Absolutely fantastic eclectic gift shop. Should be able to find something for anybody (including yourself) in here in the vast mix of items they have. Everything was well organized, reasonably priced, and just so much fun. The selection is honeslty a bit difficult to describe but truly contained such a variety of items, from specialty origami papers to fun matchboxes, decor, and various trinkets. One thing that stood out though was their incredible boom selection. The staff were friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend and would likely return, not only for gifts but to get myself a few items. read more

I love crystals and stones and they have an amazing selection for cheap quality stuff there prices range from $1-$2 for tumbled stones and crystals and they have carvings and specimens for around $5-$25 they have bigger more expensive stuff as well. read more

Sqecial Media is a popular store located right off U.K. campus. They have so many cool things: books, jewelry, incense, coffee mugs, cards, tapestries, candles, etc. Due to COVID, they have extensive guidelines. First, you must call to set up an appointment to shop. The store is small so they only allow a certain amount of people inside. They have different hours as well. Upon entering, they require a face mask and hand sanitizer before browsing the store. The location is literally right off campus. Parking can be annoying in this area. There is street parking in front or a small parking lot behind the store. Keep this in mind when visiting. There are a couple of other businesses located in the same building: a Korean restaurant (delicious) and a music store downstairs. If you're looking for a fun and unique store, definitely visit! read more

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All the esoterica and "magic" paraphernalia is a little weird, but in terms of books they probably have the best literary fiction selection in Lexington. I'm not sure who curates it, but they really know their stuff. They have lots of translated and small-press literature that you won't find anywhere else, plus pretty much any American classic you'd want, including some obscure stuff. Not to mention all the other book sections like art and film, which are also very nice. They do charge cover price like B&N or Joseph-Beth, which is the only drawback, but they also have a couple shelves of clearance books. If they were able to cut off 20-25% from the cover price, I'd come here much more often; in this economy, even with an intent to help a small business, it's hard to pay so much for books when they're much cheaper elsewhere. Like I said, though, their selection is unbeatable. read more

Interesting, quirky store that sells books and a million other little trinkets. I ended up picking out some cool glassware made by hand, and there were definitely some coffee mugs and books that tempted me. A very cool selection of merchandise. Unfortunately, Sqecial Media committed a huge store faux pas for me - burning incense. The smell of incense in a store is definitely guaranteed to get me in and out more quickly! But I did find some cool glasses in my quick 10-minute in and out experience. read more

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Haven't been there in quite a while but love going and checking out the jewelry and a very interesting selection of books. It smells amazing and there are some wonderful candles as well as incense to choose from. I don't get to Lexington as often as I'd like but since my daughters both live there now, I'm sure I'll be returning soon. read more

One of those 'cool little spots' on the campus. Reminds me of my college days when i wanted to discover all the weird places around me. I was travelling on vacation and found this place an di got a bunch of stuff. i really wish i had more time to look around. the Online store does them no justice. When i come back to Lexington, I'll make it a pint to drop by read more

A bartender told me that they have the best selection of American Spirit cigarettes anywhere, and she was right. They had colors I hadn't ever seen before! Apart from that, this place sells a ton of stuff and is deceptively big. A lot of new-agey stuff, but also a big selection of books (lot of cookbooks), some clothing, toys, and other random trinkets and desk toys. I had time to kill so decided to walk here from downtown, but I wouldn't go out of the way to come here unless you were already near UK campus. read more

The jewel on alternative Lexington's crown. I've basically grown up with sQecial. This is the type of establishment that brings pride to the Lexingtonian. The shop itself is a work of art. A masterfully curated collection of baubles and oddities. One of the first places I always bring guests from out of town. Great smells. Cozy corners and knacks. Very friendly staff and service. You can find books here that are very difficult to find outside of online ordering (especially in the back rooms). There is a very pleasant "energy" that radiates throughout the whole place. Wonderful tarot card selection. Oddball jewelry. A supermarket of a hedge/metaphysical shop not outdone by even those in the lands of Asheville. I hope this place stays here as long as Lexington does. read more

Sqecial doesn't provide food or shelter, but the things it sells do provide for another basic human need: it sells things that nourish the soul. A long-time Lexington staple, Sqecial occupies the top floor of a building just off campus. For many UK students that were just a little different than everyone else, discovering Sqecial Media was a right of passage. It probably still is. As you walk up the stairs, you'll smell the pleasantly mingled scents of a hundred different types of incense. At the top of the stairs, you'll always find some type of art installation. These are carefully curated by Sqecial stalwart Ed, and his crew. (As a bonus, if you become friends with Ed, he gives the best hugs in town!) Inside, you can easily wander the worn wooden floors for an hour, checking out all the things Sqecial has to offer. They sell: any type of tarot deck you could imagine, jewelry, books (from classic literature and art critiques to a whole range on spiritual subjects), incense, candles, soaps, quirky greeting cards, novelties of all sorts, carved wooden icons, batik tapestries, and a small selection of glass items to smoke things out of. When I was in college, Sqecial was the way to decorate a first apartment in the hippie style, buy hard to find magazines and books, and find gifts for all occasions. These days, I'm more likely to seek out a greeting card that's far from Hallmark's style, or pick up some incense to make my house smell a little nicer. I can't imagine that Sqecial will ever not be there, sitting right next to campus and supplying a new generation of college students with their spiritual needs. And that's a good thing. If you've never been, go check it out. (There's parking out back--don't park at the McDonald's unless you want to be instantly towed!) If it's been a few years since you smelled the Sqecial smell, then climb the stairs once again. And tell Ed I said hi. read more

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One of the coolest book stores I have ever been to! The selection was incredible. I also enjoyed browsing the new age gifts, decor items, and other novelties. read more

Sqecial Media - Bookstores Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

I am currently standing in the long line forming on the Sunday of Sqecial's 4th anniversary. There are currently 60 people in front of me waiting to get in to the store and another 20 forming the line behind me. To say this store is popular is an understatement. Sqecial Media has been a campus staple for 44 years now. They sell things like books, magazines, toys, soaps, incense, candle, jewelry and so much more. They also have a small assortment of tobacco smoking tools and items. This is one of my favorite places to pick up gifts for friends and family. Plus the whole store smells like NagChampa. If you are on or near campus, stop by and take a look around. Find something for yourself or your BFF. And be sure to say hello to the friendly staff. read more

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I have been coming to Sqecial Media since I was a young girl, and I always enjoyed playing with the demo toys that they've always set out for the kids to mess around with. After having 2 of my own kids, and a son who has disabilities Sqecial always topped the short list of places where we could enjoy our shopping experience without having to worry about him growing quickly impatient. For parents who do not have any family that is able to babysit for them like us, places that make a point of being family friendly are a god send! The last time we went there though, things seemed to have dramatically changed. Our kids were playing quietly with the demos when an older female employee came over and yelled at them telling them they were 'making a mess' and grabbed the demos and began putting them up. This caught both me and my husband off guard, as we had never had any problem before. It made us feel incredibly uncomfortable and awkward..Anytime we have allowed our kids to play with the demos we have always made sure to put everything back where it belongs before we leave. We decided to just lay down the items we were going to purchase and leave the store. I have bought many things over the years, from stocking stuffers, to books and home decor items, but I will gladly find another place to patronize though. In the day and age of online shopping, it's incumbent upon brick and mortar establishments to offer a positive shopping experience with impeccable customer service. That is what offsets the reality that everything they offer can be purchased online, for a cheaper price. We were guilted and shamed for simply allowing our kids to play with the toys that they have out on display. My suggestion is, if you don't want kids to play with the toys, it makes no sense to leave demos sitting out then! I will find another place to patronize, because I refuse to give our business to a store that treats us like a burden as opposed to the entire reason that they are there!!! read more

An awesome, quirky, very special (er, sqecial) little store. Discovering this place is a rite of passage for students at UK, and it's tradition and a legend around here. It's a bona-fide little hippie store. It's upstairs in a building just off campus, just obscure enough that you might miss it if you're not looking, but close enough to campus that students will probably find it on their own (and if not, someone will certainly tell them about it soon enough). Parking is a bit limited, there's a small lot in the back, or else it's street parking. They largely cater to on-campus students so don't expect parking like it was a big-box store in the suburbs. The whole place smells like incense, to a rather distinctive degree. For several generations of college students arriving at UK, it's been many of their their first real taste of counterculture anything. The place is loaded with books on spirituality, eastern religion, neo-pagan religions, LBGT affairs, environmentalism, obscure literature, and generally the sort of books that don't often show up in mainstream bookstores. Tarot cards, essential oils, incense, glass pipes, quirky jewelry, and other eclectic items are what you're likely to find here. Candles, gemstones and crystals, refrigerator magnets, incense, scarves, curtains and blankets, journals and odd novelties. . .this is a neat place and countless college apartments and dorm rooms have been decorated from this place. For many years I did the bulk of my Christmas shopping here, and I still find cause to come back every now and then. read more

This place is fun, decently priced, and has a really nice atmosphere! They also know how to deal with rude customers. This lady and her husband were letting their toddlers run around the toy section of the store unsupervised - they were putting things in their mouths, messing up the shelves, and even breaking stuff. My friend and I tried to walk around the kids but they kept throwing and chewing on everything. Thankfully a worker told the kids to stop. She didn't yell, only firmly said "Don't do that, pick those up right now." Its nice to know the workers take their job seriously and provide everyone with a good service :)) everyone is nice and the covid safety is wonderful! 10/10 read more

This place was so cute!! This place has so many cool things you'll be in here at least an hour. The employees are really nice so don't be scared to ask for help. I literally drove an hour and a half to find a really good spiritual/bookstore and this place was perfect. It's a very warm vibe. read more

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Love, Love, Love!! Like always coming home..and so very welcoming and inclusive. Customer since 1976. Blessings to the Gals! read more

I've been a loyal customer since the 1980s. I've always adored their laid back vibe. We finally ventured out during this pandemic and I could NOT be more disappointed. The hostility emitted from the workers poisoned the place. Will NOT go back again. Had been so excited about introducing my daughter to the one store I loved. They spoiled the experience for both of us. read more

Just a fun place that you can walk around and browse the book sections. I love buying incense from here and the toys here are so random, I love it! I'll be back to visit when I'm in Lexington! read more

The best selection of cards I have found in Lexington (I recently relocated from Chicago). There's also a very impressive stock of books, used and new. I recommend it highly. The shop is hard to find. Maybe a new sign is in order. read more

I was after some unique soaps and they have a wall of them. Lots of selection. I would recommend this business.

I went in looking for gifts for a friend and the people here were very helpful and answered any questions I had.

Sunday 11/3/2019 was my 1st time going to the store and I was amazed at the selection of books that they had. I picked up great books that I have been looking for about 6 months and there are The Divine Comedy and the Art of War. All the books that they sell are in perfect condition and the staff was very helpful and friendly. If you are in need of a book of any kind I suggest you go here because there is a 99.99% that they have what you are searching for. I will continue to buy my books here for now on. read more

Love this store. It has some of the neatest stuff. The atmosphere of the store is so inviting and relaxing I could spend all day just browsing about the place. The have gemstones, incense, books, ceramics, nest kitchen gadgets, journals, and so much more. There is something for just about everyone here. If you need some eclectic gifts this is your place. It's definitely worth the stop. In the same building as Sqecial Media is a record store and a restaurant which are both worth a stop too! read more

A very unique store that's well known in the area. You can find just about anything you never knew you wanted. They have a vast selection of cards, incense, 'multi-purpose' glassware, magnets, books and so much more. They have products that are made in the USA all the way to be imported from the Middle East. Even though the variety of products seem all over the place there is a sense of organization to it. If you ever find yourself in the 'Oh crap' moment of what gift to get someone, you should come over here. Just watch for prices some of the prices do seem a bit absurd. read more

*runs around in circles like a maniac* Okay, deep breaths. Organized thoughts. Let's go. I, like so many other UK students, "discovered" Sqecial Media at a ripe and tender age where many of us probably had never seen anything really terribly counterculture in our lives. I think the closest I ever got to counterculture in Owensboro was someone's pirated (that's photocopied, son, not downloaded) copy of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, and so Sqecial Media kind of blew my fucking mind, man. Fast-forward to a couple of weekends ago and--I'll be real, I can't remember how much this place has changed from 14 years ago or so, but man. Dat formative influence. And I like it even more now than I did then, if that's even possible. BOOKS. The book curation here is legit. I saw many books that I would take home, either about literature, art, or other. If you like fluffy stuff like astrology, you can find that here, too. And there are sex books. And cool magazines. HOME ITEMS. Want a bajillion kinds of incense? amazing candles? tea pots or mugs? rad pillows with sugar skulls or cassette tapes on them? I only found about a couple dozen things I wanted to buy/would have bought if I had unlimited money. Also, the buddhas and Hindu statues made me smile. I'm not religious but I do like a Ganesha every now and again. Bonus: the candle section had candles from Paddywax, which are kind of the best. Also: Squid salad forks. SQUID. SALAD. FORKS. FASHION ITEMS. Scarves, handmade wallets, jewelry, t-shirts (including Out of Print shirts that rule). I guess they had glass pipes and whatever too, but it doesn't feel like a teenage stoner's bedroom threw up in there. There's a great selection of gifts and books for adults who might like to enjoy recreational drugs but aren't looking for velvety black-light posters of Bob Marley or candles shaped like lumpy mushrooms. This is not Spencer's Gifts and the crowd they're after probably has more furniture than a taped-up bean bag. ily, Sqecial Media. Always. read more

I've been visiting Sqecial since I first stepped foot on UK campus in 2000. They tend to draw in those who are first coming to college and looking for a place for those kind of counterculture items that don't require you to step into some unmarked strip mall to buy a piece of glass. They also have a large selection of books and kitschy knick-knacks that you can look through. They have a decent selection of used comics and toys as well. I wouldn't necessarily stop here if that was all I was looking for, but it is worth looking through when you are there. The place smells like a patchouli factory exploded most of the time, and there are things that I bought almost 15 years ago that I can still smell and know where it originally came from. (I view this through the goggles of nostalgia, though, and find it kind of endearing.) It's a Lexington institution and everyone should visit to see what it's all about. read more

I used to buy so many books here when I was in grade school! It totally melted my face with it's coolness every time I walked in. The first time I came I thought the wind up toys and wall hangings were what was neat but I soon realized that the real stuff was the books. Especially the dover thrift editions of classics for just a couple bucks. This place gave me my education in being informed and hip at the same time. And if this place hadn't taken me to school when I was a 13 year old brat I would definitely not be the person I am today. Translate that to mean what you will. When I was 16 some random guy asked for my number here, having totally mistaken me for some hip artsy college chick (in my mind anyway) and I was effen tickled pink. I thought I had totally just arrived. Good god, I was dumb. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!! The large male employee accused my sister of stealing for walking around looking at stuff while holding stickers in her hand. He said he saw her put something in her pants she got so upset she literally pulled her pants down showed her bare parts to everyone in the store to prove nothing was in her pants. what made it worse she had just spent 200 dollars and was walking around debating spending more on the ticker and books she was looking at when the man approached her. He said he knew she was stealing because she looked up where the camera was since when is it a crime to look up in a store. she not only got almost completely naked in the store to prove a point in front of 20 customers she also duped the entire contents of her purse in the middle of the floor unbuttoned her blouse and shook her bra out in front of all these people. Then this man had the nerve to lie to the manager after being proven wrong and say he did not accuse her of anything and did not know what she was talking about. he was 3 inches from her face yelling at her demanding to take whatever out of her pants so she dropped her pants completely underwear and all. the manager did absolutely nothing about it turned her back and acted like she was doing something else did not say a word!!!!!!!!! I was so embarrassed for my sister she cried all the way home not only that they do not know what they are even selling they had selenite labelled as quarts and rose quarts labelled as citrine these people are frauds and evil do not shop here go to tree house or somewhere else at least they won't harass their customers and know what it is they Are selling. read more

Very cool store! So many interesting and unusual things here. It's great place for gifts, books, candles, interesting mugs and so much more. It's a favorite of my college students! The smell of the incense can be a bit strong at times tho. read more

Sqecial Media - Bookstores Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Great selection of books (used and new), occult paraphernalia, exotic home decor, paper goods, jewelry, and unusual toys. I love how the books I buy here always smell like Nag Champa. The whole store just smells wonderful. So many of the books and magazines they carry you just can't get anywhere else. Prices are reasonable. Great spot to find unusual gifts or great for silly stocking stuffers. Its an absolute must if you are in the Lexington Area. read more

Just visiting this place makes you feel a lot cooler than you might actually be. Maybe why it was one of my favorite places to visit when I lived in downtown Lexington. Good selection of beautiful books ranging every subject you could want - of all I bought there, one of my favorite things was a Book of Kells coloring book with a copy of the famous Kells images inside, ready to be colored. Coloring books for adults? Yes, please. Loved the large selection of gorgeous stationary and wrapping papers and could happily spend a couple hours leafing through them all. Bought a couple of gorgeous wood puzzles from their off-beat toy collection. Just go. It's an experience. Better to walk - there's no parking and they will tow. read more

A very special place in Lexington. I stop by every chance I get. Indie magazines, great books (used and new), imported items, incense...it's what a head shop was and should still be! The staff is funny, ironic and helpful. Plenty of room for hipsters and people who just want cloves and a good HST book! read more

Special is named appropriately for sure. Books, greeting cards, toys & gifts(jewlery, bumper stickers, etc)... all of a unique subject/nature than the average bookstore. Never have I encountered a store with such a HUGE supply of incense from all ends of the globe. The ample selection contrasts well with the 'smokers supplies' also sold at the store. Nice staff, great prices, unique finds. read more

I have heard nothing but great things about this place, my mom has been there many times and thought I'd love the place. And don't get me wrong they have some cool stuff but the staff needs to learn how to be polite. I understand having a bad day but you DO NOT need to have a rude sarcastic tone with your customers. I was very disappointed and taken aback with the tone the man used when we came in, i will never come again and I refuse to shop there.... its pretty bad if Walmart workers have a better attitude than you. read more

Stones, books, novelty, tarot, incense, pipes, tapestries, etc. Pretty neat head shop. read more

Haven't visited this store since I was in college at UK in the 90's..... it was a great shop then and is still AMAZING!!! I took my teenage daughter and she loved it!! Super helpful staff, unique and hard to find gifts and supplies.... really great shopping experience!!! read more

This is definitely a fun place to be. There are so many cool things to look at and you can find the most unique gifts here. They sell books, yes, but I think the rest of the store is even more amazing. You have to just come in order to understand how amazing this store is. Also... If you're planning on bringing a child, be a little careful. There can be certain things that could lead to an awkward "what does that mean" kind of conversation. read more

Whenever I'm responsible for introducing Lexington to someone who is new to visiting, Sqecial is a must. There are all kinds of fancy trinkets and interesting things to look at. Also a good spot for quick gifts, scented goods, spiritual tools, stones and crystals, and noise makers. Over the years it seems like their book selection has decreased but that's because they took out all the things you weren't interested in for more awesomeness. read more

A friend dragged my ambivalent hindquarters here a while back, and oh my gosh, I had been missing out! This is the coolest place for a novelty gift, either for myself or others with a sense of humor. Definitely a quirky sort of store (dare I say, squecial?), there's still something for pretty much everyone on my list. The owners are really sweet, and understand that I'm basically going to spend the next two hours loitering among all the nooks and crannies, wanting everything and finally choosing by the process of elimination question, "what can't I live without?" read more