Parallel Universe Books is a new bookstore located in the City Goods shopping centre on W. 28th…read morestreet in Ohio City. They are down the street from Amba restaurant. I believed they opened their store in November 2025. My friend Christina and I stopped by in mid-March 2026 to browse books as we waited for our dinner reservation next door at Amba. BOOKS/OTHER -- There are 2 levels of books to browse with the upstairs filled with used books and downstairs containing new books. I bought two used books for $6 each - one is titled Disgrace and the other is titled Sapiens: A brief history of humankind. I haven't read these 2 books yet but I am excited to later this year. Besides books, I noticed other items for sale such as some cute handbags (small tote bags with jewelry or charms on them) and t-shirts. FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION -- They offer a wide selection of fantasy and sci-fi books which my friend Christina appreciated which is her genre. I don't read fantasy or science fiction books so I can't comment on that but I did notice some Andy Weir books on the shelf, including, Project Hail Mary, which I only know about because of the movie that was recently released. SERVICE (5/5) -- Top notch service. My friend and I were greeted upon walking into the bookstore by the owner, Craig, who was very nice and helpful. While they don't seem to have a large selection of non-fantasy and sci-if books, I still recommend visiting this bookstore if you enjoy reading, want to explore a new genre such as fantasy, or are just in the area and need something to do. I certainly will be back to browse more books. **** GOAL of 250 reviews in 2026 - 16/250 total reviews in 2026 - 857 total Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 13 April 2026

Fantasy is my comfort genre so to have a bookstore that's specifically fantasy and sci-fi is…read moreliterally a dream. Located next to Amba, this curated bookstore has a VERY solid selection of fantasy and sci-fi books. There's also a number of board games, a sprinkle of other genres available and an upstairs that has used books. They seem to also have community events upstairs as well which is always great. The prices for new books are comparable to other brick and mortar stores. Anything that isn't in stock but available for order can be ordered. The owner was lovely and very knowledgeable, we talked books spanning multiple subgenres of fantasy and sci-fi. I will be back, to the detriment of my wallet. Highly recommend!

Flame & Fable is romantasy indie bookstore in Lakewood. The store is fairly new and is already the…read morebest in CLE winner. In case you haven't heard, it's looking to expand and moving soon (staying in Lakewood). I heard to much about the store, but only finally stopped in for Book Crawl event. It was the perfect excuse to visit! AMBIANCE/INVENTORY: One space with bookcases lining the walls. Great lighting and neutral white shelves. You will find so many fun books here - romance (think Emily Henry and beyond), fantasy (think ACOTAR), smut, seasonal reads (like Christmas and fall), YA, and more. I stay pretty addicted to Booktok but I've seen plenty of new-to-me titles here. If you need a book in romantasy genre, it's safe to say you'll find it here. If not, you can also call the store to pre-order. If you're unsure about what to read next, they got you. There is a gumball machine where for 25 cents you can pick a suggested read (and potentially win a prize). Also, dates with a book are $25. I was pretty close to using gumball machine. I think it's such a fun idea! Beyond the books, there are so many cute souvenirs - totes, sweater covers for books, wax melts, cards, and more. I was at the book shop with a friend who is not a fantasy gal. She found so many accessories! So bring along your non-fantasy friends! Also, I'm working on converting her to a fantasy reader! MY PURCHASE: I browsed the shelves for awhile. Finally I purchased the trending book "Penpal." I'm currently audio reading it, loving it, and wanted a physical copy. My purchase was $17.49 which is probably what it would be at a big store retailer. I was happy with the value. SERVICE: The service at the store was very friendly. The employee at the store (an owner maybe?) was very social and pleasant. We enjoyed small talk with her. I will be back at Flame & Fable soon. I've been eyeing events (multiple bookclubs) that they host and will finally visit. Check out their Instagram to learn more about their move and events.

Flame and Fable opened not that long ago and have already expanded to a bigger space. The love for…read moreromance and fantasy books in the Lakewood, OH area just couldn't be contained to their first smaller storefront. They have a great selection of mainstream romance novels to more niche fantasy novels. It is a rare feat to find a non B&N type bookstore that has items both my fantasy loving boyfriend and my romance loving hearts are happy with, but this is the place. If you find yourself in there with no other customers, you will get the owner's undivided attention to give recommendations and like most indie stores your fellow patrons will as well.

The service at Sophia's is second to none. They give suggestions whether you're buying a gift or…read moresomething for yourself. Their inventory always changes but they also keep shoppers favorites. Thank you Sophia's for being the first in our neighborhood!!

Love this little shop in Gristmill Village in Concord, OH. I went in for a gift card for my boss…read morenot expecting much, but it is adorable inside with all sorts of gifty merchandise and clothing. The staff was so helpful and friendly.

The staff are kind and the selection is great! They have library goods and also local shop gifts!…read moreCheck it out if you're in the area, especially as it's right across the street from Main CPL!

Nice selection of books and gifts. It's a small space, but they make the most of it. The staff was…read morefriendly, and there were quite a few interesting books at great prices.

what a great shop. a classic record store. the selection is deep, the prices are fair, and if…read moreyou're into digging, there's chaos to dig through too. the clerks are ... usually helpful. i mean, like i said, old school record store. if you're looking for values on old rock records, this place RULES. but they've got plenty of other things too. i go to a ton of record stores, and this one is too shelf for me.

The staff members are the worst. They made an offer of .50 cents TRADE per item on my cds. Most of…read morethe staff probably makes $13 an hr, and are not even worth that. Not sure how this place stays in business. I will sell my stuff online and buy online. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME HERE.

Great alot of variety for every single person!!! I am going up there right now to see what they for…read morebelated Father's Day gifts ideas.

The Nest shop has everything nice for the home and for gifts. Owner Stephanie is so pleasant, and…read morewill show you around. Some of the merchandise is made by she and her husband. He makes the cutting boards, which I loved, and metal art pieces. She paints and decorates the smaller furniture pieces. Local artists and crafters fill in. The Nest also has new items. I love the baby and the outdoor bird sections. There are a few ladies clothes, stationary items and decor signs and fabrics. Too much to tell. The shop, so nicely done, is located across from the Geauga Co Courthouse. Check out the shop throughout the different holidays and seasons. Merchandise changes.

I am in the board game hobby and am very impressed that all board games are 25% all the time. Their…read moreselection is good but stock is limited, however, they are willing to order games in, still honoring their standing discount. It's a great place to get board games for a good price.

I hate to leave a bad review, as I once loved going to this shop. However, in recent months they…read morehave just become another greedy card shop that marks up their Pokemon product by almost 50%. Went in the other day to buy an ETB for Destined Rivals. Should be $60 for an ETB, they're asking $90. They will whine about "bad distribution", yet when I first started going there they told me they have great relationships with the distributors. They're laughing all the way to the bank around the Pokemon hype. Easier to just go to another shop like Empire Game Center and get Pokemon product for actual retail price. Do better!

This is a great store. They always have something I can add to my record collection. No matter…read morewhat I am looking for they have it; from CDs, cassettes, vinyl, DVDs, VHS, as well as stereo equipment. If there is something they do not have, they can find it fast. They are always helpful and seem to always have a great selection. I love to support our local neighborhood stores. Luckily for me, they usually have better selection and prices than most corporate stores.

Great selection and VERY reasonable prices. Always an array of great old gear coming through as…read morewell. Short hours, but I stop every time I'm passing by and they're open.