Beanstalk is the kind of toy store I wish is around when I was a kid. They carry a variety of toys…read moreand educational activity games. The store is clean and organized and I must mention the friendly staff on duty this past Saturday morning who offered to put a ribbon on a stuffed animal I purchased. There are plenty of street parking in front and around the store. It's a unique treasure for kids of all ages. Instead purchasing toys from of big box stores or Amazon, give Beanstalk a try!

This is an adorable toy store for the under 10 set. I am not in company with many youngsters…read moretheseadays, but I imagine this store is the kind of place they'd love. There's a train track that runs above the store with a train toddling along. I saw moms sitting on the floor while their kids explored. I was looking for newborn stuff, the store is more geared to toddlers and up, although lots of baby gear here too. I didn't stay long as I was looking for infant stuff but I imagine I'll be back when said newborn gets a little older.

As a retired teacher, I now love shopping here for my grandkids. Unique gift ideas that are…read moreeducational! I would have loved a store like3 this when I was teaching. I appreciate the pleasant staff and that they wrap my gifts so beautifully. They have a FREE bookcase of used books, which is also popular.

This store is AMAZING!! So so so bittersweet that I found it as they began closing. I wish I had…read morefound it sooner but there's still so many amazing gems to be found!! Please do yourself a favor and stop in before they close for good! So sad what's happening to all the small business around.

I attended 2 events at the Perkowitz Art studio in Grayslake with my husband. The first one was…read morerock painting that I have been doing for several years as I am a member of Grayslake Rocks. My husband surprised me when he said he wanted to attend & we both enjoyed the event immensely. The second event was in October to paint the Scary House. I had registered to attend with my good friend but due to unforseen circumstances she had to cancel at the last minute. My husband offered to accompany me as I had already registered & paid. We both were amazed this was not just painting a picture of a house, it was an art class taught by Tom Perkowitz. It was truly a memorable experience & who knew ? A Saturday afternoon date for this married couple who are polar opposites in many ways, accidentally discovering they had found a hobby that appealed to both of them & should pursue future events of this type. I bought paint by number sets for us & am hoping that more of this classes will be offered at the studio or may just create a paint party of my own with friends if there are no events coming up. I rate this a 5 & highly recommend this place to one & all.

My sons and daughter have come for the paint and sip events. They Love it!!!! It's their favorite…read moremom time the classes are great and well priced. We always get great instruction, supplies and time to complete our project. Myself and children have always been thrilled with the product we come home with and are anxious to go back to paint more. This last year has made us cautious but with the world reopening we will sure to return again and again.

We had my daughter's 6th birthday party here last week. It…read morewas easy to book online. I also phoned them many times with different questions and they were patient and helpful. It was nice that we could bring any food and drinks we wanted, even some Champagne and hard seltzer for parents. Cheers to that :) Also, it was nice to have the party at a room separated from the main store. Besides the pottery painting I added cupcakes decorating activity and it was a success. All kids loved it of course! A week after the party, I received a text message that all our pottery was ready and thats so nice too, much quicker than expected. I definitely recommend this place! We'll be back for sure.

Visited again today with a friend. They have expanded to have a party room now which is very cool!…read more The place filled up quickly with an assortment of kids and adults. Staff was great helping us to get paints and cheering us on while answering questions. We had a great time and can't wait to see our finished projects!

My kids have a favorite new store in town. I want to avoid it since every visit here ends with my…read morekids on a major sugar high, but have to admit I'm a fan myself. They have every sort of candy to make a kid (or adult) smile...and jewelry too! Candy and jewelry...a store after my own heart. They have all sorts of classes and events happening weekly at Sweet Buddha. Everything from a homework club (genius) to trunk shows to cupcake decorating (yes, more sugar). I've also heard from many friends who were frequent visitors of their old city location that they throw some pretty amazing bday parties! My daughter has already told me (about 1273 times) that she'll be having a future bday party at Sweet Buddha. Sweet Buddha isn't just for kids! When my own summer bday bash on the beach got rained out the owner, Sarah, was nice enough to let us to let us rent the space last minute. It was the perfect venue and I'll definitely look into for all future partying planning in my future (bday parties, moms night outs, baby showers, etc). I'm as thrilled as my little ones to have this in Glencoe and excited to see how this city business adapts to the burbs. I'd love to see some more mommy/caregiver & me classes on the calendar since there's not much for the under 2 crowd in the North Shore. I also think their creative bday party packages are amazing, but the rental fee if you want just the space is a bit high when compared to all the park district rooms nearby (not that the PD rooms are nearly as adorable). Fortunately, the owner is pretty "sweet" herself and I have no doubt will make Sweet Buddha a big success here in Glencoe!

Simply put. A delightful place to be. Just the spirits in there alone make you feel warm. The…read moreManagment is friendly and the candy is OFF THE HOOK! For a kids party...great choice. The painting was fun, and the added bonus of keeping the kids busy while waiting for the parent to arrive was genius. They have friendly high schoolers working with the kids from local schools! Overall, a fun experience. Next time it's the adults to paint and sip on wine!

What a fantastic small business!! Allison was able to help me select wonderful learning and…read moreinteractive toys for my nephew and nieces. She asked me what their interests were and their ages. She showed me a great variety to choose from and I almost wanted to buy them all. Additionally she offered to order some STEM toys for a future gift. Highly recommend going here for the great customer service and wonderful selection.

I needed a gift for a kids birthday party and stopped in to Sage Explorers yesterday. Allison was…read moreso helpful. She pointed out several great options for a girl turning 8. She even demonstrated some games for me. They have a unique assortment of educational toys and brands that I had not seen anywhere else, including Seedling crafts and MudPuppy puzzles. They have a great selection for babies too. I picked up two items for the gift and she wrapped them beautifully. They just started doing kids birthday parties, too. I am so glad to have a toy store in town again, as I am usually grabbing a gift on the way to the party!

Great selection of die cuts and paper. It was my first time there and will definitely be back…read more Customer service very helpful. Same prices as online retailers. Some may be a little higher but instant gratification and no shipping charges. Well worth the little bit extra on a few items.

Love this place. It's a great local craft place to shop. The team there always has lots of great…read moreinfo and will answer all your crafty questions. They have great make and takes on a regular basis. Love stopping in for the garage sale events they put on a few times a year

Attended this studio for a corporate outing, and they were great! Super flexible and easy to work…read morewith. Such a great location and a helpful group of staff - especially Melanie! Great price and a wide variety of activities for varying skill sets. I appreciate their communication and enthusiasm. I would definitely come back to this studio and would recommend to anyone looking for a fun group or even solo activity!

Such a cute place! Came here on a whim when plans fell through for a friend's birthday weekend…read more Maddie was incredibly kind and great at explaining the whole process of picking out a pottery and all the colors of paint. There are so many pieces of pottery to choose from. Everything from kitchenware to holiday items, to potted plants. The choices of colors are endless. Its BYOB, so we enjoyed a few sips of wine and painted, and it was very relaxing! Once you are done painting your piece, you will get it back within 2-3 weeks after it has been cured. Will definitely come back here!