There's not a lot of options around Austin when it comes to sustainable, climate-friendly products…read morefor your home, surprisingly. I was excited to find Parker and Scott during our transition to trying to make our home plastic-free with refillable soaps/detergents/etc and Earth-friendly cosmetics. I hope to never buy another plastic bottle again! The prices are not super marked up from the online prices of these items. They have a really nice set up for a local small business and have opened several similar stores in the area which is a great additional to the Austin community.

This has been a go-to spot for thoughtful and intentional gifts when I want to highlight a gift…read morefrom a local Texan artist or unique cards to accompany anything I'm handing out. I've also had the chance to use this location to pickup some items from Burlap & Twine which has made it super convenient. What I like most is the ample parking!

Alright, so it took me about six years to return to this place because I had some major PTSD from…read morean employee (who still happens to work here unfortunately). However, this time was a lot different and I was able to find the perfect gifts for my friend's birthday as well as fun items for myself. It seems like the selection has remained the same although Atown is keeping up with current and modern trends. For example, there were a lot of ICE based items tucked away as well as current celebrity crushes who are on everybody's minds. The coolest thing I found was a James Talarico candle but other than that, a lot of the items that were for sale were pretty kitschy and I believe they are the same wholesale items I have seen before. I must shoutout the incredibly helpful service from Audrey who went above and beyond to help me find items for my friend's birthday. She was super sweet, and I would've been wandering around the store aimlessly if it wasn't for her direction. Additionally, she even came up with combination gift ideas which was pretty sick. Atown is lucky to have her! I think my PTSD is no longer because of her assistance. Great store, unfortunately high prices. However, no one does it like Atown!

Shopping local for stocking stuffers for the wife and the former teen. Shana was with me so we…read moreseparated, this place has so much stuff, almost too much, it can be overwhelming and you know you missed things. There are 3 or 4 separate areas you can visit and they have things from locally made earrings and art to coasters, desk plates, rubber ducks of famous people, religious candles with random famous people, funny socks, clothes, and so much more. The staff is friendly and outgoing, they even had a woman at the door greeting you and offering you a hand basket if you wanted or needed one. There were 3 or 4 cashiers and at least one lady walking around greeting you and seeing if they could help. It is pricier then your chain store but the products are cooler, unique, and many times locally made. Things you can't get at other stores or amazon. Like so many places, it's one downside is parking. It is a small lot, if you part in front you basically have to back in to spot blocking traffic or back out into traffic. There is a small side lot that is better but you basically have to 3 point turn out of that spot. Always willing to pay a bit more to support local. We don't get out of our area/comfort zone much but we do love this place. #Supportlocal

Stop #2 in my quest to secure a gift for my hubby. I love the premise that Joy is built on - buy…read morethings that give you joy. The shop is quiet unique with a wide variety of items from baby clothes and cloth floral arrangements to cards and miniature radios. Some items are whimsical in nature like babble heads to intriguing like the scented matches. The shop manager was helpful to point out a number of unique goods. The shop has a wide range of affordable prices. While I did not find anything I thought my hubby would love to have, I would consider returning for a gift for a friend.

From the owner: We are a curated gift shop showcasing unique items that will enhance your reputation as a…read morephenomenal gift giver. Come find the perfect gift for you and your loved ones.

This is my FAVORITE stationary store in Austin. I happened to wander in after a central market…read moretrip. I am in love with the journal selection. I bought a Bruno Visconti journal and fell in love, came back and bought some more. Returned and they were sold out, the employee was so helpful and let me know I could put in a request for their buyer to order more. She filled out a request sheet and took my information so that they can call me when it comes in. But this is so much more than a place to buy journals. They have a huge pen selection, including some fancy ones. Their seasonal/holiday decor is always so unique and fun. They have a huge kids section and I will be popping in whenever I need a gift. AND stickers. They have a wall of a ton of stickers! They have a party section, greeting cards, gifts for adults and children, and they also make custom paper products like invitations + more. The selection is great, the prices are affordable and nothing feels overpriced, but what really sticks out here is the great staff. (I believe this is a locally owned- women owned business! More of this please!)

"This is a hug that looks a lot like a card."…read more Great cards like this are few and far between, but I find such treasures at the Paper Place more often than not. Reliably. I also find gorgeous paper goods for table settings made by Hester & Cook, journals by Leuchtturm that invite me to realize "writing by hand is thinking on paper." It is a joy to look at their gift wrapping paper, but this I eschew in favor of vintage silk and polyester scarves that I buy in lots online. This is a solid source of terrific picture frames, seasonal decorations, and amusements for kids, such as stickers and paper dolls. I don't believe I have ever walked out of the store empty-handed. Parking can be a bit of a challenge given the store proximity to Central Market.

This was such a sweet find. Today is Independent Bookstore Day and we were in Austin and decided to…read morecheck out Birdhouse Books. We absolutely loved our time there. My kids and I spent a considerable amount of time in the children's section. I particularly appreciate the book categories they have, from graphic books to books about inclusivity. There is a limited selection of parenting books, which was surprising to me. I half expected a wider range of parenting books considering the selection of children's books they had. And the parenting books were shelved right at the back of the store instead of being closer to the children's section, which I thought was an odd choice. I also particularly appreciate that they have banned books here, and book recommendations. When we went there today, it looks like there was an event going on and from their calendar in the store, it seems that they hosted events every now and then, which is great. Staff are incredibly helpful and welcoming. We plan to come back again. Parking was easy and when you have kids, that is an important factor to consider. And tip: When you are done here, walk to the Japanese grocery store in the same block and get yourself some delicious snack.

I love this adorable female/veteran/queer owned book & gift shop…read more Supporting Indy bookstores is so important especially in today's climate. Mae Mae the Yorkie is by far the best shopkeeper in town. She'd even got portraits on the wall to prove it. Lots of thought provoking reading materials available for purchase. Great selection for kids, adults, and young adults. Nice gift items like puzzles and candles also available. Amazing service! Highly recommend.

A few years later and I am still a big fan of Slow North and their candle arrangement and…read moreapothecary needs. I've been coming for a few years now and can't rave enough about their candle scents and store layout. The aromas that touch your nose will tingle your senses and have you ready to find that signature scent for whichever room you're looking to scent. From linen sprays to candles and oils, Slow North has you covered. Don't let the pricing be a deterrant as they are definitely well worth the investment. The burning time on their candles is really good and more of a slow burn. Take an opportunity to do a candle making class or participate in their other workshops!

The Hubs and I came for a midday date and we enjoyed every second of candle making. We learned so…read moremuch and were both wowed by the scents we created.

Fridays are always self-care days for me. Today I had two emphases: 1), Yelp exploration and 2)…read morestarting to get gift ideas for Christmas. The Monogram Lady store came to mine. They have a wide rate of gift items that you can personalize with a monogram. Their selection ranges from stuffed animals to Linen to purses to name a few. One of the staff members also highlighted , that you can bring items from outside the store. I that was good to know. When you personalize an item, it makes it more special in my opinion. So going back to Monogram Lady before Christmas it's definitely on my list of things to do. Most of the items in Monogram Lady atr reasonably price.md. It is absolutely a fun store for your gift explorations!

I brought a high-quality tie to Monogram Lady to be monogrammed as a going-away gift. It was…read morealready boxed and ready to present -- I just wanted to add a meaningful touch. I chose this small business expecting attention to detail and care. Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience. I was told a single seam would need to be opened to do the embroidery. I declined their suggestion to use vinyl, as I didn't want to compromise the tie's quality. I asked that the seamstress call me before beginning. Instead, I got a text from an unknown number -- not ideal, but I went along with it. I agreed to remove one seam and requested the thread be saved for color-matching later. That was dismissed, and the tone quickly became curt and unhelpful. A week later, I picked up the tie to find it had been completely taken apart -- far beyond what was discussed -- and the monogram design looked nothing like what we agreed on. The sun graphic resembled a blotch or bug, not the clean symbol I requested. The seamstress never spoke with me directly, and the staff simply offered excuses. What I would've appreciated most was honesty. If they couldn't meet my request, I would've gladly taken my business elsewhere. Instead, I spent $180 on the tie, $35 on the monogram, and now another $30 to have it repaired -- all for a result I didn't ask for. I don't take writing negative reviews lightly, but I hope this encourages Monogram Lady to communicate more clearly and stand behind their work.

I have been wanting to pop by Turquoise. I'm a lady of leisure today with the day off honoring…read moreMartin Luther King. It's my birthday this month and I always treat myself to something special. I do not know exactly what I want. Why not start with Turquoise, which led me to the Turquoise Trading post. According to one of the sales associates, they've been in business for 31 years. Turquoise Trading company has all things Turquoise...necklaces bracelets, earrings, and bolos. To be transparent, I was over whelmed with so many choices. I did see earrings I liked but not quite ready to pull the trigger. The store is a shoppers dream...sculptures. Walk hangings, figurine art, Indian headdresses, placemats, wind chimes...to name just a few. The store prices range from $2 to hundreds of dollars. I made a small purchase and was on my way.

Beautiful stuff! Surprised by variety and quality. Prices srd reasonable I'll be back soon.read more

While visiting Austin, TX I stopped by Lilla & Beth. Found a black dress I really liked and the tag…read moresaid it was $62.95. I loved the dress on so I decided to purchase it with a sweater. I went back to hotel and realized they charged me $98 and some change for the dress. It was after 6pm when I noticed it (I should have looked before I left and I own that). The next day I went back to get it corrected. They did not honor the price on the tag. This was very misleading and I was lucky I was still in the city to get a full refund. I loved the dress and hate they decided to not honor the price they printed on the tag. BAD BUSINESS! Watch out for when you shop at Lilla & Beth to make sure you are not overpaying or being mislead!

Super cute store. You can find so many things for home decor, clothing, jewelry, and even baby…read moreclothes and items.. oh and candles! I got a delicious smelling candle 40% off for their holiday sale. Would definitely recommend checking let their post holiday sale. Parking: Street or garage (they validate garage parking)

I'm genuinely so happy that Austin has a Japanese grocery store like Asahi Import. This was my…read morethird visit, and every time it feels like a little slice of Japan right here in the city. One of my absolute favorites is their onigiri rice balls--I honestly crave them. I stopped by a little after lunchtime, and there was already a sign saying they were finished taking onigiri orders for the day. I was browsing around anyway when one of the ladies kindly asked what I was looking for. I casually mentioned a few onigiri styles, and to my surprise she smiled and said they still had some left and could make them for me. That small gesture completely made my day. The kindness and warmth of the Japanese ladies working there truly stands out. You can feel the care they put into both the food and the customers. I also picked up some Japanese noodles and sweets while I was there, which made for a very delicious and comforting lunch at home. Thank you for the wonderful service and atmosphere. Keep up the great work always. Cheers

I walked into Asahi Imports with ONE GOAL: black sesame soft serve. That was the mission…read more Anything else I bumped into would simply be a bonus. And I didn't know what to expect my first visit. I thought I was going into a mini Japanese version of H Mart or something, but nope. This is very much a Japanese CONVENIENCE STORE with a little extra bonus on the side, so adjust any expectations. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE STORE IS NOODLES. Like WTF...is this a noodle headquarters? It felt unbalanced...like I had walked into the wrong store and wasn't supposed to be there. So many noodles, it scared me. I expected a variety store. Carry on. The layout is also a bit confusing for such a small space. I genuinely wasn't sure what areas were designated for customers and what areas were for employees...at one point wandering way into the back. My bad. They've got a solid selection of imported goods. Slightly pricey, but this is expected since they offer quite a few niche items you can't find everywhere. Still affordable, though. I HAPPILY grabbed some black sesame latte mix to whip up iced lattes at home as well as some black tea flavored soy milk. This is what you come to these stores for! The niche items. Now to the soft serve: Flavor-wise? Good strong black sesame flavor. Texture? Not so great. This was very icy and not creamy at all as I had hoped. The online pics were deceiving. Plus there were clumps in it that should've been blended out. However, it was refreshing and I could MAYBE see myself returning on a hot day for more if I'm close by. They only offer it on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's good, but no need to run for this. You can walk. Lol. It scratched the itch but I'm not running back for it. All in all, not an everyday stop, but an "I'll see you when I see you" spot. Know what I mean? 3 stars.