a magic book store. i feel right at home here. i always find too many books here and that's a good…read morething.

I can't give it one star because I love books, and the place was...interesting enough. There's a…read morebizarre little staircase that leads to nowhere but a little loft, which I honestly love, but it's just more messy books. I worked at a bookstore for years, so seeing the random leaning and stacked books hurt a little and I yearned to dive in and start straightening. The vibe was so off-putting and stale, it's hard to explain. Looking around, I could see some quirky things like a cool old cash register, a random typewriter on a cafe-ish table, and a sign that said "the use of mobile phones is prohibited." The only distinguishable sections were fiction, poetry, and Shakespeare. My kid love books and we can spend hours in bookstores. He walked in looking to find some Tolkien, but before we could figure out where it might be, he said let's get out of here. And after a few more minutes of struggling to make heads or tails of the jumble, I couldn't argue.

Five stars for charm, three stars for function…read more I do really want to see small bookstores like this thrive, so my overall star rating is based on the former but I'll include some notes on the latter. Let's start with the charm. This adorable small bookstore with a hand painted window is just east of Belmont's most popular dining strip. They've got packed shelves, hand written labels on shelves, and the super cute merch items. Book prices are written on the first page. I couldn't possibly browse everything but it seems like they have a wide array as well as some niche items. That said, the organization is a little wild. It's by subject but I personally didn't understand how those genres were laid out and the small labels mean they're hard to find. That said, the helpful staff know their store and are happy to point you in the right direction. But then there's piles and piles of books on the floor - not very accessible. They do put out boxes of free books so they're at least trying to get more inventory moving out.

I visited during Portland Book Week. While an interesting store, the experience was not positive…read morefor me. 1) other than a brief goodbye as I was leaving, I had no interaction with staff during my visit. 2) A regular customer seemed to monopolize much of the staff's attention. In such a small space, he was often seated or standing in areas that made browsing more difficult, and his easily overheard comments at times created an uncomfortable atmosphere. I understand that loyal regular customers are important to a small business's success. However, it's equally important to ensure that the atmosphere remains welcoming and accessible for new visitors, especially for an event. Unfortunately, that balance didn't seem to be there during my visit.

There is more than one bookstore to choose from…read more There are even many bookstores in Portland beside the big one. Anne Bloom's bookstore is a small well-curated classic. Their sections are well organized and the staff know where things are on the shelves. They have a large selection of fiction, nonfiction, then specialty sections. They have a nice children's area with a young reader engrossed in a book. They have the little table and chairs. They are up to date with a graphic novel section. I stopped in for a new book in high demand. As in sold out online, at Barnes and Noble, at Powells, and with a 6 month wait for the audio book at the library! In its first day, the book sold 150,000 copies, and by day three, it is, for now, a rare book. Annie Bloom's had it! Annie Bloom's is in a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood. So you can bring your book to nice bars and restaurants, dives, cafes, pizza shops, sandwiches and beer/wine at John's, the Multnomah Art Center, and gift shops, or book shop after those. Annie Bloom's is an approachable bookshop which has what others do not.

10/5. My husband was nearby and spotted this book store. We had to go to a wedding so we came back…read morethe next day to browse. It's clean, well organized, quiet, and there's chairs to sit and read. Pricing was competitive and felt like a good value. We purchased a couple books for the plane ride home. Would recommend.

Daedalus is a cool used bookstore located in NW Portland. Definitely grab some coffee and then come…read morethrough to browse some of their offerings if you are ever in the neighborhood.

Friendly and found some nice editions of Kafka. Also picked up a translation of Gilgamesh.read more

This is the modern day Shop Around the Corner of Portland. My family was greeted upon entering and…read moreoffered recommendations. The knowledgable staff member sparked a memory when they mentioned a few books from my own childhood. They then instantly reminded me of a real life Kathleen Kelly. They ended up showing us a few books based on our daughter's interests. My daughter loved their suggestions. We ended up purchasing one book that they suggested because of their interaction with us. The store is cute itself but having someone with that excitement and knowledge makes you want to come back. Overall review: Very cute children's bookstore with fun creative displays. Great selection of books and calming patio. Highly suggest this store.

Need to find the perfect book for a young reader - or older human who needs the warmth, and…read moreelegantly simple punch that only a kids' book can bring? Go to Green Bean! The team there are readers, love kiddos and all kinds of families, and celebrate the magic of reading and play. From the vending machine of finger puppets, to the multitude of "minis" (tiny colored pencils, axolotyls, organs), and of course the books from baby to middle readers, you cannot go wrong! Plush-plushies, stickers, and tactile educational toys! We all need this place!

Small bookstore with a large selection of curated material that I loved seeing that support the…read morecommunity. The staff was helpful in directing me to a few new book ideas to consider.

The selection is amazing all different romance genres and even supporting local authors with I…read morelove! The service was great I met the owner there and I got a book by a local author I'm so excited to start it. Amazing value.

Reasonable prices and a good cause, even if not the widest selection of books. The workers here…read morewere friendly enough, and I enjoyed browsing. May be worth visiting frequently to find an occasional gem.

Friendly volunteers and irresistible book paraphernalia. Portland literature goodies for everyone…read more Careful. It's addictive!

So many bookstores get love for having a massive selection, but what does that massive selection…read morereally do for me? Selected Stories takes a completely different approach by offering very smartly curated shelves full of exceptional reads. Walk in, find the shelf with your preferred genre, and you'll undoubtedly find your next favorite book. The sheer value in the time I've saved can't be overlooked. Once upon a time I loved spending the day wandering the aisles of much bigger bookstores, but these days I'd rather have a little more guidance. Selected Stories is VERY good at giving that guidance. BONUS POINTS: I've met only two staff members in my half dozen visits and they've both been phenomenal.

New neighborhood bookstore alert!! I'm so absolutely delighted we have this gem on Division…read more This is the spot I'd show to a friend who's REALLY into books. The curation is incredibly thoughtful with a great mix of literary fiction, nonfiction, translated works, local, national, and international book prize winners. They even have a small section for children's books. All new books. All with fantastic covers somehow?? You just can't go wrong with whatever you pick up here. The space is so inviting, warm and chic. Small, but mighty! Reminds me of a McNally Jackson, which is A+++.