The City of Books

Source: Speak Up

Language Level: Advanced

Standard Accent: American

There aren’t many bookshops where you need a map to find your way around, but it’s easy to get lost in Powell’s City of Book, the world’s largest independent bookstore, which is located in Portland, Oregon. Powell’s main bookshop on Burnside is a vast Aladdin’s cave of books in every shape, size and format. More than one million volumes line the shelves of the different colored rooms, each of which corresponds to different themes. And, if you include the five warehouses and five other store locations around the city. Then Powell’s has over four million books.

The responsibility for all this will soon pass to 27 years old Emily Powell, whose father, Michael, currently runs the business. Back in 1979, Michael Powell left his Chicago bookstore to join his father, Walter, in Portland and then bought the store from him two years later.  Emily is “Director of Used Books.” Powell’s places new and used books, hardback and paperback, next to each other on the same shelf. As Emilly explains, this was her grandfather’s idea:

Emily Powell

Standard: American Accent

And, since he wasn’t really a book person, he saw that… he was selling used books and he said “well, I see people coming in and they’ve got their new books from another store. You know, this doesn’t make sense. Why shouldn’t I be selling these, too? And apparently my dad said, something (like) “Oh, you know, that’s a tough business, or “margins are bad,” or, you know, whatever, and sort of, on the surface, wasn’t that interested, but my grandfather decided to do it and that was sort of… has been one of our key success. We were… I don’t know f we were the first , but certainly one  of the first to do it. At the time, even if a store had new or used books, they would be in separate sections, so you would go and find your new look at used. But why not put them together, so that you can have the choice of whichever price you want? Do you want a new copy, or do you want something that’s a little bit cheaper but, you know, maybe not pristine?

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

It certainly proved to be a successful formula as Powell’s expanded from its humble beginning in a derelict northwest corner of Portland to become a true “City of Books.” Michael Powell, now 66, knows the value of words in more ways than one: he has always been a strong supporter of freedom of expression and anti-censorship issues. As a family-owned, independent bookseller, Powell’s has also built strong ties with the local community; it regularly donates books, time and money to literacy programs and local organizations. Powell’s Community Giving Program has donated 40.000 books in nine years, while its new School Book Challenge program has already donated more than 55.000 books to local students. Powell’s is certainly moving with the times. Its award-winning website was launched back in 1994 and now accounts for one third of total business. But, says Emily Powell, that isn’t the key reason for its success:

Emily Powell:

I think part of it is the people here who are really book lovers. I mean, you walk into  our breaks room in our internet warehouse here and people are sitting there with a book in their hand. I mean, they’re with books all day and then they’re… on their spare time, you know, they’re off reading. So I think it’s really about… it’s those folks who are making sure we have the best inventory of the books that are really the most interesting and the most unusual – so you have a great experience when you walk in and stumble upon something, but are also sure to find the classics that we just need to have day in and out.

Powell’s has five stores in Portland: 1005 W. Burnside, 33 NW Park Avenue, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 3747 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 7000NEAirport Way (Suite 2250), 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd: and one is nearby Beaverton of 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. For further info visit http://www.powells.com