Chapter 1.1: Powell's Books

I love reading and I do a lot of it. Now I like the library and the fact that I can sort of take books I'm not sure about for a test drive before actually buying them (because, believe me, I've bought some books that were so not worth the 7.99 I spent on them). But if I enjoy a book, or I love the author or the series, I like to have that book in my collection, which currently sits at about 430 books (I have them all cataloged).

The collection that is currently overflowing off two bookcases and has necessitated the purchase of a third in the near future, where it will take over the space previously occupied by my desk. Because who needs a desk when you have books? Right now I have books two lines deep on almost every shelf in both bookcases and a giant box of the books I brought home from college. Plus a bag from Powell's that contains nine of the books I need for school and about nine books I bought for myself.

Ah, Powell's. If you are a book lover, this is Mecca. And if you've never been there, your love of bookstores is not complete. The main store on Burnside in Portland, OR, takes up an entire city block. It's four floors with seven rooms plus a coffee shop that also has books in it. It also has its own parking garage (a rather small one as it's only 40 spaces and they get about 3000 people through their doors every day but still, they have their own garage!) and all the shelves are floor to ceiling.

Now, all of that is nice, but the best thing is that Powell's is a used bookstore. If you have books to sell, you can bring them here and get a store credit for them (if the store believes they'll actually sell). Which also means that you can find books that you want but are just a little too much at regular, commercial bookstores for much less. Example: I bought a hardback copy of Bloodhound for $12 on one of my previous trips. I also regularly find paperbacks for 4.50, 3.50, or (occasionally) 2.50.

Now, I know that there are many used bookstores and while they might not be as big, they still have a good selection. So why do I go through the hassle of driving all the way to Portland and circling around vulturing for parking? Because Powell's, while being a used bookstore, is organized like a commercial bookstore. Every genre has its own section and books are orderly and arranged by the author's last name. I love used bookstores, but I can never really go there to shop for books (fatal flaw in a book lover I know, but I need order or my head explodes).

With Powell's, I get the order I need to find books with the wonderful old-world feeling of a used bookstore. The aisles are a little narrow, the books are sometimes brand new, sometimes obviously well loved, and the whole place makes me want to sit for hours and just browse. Which I will do someday, but usually I go with a parent or a friend and we have other plans as well, so I go with my favorite sections in mind, browse through them for books I want that are inexpensive enough to reassure my mind, and then make sure they're actually the ones I want. Luckily, if I have a book in mind and can't find where it would be, there are computer look-up stations for customer use.

If you're ever in Portland, find this place. You can probably ask anyone on the street and they'll know what you're talking about. Or grab a map and walk towards Burnside and 11th. Browse the shelves, wile away your time in the coffee shop, have a lemon scone. As a book lover or even a book casual friend, you'll find something to love here.

And if you just live too far way to actually visit (which is really, really a shame) you can find used books online through their site: www.powells.com.

Love your books. Love them well. And when you feel they need a new home, come to Powell's.