[Groop] Powells Parking Lot (was Old Groo Review)

[MisterElie at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/14/2003 12:33:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
mightyhero at mail.com writes:
In addition to being the largest bookstore on the
West coast, it also had the worst parking lot on
the West coast.  Suggest parking on the streets
behind Powell's.
Boy, does that bring back memories!  I went to college out there (almost 10 
years ago, where does the time go?)  I remember the very first time I went to 
Powells.  I was totally and completely agog at the size of the store and the 
scope of their selection.  But driving into their parking lot was one of the 
hardest and scariest experiences of my young, 2 year driving career.

For those of you who have never had the pleasure -- and I use the term 
loosely -- Powells parking lot is a ONE LANE lot for entering and exiting.  To 
enter, you take your ticket and drive up an EXTREMELY STEEP embankment, veering 
sharply to the right after about 50 feet to get to the first row of cars.  Repeat 
as necessary until you get to your assigned space.

The problem comes when you realize that you are going up in the same lane as 
its patrons are trying to go down.  Every couple of feet, there are signs 
urging the exiting motorists to honk their horns so incoming drivers can get out 
of the way.  If you are going up and you hear a horn, look out, someone's 
a-coming!

Oh, and did I mention I first encountered this while still a new driver and 
my car was a 1962 Studebaker Hawk?  I doubt anyone would say it was a very 
maneuverable car back when it was new in the 1960's, and it was even more 
lumbering in 1994.  Add to that it is a column shift and the clutch concept was still 
moderately new to me, you can imagine I was all but soiling my Huggies that 
day.

In spite of their parking (take TRI-MET instead), if you like books, Powells 
is truly a rewarding experience.  Their graphic novel room alone is worth the 
trip to a comic fan.

Elie
P.S. And the answer is yes, I still have that car.
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