Daedalus is a cool used bookstore located in NW Portland. Definitely grab some coffee and then come through to browse some of their offerings if you are ever in the neighborhood. read more

See all

Friendly and found some nice editions of Kafka. Also picked up a translation of Gilgamesh.

Books to sell? Try here Problem is you'll go away With your next fav'rite Eclectic grounded Let yourself get swept away Baked goods smell yum too read more

Right next door to kens bakery which is delicious. This is a small quant bookstore with limited options but still a quality selection of books used. Found one I've been searching for. Always fun to look ! read more

Daedalus Books - Booooks - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Incredible bookstore. Great selection. So many books. The owner Jeremy is extremely knowledgeable about many books and works of literature, and friendly. Tammy was very helpful, and they made my visit a pleasure. Would highly recommend! read more

Daedalus Books - Entrance to Daedalus Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Fun place to browse, esp on a rainy day. I always find something I didn't know I needed. Last time it was a volume of Alice Munro's short stories. So glad this little gem brightens our part of NW Portland. read more

On a mission to find a special biography on Bruce Lee for my son as a Christmas present, we came here to search among the bountiful literary gems to be found in this bookstore. Though we didn't find what we were looking for, we did land two really good books that were rare editions on this well-known man who embraces a spiritual side unbeknownst to many - including yours truly. This bookstore focuses on older books, philosophical, rare, often limited editions, and special finds. As the name implies, a convolution of books about invention, sculpture, and architecture abound here (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Daedalus-Greek-mythology). I enjoyed its atmosphere which has the quiet hush of an old library and the accompanying smells of a lost art form. If your addiction derives pleasure from this wonderful layering, I recommend this place. Fortunately, my husband is extremely tall and he could reach the top shelves for me. The staff, though obviously trying to be helpful during our visit, exuded the aura of a professor disturbed during review of the research assistance's work, which can be a good thing by making you find your own point quickly. Not much time is wasted when you get a plain no. Parking is generally impossible, as you are next to the most popular shopping street in the whole of Portland. Do yourself a favor, and walk or take public transportation. The Portland Street Car comes very close, has its own merits to enjoy, and you can combine two healthy pleasures in one. read more

Awesome and wide selection of art and philosophy books. Very willing to work with you on ordering if they don't have what you need as well as very fair book trading practices. They purchase their books ethically as well. Every rare book I've needed or sought after they have found for me. Their prices are so reasonable and competitive. read more

Yes. So many wonderful books. And I'm not going to get into the long and interesting story but, the owners got integrity. They could have taken advantage of a situation in their favor but they didn't. They did the right thing. Thank you read more

Peculiar grammar for a book lover, Emily H. Checking your bag at a retail shop is a fairly standard practice-much cheaper than security cameras. And if they ask everyone, then they don't have to profile, get it? At any rate, Daedalus is a great shop. Well curated selection of fiction and poetry to go along with a respectable offering of academic humanities and rare books. read more

A small used book store with a great selection of scholarly books, including real philosophy books (Kant, Sartre, Hobbes, etc.) Grab a book (pay for it) and then head over to Ken's bakery right around the corner for a read. read more

Lovely place with quite a nice selection of books, including a lot of things I haven't seen. We had a sweet conversation with the bookseller about kids books, too. This shop is down-to-earth, friendly, and smart without being stuffy. Plus, you can stop at Ken's before or after for some amazing bread. read more

I suppose I may have been expecting something larger, but the Portland spirit is rooted in small businesses--and I do mean SMALL. There's not even a business page for this store. This little store was right next to Ken's, so we dropped by on our way back to the hostel, because I'm a book lover to the max. We were in and out in less than 30 minutes. There weren't any other customers that morning, but at least it was arranged well enough. Tall bookshelves with anything from poetry and astrology, etc. I kind of felt like I was in a library while I was there; with a decided hush surrounding me. I imagine this is the kind of store the owner created as a dream, something he'd wanted to do his whole life. Luckily, Portland is a great place to have a bookstore and a small business, and he seems to be doing well enough. PROS: The space, though small, really utilizes its space well. Handicapped friendly--there's a ramp. Good location, near Ken's Bakery. Decent selection, considering the size. CONS: Really small selection and space. Not very competitive pricing. Most books I picked up were about half the cost of the original book, even with tears/ripped spines/creases. THE VERDICT: I think this place, due to its size, is better suited for browsing and not active seeking (there's always Powell's for that). If you are dying for something to read while you eat at Ken's, then sure, you're bound to find something here. While there were a few books I had my eye on, I couldn't justify the price tag, condition, and space it would take up in my suitcase on the way back home. Nothing special about this place, really, so I wouldn't make a special visit here unless I was already nearby. read more

A fun place to browse for high quality used books. You'll stumble upon well-known titles and unusual books, too, but they are all interesting selections. A good children's section, too. If you don't find what you want, their backroom has many thousands more selections, and they might be able to find something interesting for you. read more

I loved Daedalus! I stumbled into it after having a great croissant at Ken's bakery around the corner, which made that morning into one of the best I had during my trip to Portland. The store has a fantastic selection of titles with a really wide range. The books are used but almost all of them are in pristine quality, as in, I had to double check that they were used a few times because they were so spotless. Also, Daedalus had great prices. I got the aforementioned new-looking books for less than half of their cover price. These amazing prices eventually got me into trouble with my wallet and my baggage weight but it was totally worth it. I can't recommend this bookstore highly enough! read more

Small store crammed with books of all genres. The guy at the counter was very consumed with what he was doing and wasn't great about helping find the books I was looking for. They're sections are fairly specific, so I wasn't sure exactly where to look. He just pointed down an aisle and then got involved in a conversation with someone else. I didn't end up finding what I was looking for, but their prices seemed quite good and it's a great place to waste a bit of time! read more

There is no real point in elaborating on how great a bookstore is. There is no point in describing the sheer joy of finding out that such gems exist. I walk through the door and there is a bookshelf for science fiction/mystery. I am in a wonderful place right then and there. There is a wide selection of books of various ages. There is a section about fiction and then about history. Someone sneezed and there are so many authors from different series that it's not funny. It's just joyous that this place even exists. I would recommend finding this and browsing through it. It has cheap prices and easily reached by foot. read more

Daedalus is the epitome of a tucked-away bookstore gem. This place has plenty of quiet browsing room thanks to their big shelves, hidden location, and homey atmosphere. If you're anywhere in Northwest Portland, I don't think you'd be disappointed by stopping in and checking out their inexpensive books. Thanks, Daedalus! read more

I googled 'vintage bookstores' in Portland and up popped Daedalus. I have lived here for most of my life and had no idea we had such a gem in our own backyard. The front store is small and with books that you can't get anywhere else, without much searching. I had several areas I was interested in and the owner and assistant were incredible in helping me find books. They checked out their back stock room, a heaven of books twice as big as the front part of the store. I found all the unusual and rare books I was looking for. They even allowed me to browse the warehouse of books in the back.... I was in heaven. We have so few bookstores and this one is on my 'favorites' list, read more

Small store but great selection and the books I looked at were in excellent condition. Was happy to find a Henle edition of Bach's Goldberg Variations, my lucky day! read more

Such a tiny gem filled with old-world book charm. Killer collection of random books, like all James Bonds. Go to Ken's bakery before or after, right around the corner. We MUST patronize stores like this lest the Amazons of the world take tiny book browsing away from us! read more

This store is little and quaint. Not much selection for fiction, and the hardbound books were pretty pricey for being used. It is pretty handy though, so if you just need to pick up something quick and aren't looking for anything in particular it would be a good spot. read more