The Great Big Wonder

Portland, Oregon, is known for its quirky shops, restaurants, and unique people. The city boasts a vast collection of locally owned bookstores, making it an ideal destination for a weekend getaway. With Portland’s Book Week approaching, it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate these local gems and add to your growing TBR stack. Here are a few of my favorite bookstores to visit in the city, whether during Book Week or any time of the year.

Powell’s City of Books

It would be a crime not to include Powell’s in a post about the best Portland bookstores. Spanning an entire city block, it’s hard to miss the world’s largest bookstore. Home to around 1 million books, the shelves at Powell’s seemingly go on forever and cover every topic imaginable. You’ll find genres including fiction, poetry, history, international titles, best sellers, mystery, comics, economics, horror, art, gardening, travel, and more. Powell’s is also home to a Rare Book Room and a coffee shop, the Guilder Café. The bookstore hosts many events throughout the week, including author readings and children’s story times. There are several Powell’s locations in the city, so make sure you visit the City of Books location to see this palace of a bookstore.

1005 W Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97209

Vivienne Culinary Books

Specializing in culinary books and publications Vivienne is a must for foodies, chefs, and the food-curious. This women-owned bookshop boasts carefully curated cookbooks (both new and used), independent food magazines, and kitchenware. They also host cooking classes —called book workshops— centered around a specific cookbook and book receptions with authors. The book selection here covers cuisine from all over the world with popular titles by well-known and lesser-known chefs or area experts.

2724 NE Alberta Street
Portland, OR 97211

Midslumber Media

There’s a new kid on the block —but make no mistake, Midslumber Media packs a punch. This queer, woman-owned business specializes in horror media, as well as dark romance, horror, and erotica reads. Shelves lined with well-known and cult classic movies entice shoppers, and the book selection is bar none for those who enjoy the darker or creepier side of life. The layout is easy to navigate with clear signage on what you might find where. The shop is all thoughtfully curated by the owner, who runs this one-woman show and offers excellent recommendations on what to read next.

1609 NE Alberts St
Portland, OR 97211

Bishop & Wilde Books

Located on the bottom floor of the Tin House, Bishop & Wild —a queer-owned bookshop — boasts an awesome collection of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry as well as records, art, and more. The store is beautifully designed and hosts book events, readings, and pop-ups throughout the year. Shelves here are stocked with carefully selected new and used books. Dogs are always welcome in this incredible space.

2601 NW Thurman St.
Portland, OR 97210

Monograph Bookwerks

Monograph Bookwerks features books on architecture, art, design, fashion, photography, contemporary art, theory/criticism, graphic design, and more. The selection includes rare and out-of-print books, as well as local and small press titles. You can also find prints, paintings, studio pottery, vintage maps, and vintage art lining the shelves.

5005 NE 27th Avenue
Portland, OR 97211

Parallel Worlds Bookshop

Parallel Worlds is a cozy but well-stocked bookshop with just about every science fiction and fantasy title you imagine. Stop here for new and used titles ranging from recent hits to cult classics. This colorful bookstore has books lining nearly every inch of available space and though it may be tiny it’s mighty. The staff here is super friendly and the art taking up the book-lined space is so fun!

2639 NE Alberta S
Portland, OR 97211

Green Bean Books

Green Been Books is home to new and used children and young, middle, and YA books. The staff carefully picks a wide range of titles, characters, and story types so all readers can find something to love. Check out the shadow-box dioramas, or enjoy the sun in the garden. They host several events throughout the week including story-time, author events, and craft days.

1600 NE Alberta Street
Portland, OR 97211-5048

Bold Coffee and Books

Bold Coffee and Books is a combo bookstore coffee shop and another new kid on the block. Here you’ll find that the majority of the books are written by or about marginalized and underrepresented communities. Check out stories by and about BIPOC, adoptees, refugees, immigrants, individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and more. The coffee served here is from the local roaster, Great North Coffee. Bold hosts an array of events including dedicated writing time, children’s story time, and more!

1755 SW Jefferson St.
Portland, OR 97201

Stay: The Heathman Hotel

Whether you’ve gotten your fill of books or not, a stay at the Heathman Hotel is the perfect way to top off a bookish trip. This historic 1926 hotel is home to a massive and stunning library. Lining the two-story library shelves, you’ll find over 2,700 signed books covering a wide array of genres and topics. Borrow a copy and cozy up by the fire with a cup of coffee or tea.

The recently renovated hotel includes a beautiful fitness center with Peloton bikes and a Lululemon Mirror, complimentary bike rentals, and in-room dining. It features a selection of room styles, but the one-bedroom suite is my favorite. With a large living room, a beautiful bathroom, and a king-size bed, there is no shortage of space to relax, unwind, and read a few pages from a book.

1001 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205

I hope you visit these excellent bookstores! If I’ve missed any, let me know in the comments below! Click HERE for an interactive Google Map with all of the bookstores mentioned in this post!