It has taken me a while to review this place considering I've been coming here every Thursday for…read moreclose to 4yrs! Let me start by saying all the staff here and some of the most friendly, patient and knowledgeable of any gaming store I've ever been to. The selection they offer is HUGE. From RPG's to card games and an seeming infinite array of other table top games ranging from silly to serious. Personally, I go here to join a group of DnD players in the gaming table section and can confirm the space is accommodating and free of charge so get here early if you want a good spot. They have drop in style games going on also if you're flying solo. Drink choices are mostly soda, water, CBD drinks, energy drinks and once the bar is open really good draft beer choices. Whoever is responsible for the beer selection is certainly a bonafide beer nerd. The food is all snack-y (chips, beef jerky, sweets, etc.).

An absolute must-visit if you like board games, card games, or tabletop gaming in any form…read more My friend and I have a tradition that anytime we travel, we hit up a good board game store and grab a small portable game for road trips. The selection here is massive and incredibly well organized, with something for everyone from casual players to serious hobbyists. There's also a big game room and playroom in the back that seemed to have some games and tournaments going on I loved the demo tables -- such a smart way to actually try games before buying -- and the staff were genuinely friendly and knowledgeable without being pushy. It's the kind of store you plan to pop into briefly and end up staying for an hour (almost).

True Portland gem! New Renaissance Bookshop is more than…read morejust a bookstore--it's a soulful sanctuary. The selection is incredible: oracle cards, postcards, spiritual and self-help books, a sweet children's section, sage, palo santo, crystals galore, bath and body products, and sacred items from Taoist, Hindu, Christian, and Islamic traditions. I was especially touched by the presence of Mary Magdalene-inspired merchandise. The store is beautifully arranged and inviting, and the staff are kind, knowledgeable, helpful. Whether you're exploring a new path or deepening your current one, New Renaissance is a must-visit. I highly recommend supporting this beautiful, heart-centered small-business!

Great selection of books, tea, and essential oils as well as very friendly staff. A peaceful…read moreenvironment to browse

Cute table top board games store in Oregon City. They have great selection of games including used…read moreones with lower prices. Like many game stores there are tables and chairs to play them in and events for enthusiasts. And they do have Pokémon cards. Love the decor! There is a lighted faux tree inside that extends to the ceiling w/characters in the branches. Various parts of the store is decorated with gnomes. Check out my photo of one in karate gear and pose. The backyard and patio area is decorated even more gnomes and wildlife. Customer service is helpful and polite. Street parking was fine on a Friday holiday. A delightful shop overall. 4 stars!

A wonderfully welcoming neighborhood game store. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The shop…read morehas a good range of games for all ages and interests and does not gouge prices on popular products.

Loved this candy store! Walking-in, I felt the fun atmosphere with sweets and fun toys everywhere…read more The selection was great and there tons of variety from unique sodas to candy from all over the world. What caught my eye were the staff-created blind bags. The staff even illustrated the art on the bags too! I got one for $11.99 and it was worth the value! The bag contained all sorts of candies which I loved to sample. The staff were also super nice and personable. This shop is a must when visiting Downtown Portland. It's great for all ages and a great place to sample unique candies and get gifts for others.

Order: Bottle Caps and gum balls…read more Pros: soooooo they are one of the few stores that carry bottle cap candy! I came in and got the last 3 boxes wooohoo! I went to so many stores to try and find and they had them! Cons: I wanted gum ball's too but they only had the gum-ball machine. Other candy stores have a more robust candy selection this store has just a few items.

I went in 20 minutes before they closed just hoping to take a quick peek at the floor models they…read morecarried. I came in VERY overwhelmed after about 48 hours of researching too many options. One of the sales clerks (I didn't catch her name) immediately asked if I had questions and started to show me the one model I had been most interested in. She asked some thoughtful questions and ended up showing me a couple different options and even mentioned some upcoming models that aren't released yet that would be better suited for what I was looking for. I literally didn't buy anything and was there for maybe 10 minutes but had such a positive interaction and left feeling so much less confused and overwhelmed. Will definitely be back for some more shopping when it's closer to my due date!

The Ladies were very sweet and helpful. A little on the pricier side but their quality is amazingread more

Owner is awesome. Seems to really care about his customers. Great prices and variety.read more

My son loves comics. I am new to comics, but love supporting his reading. I have been in several…read moretimes and have spent a good amount of money here. I will keep shopping here because the selection is great. However, when I have asked questions I have been met with snide/passive aggressive answers and reluctant help. If it was just one person or one time I would not complain. But two separate people have been rude to me and it hurts my feelings.

I have been shopping at Kids at Heart when I come to Portland on business for quite some time. I…read moredid again this weekend. I have experienced a pattern of somewhat unfriendly behavior by some staff working at this store before, but really thought nothing of it until a recent experience both in their store and outside of. I will add however that not all employees here can be blamed for the actions of others. I also just happened to attend a birthday party early Sunday evening for my daughter's friend. Another individual was there, who coincidentally owns a retail store in the same area as Kids At Heart, and was explaining after the party to a few of us how he bought some Needoh there and how he was texting other parents ahead of this party that they could find them there too. He went on to say that days later, the owner of Kids at Heart barges in to his store during business hours, in front of his own customers, and accuses him or buying Needoh from her store and selling them at his. Mind you, he is showing us video footage from his phone to back up how outlandish the Kids At Heart owners behavior was and I watched in confusion because he tried calmly explaining to her that it was simply coincidence and she didn't seem to care. What was tacky was how she had no visual proof of her claim, only some he said-she said story, then started going off about prices of items in his store and on his website while shouting some type of action against his store. I could only wonder if she was there for more competitive or territorial reasons, but then I would be guilty of assumption as well. This behavior was all over an extremely popular $5-$15 toy sold at hundreds of other stores, which I see listed on Walmart and Amazon for $30-45. Many of the parents have had to drive around for weeks hunting for these things in preparation of the party, time was running out, and this other business owner kinda saved the day for us by making sure every kid (and some parents) at this party had a Needoh, or ones to gift, so everyone could have the same experience as the birthday girl. The picture I took at this party with one of the same Needoh styles this man purchased from Kids at Heart (and other stores too) kinda proves my point because they clearly ended up at a personal event, not in his store. After hearing this story and seeing proof to back it up, I was shocked by the owner of Kids At Heart and her behavior. I am not one to typically review retail stores and I was not asked to leave this review by anyone involved, but I certainly felt it needed to be done since the owner of Kids At Heart acted in such a hostile way towards another business that supported them. Overall, my experience this weekend combined with the above - I now choose to look elsewhere for children's gifts (and so will a handful of other parents).

If you're looking for Jelly Cats, this is the place to be. They have a ton of cute and soft…read morestuffies. I use to come here as a kid while I adventured down Hawthorne with my sister. I had very fond memories of this spot. I have taken my nieces here many times and I can tell this spot will also hold a special place in their hearts. Theres a ton of toys and they are really good at rotating out their merchandise. There's a lot of toys that will appeal to a variety of age groups. Sometimes they can be on the pricier side, but nonetheless a very fun spot to take the kiddos. There's a variety of fun charms too for the children to build their own charm bracelets. This is an activity my nieces enjoy every time we come by. The staff here are always so friendly and patient with the kids as well.

Anytime I have a special occasion that requires a gift for a young one. I go to thinker toys. I…read morelove the variety, and especially the educational toys. My niece's favorite dress up cape comes from Thinker Toys, and many of their favorite stuffed animals have been acquired here as well. It has that local small neighborhood shop feel but still has toys from all over for all ages. The staff is great at making recommendations or showing you around. If you've not been in there for a while or ever. They also have gift wrapping which is so excellent and anytime I show up with the Thinker Toys, gift wrap, my nieces get so excited. They of course have things on the pricier end, but you can also find things to fit into most budgets.

A neighborhood toy store that has been around forever. Wonderful toy shop. Great for buying…read morebirthday gifts for kids 10 and under. The staff is very knowledgeable and they gift wrap which is always a plus. The prices are comparable to any other local store. Yes, it's a little bit more expensive than shopping online. However, it's a much better experience and it's nice to not have to go home and fuss with wrapping paper. I wish they carried more options for older kids but this is definitely our go-to for the under 10 crowd.

This Kinokuniya is the best option for Japanese stationary products in greater Portland. There's…read moreanother much smaller one embedded in the Uwajimaya Asian Market in Beaverton. My Son led me here last weekend when I was in town. There was lots of notebooks, pens, and other stuff to consider, and having a Kinokuniya membership (10% off) was a bonus. David was more interested in the manga books, and we were happy browsing in our own little corners. We both happily came away with a small collection of treasures and a promise to return. There were lots of folks here, making the aisles a little tight. But checkout moved quickly and efficiently.

Had a really great visit to this newer Kinokuniya Bookstore. You wouldn't necessarily know it was…read morea Japanese bookstore if you just walked by because it's a little bit tucked in - however it looks like they reused an old movie theater sign to help get your attention. The store is much larger than the one in Chicago! So of course there was a much wider selection of goods, including a lot more Alien Stage items (know the teens are a fan of this show). We ended up signing up for the annual membership which gives you 10% off your purchase immediately and you rack up points (who doesn't love points) which will add up to more savings. We purchased a hard to find art book. Service was friendly, and answered all the questions we had on the membership, not rushing us at all to make the decision.

What you provide to the community and kids. It's far more important and valuable. Great selection…read moreof toys and inspiration.

My wife and I really fell in love with SpielWerk toys, which we found randomly upon walking back to…read moreour car after brunch nearby. Without toddler in tow, we ended into this wonderland workshop, where my wife found herself immersed in browsing all of the handcrafted quality toys, games and oddities scattered throughout, while I entertained our little one in the play area up front. Being parents who would prefer to eschew the blinking lights and annoying audio recordings of today's modern toys, as well as avoiding screen time as much as possible, the variety of puzzling, intriguing, sensory-engaging items on sale here is exactly the sort of analog entertainment we are looking for! I sense a significant section of our upcoming Christmas lists will be sated here at SpielWerk, likely for many years to come!