Broadway Books Our Story

After working in various parts of the book business for many years, two friends (Gloria and Roberta) decided that Northeast Portland needed a good neighborhood bookstore and that we were the ones to make it happen. We borrowed the money from family and friends. We found a perfect location with a prince of a landlord, enlisted the help of another friend who knew a thing or two about planning and building retail spaces, and set to work. With the help of husbands and sons and friends, we painted and pounded and varnished and generally gussied up part of an old furniture store. Acting as our own contractors, we hired people who built a bathroom and an office and installed a ceiling and a floor and carpeting and wiring and heating and air conditioning. We designed all the fixtures and our friend Mark built them in his garage. We spent three weeks sanding and putting two coats of finish on each and every shelf. We ordered books and more books, we unboxed and shelved, we hired a few good people, and we opened our doors on May 15th.

As we grew into our space and filled up our shelves, we came to know this neighborhood as business people as well as residents. Our friends became our customers, and our customers became our friends.

We’ve seen ourselves and our neighborhood and the city of Portland through good times and bad. The lean years are scary and the fat years are fun. In seventeen years, we’ve seen much change on NE Broadway. Many businesses have come and gone. And we’re here to say that owning and operating a small independent bookstore is not for the faint of heart. But we can’t think of anything we’d rather be doing. How many are lucky enough to love coming to work every day?

So we’ve been here for nearly seventeen years. After five years, we added a computer inventory system. After twelve years, we had paid back all of our loans. After thirteen years, Gloria retired from ownership (although we’re a happy family and she still works here occasionally) and Roberta was the sole owner of Broadway Books until April of 2007, when Sally became a partner in the business. Together with our incredibly talented staff and loyal customers, we’re still going and growing and mixing it up.

Since we opened, we’ve employed about 25 or so mostly neighborhood folks, hosted hundreds of readings and other events, and made thousands of friends in this splendid neighborhood. We are proud to be active supporters of our local public schools, the North by Northeast Community Health Clinic, Literary Arts, and other selected organizations as time and money allow.

We’ll never be rich. But we’ll never be bored. Thanks to everyone – family, friends, customers, employees – who are part of our story!