!
Thanks Dar. All that slobbering was kinda embarassing. ;-D
Hi Alyce – Ah, a fellow Powells lover! Whereabouts in Oregon do you live? I lived in Dufur as a kid (I always have to say that, because hardly anyone ever knows where Dufur is).
I love Powells! I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice, although I live in VA. Both times I was in Portland for a business trip, and both times I got to meet up with a few of my online book club members. The second time I went I was prepared: I had a list of books I wanted to hunt down, and I also had a stack that I had preordered. All were shipped home to me for a very nominal fee. I can’t wait to go back!
25 internet friends of mine met in Seattle in 2003. My husband and I flew up there early to do some exploring. One day was earmarked “Powells”, and I never will forget that day. The people who call the place Nirvana know what they’re talking about!
Thanks to everyone who left comments. Sounds like there are quite a few of you who share my love for this wonderful bookstore!
And thanks to Dawn for giving me the chance to write a guest post…this was fun!
Hey softdrink! Many thanks to you for sharing your Powell’s story with us! I’m honored to be the first blog you wrote a guest post for
Well I’m fortunate to live in Portland and visit Powell’s regularly. Plus, one of the mini-Powell’s is just a few blocks from our house = and it’s still a formidable bookstore, though nothing like the mother ship! It is awesome. We have quite a few other good indie bookstores here, including a nonprofit feminist bookstore and a radical bookstore collective.
And yes, Sylvia Beach Hotel is the perfect compliment to your Oregon trip! I had some book friends visit this summer and we did Sylvia Beach and Powell’s, of course!
Fun to read everyone’s perspective on “our” bookstore!
I didn’t know they purchased books online…way cool!
Terri – thanks for the feedback from a local (I’m jealous, jealous, jealous!)
J. Kaye – almost makes me want to clean off a bookshelf and give it a try
I know we have the LA Times Festival of Books tentatively planned, but I’m thinking a trip to Portland may be in order!!