Nonprofit organization Literary Arts, which announced last spring that its new, 14,000-sq.-ft. headquarters at 716 SE Grand Ave. in Portland, Ore., would include a bookstore and cafe, hosted the grand opening of the Susan Hammer Center at Literary Arts on December 7. The festivities included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, refreshments, and holiday shopping at the bookshop, with almost 1,000 people coming through the space.
"Visitors shopped for themselves and others--starting conversations with strangers about what they were buying, toured the four-floor building, snacked on pastries and coffee, and generally imbibed the bookish vibe," Oregon Artswatch reported.
In an Instagram post, Literary Arts wrote: "Thank you to the HUNDREDS of people who joined us today to celebrate! We are so excited to share our new home with you all."
The building is named for a former Literary Arts board member and advocate for arts and culture in Portland, whose belief in the mission of Literary Arts resulted in a $3 million gift to purchase their new headquarters, the organization noted.
"Creating an inclusive and welcoming center for our community, where people can gather to tell and hear stories and exchange ideas freely, has long been our dream," said Andrew Proctor, executive director of Literary Arts. "Susan's gift, and the generosity of many other donors, enabled us to purchase the building outright, continuing our investment in Portland, a city that has been our home for four decades."
The Bookstore at Literary Arts is a general-interest shop with a selection of 12,000 books. Manager Dustin Kurtz said the inventory will cater to all ages and tastes, with a wide range of fiction, nonfiction and children's titles. The store will also have larger collections in the specialty areas of design and architecture, poetry and writing craft. Proceeds from the bookstore will benefit Literary Arts.
In addition, the space incorporates movable bookshelves to accommodate author readings and community events for up to 75 guests. The four-story building also features multiple classrooms for in-person workshops and classes, café seating, staff offices, and a recording studio for the radio show and podcast The Archive Project. A café serving coffee, beer and food will open at a later date.
Built in 1904, the building was purchased in 2022 by Literary Arts, which partnered with Bora Architects, O'Neill Construction Group, and Edlen & Co. to reimagine the space as a literary center. Both Bora Architects and Edlen & Co. donated their professional services to the project.
"Throughout the design, we focused on how this building will be used by staff and those they serve--a diverse mix of readers, writers and youth," said Amy Donohue, architect and principal at Bora Architects and Literary Arts board chair. "The result is a space that is welcoming for all, irrespective of age, income, race, education or geographical background--a true cultural hub in our community."
"Literary Arts' contribution to the cultural vibrancy in our region is significant," said Jill Sherman, co-founder of Edlen & Co. "From early discussions visioning the potential of this historic building through project managing the design and construction, collaborating on the new Literary Arts headquarters aligns with our values to contribute to the quality of life in the communities in which we are invested. This project directly impacts the Central Eastside Industrial District and contributes to the ongoing revitalization of the urban core."