Lady working at the register was talking badly to another customer about my daughter who was upset…read more She is two. Hope this lady finds patience with others.

January 14 was a day my grandson and I were looking forward to…read more We had plans to go to the Lakeshore Learning Store. Lakeshore was doing a "science day". Parents, Grandparents and Friends , I want to tell you, we had a blast !!! We spent about two hours at the event We made slime, dug for dinosaurs and learned about bugs. We took our time going from station to station and loved every minute of it. The employees were unbelievable with the way they treated everyone. Each station worker explained how the things we did were done . Did I say we had a blast ! lol To my surprise as we did each station, No one pressured me/us to buy anything! Seriously! I have to say that that was very refreshing! Part of my Grammy / Grandson adventure to Lakeshore was a gift card to my Grandson for a Christmas gift.. When my daughter suggested adventures for Christmas gifts, I didn't realize that she was giving me a gift to. My gift was seeing how much my Grandson loved the Lakeshore Science event. His gift was learning and having fun . Of course he enjoyed spending his gift card after we had a marvelous time. Thank you to all the wonderful people who made our Grammy/Grandson adventure special. I love Lakeshore Learning Store ! We will differently go back many times Thanks again

Lilah Rose is a wonderful children's shop and community spot in Melrose. There's a wide selection…read moreof high quality children's clothes, books, and toys. I have gotten some good deals on items here - same or better than Amazon on things I've bought for my kiddoes like iplay brand hats and swim diapers, all manner of Melissa & Doug toys, Skip Hop utensils, and wooden building blocks. Alex, the owner, is active in the local community and often hosts crafts and sing along events in the store during the week for children. The store gets new items in all the time, too, so every time we stop by there's something new. Definitely a great spot for kids in Melrose!

I had an awful experience with this shop. I called ahead as I had heard they had needohs for sale…read more I spoke to a young girl on the phone who told me they had some nice sicles left. She asked me how many I needed and I told her I would need four. I explained that I lived an hour away and she stated she would hold them for me, asking me for my name. I drove an hour with my children (one of whom is profoundly disabled). My son was super excited, but when we got there the two girls said they just started their shift and could not find the items. They texted a group chat and told us that the girls who were on the shift before them were new hires. They stated one of them replied "maybe" when asked if they spoke with me. I showed her my call log and the girls apologized. My son ended up sick from car ride / anxiety over the situation, vomiting at the exit and we quickly had to leave. I did reach out to the store owner. She claimed she was out of town and would call me back the following day. Days later I never heard from her so I followed up in email. Instead of being apologetic for the situation and not calling me back she proceeded to shift blame and gaslight me. She said they would never agree to hold and that I should "plan ahead". I don't recommend a store whose owner does not value their customers. I am deeply disappointed in her response to what happened.

Beanstalk Toy Shop is everything you want in a local business…read more They don't sell cheap, typical imported plastic toys here. This also isn't one of those boring educational toy stores that sells things kids don't want to play with. This place is something special. You can tell that everything here is lovingly hand selected- from wooden toys made in the USA to educational toys imported from Europe. Many toys are on offer to play with, and children can often be found doing just that- a good sign in a shop like this. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and exceedingly willing to help you make a great selection. They really understand their products well and also have an uncanny knack to service special or odd requests. Every time we've visited, we've purchased a toy that was adored by it's recipient. If there is a special little someone in your life, you ought to get them something from Beanstalk Toy Shop. They will love it!

Finally got a chance to check out this great little toy store in Melrose. I was very impressed…read morewith the selection they had. The Playmobil section takes up an entire wall and they have toys of a slightly higher quality then some of the big box stores. They have a large selection of Melissa & Doug products as well as other toys for babies and toddlers. The main reason I was there was to check out the Lego bricks and sets. There were plenty to choose from be it the Duplo sets for kids under 4 to the larger Star Wars and Lego City sets. The very nice woman behind the register also said they can special order Lego sets if I had any specific ones in mind. You will find the prices are slightly higher then larger retailers or online shops, but if you're down for supporting local business then this is a great one to support. The store is extremely clean and very modern looking. I never had a local toy shop growing up but I'm glad I am able to bring my children to this one. If you're looking for quality toys and crafts, look no further than Beanstalk Toy Shop.

Loved everything about this store!! My kind of place and sad I haven't know about it sooner! First…read morethoughts I had was everyone should be shopping here when buying gifts, especially for kids! Endless amount of comics, old & new. I found an issue of a comic I've been collecting for many years so was very excited to add it! Plus the re-release of it! So excited to read. If I had kids this is where I would be choosing for them to get their books. Plenty of CD's, DVDs and Rock and Roll vinyls I purchased upstairs, the guy behind the counter was so nice and talking to other locals with kids digging through the 10/$1 pokemon card bins. Was so friendly with me and informative. Was happy with what I paid. Went downstairs and browsed through the toys, I wasn't to afford a toy I wanted this time around but hoping when I come back I can! I also had a feeling I would find this figurine I missed out many years ago and beat myself up for constantly. Didn't find it this time around but when I go back if it's not so busy I will ask if they've seen. Downside is I had to drive around looking for some street parking since they don't have a lot. It was a busy Saturday, but finally found one. Also the aisles are a little tight, there were some times I felt trapped or couldn't get by people. But they're doing the best they can with the layout!

This store is such a hidden gem. We spent over 2 hrs here looking at everything. There are 2…read morefloors. The upstairs has the comics and the basement has the toys. Everything is so well organized so it was very easy to browse and focus on what we really wanted. The staff were really nice and personable. Prices are also very decent. Def will be back!

Adorable book store. Many options and affordable. I was able to buy a notebook while I was here for…read morea birthday gift. Brand new and under $10. The kids book has a great selection. I found a book I couldn't find elsewhere other than Walmart who I would prefer not to support. Friendly staff! Parking is a bit tricky, you have to find street parking somewhere around.

The best bang for your buck for book buying needs! I get new books, used books, antique books, and…read moretrade in old books for credit. Plus, I pick up cute gifts and cards every time I go in. They can order just about anything you are looking for too. Been a customer for 20yrs, hoping for 20yrs more.

I've been shopping here for a few years and like it quite a lot. The only problem I've been having…read morerecently is the store hours. I have showed up more than 5 times during "Store Hours" and have always been disappointed with no one there. It really pains me that the schedule isn't clear and consistent

First off, I want to say the selection is fantastic, and the individual I worked with was…read moreknowledgeable, and pretty friendly. The store was a disaster though, I understand that the space is small, but not only is it a bit of a mess, but it's also rather cluttered. Combine those factors with the shelves far too close together (both an accessibility and fire hazard), and you get a rather unpleasant time shopping. Play space seemed good, but solely as a shopper this place was a disaster.