They say good things come in small packages, and Belmont Books in Portland, Oregon, falls nicely into that category. While one of the smaller venues in Portland’s thriving indie bookstore scene, a top notch selection, a welcoming storefront, and friendly staff set this one high on the list during my recent PDX bookstore crawl.

One of the city’s most recent additions, Belmont Books was opened last year by Joseph Witt, a financial planner who’d also worked in restaurants before becoming a bookseller – a “lifelong dream,” as he recently told OregonLive.com.

The 325-square-foot shop stocks around 5,000 mostly used books, from novels to local works to art to philosophy to the obscure and unusual. Joseph notes there’s no specific focus. Shoppers will find everything from the classics to a variety of zines to even some vinyl LPs.

And what it might lack in floorspace, Belmont Books makes up for in unique and interesting inventory. If the hustle and bustle of the flagship Powell’s store isn’t really your speed, give Belmont Books a try. 

Said Joseph, “If you ever feel overwhelmed at Powell’s, this is a good place to come recalibrate.”

Belmont Books is located at 3415 SE Belmont Street, Portland, Oregon. Open daily.

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