Powell’s Books, which laid off nearly 400 people this month as it shut down its five stores, said Friday that it has brought an unspecified number back to ship books sold online.
“Thanks to your orders on Powells.com, we now have over 100 folks working at Powell’s again – all full time with benefits,” CEO Emily Powell wrote in a memo posted on the store’s website. “Most importantly, we’re working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy. Doing that work means we have to move a little slower as a company than usual.”
Powell’s is a Portland landmark and its March 16 closure was among the most profound early symbols of the effect the coronavirus outbreak is having on Oregon. Dozens of other stores, restaurants, malls and other businesses have shut down as Oregonians isolate themselves and the state strives to constrain the virus.
In the first week after Oregon’s mass closures began, 76,500 Oregonians filed for jobless claims – an all-time high and 3.6 times more than any prior week on record.
ILWU Local 5, which represents Powell’s workers, set up a worker relief fund on its website. Powell’s declined additional comment on its CEO’s note and the union did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Privately, some Powell’s workers said that while they appreciate the bookstore rehiring some workers, they remain frustrated. They said they are concerned the company didn’t do more to mitigate the effect of the job cuts on employees who are going without work and have no certainty about the future of their jobs.
Shortly after the bookstores closed, Powell wrote a note to employees that suggested the company’s future was in doubt and indicating the stores would be closed for at least eight weeks. She appeared more optimistic about the long-term outlook in Friday’s note, though she said the company still faces significant challenges during the outbreak.
“We don’t know what the future holds – none of us does,” Powell wrote. “We’re going to keep the doors to Powells.com open as long as we can, and we will open the doors to all of our stores as soon as it is safe to do so.”
-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699
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