Welcoming and fun atmosphere, great bookstore to browse, shop and hang out. The dog theme and…read moremerchandise have won me over.

My kids both go to college at Iowa State in Ames. For the past four years we've been making regular…read morestops to dog Eared Books whenever we visit. I've been here so often it almost feels like home. There's always a book or two or three that make my must-read list. I especially love the gently used book section where many of my favorite authors like Timothy Egan, Erik Larsen, Malcolm Gladwell and others, like to hang out. The best part is that for less than $10 I can try a new author or genre without breaking the bank. Upstairs is a loft that literally feels more like your den at home than a book store. With a great view of the shop below, there are comfy sofas and chairs that invite you to curl up and stay a while. Every time I come here customers drift through the rows of books like a leaf in a stream. I hope business is good for this small, independent bookstore. If you're near Ames, stop in. Buy a book and stay a while.

My last couple visits to BAM have been accented by a really friendly and engaging guy who has come…read morefrom behind the counter to help me find a particular book, magazine, or gift. And last week, he was wearing a cool Puerto Rico baseball jersey (Santurce Cangrejeros) with Roberto Clemente's number (21). BAM also has an extensive magazine collection that you just don't see anymore. It's right next to the coffee shop, which accentuates the book and periodical browsing experience.

I love that there's still a bookstore in town. There used to be that amazing bookstore over in the…read moreLincoln Center mall, and we had Borders, but now this Borders has closed and turned into a Books a Million. Everything is laid out about-ish the same that Borders used to have it laid out. There's music and movies in the same spot, the children's area in the same spot, the coffee and seating in the same spot, and of course, the bathrooms haven't moved. Shopping here is nice. They have a ton of clearance, but that seems to be standard for a lot of bookstores. Prices are pretty standard for books (higher than online), but they also are lower than prices I've seen at Barnes & Noble, so that's a positive. It was easy to locate the area that I was looking for. There are large signs on top of shelves that let you know what type of books are on there. They have a pretty large biblical/Christian section which I found surprising. It's larger than quite a lot of the other sections, and I think it actually might be getting close to the size of some of the fiction sections. Over in the Transportation section, I found what I was looking for pretty easily. They even had a good selection. However, the books were not in order like they should have been. Books about airplanes were strewn throughout and between books about motorcycles, trains, and cars. They were in the right section (Transportation), but definitely not organized how they should have been. So if you're looking for a specific book, make sure you look through the whole section. There were quite a few Clearance books, and I came out with 5 books instead of the original 1 I was looking for. Most of their clearance is very reasonably priced at about 50% to 75% off the original price. The books are in decent shape too. I had a really fun time looking through clearance. Check-out was nice and simple. They asked me to sign up for their membership program which I declined. They also offered me to sign up for their "3 free magazines" deal, but none of that was particularly pushed on me. They were really friendly about it and didn't push when I said no. Staff was extremely friendly and I was greeted on multiple occasions. Didn't try out the coffee area or look through the Children's area. Final thoughts: I'd definitely come back. The prices are higher than what I could get online, but there's something to be said for in-store book stores. I love being able to buy a book locally and help support the local economy as well. Plus, looking through Clearance is easily one of my favorite aspects of bookstores. I came out with 5 new books at least than $40; that's definitely amazing for book prices. I'm glad Ames still has a local bookstore.

It was nice to find a terrific Ankeny bookstore on a recent weekend. Walls of Books combines book…read moreknowledge, comfort, selection, solid pricing, and atmosphere in its venue. Plus, they have Isa (pronounced "E-sah"), the German Shepherd, one of the sweetest and friendliest dogs of all time who wanders the front of the store, greeting customers! I appreciated their selection of new and used book options, and I enjoyed interacting with kind and helpful staffers. I also loved their layout. I plan on returning frequently and will enjoy hanging with Isa!

Wall of books is cool if you're searching for that new book to fall into, but even though all the…read morebooks are used, it is often going to be close to the price of a new book. Wall of Books is like the Gamestop of Bookstores. Sell your used books for a few bucks and they'll resell them for 90% of msrp. Also, lucky finds are rare too because they adapt to secondary market as well so there are even books above that.

Great selection of clothes and gift items, fun events throughout the year too! I love that they are…read morealways coming out with new merch!

The ISU Bookstore remains on my "must stop by" list whenever I'm in Ames. Over the years,…read more"bookstore" has lost some of its meaning as ISU-branded merchandise sales and gradually taken over more and more floor space. However, there's still a modest stationary/art supplies section, an area for textbooks (strange to say that in a digital world), and a nice computer area in the back (and close to the stairway to or from the parking garage). As an Iowa Hawkeye grad, I have little interest in the ISU branded stuff, unless it involves a gift to my less enlightened Cyclone family members or friends. But the selection is impressive and the rivalry is light and friendly. And they'll validate your parking with a smile.

The worker was very nice and the cats were super adorable! Great selection of both used and new…read morebooks. They also offer more than just books. Puzzles, socks, and toys as well!

Excellent used & new bookstore, can browse for hours and always find stuff I want and stuff I did…read morenot know I did. Two gorgeous white shop kitties too. We drive over from Des Moines just for this bookstore.

While from my first order with SB they didn't have the books I wanted onhand, they ordered them and…read morewere available at Amazon prices within a couple days. When I picked them up I swear I was treated like their favorite customer. The woman who helped me also helped me get an account on Libro.fm because I have trouble reading with sight alone. A+ all-star performance and I'm so glad this store exists in Des Moines.

I loved our initial visit to Storyhouse, as it's loaded with great vibes and a superb selection…read more This independent bookstore has an outstanding leader in Abbey. Located adjacent to the legendary RayGun store, this shop feels good. Abbey knows her inventory and is dialed in on authors and topics to lead you to better reading options. Her pricing is solid, and a vast children's section is separated from the rest of the store. I know that we have found our DSM Metro bookstore!

I love bookstores, particularly used bookstores. Half price books never disappoints. There is a…read morehuge selection. It isn't the most affordable used books you can buy, but it is always fun to come and hunt for treasures. My kids all went home with new (to them) books.

This store is huge and had so many selection at a great value. I went in searching for certain…read moreMitch Album books and found 3 out the 4 I was looking for. The service was very friendly and helpful. Go check them out.

A cute store in the Drake area. They have stones, herbs, incense, soaps, books, and much more. The…read moreatmosphere is cozy with a nice ambience. I mainly go here for incenses and stones, I definitely recommend stopping in if you're new to new age stuff. Masks are required. I think there's a sign that they'll give you a discount if you have your student ID for Drake kids. There's street parking right in front of the store. So far my experience has been good.

Kal was absolutely amazing. A very nice and genuine person who took her time with palm and rune…read morereadings, never made us feel as if we were being rushed and took the time to converse with us and make us feel welcomed. Truly an amazing person :) All of the items there are also pretty genuine, unlike other places that either have books on closed practices/ racial wording like "ind*an" when referring to Native American inspired works. The shop is very respectful in not selling what should not be sold :) and they have a very gorgeous mural inside. the kitty is no longer ):

Calling to the book seller to place books on hold is quick and easy. As a Premium Member you can…read moreget 10% off books and merchandise. The options available are bountiful in a clean, safe and serene environment. Picking up a hard bound book is a choice and well worth the value. Not only are the words on the page everlasting, but you are bound to cuddle up with your choice selection over and over!

Just wanted to shout out Declan for helping me find a book tonight. He is such a nice guy and went…read moreabove and beyond!

Amazing selection, super friendly and helpful staff. And some of the cleanest bathrooms I've ever…read moreseen at a game store!

Cool niche place to go to. Lots of collectibles and board games that you wouldn't find in a normal…read morestore. Worth a look around.