This was my second time visiting west Lafayette, and I had some time to kill before meeting with my student so I decided to explore. Happened across this store and was excited to check it out, I was browsing the books, and walked to each different section, there were so many fun crystals, clothes and Knick nacks! I could have spent hours browsing, but I'm glad I was able to find some fun treasures! Can't wait to go back! read more

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I could spend all day in Von's, just because it's so big! Every topic under the sun. If you don't go downstairs you miss 60% of their stock of books. read more

Eclectic collection of stones, collectibles, old books and assorted gifts. A great place to bring visitors to West Lafayette.

This is the most iconic and hidden gem for the Purdue tourist and Midwest roadtrip break. What a collection! More museum with price tags than store, this endless intricately setup garage sale feels old school in all the right ways. You will easily need a good hour or two to trek over the creaky floorboards, bumble over curious oddities, and look over the huge assortment of mostly flower girl items. There are pleasant smells, shiny knickknacks, collectible trinkets, oddball clothing, unusual brands, funny gag gifts, and more t han enough books to stay off sleep for weeks. So many wonderfully random shelves loaded up on decorative stones and spiritually hopeful gems, an entire backroom stuffed full of every color to collect into one massive rock rainbow, my favorite has to be the massive perfect 350lb crystal sphere! Von's is one of those almost impossible places living up to the hype of essential college town rat trap without succumbing to overrated fads or cheesy trappings to trap tourists. My friends and I always enjoy the musty moldy book vibes here which enhances the visit. Parking is a trouble, as all of Purdue campus struggles to offer decent automobile options it is best to try a block around for free 2 hour parking during the week. Be sure to notice the green street signs stating what time limit and daily rules are enforced for your vehicle. Thankfully there is easy walking around and plenty of coffee shops and restaurants nearby to cater to caffeine needs and appetites. Don't forget to wonder downstairs! read more

Ah, Von's... A place that holds a very special place in my heart. I've been going here for over a decade, and I love how they've evolved and stayed true to their original nature, all at the same time. I'm convinced that as all this new development shoots up in the area, and Von's will still remain a staple of the Purdue landscape and culture. The shop is actually a variety of shops that flow into each other. The first door opens to the bookstore, a maze of delightful new and old books for the mind to wander. Among the thousands of books are little gifts and journals that appeal to the literary buff. As you pass the doorway into the next shop, you'll find my favorite part - the bead shop. There are more beads and gemstones than you can fathom crawling the walls and floors of the shop, making you feel like you wandered into another world. Again, there are exotic and not-so-exotic gifts and trinkets mixed in with the beads, lining the walls with a variety of knick-knacks for your inner hippie to enjoy. If you want to make your own eccentric and earth-friendly jewelry, this is the best place to go in the entire state of Indiana, in my opinion. Over the years, the other side of the bead store has become a clothing boutique. It used to be gift cards and novelty gifts when I first started coming here years ago, but I'm glad they updated this side to something more relevant. You can find some super cute boho fashions as well as accessories. Before you go into the next shop above, don't forget to check out the basement! Down the stone steps, like entering a dungeon, you will find the used bookstore. Another incredible labyrinth of books and comic books that will make any book nerd have a mental orgasm. You could literally spend hours in here. I have. It's glorious. Back upstairs we go, to the next shop: the record store, as I used to know it. Now it has made way for more novelty gifts, comic books, clothing, posters, etc. There is still a record section where they sell vinyl, CDs and tapes, but not as many as the used to have. Still, it's worth checking out. As you can see, I just love Von's. It's one of the best kept secrets of Purdue, and, in my opinion, in Indiana. It should be a historical landmark. Next stop...Harry's! See ya. read more

Von's Shop - Underground bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

Von's basically has everything you could ever want but not need. It's mainly broken up into a bookstore (new and used), a crafts supplies store (bead, charms, wire, clasps, tools, etc.), a jewelry and clothing section, and an area for comics, posters, and records. Additionally, if you poke around you'll find that Von's is full of hidey-holes. The room in the back of the bookstore and the basement (take the staircase in between the comics/records shop and clothing area) has even more books. Across from the aforementioned staircase, there's another long, narrow room that was primarily filled with stuffed animal before. Nowadays though, it's half stuffed animals and even more strings of beads. Yet another room in the back of the crafts supplies section is filled with different kinds of crystals, semi-precious stones, and fossils. Honestly speaking, there's a lot of little treasures mixed in everywhere. Every time I go, there's something new or something I haven't seen before and they tend to have varieties of those things. For example, the kind of jewelry they have; ranging from campy trinkets to some more unique pieces (usually consisting of sterling silver with semi-precious stones). If you're a crafts person, this is definitely a wonderland with everything laid out like that. Another example is the sheer amount of beads they have. I did some pieces when I was still enrolled, and enjoyed going around with a tray and picking what looked good like I was at a buffet. Be aware that there are more beads you can look through in the shelves underneath that main central beads table. They use to offer beading and wirewrapping classes, but when I came back to visit, I was sad to see that they no longer hold those. If you need to use the restroom, it's in the comics/records area and you'll need keys from they staff in the front. They have specific parking spaces for shoppers in the parking lot behind Jimmy John's. Most people get to it by taking the street between Jimmy John's and Von's, but you can also take the back way by taking the side street next to Rice Cafe on Pierce Street or the side street next to Chauncey Hill Mall off S Chauncey Ave. The bookstore is probably the most important feature. Besides University Bookstore and Follet's, they're the other local location that sells and buys used books and textbooks. Some professors will have you specifically come here because Von's Books will have the required books/packets. Additionally, they're really good about holding books for you if you call ahead. Be aware that different parts of the shops have different phone numbers. For the bookstore specifically, their number is (765)-743-1915. Speaking of which, I'm really happy that they finally have their (updated?) website up and running this year. If you're looking for how to contact the other branches, you'll find it out their site. Though if the website creator is reading, there seems to be two rocks section. Look out for sales. They pretty much always have used books and strings of beads set outside for sale, but there are sometimes other deals as well so watch out for those. You'll only really find them if you frequently go in and really LOOK for them or if you're lucky. Also be aware that there's not really a lot of circulation inside. So warning, if you're sensitive to dust or strong perfumes. I had a friend who had some issues with that. Ultimately, it's super convenient if you need to pick up some craft supplies or a present (sometimes at the last minute) since it's already practically on campus. If you're in the area and have the time, then definitely poke around here before having a snack or meal in one of the surrounding Chauncey area restaurants. read more

Vons has all the things books, jewelry, clothes, wigs novelties! Customer service is great!! huge book selection!

I used to shop here ALL the time but I cannot even go in here anymore because the workers are SO rude every time. The customer service is seriously terrible. Every time I go here you feel uncomfortable because workers will stare you down to make sure you are wearing a mask and it's staying above your nose. We are 3 years out from Covid and it's ridiculous we even still have to wear masks. It's ironic because they sell vibey and energetic things like crystals and hippie gear yet the staff gives off terrible vibes. Wouldn't recommend shipping here unfortunately. Very uncomfortable vibes. read more

I adore this place! I shopped here when I was at Purdue, in the 80's and didn't have a lot of money. Now that I have a full time job (with a little more money) and live in Chicago I still like to shop here, when I am in town. I have yet to find a more plentiful selection of pendents and rings. Their bead selection is second to none. read more

Beautiful layout and selection of unique goods. I often visit just to see something new, and find inspiration for crafts. I frequent the gemstone section, but there are a small selection of unique clothes, incense, baubles, wooden boxes, anything you probably wouldn't find in a usual store. Planning on visiting again! read more

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This honestly makes me sad. Precovid I used to shop here a lot. Like a lot a lot. I honestly the miss the place. But this far past COVID (2023) I no longer kept masks on my car so I can never go there. They seriously try and charge you to buy a mask if you don't have one. I don't use cash. Like at all. Like I have had cash in my person maybe 5 times in the last year. So I don't have the change to buy a mask. Like seriously! If you are going to be the only store to still require a mask then give them away for free. I haven't even tried to go in in a few months and every time I think about this store now it makes me so sad. I have so many happy memories of the place. I have been going since the first time my aunt and I went with her best friend when I was 12. I would spend birthday money and allowance there as a kid. Then real money when I had my first job. My first ever $100 purchase was at Von's. Going there was a family activity for us. Me, my aunt, unlce, 5 cousins and several family friends all shopped there from my childhood untill the pandemic. And now none of us shop there. What is the point of requiring a mask this far on? People are vaxed and living, working and shopping without masks and have been for like 2 years. I'm not going to purchase a mask just the shop in one store. And it honestly makes me sad that I have to miss out on the experience because I don't want to have that forced on me. I was all for masks during the pandemic. I even wore a mask for a while after the mandate ended. But we have gone back to the normal world. Or as much as we can. But they still want to force the fear on us. I honestly just see it as a way to rip customers off. I'm truly disappointed in the owners. A read a news story a few months back that they are worried they will go out of business and they seriously are choosing to loose their business over their desire to force masks on people and they insist it has nothing to do with that. Yet everyone o know who used to shop there has said the reason they no longer go is because of the mask thing. So we might loose a place that has been a staple of this town for longer than I have been alive. A place that I have loved for so long. All because the owners are having a tantrum about people not wanting their choices forced on them. read more

Wow, this shop just goes and goes! I was drawn in by their sidewalk sales and my major preference for physical media--especially books! As an independent store, their book prices are higher but I really wanted to get a few books to enjoy in my spare time after dealing with a chaotic move. The store is pretty cramped--not necessarily with people but because it is brimming with inventory. I picked up a few film history books (my favorite) on my first visit. I returned again and realized I missed a whole different level of the store! They have a full basement area, too, with even more materials! The rarer, older, and sale-priced books are hidden away here. Definitely gets a little claustrophobic down there but it's bibliophile heaven. In addition to books, Von's has CDs, records, rocks, toys, jewelry, craft supplies, office supplies, oddities, and a wide array of nicknacks. There's something for everyone here. I look forward to visiting again once their inventory has turned over a bit more. read more

I love the super eclectic bead collections here. You can get literally everything : different pieces of Sushi, Sumo wrestler faces with various expressions, ducks, owls, foxes, snakes, dinosaurs, books, pizza, doughnuts, cakes, clouds, stars, rain, etc. If it's something. . . it's a bead (and it's probably here!). They also have more "traditional" beads of every color and shade. I feel like I spent an hour looking at beads alone. They also have a wide selection of pre-made jewelry. It wasn't necessarily my style (Indian, Hippie) but they had some cute stuff. read more

Soooo many great things here. They've got books for days, jewelry, clothing, incense, rocks/crystals/shells, makeup, candles, metaphysical things, journals, trinkets, and SO so so much more. If you're in the area I highly recommend stopping by. And if you can, give yourself at least an hour to wonder around and take it all in. As soon as you think you've seen it all you'll discover another room filled with treasures just waiting to be explored. read more

Fun fun fun! I love Von's. Pretty much three stores rolled into one. They all connect together. A bookstore on one end, jewelry/bead shop in the middle and finally a cd/record store. If you're a student at Purdue searching for books sometimes it's cheaper to head over to Von's rather than Follet's across the street. They have a 10% discount card (you have to purchase it for 5 bucks, but in the end you save money always- since textbooks cost so much). If you're a bored Purdue student or just like making crafts, check out the jewelry shop. I spent many hours in here purchasing beads and then making funky necklaces back in my dorm room. The music shop is superb as well. They always have the latest indie titles in the window, plenty of used and new cds, dvds and even fun tshirts and posters to clutter your college dorm walls in the back. Von's is a fun place to spend an afternoon with friends if you have some down time between studying at Purdue. read more

Von's Shop - Von's Shops West Lafayette, IN - Bookstores Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

First time in WL, and my friend and I were given the suggestion to check out the "bookshop." That little tidbit doesn't cover the amazing assortment that follows...I enjoyed the book store, which holds everything from recent popular titles to local authors, coloring books and book-lover gifts like mugs and bags. (I regret not buying the "card catalog" canvas tote) I realized that I had "lost" my friend in the aisles of books...she had wandered into the largest assortment of beads I've ever seen. (Watch out for the slope up to this next shop) We are both art minded and poured over the selection. In the back is a room full of gemstone, rock, fossil and shell samples that made me swoon. Emily was so knowledgeable and helpful. My friend wanted Moana style beads to make a necklace for her daughter...I ended up buying a strand of glass beads excavated from a from Roman Civilization colony. I was thrilled! There are clothes to be seen, CDs and records to scope out and apparently a used book superstore downstairs but I wouldn't even let my friend attempt a view or we would still be there. Definitely recommend a visit if you have time to stop. read more

Von's Shop - The sign is somewhat unassuming but you can spend hours in here if you have a mind to! - Bookstores Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

Return policy is 10 days, 3 days on clothes. They won't inform you at checkout, it's not on the receipt, and it's nowhere online (well, now it is, in this review). Extremely strict, even on items that came out of the box broken and purchased only 11 days ago. I calmly let them know I would no longer be shopping here and was told by the manager "Don't be rude it's only $25." read more

Von's is one of those places that you just have to experience for yourself because it's hard to capture its uniqueness in a review. First, there's a whole giant section of various greeting cards. Not just the same old tired cards that you see in every grocery store; there are plenty of different cards here so you don't end up sending the same birthday or anniversary card as everyone else who shops at Walmart. I like looking through the vinyl when I'm there. Lots of music to choose from, and if you're a music lover, it's fun to browse. I'm not a comic book guy, but there are a ton of comic books for people who are. It looks like a massive collection to my admittedly uninformed eye. I love the rock room. I always make sure I have time to explore the rocks. There is a huge selection for rockhounds... way more than I can take in at once. There are rough stones, polished stones, fossils... plenty to explore. So, yeah... the books. The books are the rabbit hole that catches me every time. I never get bored looking at their epic selection of books, and I find some treasure every time I go. Searching through the books brings me such joy and peace. Book lovers will relate. There are plenty of other things to see at Von's. A huge collection of beads; beads on strings as well as loose beads. Incense and essential oils. Unusual gifts. Too much to describe, and like I said at the beginning, something you just have to experience for yourself. Von's is an amazing place to spend some time and find things you didn't even know you were looking for. read more

I once had a break up so bad that I wanted nothing more than to be found frozen somewhere on Purdue's endlessly cold, culturally-barren campus. Those two days of eternal sorrow (hey, I bounce back) led me to Von's, where I hit up the ginormous bead shop and made jewelry my friends would pretend to like, bought a bunch of other stuff and rented movies. The movies. Now this was grad school, sometime in the early-mid 2000s. This means that I was poor and cheap was preferred (still preferred). They had different $1 deals everyday: foreign films, TV shows, horror, comedy, etc. Almodovar and Pan's Labrynth and all the Swedish and Danish goodies happened on foreign film day, but on Wednesdays there was something else. I'm reluctant to admit it. Here it goes: Sex and the City. Before Netflix and Amazon Prime I rented 2 and 3 DVDs at a time on $1 TV show day, binging on a bunch of ladies who hailed from back where I'm from, dressed totally unlike how I could afford to dress, living in unrealistically fantastic apartments and going through some cray-cray experiences. I sat in a desolate midwest hell where everyone marries by 21 and there's hardly a soul to date and lived vicariously through S&tC. I was too ashamed to admit the addiction to anyone. I was especially shocked at my reaction to the final DVD of the show. Dramatic sigh. It may have taken two days to get over a stupid boy but it took me a week to get over never seeing my "friends" from NY again. But then I went and rented them all over again and it was all fine. Anyway, thanks for being there, Von's. If it weren't for you and pals and ballroom, I wouldn't have survived Indiana. read more

One of my all time favorite places to go crazy shopping. They pretty much carry everything that I love. Books, cds, posters, beads, rocks, cards, stickers, stuffed animals, posters and jewelry. The book part is well stocked and staffed by some very helpful people. I recommend the discount card as it will save you a bundle of money. As an English major, several of my books for classes were carried here so the savings went far. The CD part can be a little less friendly at times, but if your feelings get hurt, just take a spin around the stuffed animal room and you'll feel better again. I bought countless posters there. Some, like the HUGE Miles Davis one I had framed and mounted, still with me years later. read more

There's nothing else on campus like it. Besides the dorms, you can't rent movies anyplace close without driving. If you're into comics it's the best selection in the tri state area. And the beads...oh the beads!! It has been rumored that Von's is the largest retailer of natural stone beads in the COUNTRY. On top of that, they have the funniest greeting cards, little gifty things, and books + records for every taste. After spending 2 years shopping here, I decided to apply for a job. Although I may be biased as an employee for 2.5 years, I ended up being one of Von's best customers. Damn you, John, your store is so awesome that I would find a million things I wanted then my paycheck disappeared! :-) I learned how to make jewelry while working here - real, quality jewelry - and now sell it on the side for extra income. Even living in San Francisco/Berkeley now I can't find a bead shop for my supplies quite like Von's. Things you can find at Von's: movie rentals CDs records posters purses/bags extensive greeting card selection stickers beautiful jewelry - stone and sterling silver from around the world body jewelry you can't even find at a tattoo parlor craft supplies beads - literally millions (stone, Czech glass, metal, Swarovski, lucite, African Trade) jewelry classes candles and incense - really quality scents and brands gifty things room full of stones and gems (knowledgeable staff for questions) comics used books textbooks new books for every subject and genre read more

Who doesn't love Von's?! This quaint little shop has been around on Purdue's campus for years. They sell new and used books, CDs, and gifts. They even have a puppet closet! You can make your own jewelry in the magnificent bead room or buy unique sterling silver jewelry at the jewelry counter. There is no end to what you can discover there! And the people are always nice. I recently sold a box of my old books there and they gave me a voucher for over $60 in used books! That beats donating them to the library! I encourage you to check it out. For most, it's love at first sight! read more

I love everything about this place. They have new and used books, stuffed animals, cards, jewelry, CDs, and a bunch of rooms I have yet to explore. If you're looking for something kind of quirky, you'll probably find it at Von's. My favorite thing to do in the area is to spend a Sunday afternoon exploring Von's, or, if I have an awkward half hour before I have to be somewhere, it's fun to stop in. The staff has always been extremely helpful--and colorful. :) I love stopping here instead of the chain bookstores in town! read more

Unbelievable amount and variety of beads, findings, strands, individual beads, glass, wood, bone, crystal, acrylic, aluminum, copper, you name it. The building has the high ceilings of older architecture and the beads are hung in rows and rows nearly to the ceiling with labels so you can read what is up there from the floor. There are also hand cut precious stones and fine quality carbochons like Larimar and black opal in various sizes and grades. The reason for four instead of five stars is because the strands are priced pretty high. I go to a lot of bead shows and shops across the country and know how much they are marking things up. Mark up is expected, but a strand that should be $4 would be $7 at Von's. I would go here and pay the $7 before going to a big box store, however. The store also houses several rooms of used books, stuffed animals, posters, cards, scarves, and all kinds of things I didn't have a chance to look at. Parking on the street is only 2 hours and I saw two cars get ticketed on my way back to my car, so watch your time. read more

Where do I begin?! I have loved to shop at Vons for years! From jewelry making to clothes, they have it all. I love the fact that if you buy a shirt or a skirt or pants, it's guaranteed that you will not find anyone who is wearing the same thing. All of their items are definitely original which separates them for the rest and the reason after all these years that they are still in business read more

I LOVED this place. I finally went in the other day to check it out - because they have the coolest stuff up in the windows. This place is incredible! It has everything you could want + more! The walls were lined with beads.. and there was a huge side with just containers of stones, and beads. The prices are pretty great, and there is a HUGE selection. If you're looking for something quirky or funky this is the place to go. Such a unique place, and the people who work there seem to be pretty upbeat and nice! read more

Von's Shop - A section of the beads area. - Bookstores Near Me - West Lafayette, Indiana

One of the few local bookstores left, and definitely worth checking out. Not only does it have a great collection of new and used books (for the used books make sure you check out the basement, which may be easy to overlook on your first time visit) but it has an extraordinarily large collection of beads! If you are into jewerly making or use beads for any type of project---you NEED to check out the selection at Vons. You can by large strings of beads or individual beads...many of which are very unique and simple fun to look at even if you are not a bead fanatic. The collection of music and cards is also intriguing. Definitely a store to get lost in for a while. Don't leave West Lafayette without a quick wander through. read more

I love everything they sell but its NOT cheap! Well, for many things at least. The majority of people I know agree. Then again, a lot of people at Purdue have money...just not me :( If I did the stars would rise! read more

Great store. Von's has all kinds of stuff to keep you busy browsing - books, cds, comics, records and gift ideas. My roomie and I got a great, colorful tapestry to put on our apartment wall. If you're in to making your own jewelry, this is a great place to go. They have a room full of beads to choose from so you can make your own, or you can pick out something pre-made. A great place to stop between classes or during free time on the weekend. read more

"This place was great. A big bookstore, cd store, gift shop, used bookstore.. but my favorite part about this store was the bead shop area. They have so many beads and supplies for making jewelry there- I have never seen so many beads! There is a variety of every single color, shape and size bead you could want. They sell them by the bead or by the strand. So much fun can be had in here. Their staff who I talked with were extremely helpful and friendly. This is a great place to go for a little trinket, too. Have fun!" read more

My heart sank hard when I heard about the fire at Von's a few years ago but I've been back since and all is well. Like others who attended Purdue, I spent a lot of time and money here during my time in West Lafayette. The store has four parts: first up books. Unfortunately I never spent enough time over here to really appreciate how great it was. Next up: jewelry/beads/candles. My sister is really into jewelry making and could comb through those trays for hours. No exaggeration. Then there's the card/gift area. I'm not really a card person but these cards made me one. There were several times I needed a gift in a hurry and this section definitely saved me. Lastly, there's the music section. This was MY section....you could always find new releases that big chains didn't carry without the boutique store price gouge. There's also some movies, posters and vinyl! If only I had gotten into vinyl sooner... Thanks for the memories Vons :) read more

Great place to just look around. Buying books is great there too. They have it set up so that each class has it's own section of books which makes getting books very easy. Very helpful and friendly staff with an overall relaxed atmosphere. read more

This place is seriously my favorite place to go on campus. It has everything you could want - from clothes, to books, to BUTTONS, to movies and games, to comic books, to stickers and posters... I can be frequently found spending a good 3 hours going through this place. It's a treasure of the Purdue campus! I absolutely adore it. read more

I can look through things here for hours. They have some really unique cards and jewelry. Especially rings.

This store is one of the most unique and intriguing places that I've ever shopped. It seems like it's almost endless with treasures. They have everything from vinyls to comic books to books to collectable rocks to beads to make jewelry. Von's carries books for courses when you cannot find them anywhere else and all you have to do is take your course list in, tell them you have the class with whatever teacher and they will grab all the books for that class for you to purchase. Sometimes it is expensive, but that is only because there is no other place to get certain items in the surrounding area within walking distance. Von's definitely has something for everyone, and if you are passing through and want somewhere that you can go and tell your friends and family about, Von's is worth every second that you spend in there. read more

How can you not have a soft spot for Von's? A basement full of used books, beads for days, jewelry, cards, CD's, and even a bin filled with stuffed animal... pathogens? Eccentricity is its calling. But that's why you go to Von's. I don't often have a need to go, but sometimes on a bad day I will walk over and meander around. My boyfriend even got me this beautiful candle/holder there that when you light it, different colors from the glass holder dance along the walls. read more

This store is my favorite bookstore/bead store/gift store/record store/everything store in the whole country, maybe in the world! They have a great book collection, wonderful staff, a shocking number of beads and basically everything anyone would ever love. read more

Von's is unique--I have but to step in the door and I'm back in the '70s again. The staff have always been great to deal with. I bought tons of books there in my college days. read more

I take my friends that lean a bit to the left, and are from out of town to this store. They love it. They, like I, have never seen a store like it. It as everything you can think of that you don't need, but want, under one roof. Make sure you have plenty of time to walk through the store. Because every time you visit here, it seems as if the store has new stuff you never saw before, and didn't see the here before. read more

I love this store! I usually go in about once a month I enjoy all of the books and the vintage rings. However the woman typically working gets very annoyed when you ask to see rings and I usually always buy at least one. Other than that this is a great shop with an amazing variety of vintage finds! read more