Magic Castle is a small shop located inside the Burlington H Mart at 3 Old Concord Road, highly…read moresuggest that you put that in your GPS if it's your first time heading there. Parking's also tight because of H Mart but we didn't wait long to get an open spot. The shop's about 150 square feet & full of the cutest items - my kids & I wanted Gudetama & found plushies, pencils, pencil cases + Rilakkuma, Pusheen & other kawaii characters' products & K-Pop swag. It's a small shop but divided up into sections - one section's got stationery/school supplies, & another has character slippers, toothbrush holders, & makeup supplies, for example. Cute novelty items like self-watering plants, too. It was worth the drive - the items are genuine, lots of variety & it's impossible to walk out without buying something. (photos taken 2/2022)

All the low rating reviews about this place are right. The girl in the counter is rude,…read moreunprofessional, and always has a sour look on her face when you ask her anything.

Lilah Rose is a wonderful children's shop and community spot in Melrose. There's a wide selection…read moreof high quality children's clothes, books, and toys. I have gotten some good deals on items here - same or better than Amazon on things I've bought for my kiddoes like iplay brand hats and swim diapers, all manner of Melissa & Doug toys, Skip Hop utensils, and wooden building blocks. Alex, the owner, is active in the local community and often hosts crafts and sing along events in the store during the week for children. The store gets new items in all the time, too, so every time we stop by there's something new. Definitely a great spot for kids in Melrose!

I had an awful experience with this shop. I called ahead as I had heard they had needohs for sale…read more I spoke to a young girl on the phone who told me they had some nice sicles left. She asked me how many I needed and I told her I would need four. I explained that I lived an hour away and she stated she would hold them for me, asking me for my name. I drove an hour with my children (one of whom is profoundly disabled). My son was super excited, but when we got there the two girls said they just started their shift and could not find the items. They texted a group chat and told us that the girls who were on the shift before them were new hires. They stated one of them replied "maybe" when asked if they spoke with me. I showed her my call log and the girls apologized. My son ended up sick from car ride / anxiety over the situation, vomiting at the exit and we quickly had to leave. I did reach out to the store owner. She claimed she was out of town and would call me back the following day. Days later I never heard from her so I followed up in email. Instead of being apologetic for the situation and not calling me back she proceeded to shift blame and gaslight me. She said they would never agree to hold and that I should "plan ahead". I don't recommend a store whose owner does not value their customers. I am deeply disappointed in her response to what happened.

This a nice store and the owner moved from Chinatown boston to Arlington. They moved from 44…read moreKneeland St Boston about two years ago. I can find all kinds of things here, including hand crafted jade, stress relief toys and table games. The owner is very friendly and very knowledgeable about the jade. He also showed me a lot of his own collection, which are very rare and hard to find nowadays. Plenty of free street parking for 2hrs on weekdays. And bus stop is also in the front of the store.

Dude this place is so nice I'd move to Lexington if I could to be closer if I wasn't a dirty poor…read more Regardless, what I really appreciate is the place is very spacious for games, selection is wide enough, prices are pretty fair, and I like what they do for folks in the community. The bistro is shockingly good like idk what's going on back there. If prizing could be a little better for events that'd be great but for 99% of the population that doesn't matter :)

Don't miss Omar's Bistro (food offerings at Omar's, order near the cashier) or Pixel Paradise…read more(board and video game/PC cafe on the 3rd floor). Omar's Bistro has a cute, comic-inspired menu focusing on bar food style cuisine (falafel, fries, burgers, etc). According to one employee we spoke to, practically everything is made from scratch thanks to the wonderful (perhaps overqualified) chef, including the ketchup and bread. My friends and I ordered falafel, fries, the DM burger, and the donuts. Everything was tasty - I really liked how the fries weren't too salty and the ketchup was a nice sweet tomato sauce - and we all loved the donuts, which aren't your typical shape but were pillowy with a good amount of chew. Highly recommend dipping in both the strawberry jam and the vanilla brown butter. Pixel Paradise is clean and spacious, with areas for VR gaming, Smash Ultimate, and PC gaming. Decoration is modern, complete with custom desk mats and flashy lights. My friends and I played some board games (free, by the way!) and hung out in the cafe area, which is well-lit and has plenty of seating for hanging out. They're open til 7pm or 9-10pm depending on the day, making this a perfect place to play games and catch up over snacks. Omar's itself provides consistently warm and friendly service, whether that's the employees at Pixel Paradise, anyone taking food orders and bringing it out, or in the main store providing recommendations. All in all a fantastic local business to have in town! I always look forward to adding to my small manga collection whenever I drop by.

Loved everything about this store!! My kind of place and sad I haven't know about it sooner! First…read morethoughts I had was everyone should be shopping here when buying gifts, especially for kids! Endless amount of comics, old & new. I found an issue of a comic I've been collecting for many years so was very excited to add it! Plus the re-release of it! So excited to read. If I had kids this is where I would be choosing for them to get their books. Plenty of CD's, DVDs and Rock and Roll vinyls I purchased upstairs, the guy behind the counter was so nice and talking to other locals with kids digging through the 10/$1 pokemon card bins. Was so friendly with me and informative. Was happy with what I paid. Went downstairs and browsed through the toys, I wasn't to afford a toy I wanted this time around but hoping when I come back I can! I also had a feeling I would find this figurine I missed out many years ago and beat myself up for constantly. Didn't find it this time around but when I go back if it's not so busy I will ask if they've seen. Downside is I had to drive around looking for some street parking since they don't have a lot. It was a busy Saturday, but finally found one. Also the aisles are a little tight, there were some times I felt trapped or couldn't get by people. But they're doing the best they can with the layout!

This store is such a hidden gem. We spent over 2 hrs here looking at everything. There are 2…read morefloors. The upstairs has the comics and the basement has the toys. Everything is so well organized so it was very easy to browse and focus on what we really wanted. The staff were really nice and personable. Prices are also very decent. Def will be back!

Very pleased with the transactions. Excellent product and overall service. Would give my highest…read morerecommendation.

Absolutely the best place to get anything you need regarding toy soldiers. This is my dream store;…read moretons of stuff. You could spend a day in the shop and still not see everything. Staff is knowledgeable and happy to share information and advice. They have plastic and metal soldiers for war games, painting, collecting, dioramas, or just for fun. All kinds of other things too; for role playing games, card games, model building etc. if you like any of these things you need to go here!

Beanstalk Toy Shop is everything you want in a local business…read more They don't sell cheap, typical imported plastic toys here. This also isn't one of those boring educational toy stores that sells things kids don't want to play with. This place is something special. You can tell that everything here is lovingly hand selected- from wooden toys made in the USA to educational toys imported from Europe. Many toys are on offer to play with, and children can often be found doing just that- a good sign in a shop like this. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and exceedingly willing to help you make a great selection. They really understand their products well and also have an uncanny knack to service special or odd requests. Every time we've visited, we've purchased a toy that was adored by it's recipient. If there is a special little someone in your life, you ought to get them something from Beanstalk Toy Shop. They will love it!

Finally got a chance to check out this great little toy store in Melrose. I was very impressed…read morewith the selection they had. The Playmobil section takes up an entire wall and they have toys of a slightly higher quality then some of the big box stores. They have a large selection of Melissa & Doug products as well as other toys for babies and toddlers. The main reason I was there was to check out the Lego bricks and sets. There were plenty to choose from be it the Duplo sets for kids under 4 to the larger Star Wars and Lego City sets. The very nice woman behind the register also said they can special order Lego sets if I had any specific ones in mind. You will find the prices are slightly higher then larger retailers or online shops, but if you're down for supporting local business then this is a great one to support. The store is extremely clean and very modern looking. I never had a local toy shop growing up but I'm glad I am able to bring my children to this one. If you're looking for quality toys and crafts, look no further than Beanstalk Toy Shop.

Adorable book store. Many options and affordable. I was able to buy a notebook while I was here for…read morea birthday gift. Brand new and under $10. The kids book has a great selection. I found a book I couldn't find elsewhere other than Walmart who I would prefer not to support. Friendly staff! Parking is a bit tricky, you have to find street parking somewhere around.

The best bang for your buck for book buying needs! I get new books, used books, antique books, and…read moretrade in old books for credit. Plus, I pick up cute gifts and cards every time I go in. They can order just about anything you are looking for too. Been a customer for 20yrs, hoping for 20yrs more.

Homespun is a cozy shop located downstairs in the Waldorf School of Lexington's main building. The…read morebroad selection of toys, educational supplies, home goods, books, and gifts is thoughtfully curated and of the highest quality. I can always find something unique and lovely when shopping at Homespun. This is one of the best local sources for finely crafted items, sturdy wooden toys, all natural body care/aromatherapy products, play silks, and other Waldorf-inspired goods. The staff are warm, helpful, and friendly, and the children's book section is especially delightful. Homespun is well worth a stop for all manner of fun, interesting and beautiful treasures!

Homespun is my favorite store . Great selection of toys, books and crafts. The service is fantastic…read moreas well.