It's the largest independent chain of bookstores in the world, and when you visit the aptly named flagship shop, Powell's City of Books, you'll need a map to find your way around (the store provides one). For a long time, Powell's enormity was a measure of how much Portlanders loved books. But now, with even big-box bookstores flailing, Powell's continued success points to Portland's wily, geeky business acumen: the store does a brisk online business, holds money-making book events and still utterly beguiles everyone else in the world who loves books. Cruise the aisles, grab some coffee and enjoy the lost art of thumbing through bound paper stamped with words.

• 1. Powell's City of Books
  1005 W Burnside St., Portland, OR 97209; 503-228-4651 45.522969-122.681451 powells.com