Powell’s City of Books, Portland: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Powell's City of Books occupies an entire city block at 1005 West Burnside Street in Portland, Oregon, the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. The store holds roughly 1 million volumes across 3,500 square meters of retail space spread over multiple color-coded rooms on four floors. The original store opened in 1971, founded by Walter Powell, who began by selling used books from a rented storefront. A rare-book room on the top floor holds first editions and antiquarian volumes. The store buys roughly 3,000 used books per day from walk-in sellers. is just one of many options in Portland. Major attractions worth considering include Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and Multnomah Falls.