A great place to spark your appetite for things of interest in the Astral plane, but not a good place to buy. Grossly inflated margins, and poor out of stock order services, and poor customer service inquiries regarding supply and delivery enquiries. honestly read more

This store is pretty cool! I've been in here a couple of times and I find it's really a unique place. The various displays are quite attractive. There are a lot of things to see and be tempted to buy. In general there are a lot delicate and breakable items in this store. If you bring young kids in here, or even accident prone adults, I would advise being extra careful. I find there is enough space to maneuver around items. At the front of the store they've got some pretty cute items for fairy gardens. They have quite a selection of miniature figurines such as fairies or miniature gnomes. Where the cashiers are at the front, there are different colours and kinds of mala necklaces, under a display case. They also have a wide selection of Buddha figurines as well as other religious deities throughout the store. The have different sizes of figurines too. One wall has various dream catchers on display. The far side of the store has an impressive selection of different kinds of incense, incense holders, candles and essential oils. They also have various Himalayan salt lamps. A large portion, I'd say about half of the store is full of New Age types of books and CDs. But in between and on top of the shelves there are more items to see. At the very back they have a wonderful display of various gem stones, crystals and beautiful jewelry. This is my favourite part of the store. You can learn a lot about what the stones mean. Overall, I think this is an awesome store to check out! There's a lot to see and lots of tempting things to buy. If you want to find a unique gift for someone, this could be the place you'll find it. read more

Popped in during the Red Shoe Crawl 124th street edition! How have I not been here before?!? Huge, awesome, and packed full of awesomeness! I will be back! read more

Ascendant Books - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

It is impossible for me to walk down 124th Street without popping into Ascendant Books. For hours. There's so much to see inside, there is truly something for everyone including gifts, windchimes and similar instruments, a fantastic selection of alternative new and used books, aromatherapy, incense and candles, music, and my personal favourite, crystals and gemstones! The back of the shop has gallery quality crystals. The more impressive pieces are priced higher than other shops, but the quality is amazing. The owners clearly take pride in their collection, purchasing special, unique pieces, all of which are displayed beautifully. If you're like me, & purchase your stones based on "feel", you may find it a little difficult. Understandably, employees must unlock cabinets and show you the pieces, but I often feel awkward choosing stones with someone standing over me. I have learned to ask to take potential stones to the counter, where you can really take a look at the pieces and make the perfect decision without worrying about looking shady. If you're looking specifically for tumblestones, comparable quality stones can be purchased at other rock shops in Edmonton for a better price, but for larger or statement crystals and jewellery, Ascendant is the place to shop! Everyone working there is kind, helpful, and patient, willing to answer questions and make suggestions. They are so passionate about what they do! If you like readings, there are a variety of intuitive readers scheduled Wednesday thru Sunday! Just walk in and book a spot - easy peasy! read more

Ascendant Books - Beautiful rutilated quartz palm stone from Ascendant Books. - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

I haven't been here in ages, and every time I come back to it, I wonder why I waited so long. Not much has changed in the many years this book story has been around, but it's absolutely beautiful as always. So much to see! Whether you are into the metaphysical or not, you can probably find something you like. Perhaps some artwork or jewelry? I just bought a friend a lovely red hanging crystal for her birthday (Oh, those cold Canadian winters that lead to all those September/October birthdays!) I'll be back for Christmas. read more

Ascendant Books is a great place to pop into when you're looking to kill some time or looking or some great gift ideas. Ascendant is in a great location, right next to the newest Remedy Café on 124 Street, and it made for a great place to pop in while I was waiting to meet a friend at the café. There are so many things to see in the store from a huge book selection, jewellery, angels and fairies, décor and more. My favourite was in the incredible selection of rocks and gemstones with everything from small pieces for making jewellery to large and dynamic pieces that would look stunning in any home. There's an incredible amount of different rocks of every different size in every budget that you can imagine. I was definitely disappointed by the service as I wasn't once greeted by any of the staff, even though I was in there for ten minutes and made my way through the entire store. I would still go back though for beautiful gift ideas and that incredible rock selection! read more

Ascendant Books - Beautiful crystals - some for sale, some just for display - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

Ascendant Books isn't for everyone, but I love it. It's a new age/metaphysical bookstore, but they also have other products, like crystals, Tibetan singing bowls, dream catchers, meditation CDs, incense, etc. They also often, but not always have psychic and other intuitive readers. Usually you need to book these services in advance, but they'll have a schedule on their website. The store is big, but not huge, and the staff are friendly in helping answer any questions you have. One thing I love about Ascendant Books is that they have a wide variety of tarot and oracle decks, and they have open decks. So this way you can look at the open deck and see what the cards look like before you make a purchase. Some decks might have just artwork on the cards, some might have some text, some come with an accompanying book and others not, so it's nice to be able to see each deck and decide what you want before you buy it. The only downsides to Ascendant Books is there isn't much for parking right beside the store, the parking closest to the store is metered. If you are willing to walk a little ways you can park for free in the residential area on 123 Street. The other thing is that people who are sensitive to perfumes and incense might find the store a little overwhelming. Honestly, because the store is so big the incense is only really strong if I go in that section. When I'm in other areas of the store it's not too bad. Basically, if you like or want to learn more about new age spiritual topics and practices Ascendant Books is a great place to go to. I always like coming here, and I'll definitely come back again. read more

This is our must stop every time we are on 124st or grab a coffee at Remedy next door. My girlfriend and I are really into rocks and gems and love that there's a circulation so we ALWAYS leave with an addition to our collection. Their display cases are loaded and so full of all kinds of crystals, rocks and gems. Coolest part is that there's a huge range of prices so if you just want the little stuff ($1-10/piece) or if you're looking for a bigger buy they have that too - like massive hundreds or even thousand dollar pieces. The staff are all really helpful and know their stuff about healing! I've only seen ladies working here and would definitely feel confident in their knowledge and advice. If gems aren't your thing, there's a ton of books ranging from self help to yoga to mindfulness in general. There's also a huge selection of incense and candles. My favourite is always sandalwood but we buy dragons blood and patchouli often as well. Ascendant also does readings but we've never got one just because it hasn't struck us yet. ON TOP of that there's lots of tapestries, gift ideas, massage tools and singing bowls. It's definitely a great place to sift around and be curious. Love, love, love it. read more

Good place to go when you want to kill some time or kill yourself. Just kidding. Love the place, it brings me peace.

This is a new age store with a lot of merchandise so make sure you have some time shop when you stop in. Ascendant Books has way more than just books. They carry a huge number of polished stones and crystals, quite a few home decor items, and some cute bags. They have a great selection of journals that are really quite beautiful. I also came across a bag that caught my eye - it had a quote from Ghandi. It read ""Be the change you want to see in the world." I love that saying. If you are looking for new age books, there are a lot here (as the name suggests). I would be prepared to look on your own though because no one offered to help me, no one greeted me, and there were lots of staff just standing around talking to each other. I was very disappointed in the customer service aspect of this store. There was a psychic table set up near the back for card readings but no psychic (perhaps she was talking with the staff too). There are a lot of things in this store but the customer service is not good. I wouldn't recommend it (unless you want the Ghandi bag, it's pretty sweet). read more

Ascendant Books - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

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I came across this place during my wanderings in and around the Glenora area today and decided to stop in and browse even though im not big into new age or paganism. I like the layout of the store most of all as there is lots of room to browse without worrying about bumping into other shoppers. One of the biggest turn offs for me when it comes to stores that carry breakable merchandise is when they have their shelves packed in tightly together making it hard to move around. They have a wide variety of merchandise including wall scrolls,figurines,books.music,stones,and jewelry. I was interested in the music they were playing over the store speaker and probably would have purchased it had I not been turned off by the customer service. The girl at the front was staring right at me as I came in the door and even though I smiled at her did not acknowledge my presence. I was totally ignored for my roughly fifteen minutes of browsing until I shifted my recyclable shopping bag from my right hand to my left and then she literally shot out from behind the counter and asked if I needed any help finding anything. I genuinely think the rustle of the bag made her think I was shoplifting and I left shortly after. A cool store for sure and the largest I have seen in the city if you are interested in this type of merchandise but the suspicious sales girl turned me off of any further interest I might have developed in visiting this store again. read more

This is such a cool shop! Despite its name, it's got way more than just books. This place is a treasure trove of alternative belief and meditation objects, like crystals, fairy and angel figurines, Tibetan singing bowls and prayer wheels. It took me awhile to browse the shop, as there's so much to see. The book section is located in the middle of the store, and it's vast -- there are topics from angels to dieting and meditation. They even have a kids' book section! Just when I thought I saw everything, I noticed their stones and beading section. They have every kind of stone to make your own special necklace, and many cases of breathtaking jewelry. We're talking major bling with big shiny stones like jade and amethyst. A great place for gift ideas; this store has it all. read more

Ascendant Books - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

I go whenever I can. They have a fantastic selection of reading materials and a wicked gemstone collection. I love this shop! Also, I love the smell of the insense they burn inside. So inviting and soothing. read more

I pop in here every time I'm walking along 124 Street. It's a great place to kill some time as they have so much to look at! If you have wandered in from one of the neighbouring cafe's they kindly ask that you leave your drink on the tray by the register. Fair enough! The store is split into three sections, the front displays mystical, funny and religious sculptures, artwork, ornaments, candles and more. Lots of giant Buddhas surrounded by incense sticks. This section is closely followed by rows and rows of book shelves filled with a fantastic book selection, from self help to fairies, past lives to tarot. It's a fun place to look around and peruse the interesting titles. Don't forget to look up, the ceiling is covered in hundreds of wind chimes. The back of the store is where the jewelry is displayed. Gorgeous variety of gem stones but I always get distracted by the tarot card reader in the corner. They always have a psychic available to read your cards. I say I'm going to get a reading every time, but I still never have. Next time for sure! read more

I consider myself a spiritualist and I have been to many a new age shop. I recently moved into this neighborhood and decided to do some exploring around and I was delighted to stumble upon this shop. It's huge! It has so much to offer, stones and crystals, giftware, aromatherapy products, Buddhist, Hindu and Feng Shui products, meditation materials, jewelry, CDs and books. When I was in they were offering Tarot card readings. I didn't get one done but I wish I would have. The staff here is very friendly and knowledgable and the prices are reasonable. They also have stamp cards where if you spend $25 you get a stamp, and 10 stamps means you get a free $20 purchase. Love it. Overall, if you're into new age, spiritualism, or just want a unique shopping experience, I recommend Ascendant Books. read more

Always a fun spot to stop into and see what they have. There is usually an assortment of art, and other craft goodies. I find there to also be quite a few specialty items such as perfume, oils, rock infused oil, and wide assortment of reading materials. I usually go towards the back to check out rocks and gems, there price points are quite high for some items. I enjoy the people, everyone who works in the store are very kind and pleasant. Cheers. read more

The largest New Age book store in Edmonton, Ascendant has a great selection of books, CDs, crystals, and related items from a variety of New Age and Pagan traditions. There are also kitschy things to adorn shelves, but also musical instruments, incense, jewelry, and a children's section. Stones and jewelry are in a separate room - this place is rather huge and there is a lot to look at. Finally, there is a section of used books. I found the customer service to be very helpful - I was purchasing a book by Starhawk and was directed to the same book in the Used section - saved me a few bucks for sure. read more

Whenever I need to slow down and get my zen back on, I pop into this lovely book store. The music immediately puts me at ease and the staff are always helpful and pleasant. There are tons of books on self-help, spirituality and nutrition as well as a great selection of crystals, jewelry and other trinkets. If you like the music that is playing, you can usually find it in the CD isle. A great place to go and get some take home inspiration. read more

The staff are so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful! I was told about this place by a coworker and was not disappointed! They offer a variety of products like rocks & gems, incense, tarot & oracle cards, dream catchers, smudge sticks and more!! I would 100% go back! read more

Very informative about the crystals, always helpful. I was babysitting some girls and brought them here, staff were kind and helped one of the girls choosing some oracle cards. I was very into it all and the girls said they loved the vibe of the store when walking in. Will be going back and 11/10 would recommend read more

I do love Ascendant Books. It's a huge store full of lovely and inspiring metaphysical and new age products. The book selection is huge and diverse and i especially love the crystal and gemstone collection. I've had awesome customer service here and some not very impressive service. Generally i find the staff to be friendly and very knowledgable on the products they carry. A beautiful and unique store. read more

They are doing a good job managing the restrictions: their crystal section is only big enough for one person/party at a time. If you want to browse leisurely, try to shop at off hours. Otherwise, they tend to try to give people about 10 minutes when there is a waiting list. It's nice to see a few rocks come out to where anyone can buy them. They have a good selection. The staff are receptive and engaging. read more

I was so impress with the selection of jewelry! Amethyst, Tigers eye, turquoise, sunstone....so many semiprecious stones in sterling silver. I was in heaven! Way too much to look at. There are lots of loose stones and beads too if you want to make your own jewelry. read more

Great place for buying new agey things like books,muisic and crystals,jewellery. Very friendly helpful staff. I rarely go there anymore though because of parking issues. I hit it occasionally on a sunday. read more

I absolutely love this place. Friendly staff, beautiful gemstones, books for everything, tools of the trade and every candle for every practice. The environment is very warm and welcoming and the smell inside is unforgettable. I could live in this shop read more

Would not exchange a ring from a jewelry set I got as a gift. While I understand not exchanging earrings, not exchanging a ring seems short sighted on the stores' part. I will just buy my jewelry from someplace who WILL exchange it. read more

Rude and disrespectful staff. I walked in just as another man was complaining to the manager that he has been a long time customer and has never been treated so badly; the women were rude to him and made sexist jokes about being a man and complaining. My eyes widened for a minute. I saw a shelf that had some crystals on it that my friend loves so took a quick pic to entice him to go there. All of a sudden the ladies started yelling at me about how I can't take pics. I apologized and tried to explain. She said "call head office if you have a problem". I said, "no problem, I just won't be back" I proceeded to walk out of the store while 4 sales "women" berated me. I didn't respond, just kept walking...last thing they said was "Well, at least you have a picture now". This was the worst shopping experience and I've never encountered such rude people. I was especially offended by hearing women joke about someone's gender. That's just sick. read more

I've been shopping at Ascendant Books for almost 20 years now. I first discovered this place in the early 90s when I was in high school. Back then Ascendant was a small, crowded bookstore located in the same place Where Faeries Live is presently located. Things have certainly changed for the better. Ascendant is the biggest new age bookstore in Edmonton. Yeah, they have nick nacs, and stones, and statues and other useless dust magnets, but the real draw and the reason I've been coming back all these years are the books. The books! I could spend a whole day just browsing through the fascinating books they have here. And all of the books they carry are categorized into separate sections like Eastern Religions, Inner Child, Women's Issues, Men's Issues, Relationships, Money, Mental Health, Psychic Powers, ESP, Tarot, Inspiration, Feng Shui, Health and Fitness, Past Lives, Conspiracies, just to name a few, making it real easy to find what you are looking for. (Ask to see the books written by Stuart Wilde. His writings are entertaining yet very powerful, a personal favourite.) I don't get the beef some of these reviewers have with a supposed lack of customer service at Ascendant. I LIKE the fact that they leave their customers alone to browse at their leisure. Not like Chapters, where pimply-faced dorks ask you a dozen times if you need help finding something. Really, like it's that hard to walk 20 feet to the counter to get assistance or something? Something the other reviewers haven't mentioned is the used book section located at the back of the store. This is an absolute treasure trove of rare, out of print, discontinued and hard to find titles. It never fails, I always find something cool and interesting in this section. It is my favourite section of the store and the best part is that those used books are sold at discount prices! If you're looking to improve any aspect of your life.....if you want something inspiring and soul-enhancing......if you are attracted to the weird, the strange and the unknown - then stop into Ascendant Books and you'll find what you are looking for. read more

This shop has been a long-time favourite. I drop in after yoga class at Lion's Breath down the street, sometimes just to look at the beautiful things. Zen-inspired objects, candles, crystals, rocks, wind chimes, lotus candle holders, angel figurines, Buddha statues, Celtic crosses, fertility goddesses, meditation chimes, instruments, aromatherapy and greeting cards are just a small list of the things here. The store's mid-section is filled with books on topics like yoga, Feng Shui, astrology, colour energy, Kabbalah, Tarot, Qi Gong, diet & nutrition, hypnosis, Runes, sound therapy and much, much more. You could spend hours in here, and I have; it's easy. They have a great selection of CDs and a couple of listening booths so you can sample before you buy. The staff is friendly and helpful. And don't forget to ask for a frequent shopper card to get a discount on your tenth purchase. There's also a community notice board in the back, excellent for postings on upcoming workshops, courses and alternative health service offerings. read more

Ascendant Books - Rise out of the muck. - Bookstores Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

5 stars for the huge selection of books and stones, 1 star for inconsistent staff service. I've been shopping at this store occasionally for about 10 years. They always have what I want and more so I usually drop $50-150, but I don't go in often enough that staff would necessarily recognize me. I have to be honest, there is one person on staff that I've seen there for a while and she is super friendly and helpful. Beyond that, I find the staff - especially newer staff - straight up snobby and unhelpful. They hover, watching me close enough that they make me uncomfortable, yet they seem kind of unwilling to open up the display cases or allow me to take time choosing the stones that resonate with me. I have worked in retail for a long time (actually on 124th street too) and I'm gonna say it- this is a snobby area to shop. Just because your store is beside Glenora doesn't mean that all your customers are going to be white and *look* rich. If you are worried that a person of colour (like me) is going to steal something, you should be giving me extra positive attention, not following me around and acting weird. The best loss prevention strategy is excellent customer service. This new age store is the most well-stocked in town and most conveniently located for me, but I've spent way too much money here to be treated poorly every time I visit. No one should be treated with such ignorance in a space that promotes enlightenment LOL. Hire and train better staff. read more

This is a great store when your looking for all your alterntive religion needs. The staff is very nice and they will help you to the best of their ability. The selection is huge due to the size of their store. Theres lots of room to move around and one can look at their goods without them hovering over you or bumping into people. They have a large selection of books and even some used books. If your looking for Dryad Design staues this is the place to go. Overall I love this place and recommend it! read more

Such a beautiful store - I love this place! It's one of my favorite metaphysical and new age stores I've ever been to. They have so much great product, and so much variety. Tons of awesome books on every subject you could be looking for, meditation, tarot, spirituality, reiki, dreams, crystals, and the list could go on. They also have an amazing selection of crystals, gemstones and jewelry. Most of it is locked away and you have to ask a staff member to get out various pieces if you want to look, which is not my favorite way to browse, but I understand this policy and generally the staff are very friendly and approachable. So much great energy in this place! This is an incredible store and highly recommended. read more

I really like this store- dispite it's love affair with so much of the fluffy bunny new age books and crystals. It is the other stuff that I like- Pagan statues, home decore and nicknacks like cards, journals and the calendars. And of course the selection of music they have - for what it is - can't be beat. The customer service is a little lacking. To me - it seams -they are always too busy doing something else to do customer service. Also -be prepaired to pay -It is pricey as hell. Dispite this though... I would recomend it. It is worth a look. read more

Full of lots of lovely things to buy,up until today i have never left here empty handed!The "customer service" I received in this store today was nothing short of disgusting!!I tried to exchange a duplicate gift(book) that i had bought for someone & had not read the returns policy, 7 days for books, cd's only if faulty & not at all for anything else in the store!!!! Because my husband laughed when we were told she would do it this time but I would have to forfeit 10%,she said fine I won't do it at all then!!! When i asked what happens if you buy a book as a gift more than 7 days in advance, I was told that's just a risk you take!!! I know that poor customer service is common place these days but when you leave a place like Ascendant Books you should not feel like crap for the rest of the day.I will not return!!!! read more

Overpriced and rude. I noticed the cashier asking the woman in front of me if she had some membership card and then offered her one. She didn't ask me when she rang me through. read more