Strolling down State Street, doing some window shopping. Found this gem of a card store. Love shops…read morethat have a wide selection of greeting cards and other gift items. The staff were friendly and helpful, and able to point me in the right direction. Found a bunch of hilarious (somewhat sarcastic) cards that almost had me rolling on the floor. Thought I was ready to be checked out, and then found a few more fun items at the register. I had to will myself to leave the store before I found more items (and spent more money). A great place for cards and other thoughtful gifts.

This store has a lot of cute cards, stationery, and little gift type items. Some of it is a little…read morepricey, but a lot of it also seems to be locally made. I didn't purchase anything so I can't speak to the service, but it was a fun shop to look around in.

Not something I would normally elect to do but my daughter gave us the groupon for two so why not?…read more I'm really glad we did this, I think you will too if you are thinking about it. Park in the Frances Street ramp and walk a short distance to the basement of the white house just before State Street Brats. No bathrooms but it's just an hour for the beginner class. Reservations were a bit funkie and it is a cramped head-shop with a workbench in the back. Nothing unexpected for down town Madison. The class was awesome, the instructor Adrian is the one that made it that way. Knowledgeable, informative, patient and engaging. Not only explained what he was doing but the why, including some of the physics & chemistry that go into glass blowing. It's not as easy as he made it look but you come away with something you made that you will likely keep forever including the experience you had doing it.

Bought a Groupon for a 1hr Glassblowing Class for 2, great deal especially since I got it with a…read more20% discount. Pros: -Adrian was a great instructor/coach, patient and highly knowledgeable. He was chill and safely guided us through the various techniques to properly use/apply the blow torch, thermal art theory, and glass properties. -Total active time including instruction and making glassware is about 1hr, then about 20-30min wait to collect your art. The glass needs to cool down gradually in a blanket to avoid thermal shock: good thing the class is located off of State Street, so wander off but don't forget to come back. -The class is in a small room in the back of a CBD store. Small workbench and 2 stools to sit on during demo with a spot in the corner to hang your coat. Plenty of space to work in. -During creation, you will be standing in front of the blow torch. I don't think you're allowed to sit, due to safety: proximity to the fire and gasses. -One stop shop for some people. Curious place for those new to functional glass art. -Small private class for 2, special request for bigger groups. Good idea for a date night, everyone walks away with something cool! -During introductions, Adrian showed us a tray of the things we could make (pendants, stir sticks, ornaments) to showcase beginner class techniques we would learn. Cons: -Location is a little bit hidden, the shop is in the basement of the white house looking establishment NEXT to State Street Brats on N. Frances St. watch for the small street sign next to the sidewalk. -The CBD Store has a lot of locked displays on the floor, so it can get pretty cramped in there. -Originally made our reservation online, the site said it was confirmed but I never got the email confirmation. I had to email them to verify the reservation (48hr response), by the time they replied my chosen time was booked by someone else so the shop gave me the next available time slot which, luckily, turned out to be a better option for us. But still, when you register online take a screen shot of the preliminary confirmation page before you exit the page, then double check your inbox for the confirmation email. There are penalties for cancelled reservations and no shows, read the MGA policies. -No restrooms in the shop. If you need it, go to State Street Brats: use the closest entrance from MGA, go through the door on the left, and the ladies' room will be immediately on the left.

Affordable store to pick up fun crafting items that you can do by yourself or with friends and…read morefamily. Great atmosphere and they can custom woodcut designs for you. This is not a huge craft store, but for cute pre-set little projects it's a great place to shop. Very helpful owners/staff

This place is amazing for kids and adults! My daughter just had her birthday party here and the…read morekids loved it! The customer service is amazing and it was such a thoughtful party! The owners created a fun sign and printed pictures for the kids! It is very affordable and we will be back again!

I absolutely loved visiting this shop. It's so clean, organized, and thoughtfully set up, which…read moremakes browsing such a fun experience. Everything is displayed nicely and easy to look through, with no clutter like some antique stores. The owners are super friendly and helpful, and I love that they've stated it's a greed free store, it really shows in their fair and reasonable pricing. The selection is amazing with so many unique pieces, and you can tell they truly care about creating a welcoming space. I'll definitely be coming back to see what new treasures they get in!

Such a cute store! Very clean, orderly. All antiques were cleaned off and organized which is not so…read morecommon with antiques.

Best game store! Always something new to find, great prices and outstanding service! So many games…read moreto choose from!

I've been a long-time buyer of their used stock but only recently had the pleasure of doing a…read moretrade-in myself. Noble Knight gave me a generous offer and covered shipping from Canada as well. The process was smooth, easy and Noble Knight's staff communicative and professional. I was worried it would be a difficult thing what with tariffs and the chaos of the current state of shipping, but it was remarkably easy. Fantastic service!

These guys provide amazing customer service, very polite and easy to discuss things!! Their prices…read moreare fair and also competitive with any other metal buyers/sellers. Very honest and trustworthy to deal with as well!

I messaged them if they are buying sterling silver and they said yes. I drove over an hour and they…read morewouldn't buy when I arrived.

Great yarn store with helpful friendly staff! They are open 7days a week! Easy parking down town…read moreStoughton Wisconsin

Spry Whimsy is notable in the community, and since I don't knit or crochet, I always felt like they…read morewouldn't have any options for me, in order to patron them. I was wrong. They have an amazing space that they have transformed into the most modern and trendy spot! There are areas for them to host classes in the back, or just areas to sit and work on a project. They have great options for gifts, oodles of options for yarn and such. Their displays are so adorable and strewn around the store in spots you wouldn't normally think to stash one. Make sure to swing in here on your stroll down Main Street!

Higher fire is a great studio in the Madison area. The people who work there are really friendly…read moreand customer service oriented. I started a class there this summer, but was unfortunately unable to finish it out due to outside circumstances. Linda was willing to work with me on the money I had paid for not being able to complete the course. I was really pleased with their responsiveness. The class itself was very informative. The teacher was attentive, and able to answer any questions. I think that others would enjoy taking these classes.

This is a great little art studio, gallery, and retail/gift shop on Regent St. They offer pottery…read moreclasses for adults and children - a unique idea to get out of the house in the winter and the lessons make a great gift for that person or kid that already has everything. Linda was extremely helpful and patient with our group lesson. She fired the pottery and we came back to glaze it before she fired it a second time. You can also buy a variety of gifts including from the adjacent jewelry and pottery studio or, better yet, make your own gift for someone special. It's a laid back atmosphere and they offer as much or little assistance as you prefer. Keep your eye out for the Gallery Nights they host complete with snacks and occasional live music. We bought 4 really cool hand made cups intended for Sake wine (but they're also ideal for espresso and baby food!) at the one we attended recently. Higher Fire is a place you've probably driven/walked past dozens of times but never stopped. Next time check it out and I bet you'll be glad you did! Plus it's always nice to support our local small businesses.