Arches, a Neighborhood Book House, Now Open [UPDATED]
PORTLAND — A “book house” at the corner of Wall and Houghton reopened with a new name and look — but a familiar face running the operation.
Taking over Windows Booksellers from its longtime owner on June 1, Adam McInturf has renamed it Arches. McInturf previously worked at Windows.
The book house/store at 8900 N. Wall Ave. specializes in philosophy, history, theology, literature and art books. The transition was announced on the previous store’s Facebook page on Independent Bookstore Day (which was also a big deal in Chicago when Myopic workers bought the iconic Wicker park shop from their longtime boss.)
To clear the way for the transition, McInturf held a Summer Book Sale in mid-May. After a renovation, he opened Arches to the public last month.
Before the store was a book house, it was home to the Best Buds Dispensary, which is why the house was painted green. And long before that, it was a Ma & Pop corner grocer.
See below pics for “now” and “before.”
McInturf plans to repaint the exterior (note: I took these photos a few weeks ago…. so pop by to see any updates!!). The new name and logo pays homage to the St. Johns bridge and the shape of the arches. If he were to paint the house the same color of the St. Johns bridge, McInturf would have to find a few cans of “ODOT Green.”
I spent $9 at the mid-May sale and walked away with three books. I saw on the cover of philosoper John Gray’s “Straw Dogs” that Jim Crace gave it kudos. Even though I usually prefer fiction over pretty much any genre, Crace’s gory but beautiful book “Being Dead” is one of my favorite books so I figured I’d check out what “engaged and enraged” him about “Straw Dogs.”
While the previous shop focused on religion and spirituality, the new iteration is billed as “an all-around Humanities bookshop” and will offer a wider selection of books.
Follow Arches on Instagram and Facebook at @archesbookhouse or visit the website at archesbookhouse.com. Located at 8900 N. Wall St. Ph: 503–251–5383.
