Last week, in a memo to all Powell’s Books employees, Owner and CEO Emily Powell shared news that the company’s store at Portland International Airport will close permanently, effective immediately. Powell’s Books was one of the first retailers with a presence at PDX when the airport welcomed local businesses in the late 1980s, and the company celebrated its 30-year anniversary at PDX a few years ago. Powell’s Oregon Marketplace and Concourse C kiosk have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Emily Powell, “Closing the airport store is a sad necessity as we face the months ahead. The privilege of welcoming book lovers to Portland, and sending Portlanders off on their travels with a good book in hand, has been a true gift. It’s hard for me to imagine our future without the airport, and without the airport’s seasoned team of booksellers. We hope to return one day.”
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