Arts and Letters

Mother Foucault’s, the Lifeblood of Portland Literary Bohemia

“Hey, this is a real way to live,” says owner Craig Florence, who’s formalizing the community around his bookshop as a nonprofit.

10/29/2025 By Jaydra Johnson Photography by Michael Novak

things to do

Tom Toro and Dracula Both Come to Town

Also: Louise Bourgeois and Isabelle Albuquerque at the Lumber Room.

10/09/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

things to do

A Posthumous Book from Geek Love Author Katherine Dunn

Also: Demetri Martin, and other events in town this week.

10/02/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Long Story Short

A Tiny Travel Bookstore That Takes You Places

Tucked inside Cargo, Patrick Leonard’s Postcard Bookshop is an argument for armchair travel.

08/20/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson

reading ahead

Book Launches and Author Events in Portland This Summer

A fresh crop of summer reads from Portlanders Jon Raymond, Leni Zumas, and more.

07/17/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

fit to print

A Magazine Shop Brings Portlanders Offline and Into Chinatown

Focused on global art and design publications, Chess Club fills a hole in Portland’s print-loving heart.

01/14/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Where to live now

Neighborhood Guide: Multnomah Village

Gift shops, historic cafés, and a sprawling public park.

01/13/2025 By Alex Frane

Booktopia

With New HQ, the City’s Literary Heart (Finally) Finds a Permanent Physical Form

Literary Arts’ expansive Southeast building will house a bookstore, café and bar, and all-ages community resources.

09/18/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Down the Aisles

11 Portland Authors’ Favorite Indie Bookstores

Where do Renée Watson, Dane Liu, Erica Berry, and Jon Raymond shop for books? Hint: it’s not Amazon.

05/06/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

First-time Caller

Alison Roman Is in Her Advice Hotline Era. We Got Her Portland Tips.

Her podcast is called Solicited Advice, and that’s exactly what we did.

05/01/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Required Reading

Must-Visit Portland Indie Bookstores

Our list of more than 20 shops spotlighting the African diaspora and children’s books, sci-fi and fantasy, artist monographs, comics, and…yarn?

04/24/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Book Biz

Portland Gets Its First-Ever Romance Bookstore, Finally

Black-owned Grand Gesture Books looks to fill a hole in Portland’s bookish heart.

01/04/2024 By Matthew Trueherz

Unionized

8th Time’s the Charm: Powell’s and Employees Agree to a Contract

Following a strike and more than 10 months of bargaining, employees at Powell’s Books have voted to ratify to the eighth contract on offer.

12/20/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

New Word Order

3 Newish Portland Bookstores to Know About

Because one city can never have too many bookshops, we say.

10/17/2023 By Dalila Brent

Civil War

Booksellers vs. Bookstore: Powell’s Books Staff Strikes

The war between staff and management at the beloved literary landmark plunges book lovers into anxiety. We investigated.

09/04/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

Movers & Shakers

Perfect Party: Spring 2023

From the Hops’ new manager—one of the highest-ranking women in baseball—to the ghost of the Fort Stevens whale, here’s who we want to sit down with for a meal this season.

03/13/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Gift Guide

Valentine's Gift Guide: Last-Minute Presents to Find Close to Home

Ideas for your sweetie from every Portland quadrant, from vegan doughnuts in Hollywood to pain pillows in Multnomah Village to hand hooks in the Pearl

02/10/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Books

Reese Witherspoon Wasn’t at the Portland Book Festival, Per Se

From Election to Wild, the books behind some of Witherspoon’s most acclaimed roles were the talk of this year’s festival.

11/08/2022 By Matthew Trueherz

Long Story Short

Meet Portland’s Most Beloved Bookseller

Earl Dizon, of Green Bean Books, has gained a following for solid recommendations, a sunny attitude, and a worldview that’s committed to the written word.

03/24/2022 By Fiona McCann

Shopping Road Trip

Shop Stops in the Columbia River Gorge

Hood River’s Oak Street and its counterparts in Bingen and White Salmon make these connected Gorge towns a stealth shopping destination.

03/11/2022 By Gabriel Granillo, Margaret Seiler, and Julia Silverman