There is just something about going into independent bookstores that feels like taking a step into…read morethe past. This was definitely the case when I stepped into Prairie Lights Books. I was in town visiting campus and needed to bring something back for my kids. A friend recommended the store so I walked the couple blocks over from my hotel to check it out. A lot of bookstores neglect books for kids. To my amazement the entire lower level of the shop was for kids. It was fantastic. I walked around for a good 30 minutes checking out what they had to offer. The upstairs has more traditional selection of books. I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to check it out. It was a place though you could easily get lost just browsing the shelves. Looking at some of the reviews I somehow totally missed that there was a cafe attached as well! I'll have to check that out the next time I'm in Iowa City.

I love visiting independent bookstores when we travel. There's no better way to get a feel for the…read morecommunity. I loved how the store was laid out. All staff was very helpful, even some staff members that weren't on the clock. I saw a lot of books I had not seen on shelves before. There was a great selection even though this isn't a giant store. Seek this place out if you're in downtown Iowa City. (Cafe area looked cool... just didn't have time to explore everything...but did buy books!)

This is a great bookstore. They have lots of beautiful books and lots of book accoutrements. If I…read morewasn't flying home in three hours, there were lot of books i'd like there. It's a very cool place.

I don't know how I've never gotten around to reviewing my hand down FAVORITE bookstore in town but…read morehere I am. Support this gem of hidden literary treasures! The owners are the sweetest people, the cats are adorable, and they have a vast and diverse selection of reads for a fraction of the cost. Used books in fabulous condition - not to mention all types of bookish gifts, toys, and tarot cards. Can't say enough - it wouldn't be Iowa City without Haunted!

Sidekick is such a neat space! They have a great selection of books and tons of fun events. Their…read morecoffee and cocktails are spot on. Staff are fun, energetic, and engaging. A must see for book lovers!

A great spot for studying, meeting up with people, or just enjoying a nice cup of coffee. Wonderful…read moreatmosphere with plenty of books to browse.

Nice to visit an actual bookstore once in awhile in these times of laptops, iPads and Kindles. This…read moreis a large and comfortable store attached to the coralville Mall. Not much more to say except I liked it.

During the pandemic I had a gift card to use and really wanted to purchase Trevor Noah's Born a…read moreCrime. SO... I hopped on www.barnesandnoble.com. Selected aforementioned book. Chose the 'Buy Online, Pick Up in Store' option. Paid for it (via gift card). BOOM. I was notified via email when it was ready mere hours later. While I believe this location does indeed have curbside pickup, I popped on my mask and went to the first register. Told them my name and showed them my ID while having my email ready to show, just in case. In and out. No problems! I adore that you can see in-store availability when you're searching for books online. It makes life much easier. All in all, I had a solid experience. I'd prefer to buy local but what can you do when you have a gift card? Amiright? (ALSO, the book is a great read. Get it today!)

I went to the University Book Store to find a book on the French language and to find an atlas for…read moremy upcoming trip. I was greeted by staff, who also assisted me with finding the book that I was looking for. I was happy to find that their selection of books was bigger than I expected. Everything was clean and appeared well-organized. A good place to find a book!

My favorite thing when I have time to kill downtown is walk past Iowa Book and window shop. They…read morehave the best corner in Iowa City where they showcase a wide variety of items. Locally owned, the shop boasts one of the largest selections of Hawkeye apparel and gifts downtown. As an Iowa City native, growing up my mom would frequently refer to it as Iowa Book & Crook-- their apparel is a bit overpriced, however they do offer a wide variety. The store, aptly named Iowa BOOK, does feature a large selection of books-- ranging from signed copies, textbooks to typical fiction/nonfiction reads. Their selection of office supplies is just what a student stopping in may need. (Students also probably appreciate that they do buy back books for cash, as well.) As a mom, I love their kid section downstairs with super cute Hawkeye apparel as well as knick knacks and toys you won't find anywhere else. Their Hawkeye gift selection is robust ranging from blankets to auto accessories, backpacks, frames, pet accessories, holiday decor, wallets-- the list goes on and on. If you want to find a Black and Gold treasure for that special someone, but don't know what to get-- just stop in and take a look. You'll for sure find SOMETHING.

Doug that works here is a poor excuse for a customer service representative. I was there on 9/4/26…read morewith my wife and daughter. I selected a sweatshirt off the rack and pulled it over my shirt on the sales floor to see if it would fit. after removing the sweatshirt shirt I mistakenly left the hanger on the rack and went to pay for the item. Doug said " Was there a hanger with this?" My wife responded that we must have left it on the rack. Doug got upset with her and with a very condescending voice and attitude said something along the lines of I guess I will go get it myself. I am assuming that this guy is the store manager but maybe wrong. On the website it lists the store manager as being Doug S. I understand that everyone has a bad day, but there is more. Upon getting to the store my daughter said that is the guy. She previously had a run in with the same guy. Earlier in the year she ordered text books online and thought she ordered them from Iowa Book. She went to the store to get them and Doug couldn't find the order. My daughter showed him the order confirmation and it was from the IMU instead. Whoops. Doug treated my daughter bad and made her feel like she was an idiot. This guy is a menace and should not be customer facing. If he treats customers like this imagine how he treats his employees. DO BETTER DOUG AND DONT PICK ON WOMEN! I went to the rack upon leaving and gathered the hanger, carried it back to Doug. I put it in his hand and shook my head. We will not be back as long as Doug is there and will definitely share our opinions with others.

It's always treasure hunting or adventure in shopping when you visit Artifacts. The inventory is…read morealways changing from antique from historical, vintage, Antique,, retro, to classic. You name it they probably have it or will have some time. From from toys, comics, furniture, tools, instruments of all kinds and types, jewelry, clothes.... The people who work there are friendly and knowledgeable. The prices tend to be reasonable, but occasionally I find some items to believe to be slightly overpriced. Remember prices are marked at time of the store's appraisal of the item before being placed on the floor, so it's price may not reflect current market value trends. Just keep that in mind when shopping here. All in all the over all prices are usually fair or a steal if you know your stuff and have an eye for what you're looking for.

This is a nick nack used stuff store. It's much bigger than it looks like from the outside. If I…read morewasn't leaving on a plane, there was lots of stuff i'd like here. It's got a lot of stuff and it's pretty interesting.

The people who run this store do it to help people, and they are extremely knowledgeable, caring…read moreand helpful. The store and its books and gifts stay true to the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church, and that is why I trust The Mustard Seed implicitly to help steer me in the right direction, always!

We love this bookstore and visit it every time we are in Iowa City. Has wonderful children's…read morebooks, homeschool books, excellent selection of Catholic books!

I am a mom of a comic loving eight year old…read more One Saturday we decided to treat him to a comic of his choice, so of course we popped into Daydreams Comics. I was insanely surprised by their section. They have books for babies to adults that encompasses far more than Marvel or DC. There's something for everyone and I feel ashamed I assumed it wasn't! My son was set on Deadpool. (Because why not. He's not allowed to watch it, so why not assumed he could read it? SMH.) Rather than argue a losing battle with my little, we asked the employee at the register his thoughts on that. He very kindly said that, while it was up to his parents, all of the Deadpool literature in the store was a bit grown up and that he was a few years off. He offered some other options and our kiddo walked out with an X-Men X-Villan book that was perfect for his age/reading level. Shout out to that kind and knowledgable employee. Pricing is on point. Staff is wonderful. Selection, again, goes beyond a typical 'comic book' store. This gem has been around for over 30 years and it is no wonder. Open daily, pop in!

Customer service was incredibly kind and helpful, selection was great, I really liked it!read more

Definitely worth the stop. I came in because they were listed as a Daptone dealer on the record…read morelabels website. Unfortunately I didn't find an abnormal amount of Daptone, or any of the Daptone 7" records they're famous for. I was also hoping to find Daptone accessories and didn't see any, like the 45 rpm branded weights. However, it is a good store, I did find a new sealed record and a used record. I could have bought more, but the prices were a little high, and I owned most of the stuff, it didn't go too deep, lot of the basic popular stuff and modern stuff. One thing I saw was a lot of representation of local artists, which I really like and respect when a store helps their local scene. Staff were very friendly, and helpful. I overheard someone getting a recommendation and they were cared for well. Great store for the area, I'd stop in and check them out again if I were nearby.

Thinking about 35mm film and vinyl records, digital is certainly convenient, but not necessarily…read morebetter in spots. And if you look hard enough, there are places that analog luddites are welcome. One such place is the Record Collector in Iowa City, alive and kicking since 1982. They sell "almost as ancient" CDs as well. I stumbled upon Record Collector by accident as I was passing time before the nearby 2022 Homecoming Parade. The place is full of vinyl goodness, and even a few turntables if you need equipment support to play these beauties. Heck, my favorite thing was to just look the various jackets over and reminisce about where I was in life when that record came out. Also enjoyable is listening to whatever they're playing over the loud speaker. Unlike a good used book store, the Record Collector is easy to navigate with well defined and organized racks. The also have website of which all sorts of ordering possibilities await.