My youngest child's birthday has happened to coincide with the pre-order dates for the new Diary of…read morea Wimpy Kid book for a few years now. (That Jeff Kinney cranks 'em out every year! I don't know how he does it.) Anyway, on my kid's birthday wish list each year is the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. You want a book for your birthday, my child? I'm happy to oblige. This same kid also recently asked me to buy him broccoli so he can eat it raw. He's a treasure. I try, each year, to pre-order the books at local Indy bookstores. Support local, and all that. This year, I pre-ordered the book at MacArthur Books in The Village of WestClay. I had visited this adorable Carmel bookstore during a Yelp event a couple of years ago, and I told myself that I needed to come back. Pre-ordering my book was super easy. I called them on the phone and told them that I wanted to pre-order the book, and they took down my name and number, and told me they'd text me when it was in. I suppose, if you don't want to call them on the phone, you can stop into the store. They didn't make me prepay or anything. When the book was in, I got a text saying so, and I went and paid for my book and brought it home. My child was so happy! MacArthur Books hosts book events, like drop-in book clubs. They're also very active on social media. The bookstore itself is a cozy place to read (they have comfy chairs here and there), plus a cute children's area.

I've been to MacArthur books a couple times now. This small independent book store is my favorite…read moreplace to pick up birthday presents. Today, I picked up a puzzle for my favorite 4 year old. McKayla, the clerk, greeted us with a big smile and offered to help us find something meaningful. They carry a wonderful selection of books and assorted gifts. I sat in one of their big comfy chairs and read excerpts from various books. And the best part is that they wrapped my puzzle for free! What a great deal! There's limited parking out front but you can usually find something along the street.

What a cute and beautiful bookstore in the heart of Westfield!!! At the moment, Westfield is…read moregrowing so rapidly that small businesses will have good customer uptick in due time. I visited turn the page with a gift card and I loved their selection of books which was a combination of local Indy authors, best sellers and some really good picks by the store owners themselves. I had a great time chatting and picked up a book basis the book keeper and a friendly customers recommendation. The store is small but still houses lovely reading couches and a kids play area. This is a nice spot if you are looking for something quite but not too far! They have their own book clubs and authors book reading events so do check it out!

Turn the Page is such a cute little bookstore! I stopped by with my niece, so I didn't explore as…read morefully as I would on my own. But I still enjoyed seeing their thought-out displays and standard shelves. Their kids section is super cute and we found a fun scratch-and-sniff magnetic bookmark that we definitely walked away with. The shop owner was there and very kind when we spoke! I'll happily visit again next time I'm in the area.

Full disclosure this coffee shop is in a church. That threw me off a little bit. But the place is…read morevery spacious, plenty of seating areas to sit and work. It was also pretty quiet which made focusing on my work tasks easy. I sat in front of one of the windows and enjoyed being able to take mental breaks by looking at the well manicured flower beds and watching the birds flying around. The staff were just the sweetest people and so funny. My drink was made perfectly and the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie was the perfect finish!

I always forget about this place because you don't really see it from the road but this is a nice…read morelittle spot located at Northview Church. We tried them today and really enjoyed their coffee. The staff were very friendly and the shop itself is very spacious with nice seating. Can be a little loud but overall a great option for a coffee.

This is a cute rare and used bookstore in downtown Zionsville. We enjoyed looking around and seeing…read morethe memorial to the dog who the store was named after. We couldn't read the tributes because they made us too sad but you could tell their mascot was so very loved! They have books for children as well and lots of vintage books! The staff working were super welcoming and friendly. Stop in if you're in the area.

Adorable book shop with welcoming atmosphere and accommodations that go above and beyond!…read more A wide variety of new books as well as vintage. Great prices and did you know that if you call ahead that they allow photo shoots? Such a great place and we will return soon!

We love a good trip to the bookstore, and this visit did not disappoint. We made a bee line to the…read moreperiodicals where I enjoyed looking through all of the very overpriced food and travel magazines. I then moved on to knick-knacks and trinkets. I love the magnetic bookmarks, as well as the tiny violins, trombones and other fun items that were staged near the cash registers. The cashier was nice but was really pushing the reward program at the tier where you have to pay for it. We were in a rush to claim our table at Texas Roadhouse, so we had to do the hard pass on that.

Barnes & Nobles is a great place to find gifts. I stopped in on Sunday to do some early Christmas…read moreshopping. I wasn't alone. A bunch of other people had the same idea. I was looking for a couple of books that they did not have because the books were out of print. The staff is helpful and will search and help find anything you looking for. They carry a really nice collection of STEM toys and LEGO kits. I picked up a flashcard game and several workbooks for my granddaughter. A nice assortment of crafting kits were on sale. There is a Starbucks inside the store if you need a coffee fix or want to sit and read after you shop.

Very good selection of brews. It's a bit of a 'gamers' pub but the quiet ambiance is nice -…read moreespecially with the absence of televisions droning on. A good place to read or talk.

I visited Books & Brews to see my friend perform for the brewery's 11th anniversary celebration. My…read moregood buddy is a bit of a low-key musical virtuoso (the guy can play six instruments!), and I got to see him play three of the six instruments on the Books & Brews stage. It's such an intimate performance area, and the sound and lighting are great. They have open mic nights here every week, and I can see myself coming back in the future to listen to more music. This is the "mothership" B&B -- the OG. I've been to some of the other Books & Brews around Indy before they closed, and this one definitely feels like an original. It's very ... lived in, let's say. The layout makes no sense, and there's a lot of stuff everywhere. But it's a cozy space, and lots of people, including families with young kids, were there when I visited. I like that there are "third places" like this that adults and kids can visit to to play games and eat and have a beer. (The adults have a beer! Sorry, kids.) The food at any Books & Brews has never been my favorite. In fact, I usually avoid it altogether and just get beer. But this time, my drink of choice was kombucha, and I got an "Oliver Twist," which is a soft pretzel with beer cheese. That reminds me: The food and beverages on their menu have silly little literary names. You have to know something about me: When I see silly little names on menus for ordinary food items, a switch turns on inside me and I become a defiant brat. I will never play along and say "The Girl with the Chicken Nuggie Tattoo" instead of "chicken nuggets" or "A Tale of Two Piggies" instead of "the ham and bacon sandwich." Nope. It's not happening. And when I ordered the "soft pretzel" instead of the "Oliver Twist," they understood me just fine. There is a huge wall of shelves filled with board games that you can grab and play at your table. There had to have been at least 50 or 60 different games. They also have lots of new board games for sale, as well as things like Magic the Gathering decks, Pokemon cards, Funko and geeky swag. Oh! And, of course, they have lots and lots of books, new and used. I couldn't tell if they were arranged with any rhyme or reason. So if you're looking for something specific, you might have better luck finding it elsewhere. But if you're looking to let destiny choose your next read, you might want to pop into Books & Brews and let the B&B powers-that-be guide you to the perfect book.

I visited Hey Little Diddle to find a gift for my new niece, who has a fancy name, so this store…read moreseemed like an appropriate place to begin to look for a gift for her. This store is a little fancy, but not overly so. It's very carefully curated, and the color palate is beige-taupe-oatmeal-neutral toned. It's like if Restoration Hardware created a baby store. If you're looking for neutral baby clothes, Hey Little Diddle is your place. The prices are a little too rich for my blood, as I prefer outfitting babies and toddlers in hand-me-downs that they can throw up on, fall down in, get muddy and messy, and also don't cost $125. The clothing here is adorable, though, and you won't find outfits like these anywhere else in the area. I wasn't looking for baby clothes, but more like toys or trinkets. They do have a few, but not a huge selection. I would visit this store for clothing mostly.

Many sweet quality clothing options for little ones both every day and dress up wear. Plus super…read morehelpful staff!

I had never been here before but used the Indy book crawl as an excuse to check it out!…read more They are located in sobro and I was impressed with the selection of books that they offer! I ended up getting a book, and a magnet! Can't wait to come back again, show them some support if you can!

Good location, nice variety of books. I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon, just intending to…read morebrowse, and left with a couple of books. Nice independent option

I love books and Half-Price Books feeds that love without costing me an arm and a leg. They are…read morealways pretty busy in the store but it seems they always have enough help to get everyone checked out quickly. I do not read a lot of fiction anymore due to a lack of time but I do buy art books, how-to books, and magazines. I love when I can find a $17 magazine for a couple bucks or so. They also carry albums and cds. I also usually purchase a calendar in here for the new year. I will continue to shop here.

I think this is a great store, they have a great collection of books games dvds ect, the prices are…read morealso very reasonable! You can also sell books to them as well, which I love to do after I read them, to clear space. I picked up 2 maps, and the third book in the Sarah Maas series! Something for everyone here, check them out!

There was so many good deals, new and old books, and the quality/condition of the books, movies,…read moreand comics was excellent. The value was good for the quality of the books as well.

I've long been a fan of the Half Price Books chain, a chain started in Dallas in 1972. You could…read morepretty much say I've grown up with Half Price Books. I'm pretty stunned that I've never reviewed this location, though I don't frequent it nearly as much since I moved into Lawrence Township. I grew up in Pike Township and this really was my location for many years. In my opinion, it's one of the most accessible of the Indy HPB locations and I've always been pleased with my experiences here. I was in this area checking out His Place Eatery and nostalgia demanded I return for a visit to this HPB. This location has two entrances. Both sides offer accessible parking, though the side facing West 86th Street is definitely more accessible. One side has a double glass doorway, the other has a single glass door. Both sides offer curb cuts, though the side facing West 86th Street has a much easier grade. For those familiar with HPB, there's the consistency you can expect - reasonably priced books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and even some VHS. Books are incredibly well organized and there's always a nicely done clearance section. They also have novelty stuff - like t-shirts, games, etc. The employees here are always friendly - I've had multiple friends work for HPB over the years and they always praise the chain. Most, of course, end up leaving for financial reasons, however, they all remember HPB with a sense of nostalgia. On this visit, I noticed there was a local author doing a book signing. Since I nearly always support local authors, I bought his book. The aisles are always in good shape here. The store is clean. There's a public bathroom that's pretty accessible. Employees are always willing to help. And yes, you can still sell them your used books/CDs/movies. And yes, you still won't get much. I've been to just about every HPB location in Central Indiana. This one has a special place in my heart as I really kind of grew up with it. I guess you could say it's my favorite HPB in Indy. This HPB is well organized, has a wonderful selection, offers friendly and helpful service, and is likely the most accessible HPB in the society. All in all, it's a winner and it sure was nice to get back for a visit.