A sister store of Portland's famed chain, the Hyde Park bookshop features a broad-based and fairly inexpensive collection of used academic nonfiction, with especially significant American/European history and literary criticism sections. As with most U of C area bookstores, social sciences dominate the shelves; humanities and sciences receive scant attention. A substantial amount of fiction and piles upon piles of books awaiting shelving round out the first floor, along with better than average selections in philosophy, architecture, Americana, and anthropology.

A few remaindered books can be found both upstairs and down for used-book prices. Downstairs is a bargain basement (complete with plumbing noises) stocked with used and remaindered books and a fair number of children's and foreign language books. A limited selection of antiquarian and collector's-edition books lie near the cash register.

As with any other Powell's, those wearing store T-shirts (available for $10) get a 20 percent discount on purchases on the first of every month. Even if you forget yours, it's still fun to watch the army of Powell's devotees.