Powell’s, a beloved bookstore chain in Portland, Oregon, laid off more than 300 people in mid-March, temporarily closed its five storefronts and issued a dire warning for the years to come. “When we do open our stores again, we expect the landscape of Oregon, and all of our abilities to spend money on books and gifts, will have changed dramatically,” wrote Powell’s chief executive, Emily Powell. “We see the path ahead more clearly: it is dark and scary.”