By Liz Prato

In our revolving door society, it's pretty rare for anything to last 30 years - a marriage, a business or a mortgage. That's why it's worth a big shindig to celebrate Annie Bloom's Books turning thirty this year.

In 1978 Annie Hall won the Best Picture Oscar, The Bee Gees were Stayin' Alive, men had permed hair, and Reggie Jackson's seventh inning Game 6 home run cemented a World Series win for the New York Yankees. It was also the year that Bobby Tichneor decided to put her JD degree in a drawer and dive into the world of bookselling. Along with then-partner, Susan Bloom, Tichenor opened Annie Bloom's Books in quaint and funky Multnomah Village. Over the next 30 years, Annie Bloom's built a reputation not just as a neighborhood-"where everyone knows your name"-sort of place, but as a respected independent bookseller in the larger Portland community.

In an age of Amazon and big box stores, Annie Bloom's has been able to thrive for many reasons. First and foremost, they provide a cozy atmosphere, a savvy selection and smart workers. Some of the staff have been at Annie Bloom's since the Clinton administration - or longer - and know the world of books inside and out. The read a lot and offer advice on books from Art to Young Adult, from Sports to Spirituality. They also have a hand-picked selection of CDs from national and local musicians.

If what you're looking for isn't on the shelf, the staff orders it for you lickety-split, often arriving faster than Amazon. They'll also go to great lengths to find out-of-print books. If you walk in saying, "So, I heard about this great book, and I can't remember the title - it might have ‘dog' in it - and it's about some guy who does some thing…" the whole staff will jump in with suggestions until they find the book (you think) you're looking for. And just in case what you're looking for is an expert on subjects like napping in the sun and cleaning one's pretty black paws, the resident cat, Oscar Wilde, is often on hand for consultations.

But it's Annie Bloom's loyal customers that have allowed the store to thrive over the last three decades. They know that supporting a local business helps the local economy. In fact, when you shop locally, more than two-thirds of each dollar you spend stays in the community. At a national chain, it's only 43 cents. At Amazon, it's next to nothing. That's because when you shop at Annie Bloom's, your dollar goes to employing that friendly and knowledgeable staff (which means they can go buy a chai at Village Coffee or get a massage from a local therapist or buy pears from the farmer's market). Your dollar contributes to local property and business taxes. It pays the local printshop used by Annie Bloom's, which helps pay their employees, business taxes, etc. See the cascading effect?

But here's the kicker: Locally owned businesses also put more money into community nonprofits than national chains. Every year Annie Bloom's donates books to Rafeal House (domestic violence shelter), Neighborhood House (resources for families in need), The Transitional School (transportation and schooling for homeless kids) and SMART (children's literacy). Additionally, they contribute hundreds of $10 gift certificates to schools, health organizations and other nonprofits around town. Any business that's been such a substantial member of the community for 30 years deserves to be celebrated.

Saturday, October 25 is the day that Portland comes together to laud Annie Bloom's. The Family Fun portion of the day runs from 10:00 to 3:00pm, with cake, punch, food and balloons. The adult programming kicks off at 5:00pm with an author's reception, more food and plenty o'booze. Live music will be featured in the store with folkster Dick Weissman and guitar guru Tim Roth (no, not the guy from Pulp Fiction). A smorgasbord of Oregon authors have been invited, so you might just rub elbows with Barry Lopez or Chelsea Cain or Phillip Margolin (if you're really lucky, Marc Acito will break into song). These festivities will carry on through the night, so stop by any time.

You hear it time and time again: Portland is a great town for readers and writers. So come support a business which has helped make that true.