Nook & Nest is a cute little gift store on Main Street in Ames. Compared to other downtowns in…read moreIowa, Ames is in pretty good shape with this store, Dog Eared Books, Cafe Diem (coffee), Oak Lane Candle, a couple decent restaurants and bars, and other businesses lining the boulevard. There's free parking in the lot next to the railroad tracks, so wandering around is a pretty easy and pleasant proposition. Although Nook & Nest features an interesting selection of home goods, I was drawn to the paper, including notebooks and cards from Moglea of Des Moines, and various other brands that would fill anyone's greeting card, writing, listing, habit tracking, and/or planning needs. I'm now stocked up for awhile (and with more than I really need), but when I return to Ames in a few months, who knows?

Located in downtown Ames, this place is a really good place to visit if you are looking for a gift,…read moregreeting cards, home furniture, or a unique item. I have visited twice, and found fun stuff both times, including some great cards that I have not seen elsewhere. The customer service is kind and never pushy, and their buyer has impeccable taste. I do like the layout of the store, as you're not cramped at all, a store that has plenty of space if you're browsing and not quite sure what direction that you're headed. I am grateful for Jamie Nessa's guidance on my last visit.

Located in the middle of Ames' Main Street shopping district, we thoroughly enjoyed our initial…read morevisit to Life Distilled, a modern day apothecary on the NW corner of Kellogg and Main. Lots of natural light and big windows make for a comfortable feel, and the staff was incredibly kind and not pushy. They took "Iowa Nice" to another level, making the visit fun and informative. Options include all natural fragrances, artwork, cards, flowers, bracelets, stickers, earrings, plants, and items for the home. The service was spot on with a high level of knowledge and kindness. They have in-store events, and it is just a feel-good store to visit.

From the owner: At Life Distilled we believe everyone deserves options for all-natural health and wellness. By…read moreusing the highest quality essential oils to blend rollers and more we make it easy to support a busy and all-natural lifestyle. If we can help you please call or visit our store.

Kenilworth House is one of my favorite places and my go to place whenever I'm looking for something…read morewonderful for my home. Sheila and the staff there are amazing, they always go out of their way to help you find just what you're looking for. I've only lived in Des Moines 2 1/2 years but finding Kenilworth House was discovering a real treasure. If you haven't stopped in please do, you won't be disappointed Ernie Krueger

From the owner: Furniture, Custom Furniture, Home Furnishings, Interior Design, Decorating, Window Treatments,…read moreFabric & Wallpaper, Lamps & Lighting, Area Rugs, Artwork, Artificial Floral, Gifts, MacKenzie Child's, Sid Dickens Memory tiles, Houston Llew Spiritiles tiles

Love this store! Has a ton of eco-friendly alternatives…read more They also have a "refill" station in the back where you can refill on staple items such as laundry detergent and cleaning spray. Bought a oak milk bag and adorable container to store the milk. Cannot wait to test it out!

From the owner: Sales associates educated in the products we carry and can provide suggestions. We also provide…read moreproducts in bulk to avoid additional plastic-waste so please bring clean containers to fill up!

Right before noon on 10/6/24. Terrible customer service and even worse assistant manager. Remember…read moreyou have choices for shopping and I would exercise a different choice.

Service quality of clothes and food and supplies is excellent at Theisens always!! The value is…read morealways good and check for coupons on line at the App Store as well! I highly recommend Theisens love this store for all your needs under one roof!

It's not a bad place to shop. With all of the recent moral problems in the media and whatnot, I…read moresincerely try not to shop here, but in a competition between this and Wal-Mart, it usually wins. The interior is always clean, and while everything isn't always in perfect placement in the shelves, it's usually nearby or pretty close to where it should be. The store has a lot of random stuff - such is Hobby Lobby. You can buy random (but pretty, honestly) decorations for your home, framing for your photos or artwork, calligraphy supplies, fabric, seasonal stuff, paints, all types of posterboard, and so much more. It's a pretty big store, and they've done an okay job of organizing everything. Once you walk around it a few times, you'll have a general idea of where things are mostly located. I've had to return some items here before. Returns went smoothly and were processed without much of a problem. The biggest problem with this store is the staffing. The staff is nice enough, but no matter when I manage to go, I always get stuck in this a really long check-out line. There might be three other employees in the general vicinity - or even they sometimes come and stop by to chat with the employee running the register, but rarely does another employee hop onto a register. I understand that not all employees are trained for that, but when it starts being a line of 6 people and everything is going extremely slowly because the person has a giant cart of tiny items or is returning items (which is done in the same single-cashier line), it can get pretty slow. I've easily spent 15 minutes waiting in line here on multiple occasions. It's partly the customer's fault, I'm sure, as many of them aren't in a hurry so they don't rush through the check-out process, but still, it's frustrating. The cost of some of the items is also another problem. I don't expect cheap, but depending on what you're buying (especially if you're purchasing decor or furniture), you can expect to spend quite a bit of money. Some of the craft supplies are definitely cheaper, but their decor items can rack up quickly. Final thoughts: It's clean, easy-to-shop in, and the employees are friendly enough. They usually have a general idea of where things are if you need to find something. If possible, I'd much rather shop at Jo-Anns which is just next door, but there are lots of things Jo-Anns doesn't carry. For those things, I'll be heading to Hobby Lobby - and making sure I'm not in a hurry.

Tami in the fabrics department was so helpful. She was precise and pleasant when helping me with…read morethe upholstery, but assisting me in finding the right sewing machine is where she shines! She taught me so much in the short time I was there!

Terrible customer service. I called Alfred's carpet to ask for a quote for carpet after my…read moreapartment complex claimed that it would cost over $1,000 to replace carpet in two rooms. My apartment complex managers mentioned that I could call Alfreds and get a quote. As soon as I contact Alfred's they let me know that because I do not own apartment they cannot give me a quote. I tried to explain that I won't be moving forward with the quote that I just want to make sure I am not being screwed over by my apartment. Obviously they are buddy buddy with the owner and care more about that relationship than helping those in Ames. I would HIGHLY recommend NOT using Alfreds.

From the owner: We are dedicated to providing the finest selection of carpet, tile, hardwood, luxury vinyl plank,…read moreand laminate. Our design team and certified flooring installers will guide and inspire you through every step of your flooring project. Serving the communities of Ames, Boone, Nevada, Story City, Huxley, Gilbert, and more. Whether you need a new kitchen backsplash, an elegant tiled shower, or luxurious new carpet, visit our showroom and let us help you discover your perfect floor today.

We walked in to By Design with a set of plans for our new house and some pictures of furniture we…read moreliked. What Laura and Bonita did to furnish our empty space was amazing. Great room, office, bedroom, family room. They created a full plan, we made one or two very minor adjustments, and now we are living in our dream house with furnishings and rugs that perfectly complement the modern vibe. And the price was right! I recommend By Design to everyone I know who might be thinking about furnishings and area rugs. The products are great quality, and the designers are top notch and super nice. One piece or a houseful - they will take care of you.

By Design is one of the few, furniture sources in Des Moines with higher quality furnishings. They…read moreare the only source for American Leather (one of my favorite companies for sectionals, sofas and no so cluncky recliners). They have several other lines, also. I work with Bonita, who is extremely helpful, very patient and a wealth of experience. Dawn professional designer Santa Barbara | Des Moines