If you're looking to purchase a gift for someone that's meaningful & creative, Art House is the…read moreplace to go! There's so many fun gift options here for a loved one, or yourself! There's a collection of coffee table books, artwork, candles, activity books, bags, toys for kids, puzzles, and much more. The selection here is endless & it's the pretty spot to find a new creative hobby. I purchased a water color painting book in hopes to decrease my screen time! I only wish I visited sooner. I met the owner's parents who gave such a warm greeting upon entering!

Walked past this store while walking to main street. On a side street next to a popular bar…read more Clean, bright store that I was drawn into by their lego selection. They have legos, great quality puzzles of all types, fun games, more legos, cook books, candles, gallery in the back. Good book selection. Definitely worth a visit and a great place to support local family runned business.

Timbre Books is a thoughtfully curated independent bookstore in the heart of Midtown Ventura. It's…read morecalm, inviting, and easy to browse at your own pace. The book selection feels intentional, with a good mix of familiar titles, indie presses, and unexpected finds. I've picked up several great reads here for my Caracol Book Club and always feel good about what I bring home. Pricing feels reasonable and consistent for a shop this well curated. The staff pick recommendation cards are genuinely helpful, and the loyalty rewards program is a nice bonus. I also love the seating in the back. It's the kind of spot where you can actually slow down. Journal, read, and sip a coffee from the neighboring coffee shop, Singing Sun, without feeling rushed. In addition to books, there's a solid selection of stationery, greeting cards, and small gifts, plus gift cards that are easy and practical. They also host author events and community gatherings that feel thoughtful and well done. Whether I'm browsing for myself or picking up a gift, Timbre is consistently a good experience. Ventura is lucky to have an independent shop like this.

~ A BOOKLOVER'S HAVEN ~…read more Timbre Books is everything I've ever wanted in a bookstore. When you walk in, you're greeted by a bright, airy, modern, and warm space. There are a couple of two person tables near the front, next to big, dreamy windows, perfect for working or reading. To the right, there's a wonderful selection of children's books and cozy reading nooks. It was heartwarming to see kids sprawled out, reading and lost in their own worlds. There's also a table towards the back with charming cards for purchase. Their book selection is impressively diverse and thoughtfully curated, with many titles featuring staff recommendations and reviews. I especially enjoy horror/psychological thrillers and nonfiction memoirs, and there's plenty of those, as well as the newest, hottest books from social media (booktok). They have a rewards program and a monthly newsletter that's thoughtfully crafted giving us the scoop on new arrivals, events, and book recommendations. Their book club meets monthly and has a laid-back, low maintenance vibe making it perfect for busy people who just want to casually discuss a book. I happened to visit during one of these meetings, and it was so wholesome to see people sharing baked goods, laughter being heard, and enjoying each other's company. The atmosphere here feels like a true community, and it gives you those warm, fuzzy feelings. When I mentioned it was my first visit, Mirna quickly made me feel welcomed by sharing details about the store, answering my questions, and suggesting some of her favorite books based on my interests. It's great that the staff have diverse tastes and can offer varied recommendations! Overall, Timbre Books is a unique gem in Ventura, and I'm excited to come back and join the next book club! *HOT TIP: There's plenty of parking available in the lot behind the store and on the street. *HOTTER TIP: Before heading in to browse/read, don't forget to grab a coffee from the charming coffee shop two doors down!

The service was very rude. Was shopping for a friend and the employee looked at me like I was some…read morescum. Would not recommend for service, but the products are worth the visit.

I try to stop by here whenever I'm not in a rush during my trips to Target. We used to have a place…read morelike this a LONG time ago on the second floor of the Pacific View Mall when I was in middle school. They have a lot of fun merchandise. I got some buildable Pokémon figures the last time I was there. Super cute. Please support smaller businesses like this, so we aren't left with only copy and paste corporate stores in Ventura! Suggestion for the store: I'd love to see Code Geass, Attack on Titan, and Final Fantasy figures added, pretty please.

As a proud Venture College Alum I was recently on the campus to pick up a hat and sweatshirt to…read moreshow off my Pirate Pride. The website clearly states the operating hours and the store was clean, well stocked - plenty of Ventura College apparel, snacks, office supplies and of course books, all at below market price. I was greeted by a delightful past alum, Mary, who helped me find exactly what I was looking for and answer my questions on the upcoming events at the college.

This semester, the bookstore switched from barns and noble, they kept their rude staff from…read moreprevious years so no good changes there. This semester they had to order a book for a class that is taken every semester and it showed up two and a half weeks after I ordered it. The price match is only for books sold and shipped from Amazon so basically they don't do a price match. On the second book I ordered it was the wrong one, not only did they not exchange the book like the regional manager said on her email between me and my professor then they refused to sell me the correct one. Fortunately I did get a refund after the rudest lady I have ever encountered in this store took about ten minutes to make a cash return, I mean seriously? Not only was the lady rude when I walked in the store, a manager sat next to her listening to how she talked to me and said nothing. When I went to leave the manager said, the store will improve. However when I was able to retrieve the very late book half a week later, that same manager came at me with the same attitude the rude cashier I had the week before. There is nothing good about this bookstore and it is in line with the crappy service provided by the Ventura college in its entirety because these kinds of incidences don't just happen at the bookstore. It happens throughout the entire college. I don't even know how they stay open.

I am so happy to repost this review with a 5 star review. Years ago I tried to patron the Calico…read morewith my children and the cashier was anti-child. I recently visited Ventura and stepped into the Calico and started chatting with the owner. I told them about my experience and they knew who I was talking about and said that she had been let go years ago and they work most of the time now. so Yay!! Their collection is large, obscur, and some fun rare finds. It's a great space, kids are welcomed again, and he even has a cool kids collection.

I love all bookstores, no matter what, all of them…read more This one was slightly harder to love. First the positive: it has a great name. But alas, no cats. Second, I did find about four or five books here (used) that I have not been able to find elsewhere, so that is a big positive. The organization of the books here leaves something to be desired. Some of the books are in alphabetical order. But many are not. That is a bit maddening. There is also no obvious organization of the books by subject matter. But it is a small shop so it is not that difficult to snoop around. If you are looking for the latest pop novels, this probably won't be your happy place. But if you are looking for classics or hard to find books, this just could be your happy place. If you are willing to overlook the somewhat chaotic organization of the books, you could spend some time here and find some real nuggets. The prices seemed fair to me.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw there was an open Hallmark. I had to go in because of the…read morenostalgia of visiting Hallmark stores in the mall when I was a teen and young adult. I thought all Hallmarks had closed and so I haven't been to one in 20+ years. The store was large and they sold more items than I remembered. They had a clothing boutique section immediately on the right when you enter. They still have gifts broken up in sections like gifts for "him", "her", "baby" and kids. The back wall had Christmas decor marked at 75% off and my visit was the last week of February. They had a religious section, figurines, Easter decor and gifts and home decor that was beach themed. The sales clerks were friendly and greeted me when I entered and another one greeted me as I walked around. The store is clean, organized and was pretty big inside. I didn't buy anything but it's nice to know that if I am having a hard time to buy a gift for someone, I can come here and find something for everyone.

A rack clearly stated 75% this rack only Christmas clothing. Checking out and the discount didn't…read moreapply apparently the red jacket I was purchasing can now be considered Valentine's Day apparel. I do not think that was fair. They didn't honor clearly what the sign said. FYI I would have purchased that jacket at full price the money is not the point, but the principal of this situation.

A small but mighty bookstore. After years of driving by this spot, what finally brought me in was…read moreseeing them on social media. I stumbled upon a post they did which was in solidarity with a group of people and seeing that our values were aligned I knew this was a local small business that I needed to be supporting from here on out. I came midweek to shop and look around, and I had a great experience. It's a smaller bookstore, but they did have a lot to choose from! I was especially happy to see that they keep up with new and trending authors/books that come out. But of course, they also had a broad selection of every type of book you could think of. Being a smaller independent bookstore they don't have mass quantity though so if you find a book you like you should grab it because they only have a copy or two of each. I found that the pricing was comparable to anywhere else but again when you shop here you're supporting local small businesses so even if it was a little pricier, it would be worth it to me. They had a cute child's/kids section in the back so it would definitely be a great place to bring your little one to look around or read a story. The vibes are welcoming, but I also appreciate when staff leave you to look around without standing over your shoulder. The gal working behind the register was super nice and checked me out with quickness, that I was in and out without issue. Nice people work here, they have a decent selection and overall it was a cute little shop that I will be back to support again soon.

When so many bookstores are shutting their doors, The BOOKWORM is thriving!! It's easy to see why,…read moreIt's a warm, welcoming environment, plenty of parking and a LONG history with the community. So many books - special orders on request. Planned future events :Ask the Expert - Book Clubs Edition with award-winning author Raven West on the new community radio station Camaradio 101.3FM

I didn't visit for anything in particular but was very impressed with the curated variety of…read moremerchandise. In terms of their stationery, which is what I'd be most interested in, they have a very small selection of Japanese stationery, Field Notes, and Rifle Paper, among other small journals and other items. I felt like it was the perfect store to come in and find a last minute (or not so last minute if you're good about that type of thing) gift. Customer service was friendly, and helpful. If I lived in the area I'd definitely be back.

I am not sure how I missed this jewel of a gift store on my many visits to Ventura and Main Street…read morein particular. Where do I start. They have such interesting merchandise including an assortment of unique gift cards, maps, pictures, stylish hats, scarves, and rare books to name just a percentage of what they have to offer. The sales associate was very friendly and helpful. He even tried on a hat I wanted to buy my husband and was concerned about the size. He let me know they take returns within 30 days with the receipt and original tagging. Fortunately it fit! This amazing shop is on Main Street which is closed to through traffic. There is free publick parking just down the street at the Museam of Ventura County. It is also in a great location for other speacialty stores and eateries.

Dario was fantastic in helping out with customizing the exact prints and wedding favors we needed…read more Would highly recommend in terms of service and quality!

This place is AMAAAZING!!!!! I needed to get a poster on foam backing as a visual aid for a speech…read moreI was giving the very next day. I spoke with both Andrea and Alex, who were wonderful, extremely professional, and patient. They walked me through the process and had the poster ready for pickup in 2.5 hours!!!!!! I had called other companies but none were able to move so quickly. The poster was EXACTLY what I needed, super high quality, neatly executed. The image was clear, true to color, and the surface and edges were perfectly smooth. The price was reasonable and competitive, with no rush charge! Maybe I caught them at the right moment, but having my poster ready so incredibly rapidly was a total lifesaver, allowing me to give a more complete presentation. I wish there were more companies like this, with great products and humane customer service. I will definitely use their services in the future but try to give them more advance notice!!

The old white lady in the front was so rude. Rude enough to make me leave instead of buying…read moresomething I had in mind. Bad representation for CI.

Omg had the rudest experience with the bookstore so i called ahead of time and asked if they were…read morehiring and they said no and I said oh ok I just saw on indeed that you guys were hiring and she said rudely well we have no control over that im like ok I was checking ok thanks bye. Terrible customer service all you had to say was sorry or I don't know why indeed says we are hiring when we aren't let me see later what the problem is. Like you are basically giving people attitude for no reason.