Postcard Bookshop, which is dedicated to travelers and globally-curious readers, will open October 1 and host a grand opening party on October 5 at its space inside the Cargo Emporium at 81 SE Yamhill Street, Portland, Ore. With a goal of connecting readers to books from around the world, whether for their next adventure or for armchair travel, the store will feature sections arranged by continent and country.
"If you have immediate travel plans, you can pick up a guidebook and a novel to pack in your bag," said owner Patrick Leonard. "While someone just back from a trip can prolong their vacation with a cookbook, a cultural history, or a beautiful coffee table book from their latest destination.... If you browse the shelves for a book to plan your next trip, you'll not only find the very best travel guides, but also novels, phrasebooks, photo books, and regional cookbooks from that place... everything you need to feed your cultural curiosity."
Leonard is a veteran of publishing, retail, and the arts. For the past eight years, he worked as the buying director for independent specialty grocer Providore Fine Foods, where he also made his first foray into bookselling, curating a selection of cookbooks and food writing from around the world. Before that, Leonard worked in publicity and marketing for Artisan Books in New York City.
In addition to books, Postcard Bookshop will stock indie magazines, travel accessories, journals, bags, and stationery. The shop will also have a dedicated children's section, featuring titles about travel and world cultures, as well as games and travel activities to keep kids entertained.
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| Postcard Bookshop in progress. | |
Postcard Bookshop will open as a tenant of Cargo, an importer of global antiques and ephemera in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District. Since 2018, Cargo has also been home to the Emporium, a collective of retailers and artisans who share space in their warehouse store.
"I couldn't be more excited to land here," Leonard said, "Every visit to Cargo feels like going on a trip around the world." While the store's space is just under 300 square feet, Leonard noted that "just like our humble namesake, Postcard Bookshop will share stories from around our big world in just a small space."