I love a good independent bookstore so I was excited to stop in to Market Block Books while in town…read morefor a work trip. I was searching for a local sticker for a souvenir, but I didn't see any at the bookstore. I did find some nice postcards for the city of Troy that I bought. They do have a bag surcharge so bring your tote bag. I loved the staff picks display right at the front door - lots of good options! The selection seemed to range from best sellers to local authors, kids' books, and more. The building is historic and unique, and I'm really glad I got to check it out.

Great book store location inside a corner brick factory in Troy. This book purveyor was packed with…read moreevery book, magazine, seats, pens & paper, journals, flyers, post cards and note pads you can imagine. The sections are organized by nature, poetry, marriage, history etc. This place is very bright and there are soft seats to sit in by the front windows. Needs a few more staff on site. Review: 5

We had fun exploring Yellow Lab Vintage shop in Troy. We wanted to check out downtown Troy and was…read morerecommended this eclectic vintage shop as one of the stops.

I love this antique store! You never know what you're going to find…read more I bought my dining room table, which came with three leaves and six chairs, as well as a small dresser and many books. Every time I visit, there's something there that I need to take home with me. And thankfully, they hold furniture for two weeks after you purchase it, which is incredible. The prices are always fair and the staff is incredibly welcoming and helpful. I highly recommend Yellow Lab for a unique and fun shopping experience!

This is a supply shop (sweat shirts, mugs, pens, binders) for the Russell Sage Colleges. It is not…read morea real book store in the real sense! Students come here to vegetate in couches and to order their textbooks and readings. The store is clean, bright and staff is on top of it. That said, it isn't a traditional old-school book store. No thematic sections! A bit misleading to call it a 'Books' store. Review: 4

Ultra cute tiny bookstore for Russell Sage College, technically off-campus but run under an…read moreagreement with the college by Follett. Textbooks upstairs, including a rental program, while downstairs is a tiny collection of the usual campus souvenirs and a very small but kind of interesting collection of local books. It's actually not a bad little gift store. It's attached via an interior corridor to Bruegger's. Prices were what you'd expect, although I did run into a clearance sale for some items today. The manager was very sharp and I expect even though it's small the store has the signs of being a good asset to the college. FWIW it's not a destination store if you're without a Sage affiliation (too small) but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, worth stopping in and browsing. And no, I didn't find out what M.O.S.S. stands for (it's technically not 'Moss').

The Bookmark, formerly of Newton Plaza (a theme of Newton Plaza stores is invading my brain right…read morenow from a recent trip, so anyone not from the area probably should just skip the reviews), used to be a second job for a teacher in our Shaker High, Ms. Skeals. She was an incredibly nice person, very engaging, and just all around a good teacher. She was younger than the average age I would say at our school so she taught sensibly with a much closer ear for teen tendencies, attitudes, she was just much more in tune. Anywho, occasionally I would drop by the Bookmark because it was the closest local bookstore to home if I had to purchase anything. We'd talk about movies and such, and the cover of the Bread and Tulips DVD, which that particular cover the actress reminded me a lot of Ms. Skeals, so we had what you call a laff riot over that one. It was a good film exercise/quiz before heading on to other things during the afternoon. The bookstore itself was nothing too fancy; they certainly could not cover as much ground as the huge Barnes and Noble on Wolf Road, but what could? they did not specialize in used books and comics like the Book Barn over on Delatour either, but this was an easy bookstore to navigate for the general selection of classic fiction as well as current non-fiction. And it was next to the Starbucks, the only one in the immediate area. So that was an easy one-two punch.

Nerdy by Nature used to be located in Crossgates Mall, but moved to Troy earlier this year. The…read moredowntown Troy location seems like such a great fit for the vibes of this small business specializing in the metaphysical and unique curiosities. There is a lot to look at in this space, with a nice collection of original artworks as well as items on display (and available for purchase!) from variety of Horror Movies and other productions. There are items for sale from multiple local artists/vendors you may be familiar with (Deanna Campagnola & Opal Hexen, I'm looking at you!) as well as ritual supplies, tarot decks, and crystals. Self proclaimed as "supplying tools to assist you in being your authentic self" and encouraging their community to "Let the weird in," I highly recommend you visit Nerdy by Nature during your next Troy adventure. This is a safe space for all humans and a great spot for gifts and oddities for yourself and your loved ones. I love that Nerdy by Nature also has their own collection of vegan hand & body soaps available in the shop; I left with a beautiful bar featuring sage, lavender & lemongrass that smells divine.

Fun shop! Very unique and eclectic things for sale such as animal bones, creepy dolls, and other…read moreinteresting ones of a kind items. My daughter wanted to check it out and though we didn't find anything she wanted, she enjoyed the visit.

Despite my curmudgeonly facade, I really, really prefer to buy local, and to support small…read morecompanies and artists. However, I really feel like the Capital Region doesn't make it really easy for people to practice this. Yes, there are a few farmers' markets, but everything is so ridiculously overpriced, I just can't justify adding even a lowly bag of spinach into my budget. There's also an "independent" used book store around the corner from my place, but they specialize in text books for the local colleges, and are often more expensive than the UAlbany bookstore. Don't even get me started on the independent coffee houses and restaurants. It's like someone thinks that the people around here have really deep pockets. And while there surely are those people who do (politicians, etc., etc.), there are enough colleges within city limits to make the argument that there are enough people who CARE about independent business, but can't AFFORD to support them on a student budget. The Paper Sparrow gets it. Thank GOD. This is a boutique that would fit right in in Portland's trendy Hawthorne strip. Is it out of place for Albany? Hell yeah. Not so much in historic downtown Troy, which seems to have eons more personality, but it was nonetheless an unexpected treat. On a regular basis, the Paper Sparrow boasts a rotating selection of cards, bags, hair accessories, jewelry, soap, hand-spun and dyed yarn, and doodads, all (1) HANDMADE, (2) BY LOCAL ARTISTS, and (3) TOTALLY AFFORDABLE. In fact, most of their absolutely adorable necklaces and earrings could easily be passed on at other stores in the area for a cool $30+, but here, for only $10. Some really awesome and unique hair clips for less than $5. Here, you can purchase one-of-a-kind pieces at fair prices that go right back into the community, supporting local artists. Really, I love it. It's kind of like Etsy on crack. And this is the store's mission, too. I thought that maybe it was a fluke that all this adorable stuff was so reasonable. But then I checked out their website, and it was all in their ultimate plan--making beautiful, locally made things accessible to more people. Did I mention they have a gallery space in back? They do. And they have new showings every month for Troy's Last Friday event. It's pretty fantastic, and I absolutely love what this place is doing. I really hope that it's around for a good, long time, because we honestly need more places like the Paper Sparrow around.

The woman working was so rude. Everything's so overpriced, especially considering the necklace I…read morebought fell apart after a week. Bye $79

Earthworld has everything a comic book nerd could ever want, from new releases to old collections…read more They even package together sets of single-issue comics to capture the entire arc. Nick, the owner, was so helpful and eager to share his love for comic books. We highly recommend!

I haven't been here in a few years but the book selections and superhero memorabilia is out of this…read moreworld. The staff is very helpful and friendly.

Great knowledge about real history. Paul and Mary are working hard at sharing history and engaging…read moreyouth of their community and beyond. If you have an hour to 90 minutes of time, this is worth it!

From the owner: Our business specializes in interactive tours that invite visitors to engage with history in…read moretransformative ways. We offer a new interpretation of Underground Railroad history and its relevance for us today, bringing forward the voices and stories of Black abolitionists and freedom seekers who have been written out of the American narrative.