Powell's Books

Powell's Books

Company type	Private
Industry	Bookstore
Founded	1971
Founder	Walter Powell
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon , United States
Area served	Portland metropolitan area, Condon, Oregon
Key people	Emily Powell (President and Owner), Patrick Bassett (CEO)
Products	New and used books
Number of employees	Approximately 400 (pre-2020 layoffs)
Website	powells.com

Powell's Books is a bookstore chain based in Portland, Oregon. Its main store, Powell's City of Books, holds the distinction of being the largest independent retailer of both new and used books worldwide.

Beyond the flagship location, Powell's manages three additional outlets within the Portland metropolitan region, along with a smaller branch located in Condon, Oregon.

20th century

Established in 1971 by Walter Powell, the business originally concentrated on selling both new and pre-owned books. Michael Powell, Walter’s son and an experienced bookstore operator from Chicago, became involved in 1979 after the original store lost its lease. He took over ownership in 1982.

In 1984, Powell's inaugurated its first satellite store at Loehmann's Plaza (which later became Cascade Plaza) near Washington Square. This branch was designed to cater to a more upscale clientele with enhanced fixtures and was considerably larger than standard chain bookstores.

A travel-themed bookstore opened in 1985 on Pioneer Courthouse Square, followed by multiple additional locations opening annually through the late 1980s into the early 1990s. By this period, Powell's had emerged as a significant force within independent bookstores, which represented 32% of book sales across the United States. The travel-focused outlet ceased operations in 2005.

Powell's was an early adopter of digital technology, initiating email and FTP services in 1993 and launching its website in 1994—preceding Amazon.com’s online presence. This digital platform has played a crucial role in recent growth.

The main store underwent a major expansion in 1999, adding an entrance on the Pearl District side featuring the "Pillar of Books," a sandstone sculpture celebrating literary tradition. By the end of fiscal year June 2000, Powell's reported revenues totaling $41.8 million.

21st century

In 2002, USA Today named Powell's among the top ten bookstores in America.

Plans announced in January 2008 aimed to enlarge the downtown City of Books by adding up to two new floors, increasing retail space substantially. The design included features such as a rooftop garden and an "art cube" above a redesigned main entrance.

In March 2010, management transitioned from Michael Powell to his daughter Emily. That same month, Powell’s merged its technical bookstore into "Powell's Books Building 2" near the flagship location, addressing a five-year decline in physical technical book sales due to online competition.

October 2010 saw Powell's purchase 7,000 volumes from author Anne Rice's personal collection, offering these association copies through their online platform. By December 2010, Powell's had become a founding participant in the Google eBooks initiative.

In June 2011, Powell’s engaged with Google Offers, selling out 5,000 vouchers within hours and becoming the most successful deal on the platform during its inaugural month.

Starting in May 2012, Powell’s incorporated print-on-demand capabilities via the Espresso Book Machine.

Early in 2013, Emily Powell appointed Miriam Sontz—formerly COO—as CEO.

CNN recognized Powell’s as one of the world’s “coolest” bookstores in 2016.

Miriam Sontz retired as CEO in January 2019 and was succeeded by Patrick Bassett in October 2020. Emily Powell continues to serve as president and owner.

In 2024, Powell’s hosted its inaugural used book warehouse sale in Northwest Portland, drawing over 10,000 visitors despite extended wait times. A second annual event was scheduled for July 2025.

Locations

Powell's Books store locations

Image	Store Name	City/Area
	Powell's City of Books	Portland, Oregon (Downtown/Pearl District)
	Powell's Books on Hawthorne Powell's Neighborhood of Books	Portland, Oregon (Hawthorne)
	Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing Powell's Suburb of Books	Beaverton, Oregon (Cedar Hills Crossing Mall)
	Powell's Books at PDX	Portland, Oregon (Portland International Airport)
	Powell's Books Condon	Condon, Oregon

Powell's City of Books

Situated in the Pearl District, adjacent to downtown Portland, Powell's City of Books serves as the company's main store. It spans more than (approximately 1.6 acres) of retail space, covering an entire city block bounded by NW 10th and 11th Avenues and W. Burnside and NW Couch Streets.

This flagship location is divided into nine distinct color-coded rooms containing over 3,500 categorized sections. Its combined inventory for both in-store and online sales surpasses four million volumes, including new releases, used copies, rare editions, and out-of-print titles. By 2009, Powell’s was acquiring nearly 3,000 used books daily to support its vast selection and market reach.

Former locations

During the 1980s, Powell’s maintained a second outlet opposite Washington Square Mall in Tigard; this was eventually supplanted by the Cedar Hills Crossing branch.

From 1985 until 2005, the company operated a travel-themed bookstore situated in Downtown Portland at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Two specialty shops—Powell’s Technical Books (focused on mathematics, science, computing, and engineering) near the main store and Powell’s Books for Home & Garden adjacent to the Hawthorne location—were shuttered in 2010 and 2020 respectively due to declining foot traffic. Their inventory was consolidated into other stores to optimize operations and preserve market share.

Labor relations

Following post-holiday layoffs in 1991, a group of Powell’s employees formed an organizing committee with the goal of affiliating with the Oregon Public Employees Union (OPEU). Although union cards were signed by over 35% of staff, this fell short of OPEU’s required 65% threshold for union certification. In response to these efforts, Powell’s revised its employee handbook in 1992 to enhance grievance procedures and termination policies.

In 1998, after proposed wage increases were reduced, a new organizing committee representing 26 employees aligned with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) to advocate for roughly 350 workers across retail stores and corporate offices. By April 1999, ILWU Local 5 secured certification following a closely contested election.

Negotiations for a contract commenced late in 1999 but were marked by delays, labor disputes, and federal mediation before reaching agreement on a three-year contract in August 2000. In February 2011, Powell’s laid off 31 unionized workers—over seven percent of its unionized staff—citing industry pressures such as declining sales of new books and rising healthcare expenses.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020, Powell’s closed five stores and laid off approximately 85% of its roughly 400 unionized employees. The union reported that many former union roles were filled by management personnel during a surge in online demand. In July 2020, the company permanently shut its Portland International Airport store and kiosk.

Rehiring began in April 2021; however, returning employees had to reapply as new hires since no agreements preserved their former employment rights or salary levels. The majority of those rehired were previous staff members. On Labor Day, September 4, 2023, Powell’s employees initiated a strike that resulted in the store closing for the day.

Reception

In the 2025 'Best of Portland' readers' poll conducted by Willamette Week, Powell's was honored with the Best Bookstore award, highlighting its significant market influence and dedicated customer base.

See also

• Cameron's Books and Magazines

External links

• Official website of Powell's, which includes a guided tour of the City of Books