LITERARY ARTS BOOKSTORE & CAFE FAQ
716 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
503-227-2583
bookstore@literary-arts.org
GENERAL INFO
Opening Hours
The Literary Arts Cafe opens at 7:00 a.m. every day. Our bookstore opens at 10:00 a.m. however you may purchase books and other items from our baristas before that time if needed. The Literary Arts Cafe & Bookstore close at 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7:00 p.m. Sundays. You can browse our bookstore online anytime at: https://www.bookstore.literary-arts.org/
Map & Directions
The Literary Arts Bookstore & Cafe are located inside Literary Arts’s headquarters at The Susan Hammer Center Building: 716 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. We are in the Central Eastside Industrial District, Portland’s Buckman neighborhood, and just around the corner from the Morrison Bridge. Our central location makes us easy to find, whether you travel by car, bike, or public transit.
Public Transit
Bus: The closest bus stops to Literary Arts include SE Morrison & Grand, SE Grand & Belmont, and SE M L King & Morrison. Bus routes 15 and 6 will bring you closest to the building. Other nearby bus routes with connections to SE Grand include the 70, 14, 12, and 19.
Max Light Rail & Streetcar: The Max Rail connects to the Portland Streetcar at Oregon Convention Center. Nearby streetcar options include the A & B Loop: Streetcar A (exit at SE M L King & Stark Stop ID 13613) and Streetcar B (exit at SE Grand & Belmont Stop ID 11484).
Bus & Max fares: $2.80 for adults; $1.40 for youth & honored citizens.
Streetcar fares: $2.00 for adults, $1.00 for youth & honored citizens.
For more information on transit schedules, routes, HOP cards, etc. contact TriMet customer service at 503-238-7433 or visit www.trimet.org.
Driving & Parking
From the north: Follow OR 99-E S/NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, turn left on SE Morrison St, and then take another left on to SE Grand Ave.
From the south: Follow OR 99-E N/Mcloughlin Blvd past Powell, where it becomes SE Grand Ave.
From the east: Heading west on SE Morrison St is the most straightforward route, before turning right on SE Grand Ave.
From the west: For the fastest route, take the Morrison Bridge eastbound across the river, and then make an immediate left on SE Grand Ave. Other nearby bridges that connect to SE Grand include the Burnside Bridge (to the north) and the Hawthorne Bridge (to the south).
Parking
On-street parking in the Central Eastside is either metered (paid + time limit), time limit (free + time limit), or permit parking (free + 2-hour time limit for non-permit holders).
There is 2-hour metered parking available surrounding our building, with the closest metered parking available on SE Morrison, SE Alder, and 6th Street. The closest disability parking is located at 6th and SE Morrison. Metered parking is free on the weekends.
The parking lot located directly behind our building at 721 SE 6th Ave has over 20 parking spaces and is open to the public, with a convenient pay by phone option.
Community Agreements
Literary Arts is committed to being a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for our community. We have a zero-tolerance anti-harrassment policy within our space as well as any of our classes and events at Literary Arts and at partnering venues. As an organization we have been, and continue to be, committed to values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Bookstore Info
Can I browse the Literary Arts Bookstore online?
Yes! We’re excited that our full inventory is available for you to browse online at bookstore.literary-arts.org. Check out what’s in stock, what’s on the way, staff recommendations, new releases, preorders and more.
Currently our site is set up to take online orders for in-store pickup if you’d like to shop ahead of your visit. We hope to have shipping options available soon.
Can I preorder a book?
Yes! We love preorders. Find future releases on our website or ask in the store when you visit.
What is your return policy?
We are happy to process returns or exchanges within 14 days of purchase with receipt present and items in their original condition.
Do you sell gift cards ?
Yes! You can purchase gift cards at the bookstore. Additionally, we have both physical and digital gift cards available for online purchase at this link. Both can be used either in-store or online. Please note: Literary Arts Bookstore gift cards do not work for food and beverages purchased in the cafe, or for classes or seminar registration, or for ticketed events at Literary Arts or other other venues.
Do you have a rewards program?
Yes! Sign up with your name and contact info when you check out to start earning reward points on every purchase. Each dollar you spend at the bookstore earns you 5 points and once you reach 1000 points your account will be credited $10! You can start redeeming at 1000 points or continue to accumulate from there.
What kind of books do you stock?
We’re a general bookstore and hope to have a little something for everyone.
We stock entirely new books. If you are looking for used editions, we recommend you visit one of Portland’s many wonderful used bookstores such as our friend Mother Foucault’s located directly across the street from us!
Will you stock my book?
First, please accept our heartfelt congratulations on writing your book! As readers and writers ourselves, we recognize the enormous effort that goes into every publication.
If your book has been published by an established press and is available through Ingram at a regular discount: we invite you to reach out to us with information at bookstore@literary-arts.org.
Due to the volume of submissions, we are not able to accommodate every book and author on our shelves. At this time, you may only hear back if we choose to stock your book.
We ask that you please do not drop off or mail copies of your book to Literary Arts for inventory consideration. Our bookselling team will review submissions and requests via email and will reach out if we require more information. Books mailed to or dropped off at Literary Arts become the property of Literary Arts and will not be returned.
If your book is not available through Ingram or is otherwise self-published: We hope to extend our capacity to support local authors with a consignment program in the future.
How do I get an event hosted at the Literary Arts Bookstore?
If you are interested in having your event at the Literary Arts Bookstore, please review and fill out this form for consideration. Thank you!
EVENTS & CLASSES AT LITERARY ARTS
Does Literary Arts host events in the bookstore?
Yes! We currently program a variety of free events in the Literary Arts Bookstore every week including resident series: BIPOC Readers Night, Incite: Queer Writers Read, One Page Wednesday, and Slamlandia. We also host book launches, readings, panels, and more.
How do I get an event hosted at the Literary Arts Bookstore?
If you are interested in having your event at the Literary Arts Bookstore, please review and fill out this form for consideration. Thank you!
Where can I find more information about writing classes at Literary Arts?
Click here for a list of upcoming writing classes. For more information, including cancellation policy and our access program, click here.
How do I teach a writing class at Literary Arts?
We are always happy to hear from accomplished writers and experienced instructors who are interested in teaching at Literary Arts. When hiring teachers, we consider a combination of prior teaching experience, publication credits, potential demand for proposed course offerings, and active engagement in the literary world.
Potential teachers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with our current offerings.
Literary Arts is happy to hear from experienced teachers interested in offering multi-week or one-day writing workshops for adults. Instructors should be knowledgeable about the craft of writing and have teaching experience and some publishing credits. We are especially interested in receiving class proposals from writers of color, Oregon Book Awards authors, and Oregon Literary Fellowships recipients who teach in the genres of fiction and nonfiction. Our teachers are contracted for individual classes.
Our classes are limited in size (usually around 10 students) and focused on specific writing goals. We can offer online classes on Zoom or the Wet Ink platform. In-person classes take place at Literary Arts, 716 SE Grand Avenue, Portland.
To apply to teach at Literary Arts, please familiarize yourself with our current class offerings and then submit the following to Susan Moore, Director of Programs for Writers at susan@literary-arts.org:
- 1-2 page CV, including publication history
- 1-page statement of your teaching philosophy
- 2-3 sample course descriptions (no more than a page each)
Please send materials in a single Word or PDF document via email. Contact susan@literary-arts.org or 503-227-2583 ext. 107 for more information.
Please note, the above FAQ refers to events and classes hosted at Literary Arts HQ at 716 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR. Please refer to FAQ pages for Portland Arts & Lectures and Portland Book Festival, for events Literary Arts hosts at other venues.
