Visitors to Portland's famous City of Books—America’s largest independent bookstore and world-famous beacon to the literate—can now step into the block-sized book hub's light, bright West Burnside entryway, complete with spacious checkout stations, sky-high beams, and plenty of browse-worthy displays.

The iconic Powell's marquee is still missing from the building's facade, but the new entryway is already a welcome improvement. On a typically busy day, the City of Books sees more than 7,000 visitors, a number that swells beyond 12,000 during peak retail seasons. Thanks to the wider passageways between the bookstore's color-coded Green and Blue rooms have improved sightlines and foot-traffic flow for the masses.

We've got photos of the new look above—but step in to see it for yourself soon!