Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore., has announced layoffs, citing the “unprecedented, rapidly changing nature of the book industry,” as well as the economy and rising health care costs.
The company did not announce a layoff total Tuesday. But Ryan Van Winkle of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union says the layoffs affect 31 positions. The Oregonian says the retailer has about 400 employees, not counting management and security guards.
The 39-year-old Powell’s has become a tourist attraction for book lovers.
The newspaper reports that in an e-mail to employees, Powell’s noted that sales for this fiscal year are down and it expects the trend to continue. The e-mail notes the largest decreases have been in new book sales and calls that a “clear indication that we are losing sales to electronic books and reading devices.”
