"Powell's Books is a chain of bookstores in Portland, Oregon, and its surrounding metropolitan area. Powell's headquarters, dubbed Powell's City of Books, claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world," says Wikipedia.

"Powell's City of Books is located in the Pearl District on the edge of downtown and occupies a full city block between NW 10th and 11th Avenues and between W. Burnside and NW Couch Streets. It contains over 68,000 square feet (6,300 square metres), about 1.6 acres of retail floor space.

"The City of Books has nine color-coded rooms and over 3,500 different sections. The inventory for its retail and online sales is over four million new, used, rare, and out-of-print books. As of 2009, Powell's was buying around 3,000 used books a day."

"Founded in 1971 in a former car dealership on a then-derelict corner, Powell’s has grown into a Portland landmark and the world’s largest new and used bookstore — and its location is now at the heart of the city, bridging the Pearl District, downtown and the West End," the travelportland.com says.

"Early on, founder Walter Powell made the revolutionary decision to comingle new, used, hardcover and paperback books. This egalitarian approach means you can easily see everything by a favorite author — and often score a great deal by choosing a well-loved edition over a brand-new one. And, in addition to shelves upon shelves of books, the store also stocks wonderful gifts and souvenirs.

"It can be easy to get lost in the City of Books’ 68,000 square feet, 10 rooms, three floors and 3,500 sections. In fact, losing yourself in the sprawling store (or one of its more than 1 million books) can be half the fun. But for those who prefer navigating over perusing, Powell’s offers a detailed map to its color-coded rooms."

"Powell's roots began in Chicago, where Michael Powell, as a University of Chicago graduate student, opened his first bookstore in 1970. Encouraged by friends and professors, including novelist Saul Bellow, Michael borrowed $3,000 to assume a lease on a bookstore. The venture proved so successful that he managed to repay the loan within two months," the official website says.

"Walter swamped his original location by buying every marketable used book that came through the door, finally pushing the whole operation into a former car dealership on Northwest Burnside. The building has undergone many transformations, but if you look closely, you can still see evidence of its automotive past.

"In 1979, Michael joined Walter in Portland, creating a bookstore with a unique recipe that, though viewed as unorthodox, worked: used and new, hardcover and paperback, all on the same shelf; open 365 days a year; and staffed by knowledgeable and dedicated book lovers."

"Powell’s is the largest independent bookstore in the world—the flagship location (1005 W. Burnside St.) in Portland covers an entire city block," the Frommer's says.

"Its massive size and buzzy atmosphere have long made Powell's one of the city's most popular tourist attractions; poet and Reed College professor Samiya Bashir has dubbed the store "Portland’s Eiffel Tower."

"Selling new and used volumes side-by-side (one of the first businesses to do that), this self-proclaimed City of Books also hosts over 500 author events and gatherings each year, ranging from poetry readings to activist literature circles."

"Thousands of tourists visit Powell's Books every year hoping to learn more about why this bookstore is so unique. The size is a big selling point; according to Powell's downtown location manager Byanne Hoeg, "people felt like [they] could get lost here, that they could spend all day here." It wasn't until the late 1990s when Powell's started getting recognized: "We became nationally known because of all the passion we had demonstrated," Hoeg says,

"The idea of putting new and used books on a single shelf also set them apart from the competition. "It was just a really fantastic way to set ourselves apart. [...] Sometimes people only buy used books," says Hoeg. "That gives them the option in one place, depending on the title," That Oregon Life says.

"As Powell's opened in the 1970s and ‘80s, having both new and used books on the same shelves was a novelty. As one of, if not the first, booksellers to do so, the store opened the eyes of many customers. Powell's also beat Amazon to the online book selling game by two months. They have also been online for longer than most other bookstores, which sets them apart from the competition again."

"Located in downtown Portland, Powell’s City of Books is a one-of-a-kind bookstore that will make any book lover feel like they’re in paradise. This enormous reading wonderland is home to more than 1 million books, including novels, art books, poetry, and so much more. The world’s largest bookstore, Powell’s, is right here in Oregon, and it’s a must-visit destination for all Beaver State bibliophiles!



"Known as the world's largest independent bookstore, this incredible place is home to an impressive collection of over 1 million books, ranging from best sellers to rare first-edition volumes, and everything in between. Whether you love poetry, sci-fi, classics, romance, art books, theory, cook books, experimental literature, or a plethora of other genres, there's something here for everyone," the Only In Your State says.

"Overwhelmed by the selection? There's no rush! Powell's has its own wonderful little cafe where you can relax and enjoy a beverage while you flip through your favorite books, deciding which ones to bring home with you."

"So just how big is the world’s largest independent bookstore? Its headquarters occupy an entire city block in Portland’s Pearl District, with 3,500 sections spread across nine color-coded rooms," the AARP says.

"While much of the rest of the store is brightly lit and industrial-feeling, there’s a hidden gem of a Rare Book Room tucked upstairs, complete with antique furniture, dark-wood shelving and once-in-a-lifetime treasures like a two-volume set of Lewis and Clark’s published journals from 1814 that are priced at a cool $350,000."

"The biggest independent bookshop in the world, Powell’s, is situated near the center of Portland and has more than one million new and used books. Any book buff, whether they live in the area or are just visiting The City of Roses, must see this iconic place at 1005 West Burnside Street," the Radio Cab says.

"The store is arranged by color rather than by author or topic, so exploring is quite unusual and unique. Numerous films and TV productions, such as the series Portlandia and the motion picture Twilight, have used Powell’s City of Books as a filming location.

"The buy-back program offered by Powell’s City of Books, which contributes to a reduction in the quantity of the garbage that ends up in landfills, demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction."

"This legendary Portland shop is the world’s largest used book store – the jewel in the crown of what is claimed to be the largest independent chain of bookstores on the planet," The Guardian says.

"Powell’s even provides a map for customers. “It is amazing! It is a whole city block with several floors of books. Unlike ordinary bookstores, Powell’s has a huge selection of every book imaginable.

"I took my retired English teacher father there and he went crazy. It also has a cafe and a selection of antique computers. It is an absolute paradise for bibliophiles!” said John R. Ewing Jr."

BOOKS WORLD RECORDS

World's Biggest Harry Potter Store: world record in New York City, New York

World's Largest Rare Book and Manuscript Library: world record in New Haven, Connecticut

World's Largest Book Sculpture: world record in Bellflower, California

World's Largest Covered Wagon, world record in Lincoln, Illinois