This store carries a great selection of used books and new books. They are supporters of the 1000…read moreIsland Writers Festival and contribute a great deal to the world of books.

Great books at great prices! You never know what sort of treasure awaits. The staff are friendly…read moreand helpful. I've bought several books and asked the owner why they were about half the cover price. Apparently they get books that were returned unsold from *new book* stores at highly discounted prices and pass on the savings. It is worth a stop if you are in the area, and if you are an audiophile, there is a vinyl section in back. If you enjoy books, you're likely to find something of interest at a reasonable price.

Really nice record store with a lot to choose from. Very neatly organized and easy to browse. I…read moredoubt you'll leave empty handed!

Although it is true that, as a previous review mentions, its catalogue isn't as deep as it could be…read more- in this day and age of a choice between Chapters/Indigo and Amazon for most book buying, I still give this vendor a 5 star rating. Book prices really don't vary when you're buying new, and given its size, location, and stellar service, I won't ding them for that. The store is in the heart of the downtown area and occupies a large, corner unit. They carry a large selection of calendars and daytimers in addition to the usual best seller books. Their sections include a New Age one as well as the more expected Children's, Canadiana etc. if that helps impress the range of merchandise. We found several books that were not on that list and really appealed to our imagination. The sections are labeled well enough and in good order, decently stocked and re-stocked throughout the day judging by the fact that was what one of the staff was doing while we shopped. I was looking for a specific Atwood title which wasn't on the shelf, but had been before selling out and could be ordered. Being a tourista on this occasion, I had to decline the offer. Speaking of the offer, the staff were all around excellent. One staff overheard me talking about daytimers to my family and politely interjected to assist. No one seems to be carrying 18-month, 2021-22 daytimers that begin in January rather than July, so he couldn't help on that score, but then no other retailer I've been to lately could either so that's also not something I'm going to consider on them. Checking out for the books I did find was very pleasant. The cashing staff was the one who had also offered to find the Atwood title in their catalogue and made a bit of conversation that was relevant and not long, intrusive or pushy - something of an art it seems when dealing with staff who converse with their clients. They'll provide a plain plastic bag or you can buy a cloth one if you want the tourista bag-with-logo part of the shopping experience. I would happily come back on a return trip to Kingston.

I owe novel idea a lot. It was here, 20 years ago, that I was I introduced to the fantasto-parodic…read moreliterature of Sir Terry Pratchett. I needed something to read, you see, on the trips back and forth to my driver's ed class, so I picked up a rather unassuming book called Pyramids. This is not unlike the friend who introduces you to your future spouse. That any independent bookstore has survived 20 years is somewhat miraculous. But Novel Idea has stayed in the same limestone corner location for all that time. It's comforting to come back to Kingston and know that I can visit it and pick up a few things. Now, as a local indy bookstore its catalogue isn't as deep as it could be, but it's pertty darn broad.

It's not every day you find a place like this. Berry & Peterson is one of Kingston's "hidden gems"…read morefor book lovers. Be aware, there are books piled from floor to ceiling - literally. As a result, it's not very accessible. The floors are a mix of wood and stone and can be uneven. There's an upstairs as well. Make sure you take a look there for more recent books. If you're into collecting old books, this place is for you! The shopkeeper is very nice and knowledgeable. I think he's one of the founders although I'm not sure which one. You can find him there most days listening to the radio or reading something. The prices can be a bit high, but that's the case with most book stores these days. I'm happy to support this local business as an alternative to some of the bigger chains that we have in town. I expect that they could probably use the business as well. You'll find the entrance near Chez Piggy downtown. Easy to miss but you won't regret a quick peek inside!

Context for this review: I visit a lot of character and stationery stores in Toronto. Also, I am…read morebig on customer service - the real reason for the fail rating behind this review. OK - so as I've mentioned, I frequent a lot of stores similar to this one. Some are pricey, some are awesome values. This is definitely on the pricey end of the range, so no redeeming stars to be had there. Yes, it's on the tourist trap strip, but given that they're big enough to have online sales, and that the prices were beyond what I see in Toronto, doesn't help my rating. The range of merchandise is pretty good - lots of harder to find, more unusual pieces like calligraphy collections and the like, and a few glass pen selections. Daytimer and diary selection was pretty thin. Better range of plain sketch books and one or two music book choices. For the plush character merchandise, it wasn't so great - some more recognized Pokemon characters and a lot of generic animals, fruits, etc. There's some jewellery, backpacks, etc. Not much in terms of housewares/practical items like mugs, eating ware (except for portable), boxes, etc. The store was not laid out very well and the merchandise needs to be hunted through for differing varieties of some of the items. My hindsight brings up a dark and dingy image compared to the cute and bright logo on the outside of the store. Last but not least nail in this review coffin, I was actually insulted by the staff's attitude and remark while cashing out. Not only could I sense the attitude in their down-the-nose gaze, which was chilly enough, I got the message loud and clear that working here is all about them when I made my usual request not to have the 2 pieces of receipts stapled together. "Well, our policy is that returns need them both, so I (underline, bold and capitalize that "I") need it [sic] stapled." Okay, YOU need them stapled. WE won't be back. Not in the store and won't bother looking online, either.

Midori Gifts is a purveyor of cute plushies, stationary, and fashion accessories mostly of Japanese…read moreorigin. I actually didn't see a ton of very well known branded stuffed toys (no Sanrio characters) but there were a few of the more popular Pokemon. There were a lot of different tools for journaling including an array of gel pens, stickers, and notebooks including ones with 2020 dates, diaries with flaps, and bound leather journals. They had some fashion accessories like fuzzy scarves, mittens, and hats. There were some anime statues in a display case up front but I wouldn't say that's the focus of the store. The store is really well organized and neat. There was only one associate working there when we dropped by who was industriously rearranging the shelves. She left us alone for the most part but thanked us for coming in as we left.

I was very excited to visit this place. I was passing through Kingston and wanted to pick up a few…read morethings for my family while I was away. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. They were great and identifying my needs and provided recommendations for my 4 and 7 year old. They also have some local products that will look amazing in my place to play up our nerdy vibe! I can recommend this place more than I already am! Completely worth it to check out!

We happened upon this lovely games and gifts store while strolling on Princess Street. They have…read moregames and puzzles from all ages including tactile puzzles for toddlers and more stimulating board games including a lot of the expansions for Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. They advertise a free game night that happens on Thursdays and Sundays from 5pm to close. The store also had a ton of gift store staples like fun stationary and planners, totes and pencil cases with fun prints and quirky slogans, as well as housewares and accessories. They also had a pretty substantial craft section with a lot of knitting supplies. It was a little bit earlier on in the day so there were a lot of employees milling about setting things up. They left us alone for the most part to browse at our leisure but it was nice to see that it would be easy to get help if we had specific questions.

Great selection of not only books, but they also had handmade cards (I'm a huge fan of such art),…read morebookmarks, and awesome journals. The owner's daughter was helpful and the pets (Lucy the dog and a very vocal kitty cat) made us feel welcome and more likely to buy more than we had planned.

This is fabulous "little" book store that is larger than it seems. Shelves are laid out in an…read moreorganized fashion and include young adult sections, mystery, general fiction, romance, horror/sci fi, and a whole room for children's books. Check out the local section for books about the 1000 Islands region and Northern New York. I purchased a cookbook by the "Ship to Shore Chef" who has been a cook on St. Lawrence Seaway ships for many years (I am already starting my holiday shopping). The author had stopped in a few days prior to sign all of the copies - a nice touch. Journals, stickers, toys, candy, and book accessories are also available to create the perfect gift. The owner is eager to chat and help you find what you're looking for. She can also ship books! This is a great place to browse if you are in Clayton.

Very good spot to get boardgames and very helpful staff that don't mind making suggestions or…read moreasking questions.