The cutest little place with fun, neat, and really interesting knick knacks and oddities. We had a great time walking around and exploring. The staff was super friendly and helpful. We were able to buy some great souvenirs for us and the kids. If you're in the area, consider dropping by! read more

Pleasant Surprise - Flowers & Gifts Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Fun store on Thames that has been here FOREVER with the same nice owner. Fun items for gag gifts. Super small so does get crowded-leave the carriages outside. read more

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We always stop by when we stay in Newport,RI. I just love the man who operates the store. He always shows us new merch and although he's usually very busy at the register, between customers we get to chatting and then buy more. He's a salesman's salesman and safe to say he has a massive group of fans from Volunteer Battalion 19 from Danbury, CT! ( You should see the Sox I bought on Monday! Quality is so nice at a fair price. My kids have gone there with us since they little and could find books, sweaters but shopping might disturb the sensitive based on the ribold items offered for the older folks, older kids-- I love to go in there! Between the fun things that are sold and our "cashier #1 (keep forgetting his name ) it's the ideal place to visit. You can't see it all in one day. Believe me, I've tried! There used to be a 2nd shop down the street with more clothing things t/shirt items. Not sure it's still there. Will check next time! Thanks so much for a store that is guaranteed to make you smile! read more

BEST PLACE TO BUY GIFTS! Family-owned and affordable and fun! Definitely recommend shopping here. read more

Pleasant Surprise - Flowers & Gifts Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Pleasant Surprise has been my favorite shop in Newport since I was a kid. Where else can you buy socks with cats on them, a prison-themed cookbook, and unicorn poop glitter putty all in one convenient location?! This is THE place to buy gifts for your friends or just for yourself. I actually bought a kitschy and fun Tater Tot Cookbook for the Boston Yelp Elite Squad gift exchange this past December, and it was such a hit that people were fighting over it! If you want to find memorable and unique presents for your quirky friends, Pleasant Surprise is the place to go. The customer service is top notch here. The man that manages the store is super helpful, and got a book on Rupaul's Drag Race for my drag-loving best friend last minute during the busy holiday season rush. He placed a call to the Providence store on Thayer Street, and it was shipped the next day where I picked it up in-store. It was super easy, and my friend loved the book and was so appreciative. Thank you for the awesome attention to detail and care to the Pleasant Surprise team! They have a couple of other stores in the area (PS Gear, PS Too), and the aforementioned sister store in Providence. Pay them a visit - you'll be (dare I say it) Pleasant-ly Surprised! read more

The man working in there today was beyond rude. Some girls took a picture of some merchandise. He asked them to stop. They apologized. It should/could have stopped there. Instead he continued to chastise them unnecessarily. Not a way to run a business sir. read more

We had a terrible experience at Pleasant Surprise today. My family and I went in to browse. My 14 year old son mistakenly knocked over a display of stickers...not glass, stickers. The man working there who, I assume was the proprietor, was angry. Ok, I get it...little stickers all over the floor, but when my son tried to help him clean up he made him leave. At that point, I said "it was an accident" and he replied "I'm sure it was". I then tried to help pick up the stickers and he said to me very condescendingly "Are you still here? Are we still doing this?". Needless to say, we will not be back and I hope he learns to be nicer to his customers. read more

Pleasant surprise indeed! This store is absolutely intriguing! One of the largest collections of the most eclectic items imaginable, jam packed into a closet sized store in downtown Newport (ok. . . so it may be bigger than a closet but as someone with claustrophobia things appear smaller than they may seem). Everything from frog staplers, pirate toothbrush holders, hand-painted martini glasses, and sex position books to dirty birthday cards, piggy slippers, and wind-up chattering teeth. Great place to come to find a gift for that hard to shop for friend. I can almost guarantee you will find the perfect item here. For those of you who have had the chance to go to an Oop! Store, this business is along the same lines. My friend and I left, I having bought nothing. . . he having bought a log book to write your poops in? Wtf? Hahah, good times to be had at this place! A must stop when shopping downtown! read more

Pleasant Surprise - Crazy Interior! - Flowers & Gifts Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Talk about neat things to purchase... they have all the wild and eccletic things that you don't need but make great gifts or trinkets you just can't live without. Books, purses, hats, lamps in the shape of heads, goofy toys, greeting cards you just can't get anywhere... fun place. Stop in if you are in the area. read more

Quite interesting that someone had a similar experience as I did (see Natalie'a review from two months ago). This is a cute store with quirky inventory - something I love and spend an embarrassing amount of money on. I wasn't planning on going to my car (which was parked nearby) after visiting this shop because I was just starting my shopping journey (I'd just spent a ridiculous amount on funny stickers nearby but that was about it so far), and the things that caught my eye here - books and cups and napkins - were going to be too burdensome to carry for a long trip. I also wanted to check with my husband if he wanted to buy his granddaughters some of the children's items, as he had not accompanied me that day. I didn't want to forget so I took a few pictures of the things I wanted to come back for or ask him about. The older person (old enough to have better manners than this) at the register came around the podium and snapped quite rudely at me to stop taking pictures. I was shocked at the rude tone and confused as to why I had been scolded in such a manner. After all, there were no posted signs that said please do not take pictures (which I strongly urge the owner post soon!) or anything of the kind! I am a professor of marketing and a PhD who publishes research specializing in frontline business. This is not how you treat a customer! Curious, I asked why he'd asked me to stop taking pictures and his response was, because I said no pictures. Perplexed and somewhat insulted, I left the store without making any purchases and with a very bad impression. Does this person not understand how commerce happens in this day and (digital) age? Not only was I planning to make a purchase, but I might have left a review somewhere with some pictures of the store or cute items that would entice others to come visit. I might have urged friends who shared they were planning a trip to Newport to be sure to visit this funny establishment! Instead, I am here leaving a review about the cute store isn't worth the horrible experience that ensured that I would never spend a penny here, and filed away an example to share in class about how not to treat customers. How short sighted. What a shame... read more

Every year for the last ten years, I make a special trip out to Rhode Island to see family. At least one day is spent in Newport and Pleasant Surprise was one of my GO TO shops until last year. While I was visiting town, I was looking for geeky/girly stuff for my website to write reviews about. Pleasant Surprise had such the thing, a robot cocktail plate and napkins! Perfect, right? I snapped a few pictures and continued on my way and planned to go back and buy the plates, but wanted to see what else was there. My dad came into the store and was mildly bored and asked to see my iPhone. He had heard about one of the apps where you can scan a bar code and look up information on the internet about the product. Now, I live in LA and my dad lives in Florida, so needless to say we don't see each other much and so I decided to appease him and show him the app. While I was demoing the app, the store owner got VERY angry and yelled across the store to us, "YOU KNOW, YOU COULD JUST BUY IT HERE." I turned around and asked, "what?" I'm just showing my dad this app!" At this point the owner started to very loudly mumble under his breath a few things along the lines of "it's because people want to save money that makes me have to work 18 hour days!" And then stormed out of his store. I left the store as well very upset and also very upset that I had wanted to buy a couple of items and didn't feel like going back to a place where I had been accosted. I calmed down a bit and went back in about 15 minutes later to buy a couple of the Fred Products (ice invaders!) I really wanted. The owner was still not there, but the lady behind the register AGAIN gave me attitude even after I came back to BUY STUFF and was checking out. Here I am, giving them money, because I DO in fact like to support local stores, and I have this woman saying, "So, why WERE you doing that with your phone??" Dear Pleasant Surprise 1) Way to yell at your customer! I get the economy has been hit hard for MANY people, but why would you take it out on your customers? 2) Considering I came back and bought stuff, despite how I was treated, with NO apologies form any staff - you have encouraged me to seek out online alternatives to any of the goods I see in your store IF I ever go back. 3) While I have spent many years toting how much I liked your store, it has been changed to how awful you treat customers. 4) Next time you want a customer to stop doing something, maybe try the approach of coming over and asking them kindly to put their phone away. read more

If you're looking for nutty gifts to give to your over sexualized, over indulged, over obsessed with silly things friends, then Pleasant Surprise is the place to find it. Options range from the traditional kitschy NEWPORT sweatshirts to the non-geographic region specific Tootsie Pop purses. You can also find books on morality written by congressmen, joke encyclopedias about poop and coasters that say Boys are Dumb. Pleasant Surprise is definitely a go-to stop for tourists and locals alike. Everybody is guaranteed to find something useless to spend money they either have or don't have on. read more

Pleasant Surprise is the kind of store that you can drag your man into and even he will find things to keep him occupied! PS is the perfect place to buy gifts. They have tons of different, unique items, many of which you cannot find anywhere else. The store is small and cannot handle more than a few people at a time, but it is usually not a problem. read more

I bought two hilarious books here... if I spent 10 more minutes, I probably would have bought one of everything. The store is small but cute, the selection of "stuff" is absolutely amazing. What a great store, there aren't many like this anymore. read more

A cute store in the "Brick Marketplace" area of Newport RI. Lots of odd and nifty gifts. Oddly, it is right across from another store called "Pleasant Surprise II" (which I assume is related). read more

This place is jam packed with tons of cute and quirky things! It is not a store that you only spend 10 minutes in, so beware! There is so much to look at and play with that you will need some extra time! If you want more, go across the alley (from the back door) to PS2, a sister store that has even more fun and eclectic things!!! It is really hard to go in there and not buy something!! read more

Great Scott! Yes this IS a pleasant surprise! Bought our friends a "sex after 50" book for Xmas last year - it was blank but for like 3 pages and the copyright stuff lol The place has awesome stuff for everyone - including uptight squares. Go there, you'll see. read more

EMPLOYEES/ MANAGEMENT: I come in this store, from time to time ,and not once have I been greeted when I walk into the store. I haven't had an employee approach me to speak to me, even once as I was shopping. They do however, watch you as you shop, stalking you with their eyes, every move you make. Overall, it makes for an UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. With experience myself working in retail, I would NEVER treat customers the way that I have been treated. SELECTION/ MERCHANDISE: Overall, UNPLEASANT Surprise has a great selection of merchandise. I love the unique finds in this store. I have bought a few birthday gifts for loved ones here. Beware, if you are on a tight budget, this is not the store for you. It is local, however, and I will always support local. PROS: Merchandise. CONS: UNPLEASANT employees, and management. read more

Talk about crafty crack. This place is filled with so much cool stuff. Retro, nasty, glamorous, funny... Everything in between. I knew I liked the place the moment I walked it, but I fell in love with it when I saw a mug that read "Tea is for losers." The guy that works there was super nice and helpful. Next time I'm in Newport I will definitely be back! read more

This place has some cute/funny/cool/different stuff. A nice place to grab a souvenir that doesn't suck you into the black hole of cheap crap. read more

Amazing store. A have to see atraction im RI amazimg and funny store love the store

This place could've easily drained my checking account if I had no self restraint. It was like a combination of Urban Outfitters and Perpetualkid.com, which is an awesome combination, and was filled with equally awesome and unique items... like books about how to poop at work, various "keep calm and carry on" stuff, and a weed cookbook. Fun times! read more

Love love this store.... I live in Newport and this is where I go to buy gifts. Nice people and they have some of everything.