Powell's City of Books is a book lover's paradise — the largest independent bookstore in the world. It's not just another bookstore however.
Powell’s City of Books isn’t just a bookstore. It's a literary landmark, cultural gathering place, and treasure trove for book lovers, combining navigable scale, charming quirks, and deep history. Whether you're on a pilgrimage or passing through Portland, lingering in its aisles is an experience in itself.
Located in downtown Portland in the Pearl District, occupying an entire city block, Powell's stocks more than a million new, used and rare books across roughly 68,000 ft²
Nine color-coded rooms house more than 3,500 different subject sections, offering something for every interest, including an incredible selection of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles.
Outside Powell’s flagship entrance, the iconic “Pillar of Books” greets visitors with a towering stack of carved stone spines—classics like The Odyssey, Moby Dick, Hamlet, and War and Peace—symbolizing the timeless stories that fill its shelves. At its base, a simple Latin inscription captures the spirit of this beloved Portland landmark: “Buy the book, read the book, enjoy the book, sell the book."
Be sure to grab a map: The store takes up an entire city block and it’s easy to get lost among a million books.
