Powell's Books, bookstore selling new and used books
Powell's Books is a bookstore and one of the world's largest independent bookstores, occupying an entire city block in Portland. With over a million new and used books spread across four floors organized into color-coded sections, visitors find everything from fiction and children's books on the ground level to history, science, and art on upper floors.
The store was founded in 1971 by Walter Powell, inspired by his son's success with a bookstore in Chicago. Powell's was an early adopter online, building a website in 1994 before Amazon launched, making it a pioneer in bringing books to the internet.
Powell's draws readers from around the world and plays a role in Portland's reputation as a literary city. The store supports local authors and small publishers, making it a gathering place where the book community comes together.
The store is located in the Pearl District near downtown Portland and is easily reached on foot or by bus. Parking is available nearby, either on the street or in a garage, and the store is wheelchair accessible with elevators and accessible entrances.
The Rare Book Room holds around 9,000 valuable books including first editions and signed copies, with the most expensive book valued at over 350,000 dollars. This hidden treasure within the store shows that Powell's is not just a modern bookshop but a repository of literary history.
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