Reviews of Powell's City of Books. (Book Store) in Portland (Oregon).
Powell's City of Books
1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209, United States
Description
Information of Powell's City of Books, Book store in Portland (Oregon)
Discover the opening times, the location, contact, popular times, photos and real reviews by internet users.
We still haven't received any review on this business.
Map
Open hours of Powell's City of Books
Sunday
10 am–9 pm
Monday
10 am–9 pm
Tuesday
10 am–9 pm
Wednesday
10 am–9 pm
Thursday
10 am–9 pm
Friday
10 am–9 pm
Saturday
10 am–9 pm
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Reviews of Powell's City of Books
Henry Voros
You may be an avid reader, and you may not. If you do enjoy getting lost in a good book, you may prefer doing so with a digital copy within your grasp. No matter your preferences, a visit to Powell’s City of Books is something you should consider the next time that you visit Portland, Oregon.
Even if you don’t purchase a printed book because you prefer a digital copy, it’s the experience of being here that you’ll likely cherish.
This is an independent book store that fills 3 full floors, is larger than some public libraries, and offers more than 1 million print selections. With that much square footage of books to consider, the directional signage they provide is quite helpful (and reminds us a little of what is found within a metropolitan subway system).
All manner of reading material is available here, including entire collections such as the 36 volume set of “The Works of Charles Dickens.”
Not only is this a great place to shop for books, it also creates an environment that makes you want to read another good book as soon as possible.
If you do choose to visit, make sure to do at least two things:
First, visit the Rare Book Room on the top floor. You’ll need a pass to enter it, but they are readily available at the Information Booth just outside it. The offerings in this room are surprising and include such works as the 1887 publication of “Home Gymnastics, The Art of Swimming.”
Second, trace the path of the manual typewriters displayed through numerous floors and rooms within the store. Count how many you find and be sure to let us know how many that you spotted.
And that’s…Henry’s Take.
#portlandbookstores
Nammi Nguyen
Literally so fun! It was a whole experience visiting this bookstore. I love how everything is organized with lots of unique shelves with different recommendations. Lots of good deals, and obviously an amazing selection! It's so fun exploring the different sections, books, and other fun items. I love all the merch and Portland souvenirs you can get such as postcards, the store map, and their reusable bag! Definitely a Portland must visit!!
Luke O
What a huge and amazing book store. Staff are helpful and friendly, there are more books then you can browse in a day, and the atmosphere is amazing.
Keep in mind with the size of the store over multiple levels bathrooms can be a good walk to get to. Also staff can be hard to find at times, best to wait for one to show up at the help desks!
Teresa Garcia-Bovenmyer
I adore this bookstore. Maybe one of the best I've ever visited. It's impeccably organized, clean, and very very large. I was able to find all sorts of amazing books, and some funny ones too. Lots of incredible trinkets, tshirts, stickers, socks you name it they have it. A trip to Portland without a visit to Powell's would be a wasted opportunity to delight your inner child.
Gary Jelks
One of the biggest bookstores I have visited.
I spent 2 hours here and lost track of time.
Plenty of new and used books across multiple sections, floors and tall bookshelves.
This store was one of our main reasons for visiting Portland and it didn't disappoint.
Plenty of souvenirs and momentos to remind you of the visit.
The staff were friendly and helpful and the coffee shop well stocked.
Will definitely return before we leave as I will need a book for the flight.
Cory Sakai
How do you not give 5 stars? It's a huge independent book store that seems like it was multiple buildings combined into one. It makes for some cool stair and level connections between sections/buildings and allows for various distinct sections. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They even have a coffee shop inside.
Nawni Nguyen
My husband and I spent 2.5 hours in this store. Because it was so amazing to see all of the collections of the knowledge of the world. You literally can read about anything. It is a casual book store that is large and has a library feel to it, and a coffee shop. You can go in here, be at peace, read a book on a cozy bench, if you really like it then you can buy it. If not then you can read it and put it back, no one will say anything to you. I found that most people do spend some time reading the books that they recently purchased there. Then go grab a cup of coffee and read some more. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Its amazing in there.
Gin Wood
The city of books is a must-have on a list of things to do in Portland, even if your time in the city is short!
I have absolutely loved visiting here and picking up books by local authors as a gift for my friends back home, and this store has hundreds of options! Also a great place to get souvenirs unique to Portland.
I will forever love this shop and always return whenever I am back in Portland:)
Mande B
Oh my gosh!!! This place is amazing. I am so glad I can say I have visited the worlds largest indie bookstore. I know we didn’t see every inch, it can be quite overwhelming for a first time visitor. You know a book store is awesome when they have their own maps so you can find our way.
We made a point to go to the rare book room which is full of awesome treasures and left with a couple of souvenirs.
Carlo Sampan
Got a whole day to spend downtown? Well you can plan for the half part of it and leave the other half at Powell's Bookstore. With the rich and wide variety of books, you can wander through the pages and get into an instant adventure with all the book selections! A cup of coffee at the cafe can be a great break from all the relaxation you get from browsing through the great walls (or shelves) of fantasy, knowledge, adventures and hobbies at Powell's Bookstore.
Eve Morrigan
I absolutely loved visiting this bookstore. I spent 2hrs here and it definitely wasn't enough time. Take the whole day to spend here if you can. The staff is incredibly helpful and friendly. I would come back if I'm in the area again.
mediscover style
One of the last examples of great bookstores. It has huge selection of books with each area clearly marked. There are also great deal of used books. Put aside few hours to get lost among the books and enjoy onsite coffee shop
Jeff Hung
This is a gigantic bookstore with many level of stories and even have elevator to go to different floors. Many titles of books to choose from, if you love to read this is a must visit! We were amazed and wonder the whole bookstore like a kid again.
Heather H
A truly fantastic bookstore and experience. I could and did wander in here for hours. Their children's section is amazing 👏 and I was thrilled to see 3 entire aisles of sociology books. A beautiful section on foraging! So many unexpected treats and recommendations. Great selection and staff and vibe. …
Camille Toronto
Such a fun vibe! COVID compliant, they were great about keeping people safe with masks and sanitizing stations. The books themselves are a treat to browse through. I got all of my Christmas shopping done for my friends and family in one trip. There is truly something here for everyone. Was busier than I expected for a Sunday morning, but the trip itself was so worth it!
William Case
I know everyone has written a review on Powell's Books but it's truly a classic spot to go to when you visit Portland. In fact, it might be the best location to visit in Portland! They have a great selection of new and used books. Also, they will buy your used books. It's a fun multi-level store that is well signed. They also have a nice coffee shop inside. Great place!
Karen VanHooser
I do recommend this place. This is a paradise of anyone who enjoys a good book on any given day. This is a big place so be ready to spend at least one hour of your day. There's way many options but it's worth visiting this bookstore.
Audriauna H
Although there are lots of books, the ONE I hoped to see wasn't there. They are very organized though, which is great.
I love Powell's. I think you will too.
It's definitely worth a trip.
* Alexa Donne is an amazing YA author.
** The book I wanted to find was,
The Ivies by Alexa Donne.
*** No, I'm not paid to say that.
Trenton White
This place is incredible. Wasn’t planning on going here but my daughter insisted and I’m glad she did. We spent over 2 hours in here and it wasn’t a planned stop. We could have easily spent three times that amount. Kids had a blast looking through the kids section and the adults found plenty of books to take home as well. Do yourself a favor and stop in even if just to see the massive entity that it is. Powell’s does not disappoint!
Philip Hake
Huge book store with something for everyone.
I really enjoyed the curated end caps and the note cards under the staff recommended books. I left with a spark to read many more books. This is a must visit shop!
Michaela Yarbrough
An amazing selection of new and used books. You can spend hours here navigating the endless shelves here from fantasy to fiction to cooking. Some great features include a coffee shop, delightful & helpful notes with book recommendations by staff, and a wall downstairs that lists the top bestsellers IRL!
Definitely a place to see while visiting, so it can be a little touristy depending on the day. Parking is Pay to Park downtown and can be tricky to find a spot right next to the store so be prepared to either take public transit or park a few blocks away and walk.
V Wilde
Powell's was a way to fall in love with literature again. Strands in New York is breathtaking but that's in NYC. Powell's takes the beauty of hole in the wall bookstores x 25 without the franchise feel of Barnes and Noble, or Half Priced Books. Rip to Tower Books. Powell's is my favourite place in Oregon.
Casey Chow
Not much to say about this classic Portland staple. Parking is horrible depending on the time and day, for a Sunday afternoon I parked 2 blocks away, there’s been times on a Saturday evening I got parking across the street. Just know, you may be driving a little and leaning on luck.
Book section is HUGE. Coffee shop in the back. A ton of categories with 6 different floors. Ranging from cooking section, children’s section, fiction & non fiction, psychology, art (camera, drawing, painting .. etc), hiking guides, comics and graphic novels….. basically. If you ever thought of a book. It’s there.
Now, the bathroom situation. There’s only two bathrooms split for men & women with codes on them. There’s ALWAYS been a line when I went, and it’s not the best if you needed to dookie. I say this cause if you plan to sit there for hours reading and exploring, make sure your bowels are empty first.
Happy reading!
Rachel Proper
I didnt even make it past the 1st room upon entering! I was captured by the books, prices n tote bags available! The employees are sweet and dont harass you everytime you turn around with "are you finding everything alright?" Ugh. That's SO annoying! Thanks for being so cool Powell's books!
Bernadette Smith
Literally everyone recommended this place to me when I told them I'm going to visit Portland. As someone who loves books I agree this is a super cool place to check out! You think you've seen the entire store and then you find another staircase or entry way to check out. It's an adventure just as a good book outta be.
Also they have a coffee shop tucked in the back corner and it really just completes the experience for me.
Check this place out if you're in Portland!
Shobha Lux
Loved three floors of books. It is heaven for us.we are going back to check out rare books that is open from Friday to Sunday 10 to 5PM. Worth spending a day at least here.
Steven Kou
Huge bookstore that covers the entire block. Understandably a popular tourist attraction that keeps busy. I enjoyed that they had a dedicated section for TTRPG books. I actually managed to browse and bought a game I hadn't heard about before, so I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely worth a visit even if you don't think you're going to buy anything.
Andrew H.
Wow I love this place! It's huge. This book store takes up a whole block and you can pretty much find any kind of book you need there. I could've spent a couple of hours in there just exploring and reading but my wife who isn't into books as much as me dragged me along after an hour or so.
Melanie Tam
I forgot how much I miss going into bookstores - especially huge ones like this. You get to browse through the shelves, and touch the books. You end up discovering books you probably wouldn't even normally read. They have everything you could possibly want here, and I mean everything. From the rare book room, to a book on how to make crafts out of cat hair (yup, you read that right). But they don't just sell books - they have souvenirs, and there's also a coffee shop inside. We actually came here twice during our 4-day visit to Portland.
Definitely a store you want to visit, whether you are a local or not!
Kim Kasch
The world’s biggest book store in the world. This is the rare book room with some Lewis and Clark journals that you can purchase for a “mere” $25,000 🤓 You can spend a day here so plan ahead and get a map when you come in the door. …
Abbie D
Powell’s City of Books literally takes up an entire city block. The are rooms upon rooms of books, and I could have spent all day here. There’s a coffee shop and some fun gifts, too. I loved browsing the children’s section. I wanted to buy everything! I also loved waking down the isles and reading the employee recommendations and synopses of books. It was so fun to see all the recommendations, and almost overwhelming to truly see how many books I will never get to read. I will go back if I am ever in Portland again! Don’t miss it!
Mark Underwood
Before I went, I wasn't sure how a bookstore could be a tourist attraction. Let me tell you:
I feel that I have grown used to physical bookstores feeling empty, perhaps even a little desperate. The modern world has made it so. Powell's felt... _alive._ It was really busy, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. There was this sort of feeling I got from being surrounded by so many people looking for the perfect book that was magical.
And the way Powell's is set up inside supports this feeling, I think. Light colored wooden shelves, towering over the people below, filled with books, both new and used. Thoughtful, handwritten recommendations by staff attached in front of their favorite reads. Carefully organized rooms laid out according to the Dewey Decimal System. I began to get the feeling that some really interesting bargain was just down the next aisle, some knowledge to aquire waiting for me in the next room over. Somehow, there was always another book I wanted to look for.
Add on top of this a network of helpful info desks in every room and a pretty quick lineup of cashiers and you have yourself the ultimate bookstore, a place that was everyone's first recommendation when I said I was visiting Portland. If I ever return to the city, I'm definitely leaving with more books.
Sally Schilds
Delightfully friendly staff and the laid back atmosphere allows you to browse, explore, and enjoy book upon book to your hearts content. The small coffee shop at the back provided comforting hot beverages on a cold day. The well laid out sections helped to focus my shopping experience.
Naomi D
The greatest independent bookstore in the USA? Maybe the largest one. You'll need a map, some coffee, and a lot of time to appreciate the whole store. It's a tourist attraction, so be prepared for it to be busy in the afternoons.
Dan Spencer
This place warms my heart. Could have spent days and thousands of dollars here. Lots of fun to wander around the different rooms and check out all the offerings. Staff were all over and very nice and helpful.
Carol Mackin
Huge selection across genres. Great prices!
Easy to navigate store and find books by organization in each "room"; there are color-coded papers available. At entrance has some merch with quite a few tables of sales. There are baskets available when your arms get full (I missed them at first). Staff is friendly helping locate book or retrieve from high shelf. Expect spend a lot of time there browsing. Some street parking nearby, think some garages too.
Miguel Martinez
They have a large variety of new and used books, housed in several floors and sections. It's a huge place! They also have clothing and table games. Other stuff, too, such as a coffee shop.
Jackie Cruz
Get ready to lose hours immersed in this amazing book store.This place is a book lovers dream! It's huge. Multiple floors and sections for every kind of book you can think of. Make sure to grab a map located near the entrance. Also take advantage of the lightly used books the have on sale at a cheaper price. I went on a Sunday and it wasn't too packed, mask are currently required.
Swapnil Sharma
One of the largest private bookstore for new and old books. This place is heaven for book lovers. They also have lot of souvenirs for any traveler visiting Portland for the first time
Kallen Tu
Largest book store I've ever been in. There's so many sections and floors, separating the different genre of books. There's a book for everyone here. The staff are all very helpful too.
Loved browsing the selection here.
Raghav Saxena
I accidentally stumbled upon this bookstore while looking up things to do in Portland. I was pleasantly surprised to see a bookstore on a list of places to visit. Unsurprisingly, this store is amazing. There are multiple rooms split up by book genre. Each room has it's character and has staff available at hand to help. I found many books here that I hadn't seen for years and left after having bought a whole bunch of books. I can't recommend this place enough for book lovers and for everyone to come and see why some people love books so much!
Gray Jedi
If you're ever in the city and have a passion and love for books & coffee I strongly recommend you to take your time and visit. Just pay for the parking. (More than an hour) Set up like a library but better.
Karla Luebbert
This place is a dream! I’ve found the biggest selection of fashion, art, and photography books.
Staff is super friendly, and they have amazing deals.
The coffee shop is the perfect spot to read and not being disturbed.
Definitely one of my favorite places in Portland 🤍
Jennifer Jungwirth
Definitely grab a map from one of the info desks before starting to venture into this place. If going with friends be sure to set a meeting time or else you may never see them again. Awesome selection of books. Used books are shelved with the new books.
Amy Brown
Of course Powell's gets five stars. Multiple times I've come here on the hunt for some odd book I can't find anywhere else — and they'll have it. The store is always clean and pleasant to shop even with all the traffic it gets. Bonus points for their book pickup program they offered throughout the pandemic. Truly a Portland staple!
M W
So many choices...I love that they shelve and provide me and used books within an author's titles. Staff is helpful and friendly. Good place to find various editions of books published over the years. I'll admit, I was not impressed with either the sheet music selection nor the books in French.
Lynn Twiss
The City of Books! I miss the days when Powell’s catered to the used book market. When one could walk in and there were isles of used and tattered books. These days there is a focus on only new books, with a small support of used books buried behind the machine of capitalism. What exactly does Powell’s do with all those used books people stand in lines to donate or get “credit” for? Destroy or donate elsewhere. Which hurts the Portland market.
BUT, yes, this is the best and most amazing bookstore there is. I mean that!
But finding gems isn’t the focus anymore. Selling the latest books is.
Maurice Zadeh
Largest selection of books ever seen anywhere under one roof. Categories are numerous and sections are color coded. Spend about two hours and didn't get to see all the departments. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Novelty and gifts available. Cashier lines move fast!
Anna Bruton
Truly a great selection of books with good deals on used and discount books! Fun experience to look around at all the sections. I wish they had the blind date wrapped books though!
Vaughn “Sonic Vaughn” Swanson
If it's a book, chances are you can find it here and then some. When I visit, I never leave empty handed. It's the best book store I've ever had the pleasure visiting.
Amerififer
As an avid reader, loved wandering around Powell's. Good thing I'm traveling or many more dollars would have spent. 🤪 …
Kyuwon Lee
Walls of books packed into a block-wide multi-storied building, thoughtfully curated, beautifully presented. Never saw a person who made a visit here and didn’t like it here.
Joshua Russell
A book lover’s dream. This is an entire city block of books, a book for everyone’s needs. It can be a bit overwhelming but you should take some time and explore. I really enjoyed reading the variety of recommendations and notes from the staff on the large variety of books.
Shishir Agarwal
Such a pleasure to browse books at a real bookstore. Great help, awesome book collection. They also carry rare books. I am on a 3 day trip to Portland but will spend a whole day here.
Dora Mea
If you love books, you will love Powells bookstore. 4 levels, color coded rooms for different types of books. And, they have souvenir items, too.
Driskill Ryan & Alanna
From far and wide, our experience tells us that this is the best bookstore we've ever visited. We don't say this lightly! The staff, the atmosphere, and the inventory was nothing short of perfection. Can't wait to visit again when we are in town!
Lydia Cheng
Famous for a reason! Powell’s City of Books is a huge book store full of new, used, and rare books. You could spend hours browsing their selection and still wouldn’t see most of the store. Tourists and locals alike love this store.
Amee Reynolds
Absolutely amazing! A bibliophile's dream come true. Tons of helpful associates to help locate anything and computers available to assist in the search. We spent at least an hour here and didn't see half the store. I would live here if I could!
trevor morris
I love that they have new and used books on the same shelf. Sections like Travel Literature benefit from this. The cookbook section and children's book section are also very impressive.
Kirsten Alana Photography
On my list of favorite bookstores in the USA: this is always in my Top 5. From gifts and Portland souvenirs to all the new & used books you could ever want and even a really good coffee shop on site - it’s hard to beat Powell’s. I’ve never had a bad experience here. I can’t fathom how you would unless you don’t like books!!
Cooper Hakimoglu
This is the coolest bookstore I've ever been in, I got a few different books including a super rare book that I've been trying to get my hands on for a while! The staff was all super nice and helpful. I will definitely be back.
Lily H
Huge! An intense and immersive experience. They had lesbian bodice rippers and chuck tingle books, both of which I've never seen a bookstore stock
Pooja Ayare
Hands down the best bookstore I have visited in US! I was lost in there for 4-5h and still felt that I didn’t cover it all (I did, but was just in awe for most of the part).
They also have a cafe within the bookstore (so that’s a plus)
Tip: You can look up on the computers for the marked down discounted sale prices for the books if you are okay with older editions and such)
Lexi
This is the premier bookshop! A full city block and four stories of books. They often have authors speak and sign books. They sell both new and used and have something for everyone. This is the main location at the time of this review, there are two other locations.
Cody Kesting
Absolutely love this place. Always worth a stop when you’re in Portland.
Highly recommend the rare book room as well - you can see some (very!) old books on display
Josh Stonecypher
You know a book store is massive when A) it encompasses an entire city block and B) when maps are available at the front door. Powell's was more than a bookstore it was an experience. The Disney of literature. You can find new, second hand, and discounted books in every genre.
Michael Schiltknecht
Even if you're not into books the huge size of this store is an experience in itself. We checked out all the rooms and sure enough there was books here and there that caught our eye. And they have really everything. Just looking for a fun read, it's there. Need to study for STEM, you'll find plenty of books to do so. We even found a section where they sell socks! It's an amazing place and chances are that you came to look and leave with a book.
Keagan Blackford
I love this place so much. I have never been able to walk out without anything. I've been many times and just went again and still learned of new sections I love.
They do an amazing job of making it easy to find sections and divide books. The idea of colored rooms was amazing and makes shopping easy. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.
If you are a book lover I highly recommend this place as well as make sure you give you're self an endless amount of time.
Debbie cruz
Super awesome destination for a book nerd (and others as well). Stopped in on a whim as I was walking to dinner and found a bunch of great local gifts. Sadly, due to space constraints in my suitcase, I couldn't buy any books. They had a huge selection from current best sellers to vintage, antique and collector books. Staff was friendly. Checkout was efficient. Local at it's best!!!
Arpit Kumar
Nice place to get lost in books. You might get lost if you don't know what you are looking for. There are different rooms for different topics.
Ron Gurse
Really great bookstore. Largest I've ever seen. Multi floors. Helpful staff. Fun atmosphere. Lots of customers.
Summer
It's hard for bookstore to survive these days. I am very surprised to find so many people staying here, reading, shopping and enjoying their afternoon at the cafe. It is such a good atmosphere to be around with these people, and all kinds of books. There's so many interesting corners and shelves in the store, that I don't think I could go through all of them in days or even months!
Haili VanDerEems
I could have walked around for hours. I will definitely be coming back again to do just that! Love that there are both used and new books on the shelves.
Madison Gregerson
Cool books! Managed to find some great art references here that are super comprehensive. The sectioning is a little difficult to understand if you’ve never been before but overall super fun if you’re a tourist or local :)
Jill deJ
Can I give Powell's 10 stars please? When reading up on attractions in Portland, I was curious why a bookstore would make every list of the best things to do. Now I know why.
It is not just a book store, it is a reading experience. You can browse, shop, grab a coffee, chat with the excellent and knowledgeable staff and become absorbed in one of the largest book selections ever. They have superb recommendations, lots of autographed copies, and it is not stuffy or intimidating.
What made me particularly happy is the number of families that venture in and explore, stoking the love of an actual printed book.
Well done Powell's! I look forward to visiting again.
deeks
Absolutely amazing bookstore. It's humongous! Huge! There are huge sections with varieties of book. And it's also organized really really well! They've grouped categories of books into colors like self help, business etc fall into purple color, so if you go to the purple floor you can find all the books.
I also found some super inclusive magnets and stickers for LGBT and for black lives matter :) I was super happy I finally got to buy them.
Book lovers this is a heaven for you! You will love it. The bookstore also has a section which has rare books.
Michael Higginbotham
This is one of my favorite places in Portland. If you are a bibliophile then Powell's is heaven on earth. This 3 story maze of never ending stories is a sight to behold! I have found almost everything I have looked for. I have only ever walked away from there with nothing in my hand 1 time. So be prepared to buy something when you go because you most likely won't be able to help it. The staff is amazing and extremely helpful. They are very good at what they do and seem to have an endless knowledge of the store. Thank you to Powells for just being one the best places for books in Portland!
Brian Schlosser
Had a good time showing off this landmark to a friend from out of state. Everyone was very impressed with the presentation and professionalism. This is certainly one of the highlights of Portland, and people should know that it is available.
I enjoyed an order from their in-store cafe, and was pleased with the results. I was able to find what I was looking for and more.
Certainly a great place to get lost in.
Ypsi AD
I love this book store ..never saw such awesomesuceery
Cindy Crockett
Holy hell. The book lover in me was in heaven. This was my second visit, but I still don't think I've seen more than half of the store. I will be back!!!
Their used books are so amazing. I have purchased multiple old books from them that are in pristine shape and then it's great to just get comfortable used books to read as I travel.
Best bookstore I've been to, hands down.
Samantha Berger
This place is amazing! They have books for everyone. I like the way the organize their rooms by genre. While it might seem overwhelming about how many places to look for a book they do have helpful computers where guests can search their inventory and which room that book will be in. Only downside is that you will spend all your money here. Definitely will go back
Brance Duval
World famous for a reason. It's big, but also intimate as the warren of aisles and tunnels and differing architecture make it seem sometimes like you're by yourself. However, you're definitely not by yourself in the cafe there. Seating can be limited and is often full up. There's beer at the cafe, so if you're humoring friends, you'll have a mini-"escape" with the adult beverages. Checkout for us was fast and efficient.
Jennifer Juckett
Multi-story massive book store for every genre. And it just books, but games and gifts Incredible selection. Upstairs is a cafe - thru the mystery / fantasy section
Rich Strangfeld
Legitimately the greatest bookstore I've ever been to! Four floors of books and an entire city block of books?! Definitely!
The books are organized by section and alphabetically. In a store of that volume and that size? VERY impressive! The staff is quite helpful too! They were able to answer my questions in quick and accurate order! Again, a store that size? Amazing!
I wish we had more bookstores like Powell's to be honest! I was able to find a book I'm interested in, for HALF of what I would pay on Amazon! The book was used, but in great condition!
Powell's is what bookstores SHOULD aspire to! You can literally find any book you're looking for, even the rare to find books! There's even a Rare Book Room!
If you're looking for good books, or just casually browsing, make sure to add Powell's to your list!
Torrie Meyer
This is the kind of place you WANT to get lost in! At first the sheer size of the place is overwhelming, but once you start looking everything fades away and time ceases to exist. There is literally something for everyone and you can't beat the prices. Highly recommend this as a stop for anyone visiting Portland!
T S
This is a MUST visit when in or driving thru Portland. Everyone should go at least once.
The store is organized in such an interesting way: broken down into color coded sections. There are free store maps (which make a neat souvenir).
Besides the books there’s lots of small gifts and handy items which are absolutely delightful and thoughtfully placed in themed displays.
I also appreciate the recommended books peppered throughout the shelves.
There are also some really neat
Amy Lu
This is a must visit for out of town folks looking for an authentic Portland experience.
This bookstore is HUGE. It is very nearly too large to believe, or even describe. It takes up an entire city block, several stories tall, and has even sprawled across the street and into a second building.
There are entire rooms dedicated to a specific genre of books, and, once you've made your selections, there's a cafe where you can enjoy a glass of tea, coffee, even wine, and light food offerings as well.
Fe
Was in town and had to experience their reputable bookstore. It's large and well organized. Every employee that I had contact with was friendly and welcoming. They are considerate to distancing and cleanliness. I really enjoyed their selection and if I had the luggage room, I would've bought much more than I did. Will be back!
Steve Russell
What's not to like about this place. New books, used books. A store so huge you need a map to find your place around. Multiple floors. Take stairs or an elevator. Even is a rare book room. A truly amazing store, that is sectioned off by genre, and color coded rooms to help make navigating easier. Staff is helpful, knowledgeable, and very friendly. Help/ Information desks are set up on all floors so questions can be answered quickly. The only problem I have with this store is how much money I spend every ti.e I come in. I end self control.
Maria Altamirano
Love this place, we sold our unused books and bought some new & used.
Very friendly and organised
Iris Sartor
Best bookstore ever! Endless shelves of interesting books. So many genres. Cool vibe. I just wanted to spend hours perusing. I will definitely go back to Portland OR for a reading holiday. Recommend a stay at Hotel Lucia. Walking distance and equally cool and eclectic vibe.
Oleksandra Yanovska
This is place of happiness 😊.
No restrooms, but starbucks is 3 minutes away. My family spent 3 hours in the book store and $150. Didn't want to leave …
Becca Durham
This is my happy place! I love books and therefore I love bookstores. What makes Powells rise above the rest is first, the size, it’s an entire city block so you can wander for hours, and second, it has new and used books! I love being able to find the book I want and then decide if I want a new or used version. The only downside is that it’s really easy to get lost in there!
Louise Ng
I had this place on my bucket list for the longest time after hearing about it a long time ago. It made me so giddy to be back inside a brick and mortar bookstore after so many of them have disappeared over the decades. While I didn't get a chance to explore everything, the children's section was huge and had a lot to offer that my toddler enjoyed. We ended up leaving with several books and look forward to visiting again soon.
Kally Shar
It can be hard to find help and you might even get a little lost.... because the place is so big! I can lose hours browsing the new and used books here. It has a great selection and it's fun how everything is organized. There's also an arts gallery upstairs, a coffee shop in one corner, and weird trendy gifts on the checkout floors.
Jacob Thomas
Incredible place. I felt a little overwhelmed by how crowded it got but overall the place and staff both are amazing. I was recommended a book on autism by a staff member. I planned on only buying one book and walked with 4 books, a reusable bag, and a souvenir. I can't wait to go back next time I'm in town.
Mark Lucht
Another "must do" in Portland. Gotta love the selection of books. A huge bookstore. Covers pretty much a whole city block. I've purchased more than enough books and I've run out of room... still go here to window shop, though. Really like their cafe... Typically extremely busy, but the place is so large that it doesn't feel over crowded. Whatever book you're looking for, chances are they have it.
Madeline Schaffer
First trip back since 2019, and I had a great day wandering through the best bookstore ever. Definitely worth the hour plus trip to get there, even better was getting there early and finding parking right around the corner, so we could just hang out and not sweat about a long walk back to the car. I will have to say that I was surprised that there parking garage was closed, because it is more affordable than parking on the street, but as we were early enough to get a good spot, it wasn't to inconvenient.
Aleta Duvall
A must see when visiting Portland. The most fabulous bookstore I've ever visited. You can spend an afternoon just browsing all the collections. The store is expertly organized and pretty easy to navigate but there's always someone nearby to guide and help you out.
You can also pick up some unique and cute souvenir items to take back home.
Jennifer Chou
This place is a gem, they have everything. Great gifts and postcards
Catherine Cole
I recently picked up a book at another store and loved it so much I needed the sequels. The local library didn't have them and I refuse to shop a big business like Amazon (the Amazon sale price was the same as Powells anyways) so I decided to make a day trip into Portland with a family member. We bought each other a few stories and while it was a little difficult navigating the city of books without a map or better signs, I loved weaving through the steps like a bazaar. Its always a fun adventure and its better with good company.
Rod Nussbaumer
Most libraries are smaller than this. I cannot attest to the quality of the selection, but based purely on the enormity of the place, and the density with which it is furnished, it must have an abundance of top quality titles. In scanning through a couple of sections that I'm a bit familiar with, there seemed to be a well organized and broad choice of mostly new titles. My partner found a few used titles for a good price.
Parking nearby is, uhh, interesting.
James Chapman
A very good if not great store. Obviously a wide selection but not as deep as you might suppose. Price good. Staff super helpful. Lots of cool book related item. Great way to spend a couple hours browsing.
Maria Madrigal
I take weekend trips to Portland just to peruse the aisles of books you have. There are very few places now that have vintage books and you are one of them. When a bookstore closes, a piece of humanity closes too. SO DON’T EVER CLOSE! Humanity is at stake! I grew up with my mother taking us to bookstores and I kid you not, we would spend hours on the floor reading. Yes, three of us kids, on the floor, reading. It was a magical time for us. Now all grown up, being able to bring my mother with me to your beautiful establishment brings back old memories for me, and is making new ones I can hold on to. Thank you Powell.
Sarah Bromfield
Well organised, always clean and well laid out. Plenty of space. Easy to find what you need and great prices. One of my favourite book shops in the world. We come here at least once every time we pass through Portland.
Jo
So fun to run (not literally) around to your favorite topics or even new ones. See suggested titles, award winning features, top picks or top sellers. Also wandering around and appreciating the other people that come in. My experience was nice cause all the polite and fun people came that day 😌
Even if you're not a big reader, I'm sure there's something in there for you. It's a big building. Take a gander.
Georgie Girl
It was my first time there. Great mix of old and new books. You can find some really good deals, but be wary of some overpriced books as well. You can definitely find some things cheaper elsewhere, but all in all a really great place to go book hunting. And I only checked out a couple areas of the store. And the store is huge. I definitely want to visit again.
Mauricio Medina
This place is great, even if you don't like reading, this is a MUST in Portland. You can spend hours browsing for books in this bookstore.
JEUNG HWAN AHN
It is very huge book store. There is a rare book room. It is very impressive.
Tim Sheng
Great bookstore! But there are so many people reading inside... the latter is even greater!
Janelle Winter
Worth stopping in. Multiple floors, tons of employee recommendations that will help you sift through the enormous amount of selection. Downtown near other shopping options.
Lisa Jones Halvorson
I love Powell's. I love reading all of the staff recommendations posted throughout the shelves. I could spend hours there. Even if I don't purchase any books, it's worth it to peruse, be around those who read and add some books to your TBR list. Plus they have used books so you can often find a deal.
Courtney Cowper
An absolute must visit for anybody in Portland! They had every section you can think of both new and used, great prices and handy info booths everywhere where folks will help you find what you need
Gagan N Kangovi
This is considered to be the biggest bookstore of used and new books. Symbolic of Portland being a city of book lovers, this multi-storey building has unimaginable sections of books ranging in all genres. The used books can be bought for very cheap prices and can be appealing to very regular readers. It is also kind of a part of Portland's heritage and worth visiting.
Donna Flanegan
Absolutely LOVED our days spent at Powell's during our vacation!! The staff were all great, friendly and knowledgeable. My husband and I even picked out a few books based purely on the "Staff Picks". We seriously left Phoenix with an empty suitcase just for our trip to Powell's. Of course we went home with three full suitcases 😊 …
B Yerb
What a gem!
This place is huge and has something for everyone, that's for sure. Every category you could think of.
Each room has its own feel - and the overall store has a great welcoming atmosphere.
You can spend sooo much time here and get lost in the books!
The best part is - it's a mix of new and used books, so you do get some great prices!
George Norton
This place has something for everyone. Old books, used books and new books sharing a massive space. Sections are setup by rooms and each room has a theme for what you can find. Everything is well organized and there is so much to pick from. The staff is super friendly and helpful.
S.
Beautiful place. Glad to be able to support a bookstore nowadays.
Hayley Stiles
Amazing kids section, any book you could ever want, and a cute little cafe. You can't really go wrong here!
Elyssa Raaum
Amazing & enormous place, 3-4 floors, several different crazy staircases... it's like a real life multifloor warehouse puzzle.
Just wish they had more cool coloring books :(.. they only had 3 small shelves by one register on the 3rd floor that I could find
Raisa Hawk
Finally went here and it is so fun! Love the options love that there is such a diverse selection of books along with merchandise. Picked up a couple of stuff and definitely returning! Book lovers, all your needs will be satiated!!
Just Ray
Love this bookstore, it has thousands of books, a coffee shop, and a great place to pick up souvenirs
Billie O
I come to Portland just to go to Powell's. There just isn't an equivalent here in Seattle. The building covers a whole city block, with several stories. Easy to find books with their great computer system that directs you to the exact room and aisle. Every other book store I've ever been in, even though small, seems chaotic in how books are filed, and I end up having to ask for help.
Nina Yeung
Staffs are friendly and helpful. They have a wide selection of children's books, my son had a good time reading and choosing books there. We will definitely visit again the next time we come to Portland.
Melanie Sullivan
this place is amazing! highly recommend visiting there at least once. if you want the Powell's experience on a smaller scale, there are two other locations. One is in Beaverton and the other one is on Hawthorne Street in Portland. The other two aren't as large as the main one, but they still have a great selection and are worth a visit.
Sara O
Bookworm? You should go. Not a bookworm? Still go. This place is massive and it's not hard to lose track of time walking through all the sections. I love the mix of new and used books and the organization of everything. They have a decent board/card game selection as well as gift items. I didn't stop in the cafe, but it's a great addition if you're planning on spending time there. Worth the visit!
Randy Evans
The most amazing bookstore I have ever seen. They have Huge supply of new and used books. Just when you think you have seen it all, you find a new level or room. Wear comfortable shoes if you want to see it all.
miranda vasion
Humongous. We spent 2+ hours roaming the 4 stories and enjoyed a scone and artisan soda from the little Cafe. I could move into this place, I loved it so much
Jake Genck
Nice place. Very clean, polite people and tons of books, literally multiple floors. But imma be honest, I don't get it. It's like a Barnes and nobles with a home touch/look. Such a nice place but I personally don't see how it's a "destination".
Neb Cat
Of course, I have nothing bad to say about this book store. I have found books that were challenging to hunt down elsewhere and found them with great success and minimal effort. The latest update on their cafe build looks fantastic!
David L.
Great location with tons of selection for books, if there's a certain one you're looking for you will find it here. Just don't get lost, it's a big place! Any of the staff are helpful in guiding you through it.
Kathryn Free
Great friendly place, especially for queer folks. I know it looks like just your typical Portland dive bar but the people really are the best. Dave, Deb, and Eli are amazing bartenders and always treat my partner and I like we belong there!
Arnold del Rosario
The place is so big that you can literally get lost for hours in the oversized shelves and thousands of books. Staff are around and willing to help, just have to look for them. Any genre of book, you'll find it plus some! Get ready to spend some real time here if you love reading.
Emily Knight
This place is a book lover’s dream. I could have spent all day here. It’s honestly a little overwhelming, the sheer number of books. Aisles upon aisles, upon rows, upon floors of books. Finding what you’re looking for might be tricky, but it seems like they had a whole fleet of knowledgeable people available to help. I’m more of a stroll up and down until I find something that catches my eye, but I was a victim of choice blindness, and couldn’t decide on any one thing, so left with nothing. My kids found some treasures in the impressive youth section though! It was unclear if the used books had their own section, or if they were scattered in with the rest.
Mia Cupcake
I would love here if I could. I make plans revolving around this store and save up for months to go on a massive book buying binge when I make it to Portland. The booksellers are knowledgeable and friendly, the kids section is WILD and it’s just paradise for a bibliophile like me.
Audrey Wojnarowisch
Truly a beautiful part of Portland's character. Always top of my list of recommendations, to anyone exploring the area.
Knowledgeable, helpful, fun staff. Wonderful selection of books. Wandering, color coded rooms that are easy to browse.
I am unsure of its accessibility for those who rely on mobility aids, as there are many stairs in the building.
Liam Wallace
Worth a multiple-day journey if you're visiting. Recommend arriving as soon as the store opens at 10:00am if you can! It can get a little crowded in the afternoons and on weekends. But checkout counter is well-organized and they always seem to keep things moving!
Make sure to check out some of the Portland and Oregon knick-knacks at the front, and buy a bag! Support used bookstores! You can also order books online if you don't live around here!
Greg Crowe
Powell's is the greatest bookstore in America, maybe the world. I have never seen a better collection. cooler space nor more dedicated and knowledgeable, friendly staff. When I lived just blocks from Powell's I had to make a rule for myself that I would only walk to Powell's, that way whatever I picked up I actually had to carry home. Books are heavy, turns out.
Crysta Frost
It is a really special experience to be surrounded by such a huge volume of books! Give yourself some time to explore each floor. It’s pretty accessible given the elevators, but sometimes I had a hard time navigating between the shelves with the foot stools in the way in my wheelchair.
Sarah Koch
I generally prefer buying books from smaller, independent book stores, but I was in a rush, knew precisely what I wanted, that it was something not that easy to find, and Powell'shad it in stock at a good price. Hadn't been in Powell's in three years but found the book quickly while check-out was a breeze. Really, nothing to complain about.
George Hastings
I had heard long ago about the famous Powell's City of Books as being THE biggest or at least ONEof the biggest book stores in the whole country, but I had taken that as just a bit of hyperbole until today's first-time visit.
It was amazing. It was astounding, It was overwhelming. However, it was also very well organized, categorized, and sub-categorized, with enty of friendly staff circulating on multiple floors, eager to help by giving specific directions or to make helpful suggestions.
I could have spent days here, immersed in the joy of exploration!
Jana Waldroup
Best book store in the PNW! Rode the train from Seattle, 3 1/2 hours and stsyed at a hotel, just to visit Powell's again. I'd go back in a flash, if it weren't for the homeless in Portland...very sad to see affordable housing is not a priority there
Keith Turner
I love this bookstore. Of you're concerned about you bank balance DoNot Enter! It is like the house of sin for book lovers. Highly recommended. One of the best bookstores in the west I have been to.
andrea carricato
I am obsessed with the vibes here. I have to budget money and space when I travel to Portland for trips to Powell's. It has the largest selection, a great staff, and it's so fun to spend a few hours exploring. Unless you are looking for something strange and specific, they have exactly what you need.
Sarah Conniff
It was so wonderful to wander the stacks. You can spend a long time here browsing and enjoying the variety offered. A special touch were the staff reviews of books in many aisles. Powell's has a wonderful atmosphere and is a must visit for those spending a short time in Portland, or those who live there!
Goldi Tewari
Best place for book lovers! One can sit here & read all day. I bought many books from here. Last time when I went there, I saw a renown writer gave an impromptu visit & signed some of the copies of his books. The book collection is extensive & great coffee!
Darren Meyer
Wonderful, well organized independent bookstore with a huge collection, very well curated displays of interesting books, and a very nice cafe that serves good bakery items, excellent coffee and tea drinks, wine, and beer. My family liked it so much that we visited twice during our vacation.
Alana McMaster
So massive, with any book you can imagine! Definitely a busy place, and I recommend grabbing a map from the info desk!
Samuel Chung
What an awesome place. Being from SoCal, it's hard to find a decent size bookstore back home in California. This place is huge with a wide selection of books. My only complaint was that I did not have enough time to explore all the sections of the store.
Kristina Hoover
The perfect place to lose time amongst the innumerable shelves of stories. Brand new and used books, graphic novels, puzzles, and trinkets for every bibliophile of all ages. Love spending time at Powell's!
IamSheWolf
Huge bookshop with big choice of topics and coffee & souvenir shop.
Jeffrey Miller
Absolutely incredible, though it would be nice to have a few more artbooks (concepts, designs) produced by game studios and foreign books. Most books here are English / American-English. The coolest part is the rare book collection.
Sonia Lopez
So much to choose from. Great place to find inexpensive books and cool nik nacks
Austin Barron
Incredible bookstore. I've never seen larger collections, and likely never will. They also have a great historical and rare book section. Incredible works in there. Powells in the largest bookstore in the world. If you have a niche you like reading (for me it's real estate, sales, business bio's, housing policy) they likely have a whole isle or two on it. I was in awe. I wish I could live here.
Isle of Sessrumnir
Had a blast! So many amazing books, tarot cards, and so many other amazing things! I found a set of tarot cards that I had been looking for and hadn't been able to find until Powell's! Couldn't be happier with my purchases!
L. S.
Absolutely loved my visit to Powell's!! One of my favorite things about my trip to Portland. Went twice in my 3 day stay 🖤 & I will definitely be visiting the website to order books until I get to visit again! …
Won Yong Ha
Interesting book store. Very huge.
Jodie Harmon
I love this bookstore!!!! I went all the way to the top and got lost for almost an hour because every section is so interesting. You really need to set a timer when you go here, and come back often because it's too addicting! I'll be back for sure!
Carolyn Wallace
Before visiting Powell's, my expectation was it would be similar to a Half Price Books or Barnes and Noble. Boy was I wrong!
This multi story book store has it all! New books, gently used books, games, puzzles, notebooks, journals and more.
If you can't find it at Powell's, you may not find it anywhere.
Snacks L
I mean Powell’s is a Portland staple, they have all the books you could imagine wanting.
Maybe they could up there Stationary selection, we went in looking for a planner but left empty handed.
But in the past we’ve left full, but overal great store and an iconic institution.
Maria Pustina
You can get lost and spend hours in this place. Staff is very kind and helpful. They have almost any book you could ever want which can feel overwhelming but it is organized pretty well. Already want to go back!
Sam
Loved the selection, and the size and variety makes this a must for locals and tourists alike. However, formerly the largest independent bookstore, Powell's is now owned by Amazon. No, this doesn't mean that they carry any obvious merch or have signage that would indicate that this store is Amazon owned, but the prices range widely and some books can cost >$60, which makes one ask "Why couldn't I buy this for cheaper on Amazon?"
Angel :3
Gorgeous store, millions of books and is fantastic if you’re willing to dig for a bargain but…that’s the issue, for some books quality the price should be lower when it’s being sold preowned and nowhere near pristine, if you’re a collector and know the worth of the item (comics) sometimes it’s worthwhile to just shop online for a fair price. Great cafe ambiance though and…PLEASE expand the gothic section.
Jessica Li
A humongous bookstore filled with many unique touches. Loved the selection of books and the selection of used books there. The used books I saw were all in mint condition but half the prices of the new books.
Kristin Olsen
Great destination bookstore. Been a few times. Hot cocoa was not hot but other than that, lots of fun. Only problem is walking to it from the train station was wall to wall homeless and scary.
Lynda Shipley
The ultimate bookstore! It is huge. They carry both new and used books. The employees are kind, knowledgeable and helpful. There are plenty of places to sit and browse through your selections.
Gabby Lara
The biggest book store I’ve been to in the states. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful—also very kind. The store is massive and I’ve never seen such a selection of journals. The American Literature section was simply amazing. I could’ve stayed here all day. There was a collection of old books...the smell, the sounds...just an amazing place to be. I only made it to floor 3 and I was speeding. I’m definitely coming back but this time planning a whole day here. What an amazing place for us book worms.
Angie Di Mauro
Likely the biggest bookstore any of us will see in our lifetimes. Staff are helpful, each of 4 floors is color coded according to topics, signs hanging from ceiling make navigating thru the store very easy, and their selection of authors is extensive. On a personal note, I visited Powell's recently for a dictionary that included word origins, and after flipping thru several, I found exactly what I needed. Many bookstores are excellent, but Powell's is extraordinarily well-equipped, thorough, and very well designed so finding what one came for, is very easy regardless of it's size.
Mark
Great selection, you can literally waste a whole day in here. Skip the baked goods in the coffee shop.
James Hotchkiss
Wow, so many books! This place is huge. Nice little cafe too, where you can grab a good coffee or chai and a lovely scone when you need a break from all the shopping!
Noa Araujo
I love Powell's Bookstore, they have every book you can think of, old, new, common, rare, used, brand new etc. It's huge but well organized and each floor is a different area. Definitely recommend everyone visits.
Sara
I love Powell's, but I love books and also not being able to see every corner of the store at the same time. Going helps me familiarize myself with Portland, since I tend to get lost, exit out a different door than I entered, and have to figure out which direction my car is. :)
Heather Boswick
visiting Portland for a week, and during that
week visit, we ended up at Powells multiple times.
spend hours and hours and still not even cover half of what there is to see.
Powells is a never ending wonderland for everyone-
readers, non readers, tourists, anyone. It has multiple floors, and many nooks and crannies we kept finding
spots we haven't seen while there.
They have literally
thousands of new books, used books, and many sections of just cool gifts! It is really a special place everyone needs to visit at least once, you will get lost
in the mazes of never ending things to look at!
There is a upstairs coffee bar as well for people needing a break before diving back into the search. ✨💫🌟🤍
Azhar Malik
Huge collection of new and used books. You can walk around this store for a whole day. There are so many levels and sections full of books. There’s also a small coffee shop inside
Angela P.
Every book imaginable and then some! Only had a short time to explore this spot but it was fantastic. Staff were very helpful too. Definitely a must experience spot in Portland!
Will Klinefelter
Really interesting place, if you go put some time aside to really explore!
Katie Santos
Awesome bookstore. So many selections that it was kind of overwhelming. I could spend an entire day in there. Lots of cool gift ideas too
A good place to get some cute Portland gear as well. The rare books section on the top floor is awesome too, I love seeing what sorta of rare and old autographed books are available.
Kel
BÜCHER! So many! There was so many and so little time. I wish i had the money and had also written down the books i was originally looking for! Nonetheless i got books im very happy with! Stay golden y'all are great :)
Taylor Lum
Ugh. I love Powell's so much! It's a dangerous store to go into all by yourself.... You'll lose hours of time and find so many cool books nick-nacks, puzzles, cards etc!
Анатолий Мындру
a place that inspires. my wife is delighted
Liling
Lots, lots of books ! Very well organized and maintained in the shelfs, divided into several sections by category and the color of the room. Each room has its information desk providing for prompt answers to inquiries from customers. There are many reading areas for people to sit and read too.
Michelle Kuja
Soooo many books got lost with all the floors and turns. The anxiety was so worth it. I love books and stores, too bad so many people stay indoors ordering from their computers. Go visit so many things you will run into that you didn't know you wanted .
Jing *
My family has a time limit in this store and we never fail to walk out with a dozen books from a range of interests. Love the maze of it, the amount of books, the ez atmosphere and the location. Always a destination for us.
sue clancy
Love the selection and the knowledgeable friendly staff! There's a good coffee shop inside the bookstore which, of course turns a visit to Powell's into a multiple hour book and coffee mecca for me.
zachary clarke
Everything you could ever want to learn, all in one place!
Arti Asbury
Great selection, but one of the books I pulled off the shelf was extremely dirty. Looked like dried mud (at least I hope it was mud) all over the cover. Pretty disappointing, but oh well.
Gabriela Gomez
So many floors and genres of books!!! Love it
Neill M
“Book store” does really describe Powells, with the vast content and space to explore/read it is more like a book treasure-trove!
Our two young kids were reading non-stop!
They sell new and used, which is great but also multiple editions of the same book!
I would highly recommend checking this place out for the experience!
It makes adults feel like they are in a toy store!
David Stone
Powell's is a MUST VISIT for the book lover! There is a section in the store for EVERY member of the family who has any personal interests and can read!
Also, so many great gift ideas literally around every corner!
The largest independant bookstore in the US with over 1 million books in stock. There are 8 district rooms inside of the store. This store essentially takes up an entire city block in Portland! People are everywhere!!!
There is a coffee shop and a used book trade counter so you can get rid of the old and move forward with the new!
They have author events almost every day of the year. Check out the rare book room-wow! They have book sets worth thousands of dollars. So cool to look at even if those rare items are out of your price range.
J C
Best bookstore in the country, hands down. The Last Bookstore could never. You’d have to try really, really hard to find something that the downtown Powell’s doesn’t have. Love it here.
Ted Sabatini
This place is amazing. I have never experienced a book store like this. A trip into the rare book section is a must.
Phil Guertin
Powell’s is a must visit in Portland! One city block and 5 stores high....great for people watching if it’s cold outside. New and used books at a discount. We visited it 2 or of the 3 days we were there. Great for all ages, if you can’t find it here it doesn’t exist! Loved it!
Rebecca Brinkman
Waited outside for a half hour in the rain, but it was worth it. This is my favorite bookstore in the city 😍 Happy to see the enforcement of safety for others in the store, it made my trip there relaxing and not anxious. Only a few rooms were open, hoping to browse more, but I understand their reasoning. Picked out some great selections; I will return for a cute book bag next time!
Tyler Ulferts
It's famous for a reason. This is a huge local book store that has been here forever. There is so much stuff here. It's fun to get lost checking stuff out, and I like to go check out the rare books section.
Sam Pattnaik
Imagine a bookstore the size of a city block, that's right - welcome to Powell's City of Books. They have the largest collection of books in a store I have ever seen - another place you see such a collection is a library. Amazing staff and fantastic collection. Lots of kiosks to check and find the location of your favorite book or you can ask a staff for help. They have lots of gifts and memorabilia unique to Oregon. It is a must visit if you are in Portland - irrespective of if you like or read books.
Kai Watson
i LOVE this place. you can hang out at their cafe for hours, just reading. they have a very large selection of books, and you can find them easy with their computer and logical sorting system. it's like i'm in heaven every time i walk in there, and i wish i never had to leave.
Jessica “Robin” R-E
If you love books and happen to be in Portland, Powell's is a must see! The store takes up a literal city block and contains many rooms to explore, with different subjects, themes, even a coffee shop. The coffee I had was delicious, even though the girl making it was clearly ready to be done for the day. I get it, and I'm not mad- the coffee was still delicious. I grabbed an awesome copy of the Hitchhikers' Guide series and a Junji Ito comic but I look forward to coming back and exploring for an even longer window of time in the future! It's seriously a massive space, and we got there late in the day so I fully recommend setting aside more than an hour to wander and explore the different shelves. I was impressed by their graphic novel selection, along with their cooking and food related materials, so whatever your quirk you should, hopefully, be able to find it here. They even had an entire wall dedicated to supernatural romance novels! Sexy sasquatch approved. OooooOOoooooOOOOoo~
Kyra Selinger
My favourite book store in the world. We travelled here from Saskatchewan (Canada), and I often look at the items I purchased from here- and long to go back. Even if you don’t read, this place is a must stop if you are visiting Portland! 💗 …
General Dexter
I loved this place in downtown but to get there I had to pass hundreds of bums and campers who were drunk on the street or in the Isla. But the store has a map and enough people to help find anything possible to read. A magazine section with hundreds of various topics. I enjoyed the travel section and history area.
The checkout was very easy with all the employees very fast and ready to help.
I find out later the Powell's were in 4 different locations so you don't have to go downtown. But the antique books are in the big store.
Walter Stearns
I could have spent my whole day here. So much more than books. Cute gifts, meet the author and coffee brewing.
Susan S. McClellan
Powell's may be the best bookstore in the USA. It's fun to visit and browse the unbelievably large number on books on offer. Of course, you can, and should, but books, too.
You'll also find gifts, book paraphernalia, and other great things.
I ALWAYS visit Powell's when I'm in Portland.
Nicole Boatman
Great bookstore with everything you need. Their puzzle section is underrated, and we love that they highlight staff picks. Plus, their cafe makes a good chai latte.
Sydney R.
So huge! I absolutely loved the maps and everything to help me navigate the store. Employees were everywhere to make sure I wouldn’t get lost, and I’m really glad for that. I work in a bookstore and I wish I could say that I worked here, it was so fun. Not to mention all the free post cards and bookmarks when I made my purchase, it was great! Can’t wait to go back someday!
Elana Olson
Such a fun place to visit! I loved meandering through the old rooms and seeing so many books- new and used. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t have much seating which seems strange for a book store. Also some of the prices - particularly for the new releases were a whole lot higher than Amazon. I love supporting local business and want to do so but the prices still surprised me at times. The employees were very kind and overall it was a great place to visit.
Ken Cousens
This is a cool bookstore. The bookstore is huge. They have a variety of new and used books. The store is set up in different floors and has different types of books on each floor. The store also has a coffee shop on one of the floors. The store is clean and the staff is super friendly. I would for sure recommend checking out this place.
David Saenz Barragan
Amazing, there are many different color coded rooms full of books. There are computers scattered around the rooms to make finding books very easy.
Denise Satt
If you like books you will Love this place. Plan to spend some time browsing in all the different special areas. Also great for souvenirs.
Melike Karaca
It was a huge store! You can find whatever you're looking for! I also loved the book holders! Check them in photos.
P. S. If you'd like to explore all parts of the store, you'll be tired at the end of your trip.
Amanda Thomas
I could spend a year in here thumbing through pages. This is a really wonderful, well organized, widely varied collection of books. The staff were all very helpful and friendly. Looking forward to returning and spending much more time here. Found some really great outdoors books for my son. I absolutely love how openly welcoming they are to all people ❤💜💙💚💛🧡
Bruce Almighty87
My favorite bookstore ever! Been going since I was a kid and have nothing but fond memories. It's not just a bookstore-It's a book WORLD. You will get lost in it!
Ken Montero
Powell's is excellent! They have an amazing selection and very knowledgeable staff. There is a nice little coffee shop. Highly recommend.
Joshua Adams
This bookstore is quite an experience. Not only do they have almost anything you want, but the staff are extremely helpful. I was looking for a specific book and found it in under 5 minutes despite the store being three stories over an entire city block. Any visit to Portland deserves a visit here if just to look around. The rare book room is also a must for anybody with even a small amount of curiosity.
Kathleen Shepherd
Always clean, and well organized. Friendly staff is always enthusiastic to make a recommendation or help in any way, even if it's finding somewhere else to buy the out of print book they don't have.
Daniel Sarmiento
If you want to make a book nerd happy, look no further. Brought my brother here so he could be around people that share his passion for books and also so he could add to his collection without breaking the bank. Love the rare book room and the multiple floors, so much to explore in a medium that is under appreciated. Had a wonderful experience here and will definitely be back
Shannon J
MASSIVE! You'll wander for at least a hood hour and not cover every inch of the store. They had new and used together and such great prices on a lot of the books. Maps of the store available and free stickers and bookmarks at the info desk. They were really nice and the souvenirs were pretty decently priced.
Kameshwari Kate
Spectacular bookstore. Multi level. Great place for new and used books. Also, a place to buy small gifts and canvas bags.
Astrid Bernaga
I love the store. All the employees are very helpful and I can spend days here. But thanks to them I only stayed a few hours. The price for some books are high. But in general a good experience. Plus: print your self-plublished books with Espresso Book Machine.
Abbie Reyna
A book lover's world! Floors and floors of an abundance of books. Great place for all ages and best part is that it has a little cafe area to enjoy your new purchase with some caffeine!
Grammie
This was such a fun store. So many books, so little time! Everything one could ever want to read can be found at this place. Don't forget to go into the Rare Book Room! How amazing to see great books from times gone by. Great prices on books also. Has a nice little coffee area with pretty tasty coffee too. Very busy & popular place. A must see if you are in the Pearl District in downtown Portland.
Maulsri Jha
If there is one non-beer activity that you want to do in Portland, go see this place. It is everything Portland is and epitomises Portland in so many ways, It is independent, so hipster, and sells both used and new books, the vibe is super chill and the people here are so cool, there is a great small coffee store where you can sit with your coffee and browse through the different books in that area as well. The books are arranged according to their genres in different sections, different parts of the store are labelled as per colours such as red, gold, purple et cetera. You can also find all kinds of seven years and knickknacks associated with Portland in general such as mugs, T-shirts, coffee, chocolate etc. its just my favourite place in Portland and it has for sure reminded me my love for all things written. Thanks Powell’s. Please never change.
Carlos Ramirez
This is the legendary non-apologetic independent bookstore. It's Hyuge!! City of Books is apropos. If your in PDX definitely carve out some time to visit and immerse yourself in the marvelous place. If you allot less than an hour you're doing yourself a tremendous injustice. My visit was on a Saturday afternoon and the place was more packed than an Apple store. There was a queue to checkout. Employees are at-the-ready to help you find that special read. I love this place and the general vibe that permeates my soul when I'm here. Read, Rise, Resist.
Ariel Jensen
The giant, famous location. There is relatively inexpensive parking nearby. Several large signs along the outside of the building make it easy to spot from the street. There are several floors and it almost feels like a Costco for books—a little overwhelming! Honestly, I didn’t understand that the same book could be located in several different sections, so I was a little confused by the order (like if I was searching for a used copy of a book, I wouldn’t know for sure if I could find it in the section I was looking). I ended up buying a new and a used book mainly for the novelty of getting it from Powell’s, but the prices were very average.
Arash Salamati
One of the last great book stores that is still open. I honestly think having this place in your city is like a having treasure chest. I went here on my visit to Oregon and I felt like a kid again. There is literally a book for anything you can think of all kept in a 3 story tall city square block building and it is beautiful. You go here not for a visit but for an experience. There has never been a place i visited that made me so happy to be there than Powell's..
Erin K
I was so overwhelmed by all the amazing options I couldn't even choose. I am amazed this is only one of multiple stores. There were at least 5 different rooms that are the size of a small bookstore each. I would need days. I found super affordable used versions of books with prices better than Amazon.
The rare book room was like a trip to a museum. I was in awe of the unique offerings and the history. A book that was 500 years old!!!
Truly something for everyone, all types of books new and used, gifts, supplies, and a coffee shop! I wish I had more time in town to experience the events and courses.
lahiru pothmulla
I wish I had more than five stars to give. From all the places I have been to buy books, this is one of my favourites. A wide range of books from philosophy, politics, journalism to fiction, young adult novels, mystery and many more are available at the book city. They also have cool t-shirts, socks, mugs and other merchandise. I wish we had a store like this in Sri Lanka. Though I was on a budget, I still bought 7,8 books and I don't feel bad about it at all. Since I have baggage weight restrictions, I couldn't buy a lot. Absolutely loved it. The assisting people are also really nice and kind. Loved it.
Janice Cook
Go here now!!! When I first heard about this place and how renown it is, I thought, “What could be so special about a big book store??” Well, this, this is what is so special. There is no place else in the world like Powell’s. It was inspiring in a whole new way. This is a must see on a trip to Portland!
John DuBois
I visited the famous Powell’s City of Books today. For a bibliophile this is heaven. It literally is a city of books. The store fills a whole city block. It has multiple floors. It has a staff that knows and loves books. I asked the woman in the rare book room about a complete works of Emile Zola and she knew what I was talking about. Sadly they didn’t have one. But my god they had nearly anything else you could possibly want. This store has to be seen to be believed. By all means visit here. The store includes a nice coffee shop too.
Jeremy Manning
Amazing bookstore! I've never imagined there could be a single brick and mortar store that has every book by my favorite author (Jim Butcher) in stock, with both used and new copies of each available. We could have spent days here looking through the aisles of books and still have felt like we had missed stuff. Incredible selection and great prices. Powell's is basically the ultimate bookstore. If you love books plan a couple hours for this place. I took a picture of their column of author signatures (Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson!) So fun!
Jessica Q
Great book store. Could spend hours here. Cool layout with many floors and sections. Always worth a stop when your in Portland
Jenny Xu
Honestly to give this place any less than five stars would be atrocious because it’s just so magical when you step in and everyone is just so happy to be there that it made me feel like I was a kid again. Technically I’m still a kid but you get the point. I almost got a Harry Potter vibes from the way that this place just had books everywhere and it was almost like a maze but at least it’s pretty well color-coded. There’s a whole section of books that were on sale near the part that was next to the cashier so check that place out to make sure that you’re not paying too much for a book. I also would suggest looking for the book on other shelves and not just the ones that they have on display because I found a copy of a book for $10 when it was on display for $30 and if you don’t really care about the condition of the books then you get a pretty good steal that way.
Because I read some yelp reviews I knew that there is this thing called the rare book room but I didn’t realize that that also meant the expensive book room because all the books there are around hundreds of dollars and it is really really cool to see you though you have to leave your books at the front shelves though could you can’t bring them in. It’s on the top floor is to make sure that you go there get a pass and get to see famously expensive but old books.
Anyways I’m definitely coming back here only bought about four books this time but I really want to buy more and it is just so nice to see everyone really passionate and excited about books for once.
Mark Schulte
Incredible.
So many books. So many sections. This place is fun to just go and look around. I love the "staff picks" shelves. I love the in-between spaces. I love how used books and usedbooms are all together in the sections. Powell's is truly for the love of books.
Jonathan Isett
Definitely an icon in Portland. A must stop for any avid reader. Plus lots of breweries and restaurants and other places to visit all around. Staff are all knowledgeable and the store is laid out in colors so it’s easy to figure out where to go. Check out the rare books collection on the top floor.
Eric G
Definitely a happy place for me. So many books and wonderful people. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and always willing to help and offer suggestions. It’s very easy to lose an afternoon in here, and I don’t see a problem with that. Make sure you have plenty of time to wander the seemingly endless aisles of books because you never know what kind of treasure you’ll come across.
Haley Jensen
This store is amazing! If you love books this is a MUST! Plan to have at least an hour to explore the store. There is so much to do and see including an amazing rare book room on the top floor. Very unique layout to the store so fallow the signs! If you like board games as well they have an amazing selection of board games that are typically very hard to find in stores!
Kiarash Torkian
Great place to spend an afternoon browsing through thousands of books in hundreds of different categories from fiction to investing to science. A lot of times you may find yourself browsing through genres you didn't even know existed. Books here are bit more pricey that what you would find online but it has a very cozy feeling that you wouldn't get otherwise. 🤗
Whitney Durrant
This place is truly remarkable. I’ve been 3x now and I swear it just gets better and better. There are always so many awesome books and gifts in here. This time I got a PNW coloring book that is one of the best coloring books I’ve ever had.. and a couple of really cool tarot decks too.
Do yourself a favor and carve out a couple hours to get lost in those rows and rows of books.. you will not regret it! PLUS some of the books (the ones I checked at least) were less expensive than the ones on Amazon 🤩🤩🙏🙏I ended up getting one that was written by a PNW author that wasn’t even available on the ‘zon.. so there’s that too!
Basically.. just go to Powells. Can’t recommend enough!!!
Cole Risch
It's a neat place. I will say that they were only able to find one used hard cover copy out of the seven new paper back copies the computer said they had on hand, but other than that, high marks.l all around.
Angeline Jacoba
I love the little suggestions by staff. Read this if you love these note cards... The note cards for what's new, there's even suggestions for pacific northeast books. the sheer size of the rooms. I could spend an entire day in it. I love the place. Must visit bookstore.
Todd J
Powell's city of books. My favorite independent bookstore. Big fan of the little touches like books holding up the roof. The author signature pillar in sci-fi section. It closes early now after the pandemic, but I still love staying till closing.
Caleb Rondeau
A huge bookstore that you can spend hours getting lost looking at your options. Every aisle has recommendations from employees or noteworthy books to help not get overwhelmed by the options. The prices also vary from used to new books. If you're a book lover this is the place to go. Plus great location tons of nearby restaurants for lunch or dinner.
Nicole Sisk
If you love books this is the place to be! Powells has an extensive collection of all different genres of books. They have new and used books. The prices are super reasonable! They also have fun book-related items. Will definitely be back the next time we are in Portland.
Greg Myer
City Lights. Strandt. Myopic. Atlantis books. These are amazing bookstores that are literary staples of other cities. Powell's is now one of my favorites. The character of store is unique and palpable. The layout is both ordered and still whimsical. What set it apart for me are how thorough and consistent the staff picks are. I enjoyed browsing the descriptions of why a staff member recommended a certain book - including "pairings" with other books and "if you liked these." Also a great place to get literary themed gifts - books or otherwise.
Rich Whitehead
What can one say about powells its heaven on earth. I had a limited amount of time between trains and the staff were so helpful not just directing me to a room and floor but specific location. Awesome
Zaiga Morris
Can honestly disappear here for days!! Definitely favorite bookstore. The little corner with rare books is awesome too, nothing I could afford but for someone who can it's an excellent place to find some good old books from 1800s 😃 …
Gretchen
Fantastic book shop. I could spend hours here, but if in a hurry you can ask the staff for help finding a book or three and it takes no time at all. Great staff! This is one of my favourite places in Portland.
Mina Defee
Holy smokes! This may be my most favorite place ever!
As a life long book worm this place is a total dream come true. It took us about 2 hours to roam the entirety of the store and it was only enough to browse lightly, probably could’ve spent a lot longer but we had a couple of other shops we wanted to hit up.
I magically ended up finding two books from authors I love without even looking for them. This place is truly magical.
PS I had heard that the staff was on strike recently so I hope that they were able to get their demands met.
Farzana Sedillo
One of the best bookstores on the planet. No matter what you are trying to find, it will be here.
Whether on a mission to find a specific book or leisurely strolling along the aisles ogling books - you’ll enjoy the experience.
Lots of Portland memorabilia available in the store which is fun to check out.
I never miss coming to Powell’s when I’m in town.
:] M.
Oh my gosh this was really amazing! It made my reader heart so happy! The organization of all the books made it easy to find what we were looking for and the employees were very helpful with any questions we had! The atmosphere was relaxed and peaceful and I'd love to go back another time.
Lori Leigh
Who knew a bookstore could feel like an amusement park and need a map! So much fun and so many books 📚 under one roof. #bucketlistexperience …
Renee P
They have almost every book you could ask for. I could spend hours in here just looking through all of the different rooms. I believe there's also a coffee shop in here but we did not try it. You can also buy various Portland souvenirs here from Powells merchandise, Portland themed items, to Stump town coffee.
M. Mushthafa
Wow! First time to Portland, and this bookstore is one of the great attraction of this city for me. Not only the collection of book, but also the souvenirs are great. You could find used books in a good quality (not only in term of price but also the quality). In some point, there are a shot description of the collection. For example, a series of book labelled "banned book", with a short story of the books. Awesome! A must-visited bookstore in Portland!
David Moody
Powell's Bookstore. A wonderful Portland resource!
I had an hour to spare in Portland and dropped in hoping to buy a hard-to-find book. Nowhere in Seattle or Tacoma but...
Powell's had it! The staff didn't just send me to a section like other stores but had the row, section and gave me a probable spot on the shelf. Wow!
What a great stop, fabulous staff and a bookstore I should visit more often!
James Fong
The best bookstore on earth! Incredible selection, amazing staff, and you can get lost in there forever!
East Marie
A must do for me every time I’m in Portland. They have everything and I love how they have new and used side by side. I could spend hours here.
Christina Melby
This bookstore is by far the largest and most organized, they have different colors to separate the rooms and each color represents a different category.
The books are priced very well. I was able to pick up a couple books and poster.
Melissa Godak
Been looking for this book, and they had one copy just for me! Such helpful staff, great pricing, and so. Many. Options!
Adrianna Webb
I’ve been to Powell’s twice when I’ve visited Portland & I absolutely love this store! I could spend hours wandering around the different rooms! It has such a fun environment!
Robert Seitzinger
there is almost no reason to visit any other bookstore if you live in the Portland metro area. The Incredibles selection, the super friendly staff and the convenient location next to almost every public transit option in town make this a great book store. Visitors can tell you nothing compares once you leave the Portland area.
Natalya Klimova
One of my favorite bookstores. Large selection of most genres. Cafe and reading room are neat. Both new and used books are available. Parking available in parking garage next door (you can’t miss it).
Andrew C
Incredible place, feels like you just stepped into a community of book lovers. Excellent customer service, please support local bookstores like this! It's such a treat to have a place with such a huge selection.
Gina Knight
This IS a must see bookstore! It is so huge that they have maps for their bookstore. Staff are friendly and helpful and busy. I was in this bookstore for a couple of hours just browsing and reading books. They do have a coffee shop as well. Also within walking distance from surrounding hotels. Also downtown Portland.
Lindsey Casella
Must see! This bookstore is tremendous - from size to curation. I would recommend to anyone going to Portland for the 1st time. The handwritten notes on individual books in collections, makes the experience feel extremely personalized. There are also souvenirs that are Portland themed for those traveling from outside the area and looking for a good gift.
Caitlin Renee Steuer
Took the babe to Powell’s and she loved it. Readers delight, even the earliest ones ❤️
Qiming Liu
Very large! Great landmark to visit in Portland. Found some very old books like from 19th century. I spent hours here to find interesting books.
Leon Anavi
The biggest and greatest bookstore in the world during the era of e-commerce. Although I prefer reading books on my Kindle it was a fantastic experience to visit Powell's bookstore. I highly recommend it to anyone in Portland, OR.
Shannon Smith
Huge bookstore! Very impressive!! I was disappointed with the Christian section as compared to others. My daughter was thrilled.
Enjoyed the coffee shop (because of the entertainment of "the paper man" flowers made out of napkins) oh I can't neglect to say I enjoyed the hard Cider - very refreshing.
MP
Well! What can I say this place is beautiful you can immerse and get lost in this bookstore! It has reviews and recommendations for best sellers, award books, etc…
Jean Kang
The world’s biggest used and new bookstore! Of course I have to check this place out. It was so cool. I could spend hours and hours in here. The store is a block-long, 3-floors-tall, has 9 rooms, and apparently a million books. It’s super cool!
Becca Dillingham
This is a place you could really get lost in for hours and not be angry about it. It's a bit of a maze getting from different floors to different sections and finding your way back to the registers, but they thankfully have a map for ease of exploring. I appreciated how strictly they enforced the mask mandate and offered masks. The parking is super tricky as it is downtown Portland, and have paid street parking.
Varuni Shama Rao
Loved the collection and segregation.
They have good options of authors and their recent n previous books along with new n sold books.
Ews
Very cool book store.. it’s absolutely huge but I think you know that going in.. most popular book store in portland
Allis Nguyen
HOLY BOOKSTORE!
Bigger than your university campus library. The rooms and levels are endless. Bring on your inner book worm, enjoy coffee with a book or work, or frolic around! Great place to bring your kids!
T Clark
Man, I spent a lot of money in here. So much great stuff-- books, cards, books, apparel, books, gifts for others, books, magnets. Parking is difficult if you aren't using public transportation due to the one way streets that might be unfamiliar but support bookstores anyway!
Taylor Fitzgerald
The biggest and best book store I've ever been to. The staff was lovely, and seemed to love working there! Will come back as often as I can for sure!
Brock Bergstrom
One of the few gems in Portland.
Grab a map when you enter by the info desk and if you know how to use a computer take a second and look up the books you want on their computer too.
We found all 15 books we came for in 20 minutes. The shelves are well organized for how many books they have.
Some categories are be writer others by title so look at the tags as you enter the isle.
If you like people watching this might be the busiest establishment in Portland and a popular tourist destination.
So have fun relax and read some books from Powells.
Books everywhere.
Taylor
So much variety, and always changing. Guides are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Some surprisingly good deals found throughout for various uses, including older books for casual collectors, the rare book section with some lovely 1st and 2nd editions, and huge sections for subjects of all sorts. Could use a tad more seating but the art section has some lovely benches.
Babak Shalchi
This library is huge! There are many rooms each named after a color containing books of certain categories. You can also find used books at good prices. I came across some old books on some very interesting subjects. Feels like a wonderland for book lovers.
Con Brennan
Awesome bookstore! Spent over two hours wandering, one area leads to another, seems to go on forever there are so many levels. It's magically bigger on the inside! Could easily spend an entire week here!
mandy w
This giant bookstore is so fun to wander around in! Try not to get lost, but even if you do, fear not, you're in good company and surrounded by shelves and shelves of books!
p.s. Check out their cute cafe! The food and drinks are pretty yum! Hot cocoa!!! ☕️
Reggie Wallace
Had no idea if fall in love with a library. Walked in an amateur picture taker who only read headlines and Facebook posts to purchasing two books ( and almost finishing them already!). Definitely worth going to and very much so, 'weird'.
Maggie Curtis
If you are an addict like me and can't stop yourself from buying books, don't go here. The place is huge and each section has recommendations and comparisons for featured books. It took everything in my power to only buy 5 and not 500. Fantastic and helpful staff as well and too many cute dorky things to buy everywhere 😂 …
Blake Thomas
This place is everything and a bag of chips. Multiple levels, awesome layout, just about any book you can think of. Book signings... I don't know how to describe it there's just a feel to it that is really special. Truly this place is like something out of the movies. You wouldn't struggle to find a book here because even if you were indecisive they've got it arranged where their employees have rated things. If you really want to dive in and feel literature on a physical level this place is for you.
Tim Simon
It is the largest brick-and-mortar bookstore in the world--need I say more?
This multi-level bookstore has something for every bibliophile out there, from children's books to anime, from how-to books to an entire room dedicated to rare books.
Even if you are just a tourist wanting to see Portland, Powell's is a must-see attraction that could take hours to explore. Be careful though, as you will probably exit with a large reading list.
Matthew Alvarez
This book store is incredible! A true book lover's paradise. There are multiple floors and multiple rooms of books. Every genre of book imaginable is available. They even have a rare books section that you have to gain permission to access. If you live in or are visiting the Portland area, definitely stop in and check this book store out.
Denise Tung
Wow wow wow this book store is so overwhelmingly big. So many things to look at. Worth a visit, set aside 2 hrs to go around all the different rooms.
Charlotte Dungan
Wonderful bookstore, it's enormous! If you love books, this is a must-see Portland stop. They also have book related items and journals, snacks, etc. Everyone in our group from kids to seniors loved it.
Alex Choi
Pretty cool book store. Can be lost in hours there even if you're not a book reader.
David H
Truly is the biggest bookstore I have ever been in, even larger than most commercial ones I'm guessing. The staff here are exceptionally knowledgeable about the books themselves but also the layout of the store and its history. The rare book section is an interesting room to check out since you won't see those unique books really anywhere else. I enjoy that in every genre they have best sellers and staff picks which helps with making a selection.
Dan Frosaker
This is by far the best book store in America. Walking in, for the first time in four years, I was brought right back to many times earlier in my life. The more it changes, the more it is the same old Powell's. There best number of books is absolutely shocking. If you can't find a cookbook with something good to make, a sci-fi book with a cool alien race or an old book about Portland, you are lost and need to go to another color coded room.
Nicki Deane
One of my favourite places to visit on Portland. I can (and have!) spent hours exploring the rows of shelves on various floors, trying to limit my spending! I particularly love the fact that second hand books are recycled here, which have usually been my biggest splurge, but also love the range of other products, such as board games and other nick-nacks. Highly recommend to anyone in the city. Can’t wait to go back again!
Marcio Risso
Huge and impressive book store, known as the biggest in the the world. It’s an incredible experience for book lovers and non book lovers. You should not go to Portland and don’t visit Powell’s. Just be careful to don’t get lost inside the store (lol).
Richard Martin
There's levels to this!
They have friendly staff and what's a book store with out coffee!
The only downsides are....
During the week it's super packed. you can almost forget about getting coffee in there.
And if you've not been here before it can be pretty easy to get lost especially if you're looking for a specific section. (Even with the map)
All in all a great place to go!
Kelly Blackwell
Although it was a little overwhelming because it was so large, the staff at each room’s info desk was incredibly helpful and kind - pointing me to the “room” that best matched my interests and checking in on me again when they ran into me later. The store itself is an attraction, and has every book and book-adjacent item imaginable. Give yourself more time than you think you need to peruse the aisles!
Valeria Rodriguez
Have been coming here for years and it has always been a great experience. I love when I’m able to go Powell’s and spend time in Portland. They have a huge book selection and a great atmosphere. I love being surrounded by all the books. Definitely a place I recommend visiting while in Portland!
Jyoti Mann
It's as if 5 walmart superstores came together and only sold books! Lines are long but move fast!
Melissa Jones
One of the best parts of Portland is this bookstore. There's so many different new and used books you could spend a full day lost in the shelves. Fear not, there is also a coffee shop to enjoy while you browse. They often have author events that bring in a good crowd. Get there early to get a seat.
Rebecca Reynolds
5 star experience. Everything is so well organized and they have everything.
x-eclips 714
A lot-a-bit of everything. Phenomenal Cafe and surprisingly not too expensive. Cute date idea or way to enjoy your afternoon.
Ben Roth
Insane bookstore! Honestly it was just fun to wander around and see all the rooms. Lots of random knick knacks fill the spaces between bookshelves and actually are pretty cool. The rare book room upstairs was the highlight for us!
Adam Wood
Amazing. You don't need me to go into exhaustive detail about what's available to you, but what was a pleasure for me was the attitude of the staff. Very helpful and kind.
Furthermore, each department felt like it's own bookshop to me, but staff that I met seemed to have an excellent knowledge of the store overall.
In the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, they can order with ease; in my case, I was looking for something quite obscure and out of print - they stated they could get the material in 48 hours. Sadly, I could not take advantage of this so can't tell you of the outcome, but I did feel confident that they would have come good.
Anyways, this store is definitely worth a look in, highly recommended
Ashley Williams
What can I even say about this Portland treasure that would accurately describe its glory? This store is gigantic and has so many things to see! I couldn't believe how many different sections of books there were or the huge selection. It was also wonderful to be able to purchase used books, as we love purchasing second hand. We cannot wait to go back!
Ebrahman Ebrahman
Great bookstore. The colored room method as organising principal works well. The information staffs were well meaning and polite but not knowledgeable: they never heard of media study, media archealogy, or new media. They don't carry any literary or critical theory journals, anymore. The art theory section is exceptionally poor. Art, photography, architecture etc. sections seem haphazard and randomly put together.
Jerry Luciano
One of the cooler bookstores I’ve visited. They sell both new and used books and have an unbelievable selection of titles and genres.
I found the staff they’re very helpful, friendly, and the clientele, while certainly “eclectic“ were plentiful and helpful as well.
Alyssa Potasznik
Such a wonderful selection of books. Great place to spend an afternoon.
David Camp
One of the only bookstores where a map is mandatory for first time visitors. I end up spending hours just wandering every time I visit.
Esther Y
BIGGEST bookstore I’ve been to! They have both used and new books. I love how they section the bookstore as well - it was easy to find the type of book you want. It is very spacious, clean, and the vibe is🤌🏼 parking can be tough to find and the area is a little sketchy. They also have book recommendations from their employees. …
Johnnie Lau
Big bookstore to check out when you’re in town. They also sell toys
Jeffrey Hinman
I actually just passed by yesterday; but, I am happy to give them a bump. The Best and Biggest Book Store in the World! Also, they have an excellent cafe. What more can you possibly want out of life?
Amanda “Demisendra7” Phoenix
This place is like a city block big. The collection is amazing. The staff is super knowledgeable. They even have a rare book section, that you can purchase from. How awesome and insane is that!?
Kat Wilton
Too many books to even be able to look through in a week! I wish I'd realized I would be so close to Powell's when I was in Portland oregon. I would have done more research about what books and what authors I needed in my library, and I probably would have spent a lot more money there if I had! :-)
Susanna Murray
Such a neat bookstore with reasonably priced books. Be prepared to get lost as there are multiple rooms on multiple levels with books of different genres. Find your room and you could spend hours there!
Mallory Vallory
As a book nerd, I can say that this place is a dream come true. Room after room is filled with books, both old and new. There's something to be discovered around ever corner. I could easily have spent a full day here, but thankfully I didn't see any reading nooks to tuck myself away into. I would definitely recommend a visit to this store while you are in town.
Phillip Capaldi
Only had two hours to spend in the store and only got to one of the many rooms. It has fun staff picks and featured books. I love how they have the used and new books together based off of where they fit into the store and not used books here and new there.
William Wright
Powell's is great. It's an absolute maze and you can spend an entire lifetime walking around looking at books. The employees are nice too and will help you find your way to anything in the store.
Alex Coleman
This place is massive. They have a wonderous selection and you will get lost wandering the countless rows of books! There were numerous employees available and very willing to help me track down the treasures I was seeking. I love the Powell's Picks section and always trust in the authors and titles recommended. Their suggestions are always worth the read. You also must, i repeat MUST, check out the rare books room. You won't regret going in!
Jorge Antunes
This is an amazing bookstore. There are so many new, used and rare books. The store is very well organized and the staff are very friendly. There after computers around the store that allow you to search for books. A definite must see in Portland.
Autumn Robbins
The staff is very helpful and kind. The books are well organized with postings of what is in which room. It is definitely a place to go for hours of exploration and a place to stop if you are just visiting Portland.
Beth Cato
Heaven for book lovers. There’s no other way to describe this wondrous place. It’s pretty spiffy for authors, too. I was thrilled to find my own two series on the shelf, and spoke with staff so I could sign the stock. I can’t wait to return here in the future and wile away the hours amid the shelves here.
Charles Isaacs
So many books, journals, merch, and much more! Walking into this store is like entering a new world where you can get lost among the many shelves without ever getting bored. The organization of rooms makes navigation much easier, also the many helpful staff members and info desks. The inclusion of the coffee room makes for a nice place to replenish or browse a fee pages before venturing back into the shelves.
Arbor Byrd
First time shopper here ... There are no words. An entire city block dedicated to books. They have just about every genre you can think of. Great stock, friendly staff, wonderful stimulation.
If you haven't been here before, treat yourself. You deserve it.
Samantha Olson
I love this place. Not only does it have an endless selection of books but it had fun quirky merchandise you're not likely to find anywhere else from star trek scarves to scratch off maps, everyone can find something to enjoy here. Plan to wander aimlessly for hours on end.
35RedBackpack
A visit to Powell’s is a must whenever we visit Portland. We spend hours here browsing the various coloured rooms and take a break in the coffee shop before heading back to browse some more. Appreciate the way book displays are arranged and love reading the handwritten book reviews on the shelves.
Ana Perez
Love it!
The cashier wasn't so friendly but love the variety of books they had.
Anna Mitchell
This is the best place in Portland. Powell’s has every book you could possibly imagine. It’s a great place to get lost for a day in, or kill a little bit of time if you need to. Walking in always makes me feel welcomed.
Zoli Uebele
*The* best book store on the pacific coast of the United States. Full stop.
The Good New: nearly impossible to get out of. Too much to see. Coffee is even an option.
The Bad News: parking is an issue. There's parking in downtown Portland but...
Michael Allen Hansen (HardMinus)
Is there anything that puts your mind at ease, as much as the smell of books? The creaking in the floorboards, excited murmur between friends, people from all walks of life and an endless well of knowledge. This store is a marvel, a haven and should be appreciated as such.
Cheyenne Gillespie
AMAZING! I had great service both while browsing for books and when I got my coffee. Great coffee, great staff, and an amazing selection of books for great prices. I've never seen so many and wish we had a book store like this in Spokane. Definitely don't want to miss out on this experience.
Christina Gosling
All the books you will ever want or need! Grab a store map before you adventure to far into the rows of books. Powell’s has a wonderful collection of old and new books. Make sure to stop by each section and grab a drink at the cafe.
Ruthie Elizabeth
One of my favorite places in portland and i don’t like to read. seriously though, i’m not a big reader and i always come away with no fewer than 2 books and i always read them. the gifts are fabulous and you can find something for everyone.
i’ve always used their online store before and it was really cheap/fast shipping.
Gabriel Pinochet
It's a fun store, as long as you don't get tired! Don't try to be pragmatic; explore the shop and enjoy it, as sometimes you can get deals around. I haven't tried the coffee room yet.
Nathaniel Walters
This is a great location with friendly, knowledgeable staff who are always willing to assist.
I should state the reasons for a lower rating than I expected to give:
There isn't a dedicated religion/critical scholarship section at this location. I couldn't locate any Christian Bibles, so finding books by Ehrman, Vermès, Goodacre, Crossan, Sanders, Wright or Schweitzer simply wasn't going to happen. This by itself is incredibly disappointing, and I am hopeful they will correct this error soon.
With that being said, Powell's is otherwise mostly an incredible bookstore as well as a great place to find unique pieces to add to your collection of Portland paraphernalia. Heck, we even located and purchased a Ricky Ricardo Funko Pop at half its value.
The "Literature" section is enormous but not divided into sections which one may easily locate books and periodicals based on genre or even Fiction/Non-fiction. Literary criticism spans multiple fields of study, but we find the writings of the Greeks right next to the many works of Chaucer and then Renaissance authors which were then situated directly next to Chinese and Japanese literature. I was unable to locate any philosophy of criticism.
The Young Adult and Children's sections are laid out quite well, but I didn't spend much time in there outside of a small section dedicated to pets. There are two books about Corgis, though, so that's kinda awesome.
The Anime/Manga/Board Games/Sci-Fi/Graphic Novels area of the store is enormous and beautiful.
They are thankfully metering customers, but the front area was the most packed and had no requirements of separation near the New and Best-Seller books. It was also crowded due to the amount of merchandise such as shirts and other collectibles.
The store is split into areas based on colors like Pink, Orange, etc, but there is no real navigation assistance on placards stating which direction to turn for various colors while omitting what one can find in those areas.
A very bright spot: there is an elevation of Black voices throughout the store. From New, Best-Selling and Recommended titles to Youth and Young Adult recommendations, the amplification of necessary voices is evidence, and I thank them for that. I was able to locate Kendi's newest book quickly.
Overall, I can see the appeal of this bookstore, but it has many areas of opportunity, more the lack of religious scholarship than anything else, which make me hesitant to choose this bookstore as my first stop.
Oh. Sean at checkout was great!
Timothy Chan
So many books. Kinda overwhelming but once I figured out how to navigate the store I was good. There was a rare book room too!
Alexander Radulescu
Amazing place to visit, a must see if you like books. Had both new and used books of every possible topic. Loved it
Henry McDowell
Powell's is the largest independent bookstore in the known universe. That alone would get it five stars, but even if that wasn't enough, the helpful and knowledgeable staff and the wide selection would certainly get it there. A must see for Portland visitors.
Kyaaptyn
This place is insane. It is Borders x10. Love that they have an actual cafe instead of starbucks inside. Seems like a decent amount of people in and out at all times. I personally feel like you could probably make friends easily if you see them by an aisle for a genre that interests you. :)
Brandy Williams (Brandy Williams Author)
Powell's is one of the great bookstores of the world. Friendly staff, extensive book collection, a destination in itself.
Anna Cady
Can spend hours and hours...and hours here. Easy to find parking around the area. Masks ok, not mandated if vaxed. Seems like everything is getting back to normal. I will get lost in the books for hours. Love the staff favorites ❤
Linda Schalk
Amazing and huge! I have ordered from Powell's in the past, but it was so fun to visit in person. The store is an entire city block! Endless rooms of books!
Merlin
If I could spend the rest of my life wandering the shelves and rooms in this bookshop, I’d gladly do so. Visited this place 4 times on my short visit to Portland, and always manage to find something new and exciting to read.
Lydia Tomanek
Iconic Portland Oregon place to visit. You cannot visit the downtown area without passing through Powell's bookstore.
It looks unassuming from the outside, but it's on a hill and boasts so many levels that I cannot even remember how many there were in total.
We explored. Took pictures. Went to the coffee shop. Picked out books for neices and nephews. And ironically missed any long lines with our impeccable timing.
Shane LoGreco
This place is amazing. From coffee shop to every possible book you could think of. Some days I just show up to people watch and be in the mix of everything. Customer service here is top-notch as well.
John T. Guthrie
Love this place. This is the only place that I have been to outside of a research library where I actually needed training from my master's degree to understand the titles on the technical books that I was interested in.
They also have an amazing selection of graphic novels.
Adriane Atkinson
If you love books, this place is like going to heaven!!!
Garrett W (Gwheese)
If you're looking for it, they probably have it. Great place to explore new books, or find books that have been on your wishlist for a while. They're likely to have multiple copies of the books as well, if one cover isn't to your liking some books have 2 or 3.
Craig Madden
The greatest bookstore in the world. Fantastic selection of new and used books mixed together. Great travel and language sections on the second floor. Frequent author talks on the third floor.
Matthew Mason
This is an amazing book store. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. The biggest problem I have is getting out without spending more then I should. On this last trip I bought a book for my 6 month old son and then I fed him in the AC. No one seemed to mind. Thank you Powell's.
Jungwook Peter Choi
Worthy to visit even if you dont like a book!
Just like an old library! And feel free to read a book with coffee! And Chance to have a lecture with a writer about his or her book!
Just visit and walk and see! Sure you can enjoy!
Patricia Ferdig
Explorable, multilevel world of wonder for the whole family in downtown Portland. So many rooms to explore filled with books, plus the standard bookstore fare you'd expect to find: puzzles, games, souvenirs, pencil bags, totes, etc..
Grab a book then head to the cafe for some prime people watching at the windows.
Andrew Schwebke
This is truly a destination for book lovers. An entire block of books, both new and used. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. The selection is incredible. The layout of the store is fun, with different rooms across three stories.
Rafael Lopez
Spent an hour there and didn’t even get past the fantasy section. Book lovers definitely need to dedicate a whole day to explore. Great Portland staple!
Seth Harris
There’s no way NOT to rate this place 5 stars. Great bookstore that has everything. Must see if you’re visiting! Pro tip: weeknights seem less busy than weekend days.
Patrick Lysons
As a lover of books this store has it all. Forget time spent here. It's all worth the stroll through the stacks in the subjects or genres you like to read.
Michael Lamberth
I love Powell's! The only problem is that I never have enough money to spend there and the longer I'm there, the more books I want to buy. Has everything you ever wanted in a book store
cece
Amazing bookstore. Totally overwhelmed with the amount of selection old and new. Wonderful bookstore and amazing friendly staff. Wished I had more time to spend.
Baylor The tiny
We are traveling and just passing through. This place is amazing and I'm glad we just happened to stumble upon it. On our way back home we are planning on exploring more, because we didn't have enough time to see everything.
Michael Mendrin
As always Powells delivers! Love the customer service, the variety of books and coffee shop! Clean place, helpful staff, and lots of books to smell! I’ll be back again and again!
Mason Peckels
Powells has an amazing selection of new and used books. They also have great books for kids. They also are following all covid precautions which is always great to see. I picked up a copy of the odyssey. Staff here is friendly and helpful and books are well organized.
Dasharatha Aduri
If you are a book lover this place in downtown portland is a must visit. If you are not a book lover, its still the must visit place if you are in the city. Was totally awe struck by the collection of the books they have and also the store is divided into various rooms with genre of the books. Just pick a book, grab a cup of coffee and sit in the store. It will definitely make your day. Highly recommend!!!
They also have some cool goodies of various tv/movie franchises. I have brought a house of starks cap which was so cool.
anika wampner
Nice bookstore and I didn’t buy anything but I could spend the day there
Elizabeth Rosado
I could spend the whole day here. Assortment of totes, magnets, miscellaneous souvenirs type stuffs. Best part, the rooms upon rooms, upon floors of different genres of books. The usual, but each room is set up for different ones. (I'm a suspense/mystery, horror, sci-fi fan myself). Currently not taking cash, bathrooms closed as is their cafe section. Still a must see.
JP Fernandez
Great book store with a coffee shop!
Michelle Copeland
A real treat to explore. A truly impressive collection, sure to have a book or two for everyone to feel tempted to buy. Grab a drink or a snack in the cute cafe.
Maria L
Great place to get lost in. I can honestly say that I love the smell of books old and new. I love watching people sitting on benches or on the floor reading something and not moving their eyes off a book for a second. I love information desks and maps. I love the cute stickers they give you and the bookmarks. I also love the events they have each month so always be on the lookout for your favorite author coming to town and stopping here for a chat.
Dibs Mié
Man you could spend years in this place! There are so many books, games, knick knacks, souvenirs and Rooms! You're definitely going to want to take your time exploring each room, as each one offers its own adventure.
Bloggy Z
What an amazing place. Books, books everywhere! And of all genres, too. Too many subgenres to count or list, even. If you can think of it, they definitely have it.
You can sell them old books of yours or buy other people's, and they have an interesting old room with rare editions of books that anyone can access.
Very probably the most interesting, and busy place in Portland, tons of people everywhere reading about everything.
Big recommend.
Arturo De Leon
I always go to Powells book store for yrs it amazing place to find any kind of books you can think of and attendance will help located your specific needs or order on line very specific book your looking from attendance will find it on line and order it too get hold you when gets into Powells book store pick it up. It's phenomenal place to be with all that information knowledge you need to know basic needs.
PhotographyMRevelo
My all time favorite bookstore. Just the variety is amazing & feels like the store is endless which is a great thing in my books! Ha! Pun not intended. I am constantly visiting Powells & always end up leaving with more than 3 books at time.
CrisBoi123 4
SO MANY BOOKS OF ALL KINDS.There are children books, adult books, young adult books, science books, calenders, rare books, and the list goes on! If you love books go to this place because it is book haven.I highly reccomend.
Ingrid Doerksen
Always fun exploring here. Anyone will find something to suit their taste. You'd be amiss if you visited Portland Oregon and skipped Powell's City of Books!
Jono Hey
This place is remarkable. We spent hours there. Also has comfortably the best children’s book section I’ve ever seen.
Shelly Kummer
When I first walked in I thought it was like other large bookstores. Then I turned a corner, and then another, and another and went up two levels. You could get lost in here. You could spend a whole day exploring.
Matthew Thompson
Great place to look for book new or used friendly and helpful staff definitely everyone needs to check them out
Hillary Brainerd
When I first went to Powell's, I was worried I would get overwhelmed by the size of the selection. However, it is expertly organized, with signs everywhere and neat color-coding for the rooms. They also have kiosks with computers so customers can look up specific titles or genres. And there was staff everywhere! It is a really nicely run, wonderful place. Not only do they have new books, but also older titles.
Jenikkas Brain
Such a cool place to explore. My daughter liked it alot.
Charlie Gavel
Found it to be huge! Would take more than a day to see it all. But there are signs and lots of friendly help finding what you might be looking for. The prices are reasonable
It was staggeringly large 3 enormous floors.
Christopher Reese-Lamson
So this place was genuinely a bit awe inspiring. Probably the biggest bookstore I've ever seen in my entire life. It's a little daunting at first, but the floors and rooms are organized enough to make getting around and finding what you might be looking for a pretty easy process. I'm not always the most avid reader--Something I'm working on after a trip here. Picked up 3 books, and am happily reading away. Absolutely go here.
Keef Bosley
Huge bookstore with multiple levels. Disability accessible, has elevator that goes to each floor. Recommend visiting here if you're visiting Portland.
Rachael Acevedo-Hoffmann
Best bookstore to just get lost in. They have everything, and the organization is wild. Need a book on solar energy? Go to the solar section. Need to see a $2000 first edition? Go to the rare books. Seriously, they have everything.
Aiste Plechaviciute
OMG! This place is a paradise! For a true book lover it’s a wonderland. You could probably find a book about anything at this store. When you enter the store there is an information desk and people, who work there are very helpful. They can direct you to the right place depending on what you’re looking for. The creative/design section on a third floor is amazing. Found it hard to decide, which book to buy since they were all awesome.
Chante w
Filled withevery book you could imagine. Would be perfect but the cafe emplyees weren't all too kind. Overall though it was a great experience. The staff helped us find books and products and even helped us check out.
Brian Slater
I don’t know how I can add to other reviews about how awesome this place is. My family could stay here all day. They should offer a sleepover special:)
tony5
Best bookstore I have ever been to. A paradise for book lovers. Huge place. Can browse for days.
Ten Alk
Great shop not only for books but art prints and gifts. Loved it, could spend hours in here
pditto5
The size of this place is incredible. The diversity of books, the helpfulness of the staff, and the overall feel is unparalleled. Visited the engineering section in the Pearl level- didn't find what I was looking for but did come across other books that sparked my interest. Visit the info desks or search yourself at a kiosk. (Also have a rare book room that is enclosed)
Jarrin Rozenblad
This is one of the coolest stores I have been in, great collection of books and other products. The staff are syper friendly and well placed around the huge store, there is something for everyone here even if you don't like to read. If you come to Portland add this to your list of things to do, it is tons of fun!
Joss Slagle
I love that I can get lost in this bookstore like a library. My only bit of constructive criticism is maybe a handout explaining the different colors and their meanings. I wandered around for awhile.
Austin
My wife asked to go here. Never heard of it before as I'm from the east coast but this was a very interesting store. Highly recommend for any book lover in general
Melissa Legault
This place was incredibly large and beautiful. Well mapped out with loads of signs, great reading choices, and amazing souvenir options! The prices were really fair and no tax! Plenty of areas to sit, relax, and read with large windows as well as a cafe. A definite must visit.
Dumere Michelle
It was a beautiful book store. However I felt many of the prices were expensive. I found some good deals on some books. Some other books I will just retrieve from the local libraries.
Jake Joe
Really cool shop with so many books! It's a bit difficult to navigate at first, but becomes better with time.
I enjoyed looking through their rare book collection. The place could be better organized, but the current system is part of the charm.
Dylan Johnson
The store itself is great. The downside is it's in Downtown Portland which has become a horrible spot to visit due to the vagrants, open drug use, and lack of parking. If I want to go to Powells I always try to make it to the Cedar Hills location.
Alexis
This place is a must go! Great atmosphere & friendly staff. Huge bookstore but easy to find what you need!
Nichole Hedinger
Always a great place to visit. I always find what I am looking for and I love that they have used books too!
Yü Wu
I have lived one block away from Powell's for seven months, and one of my biggest regrets is not to come here more often. The day before I left Portland, I came in and only had the time to browse through the main lobby and got some books to take away with me. It struck me how lucky I am and Portlanders are to have Powell's in their life. Especially in this era that books become digital and reading becomes fragmente and fast consumption, Powell's is a testament to the tenacity of print media and quality reading. I'll miss it, I'll be back.
Anna Behring
Love this book store! We went here as a recommendation by my brother and it was a great experience. It's a huge multi level bookstore with something for everyone. We could have spent the entire day here and still wouldnt have seen half the store.
alexandra nevarez
The lady at the helpdesk was super nice super helpful. This store is heaven for reader's they have a huge selection of books. Very clean. People are very friendly.
Sol Tek Reviews
Extremely large book store! There is just about everything in terms of book selection. The staff is friendly and the prices seem fair enough. I wish they had a stamp that said "bought at Powell's City of Books!" so they can stamp it on all the books they sell. That would be dope for tourists.