My heart, she is a-singing because PRINTtEXT exists. I love magazines, I love the publishing…read moreindustry, and I love small family-run shops, and this place brings all these loves together. Plus, there is a sweet, old dog named Huckleberry who is in the shop most days with the owner, Ben. When we visited, Huckleberry greeted us with wags and kisses, and showed us his new toy. Ben is another one. He is so nice and friendly, and explained to us the layout of his store and where we could find stuff. (He was so genuinely nice and friendly that I remembered his name, which is a big feat for me, as I almost never remember anyone's name!) Ben knew pretty much everything about all of the magazines he carries. He is very knowledgeable about the industry! You can find everything from Cherry Bombe to Kinfolk to Cereal to The Gentlewoman to Dazed to Garage ... so many art and fashion magazines, and food and lifestyle periodicals. My little magazine-loving heart was truly satisfied. They also carried many books and periodicals illustrated and written by local artists, including Things Organized Neatly. Ben seemed really proud of carrying local work -- he made sure to show us which ones were made by people from Indy.

PRINTtEXT recently opened in SoBro and carries an eclectic mix of periodicals and publications…read more Topics include fashion, design, food, arts, and so forth. As you browse through the materials throughout the shop, you never know what subjects you might come across. And many of the publications are of foreign descent. You can easily immerse yourself in a different world just by flipping through the magazines. I think PRINTtEXT might be on to something here. While there are ebooks, blogs, and various types of online content, it's a different feeling to have a hard copy of a book/magazine that you can physically hold on to. I am curious to know what the future holds for the shop. Perhaps they can leverage it as a place to bring people together and have discussions on anything and everything.

Crystals, Taylor Swift items, and other treasures -- what more could you want in a little local…read moreshop? I loved the vibes of this place, and they have big plans to continue to be even more of a community resource by holding events and creating a third space for MK friends to gather, create, and ideate. Next time you are looking for a gift for your witchy friend, you must must MUST stop here! =

I have not had the chance to check out the new location, but I finally did and it's beautiful!…read moreThere is so much more space and the displays are amazing! I picked up some herbal tea that has things good for your liver, as well as some beautiful Cristals, and a Stevie nick's sticker! Happy that this place reopened! Check them out! I'll definitely be back!

I can always find something that I didn't know I needed at Books-A-Million. This location is…read moreconvenient for me and I was running a few errands nearby. I was looking for nice writing pens, but I could not find exactly what I wanted. I did find a couple of books that I purchased. They have some unique gifts in their gift section that were tempting as well. The clerk was super friendly and engaging. We asked if he wrapped and he thought we said rap, and we all had a good chuckle. Anyway, checkout was quick. There is plenty of parking in the strip mall lot including accessible parking.

Who doesn't love to randomly stop into a bookstore when they have a few extra hours on their hands?…read moreWho enjoys going to spend those extra hours in a bookstore that doesn't have coffee or a sitting area? Funny background on this location, I used to work here when I was 19 and pregnant as the barista in their now demolished cafe area. At "Joe's" we used to have maybe 3 small round tables with two chairs each & 2 cushioned chairs in the corner with a small table between them. They brewed hot coffee round the clock and also offered a large variety of tea & two slushy type drinks. There was also a food case that had a variety of pastry's & typically one or two savory options. Who made the decision to enclose that area, build a wall & put more books there? Terrible idea & drove me to try and find elsewhere to read in peace and quiet. Although I found quite a few books I wanted to pick up - the atmosphere gave rushed & "DON'T stay awhile" anywho, check out the photos I add- new reads for you all to look into!

I had not been in for awhile, but I was glad I was able to stop in to check them out, I got some…read morenice items on sale, and it was cool to see the different local/small artists products, check them out for fun things for a friend, or for yourself! Friendly staff as well.

Pumpkinfish is a fun place to find an unique gift or souvenir of Indiana. The shop is located in…read moreThe Garage Food Hall, part of the Bottleworks complex off Mass Ave. They carry a wide range of merchandise including dog related mugs, local popcorn and chocolate, fudge, cards, jewelry, home accessories and more. I found some of the Indianapolis-themed items most interesting. Some of the merchandise is a bit risqué (adult oriented) making ideal gifts for a bachelor/bachelorette party. They even carry an interesting assortment of gift cards. The clerk was super friendly and welcoming during my visit. Prices range from reasonable to high for quirky stuff you just can't find anywhere else. There is a parking lot behind the complex or metered street parking along Mass Ave.

My youngest child's birthday has happened to coincide with the pre-order dates for the new Diary of…read morea Wimpy Kid book for a few years now. (That Jeff Kinney cranks 'em out every year! I don't know how he does it.) Anyway, on my kid's birthday wish list each year is the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. You want a book for your birthday, my child? I'm happy to oblige. This same kid also recently asked me to buy him broccoli so he can eat it raw. He's a treasure. I try, each year, to pre-order the books at local Indy bookstores. Support local, and all that. This year, I pre-ordered the book at MacArthur Books in The Village of WestClay. I had visited this adorable Carmel bookstore during a Yelp event a couple of years ago, and I told myself that I needed to come back. Pre-ordering my book was super easy. I called them on the phone and told them that I wanted to pre-order the book, and they took down my name and number, and told me they'd text me when it was in. I suppose, if you don't want to call them on the phone, you can stop into the store. They didn't make me prepay or anything. When the book was in, I got a text saying so, and I went and paid for my book and brought it home. My child was so happy! MacArthur Books hosts book events, like drop-in book clubs. They're also very active on social media. The bookstore itself is a cozy place to read (they have comfy chairs here and there), plus a cute children's area.

I've been to MacArthur books a couple times now. This small independent book store is my favorite…read moreplace to pick up birthday presents. Today, I picked up a puzzle for my favorite 4 year old. McKayla, the clerk, greeted us with a big smile and offered to help us find something meaningful. They carry a wonderful selection of books and assorted gifts. I sat in one of their big comfy chairs and read excerpts from various books. And the best part is that they wrapped my puzzle for free! What a great deal! There's limited parking out front but you can usually find something along the street.

Stopped in here after having brunch at Love Handle across the street last weekend. It's a small,…read morebut mighty independent bookstore that has everything neatly organized and a decent selection of books in each category despite the size. I purchased a book that's been on my to-read list for some time (Nightbitch) and a new book that I've never heard of before, but was very intrigued by (Strange Pictures). Knocking 1 star off because there is a very bad odor, like something is wrong with the plumbing, inside the whole shop and it cut my visit way shorter than I had planned because I couldn't stand breathing it in any longer.

I love Tomorrow Bookstore. It's a small but mighty shop run by kind people. They host book clubs…read morefor fiction and non-fiction books, bring in local authors for signings on weekends, have art and literary pop ups, and do ticketed author events. Their collection blends books and zines you haven't heard of yet with popular titles you often see and ones in between. They have a good range for different ages, too, with a nice young adult section, children's books, and middle grade as well as the plentiful shelves for adults. There's a local author shelf and there's a fun mix of local talent there in a variety of genres and age categories--plus sometimes, signed copies. They do carry some gift items like candles, and their custom stickers and apparel make me smile. The little book guys are fun! Tomorrow is well worth a stop if you're downtown. Whether you're wanting a book haul or supporting local with a sticker purchase, you'll find something here. Parking on Mass Ave is metered, but free on Sundays! There's also a parking garage nearby, and if you don't mind a walk, you may find some of the limited free street parking.

I was killing some time, and decided to check this place out since I had never been inside, what a…read moregreat store! I loved checking out all of the different toy options! They had new and nostalgic items, and really something for everyone! I ended up getting some fun fidgets for my office as well as some stickers, friendly staff as well! Check this place out if you are in the area!

I finally got to visit Goodies & Giggles with my mini BFF! The store is bigger than I expected with…read moreside rooms and the vault full of toys, games, puzzles, and accessories. I especially loved the sensory toy shelves. Price points were about what I expected. Some smaller items for $3-$6, like mystery squishes and sensory toys. A lot of what we looked at was closer to the $8-$15 range, but there is plenty of $20+ items, with some large pieces that were more like $50. So I think you can find something for most budgets, albeit small things on the lower end. The staff we spoke to were efficient and friendly, and check out was a breeze! They do gift wrap at the counter, too, which is fantastic for buying gifts! I'm not sure if that's complimentary or not, though. Also nice for littles and grown ups of--there's a public bathroom with a changing table in case you need it! We easily spent half an hour exploring and walked out with two small toys for less than $10. Happy to support this local shop! It's well worth a visit next time you're on Mass Ave.

Mostly, I wanted to visit Gaskin Fantastic Finds because of the fantastic use of assonance and…read morealliteration in the business name (GAS-kin FAN-TA-stic Finds). The name has been ringing around in my head on repeat since I heard about this Cumberland shop a few weeks ago. I'm one of those people who cannot have decorative things in their home that have words on them, because I will repeat the words or phrases in my head over and over whenever I see them. So, no Live-Laugh-Love or Bless This Mess signs for me. However, if you're a word-sign person, you will definitely find things like that here. You will also find things like toys, rugs, stationery, fancy snacks, ottomans, laundry detergent, wallets, makeup, holiday decor and lots more. This place is like if Home Goods, Ollie's and Dollar Tree had a three-way tryst that produced a child. That child would be named Gaskin. This is the kind of store where you don't visit to find a specific thing, because they might have it, and they might not. No, you need to go in with a pure heart and an open mind. It's best to just browse and be surprised. Oh! I didn't know I needed this stackable pantry shelf. Oh! What a good price on L'Oreal Elvive Hydrating Shampoo. Oh! My kids would really appreciate these Squishmallows for Christmas. This is a good place to find little trinkets and random gifts if you're indecisive and OK with letting the universe guide you to a gift. The prices are just OK; definitely less than retail, though, so you are saving money here if you find just the thing you want.

I stopped in because I heard a few people talking about this place. I wasnt greeted when I walked…read morein nor did anyone speak to me as I browsed the store. The cashier looked at me and continued her conversation with someone else. There were at least 3 women employees that could've said something but didn't. One was busy playing with a baby across the store. It takes just a few seconds for someone to speak and ask if I needed help with anything. It wasnt worth me getting content in the store. I'm not sure if my kind even belong in this establishment but please believe, I wont be back. This sucks because I love supporting local businesses. A lot of the items had their prices tags covering the target stickers.