Literary Arts — Local services in Portland

New location with a coffee shop coming to add to the space. (Not open at time of review, but coming sometime summer 2025.)

Literary Arts is a non-profit that hosts literary events & workshops throughout Portland & encompasses many types of local poetry.

This new space also features an independent bookshop with a solid selection of local, indie, and established writers. Two floors with both stairs and a lift for accessibility.

It should be noted that many of these literary events cater to the more "elite/academic" side of the writer's life, but they also host local poetry slams and book launches which kind of balances things.

Not sure if Dustin is still the book manager for Literary Arts, but his stance on AI writing (pro, would stock in the bookshop) is also worth noting as a possible drawback. Hopefully, this no longer applies, but bears a mention if this is a concern for shoppers. This is my reason for 4 stars instead of 5.

New location can be a bit challenging for parking, and the neighborhood surrounding is a little rough, especially after dark. Good to know, but not a deal-breaker. Just go back a block or two behind Grand, and you'll find more spots.

Whether you're a local bookworm or a traveling book lover visiting PDX, Literary Arts should be on your list of indie PDX...

Booked a room and used it for a casual work meeting through Hazel Valdez. Everything went off without a hitch and my team loved their coffee and even got some time for a little shopping! Wifi also worked out really well, and the room was well kept.

I wasn't sure if this was a thing but I had peeped the space and saw their rooms in the back. I simply asked (emailed the address listed on their site) and they worked with me to book a room/time at the exact date I wanted. Thanks to Hazel and team for the space and coffees! Would...

Awesome space for the new bookstore. I appreciated that the books on display were very unique compared to other bookstores around Portland, but you can still find standard offerings as well. A lot of signed copies and local authors featured. The staff member I interacted with was very helpful and friendly, and had a great enthusiasm about books, loved the energy! They're open to suggestions for books to carry and will order ones you're looking for if it's not available...