As a beader, this store is a dream come true. Every item I need from the wires, beads, threads,…read moreneedles, etc. are all in one place. They even carry ultra-suede for my beaded embroidery. The completed projects on display are pure eye candy for me. They also sell some gorgeous completed items for the non-artistic. The only slightly downside to this location is the parking, but it is worth walking a few blocks to visit.

I don't make jewelry. I wear it, though. I haven't ever purchased beads, or even really taken the…read moretime to think about the different types of beads before. But one day, I decided-- 'What the hell. I'm gonna go see what Beadology Iowa is all about.' And I'm glad I did. This store definitely deserves some Yelp love. First off, the storefront and sign are eye catching. And while Beadology Iowa changed names like a decade ago, this go-to bead store has lived in Iowa City for over 30 years. I walked in and was greeted with a smile. (That's always the best, isn't it?) As a non-jewelry maker I was amazed to see the different materials the beads were made of? Like; stone, pearl, metal, organic, glass, chrystal and one-of-a-kind flamework beads. WOWZA. Beads. Beads. Beads. Everywhere! Organized chaos of every color and from all over the world. There was eclectic jewelry for sale throughout the store-- which was made in house? I believe. Plus, an assortment of tools for jewelry making and other supplies. The staff appeared to be super knowledgeable, but I mean-- it's not like I'd have known :) The thing that really impressed me was just how passionate everyone I chatted with seemed. They were definite artists pumped to educate me on their craft. Classes are offered-- which I definitely need to hit up sometime. Wirework, stringing, knotting, flame-work, glass work, etc... Beginners and professionals are welcome! (Just be warned parking COULD be a concern at this location!) Overall, this rainbow store had a non judgey, creative vibe. And even thought I knew nothing, I felt ok coming in just to peruse while an obvious avid customer shopped along side me. I'll definitely come back for some custom accessories, perhaps a repair -- or a class!

They fixed an old Tissot vintage Swiss quartz watch for me with a new battery for $34. The…read morebatteries alone for two watches I took to another IC location were more at a high-end jewelry store. Fan of this place. Nice honest people and a good watchman they have.

Several other local jewelry stores couldn't be bothered with even looking at my watch for a minor…read morerepair. To be sure, it is an inexpensive watch, but one place said (without examining it) it would be too expensive to repair, and the other place said (without looking at it at all) that I should go somewhere else where the watches would be more in my price range. At Cook's, they quickly determined what needed to be done, and did it. . . 12 bucks. While waiting (5 minutes or so) I noticed they had a lot of nice jewelry and watches. This is one place I will be doing my Christmas shopping this year, for sure.

These pieces are 12+ years old and look as good as when I bought them. Only upkeep is to bring them…read moreinto shed in the Chicago winters!

Love this place - but is closing for good…read more We stop here about once a year to pickup a yard art creation or two. We have quite a bit of yard art. Some of it was made in Mexico. The Mexico produced yard art does not compare at all to AJ's yard art. The yard art here is of super high quality and they use automotive paint on it so it lasts. Sadly, as of today (12-July-2024), production will cease in 2 weeks and the store will close once all the inventory is sold. Thank you AJ and thank you artisans that make the yard art.

While passing through Cedar Rapids, we stumbled upon this lovely store. I have been to the Czech…read moreRepublic and enjoyed it there. I was skeptical of this store when I saw it, expecting it to have things Americans would think are Czech, but that in actuality are not in fact Czech. To my delight, I was wrong! This store had many nice things from the old country. There sold a lot of crystal - drinking glasses, vases, bowl, and even the little crystal animals I would see for sale in Prague. They also had a fair number of the really nice Christmas ornaments that are common in Europe, and they also had a good number of fancily decorated eggs (at least in Germany people would decorate a small Easter tree with these eggs, similar to how we decorate a Christmas tree, but smaller). I talked briefly with an older woman who, by the sound of her accent, I imagine had moved here from the Czech Republic. All in all, I thought this was a delightful store and I would recommend stopping by if you are in the neighborhood.

This local antique shop is everything I want in a vintage home goods store. It features several…read morefloors (don't miss that there are two separate basements!) of reasonably priced cookware, toys, books, dishes, and more! They don't seem to do clothes and the large furniture collection is small. This is much more about finding a fun, old-timey centerpiece or a new piece for your vintage cooking collection. They have an entire wall of fantastic quality (many well pre-seasoned!) cast iron skillets of all sizes. If you're looking for a steal to spice up your next dinner party, this is the place for you.

so many great thangs there my fav thing is there squishy they are amaze I hit the jackpot yesterdayread more

Most magical shop in the world!! There are so many unexpected treasures in this precious place…read morethan you can imagine! Beautiful cards, incredibly unique clothing and accessories, toys, jewelry, and a wide range of gifts.

Besides rocks and chocolate, my other Amana must see is Catiri's. The shop is fairly small, but…read moreoverflowing with a variety of mostly local made artwork from jewelry to ceramics to oil paintings. It's easy to get lost in time while looking through everything. Pricing is in line with other galleries I've been to and handmade art I see online, but there seems to be a decent range suitable for most budgets. I last visited during this year's Wurst Fest and the highlight of my day was making my first purchases here. I scored a horsehair raku vase and a neat architectural etching, both of which I am super excited about. Highly recommend even just to window shop!

A must-see in Amana. This shop has been here for many years. Beautiful and wide selection of…read morecreations from Midwest artists. You'll find jewelry, pottery, blown glass, wall art and much more here. This is a shop that exudes 'if you break it, you buy it,' so maybe not appropriate for little ones. Moderate-high prices, but affordable (if that makes sense). 4/5 stars because the customer service was non existent. A friendly 'hello' goes a long way, especially when no one else is in your shop.

Cassidy took my phone order today being comfortable with H & S 's honest business practices. My…read morehusband bought jewelry here in the past. Definitely five star customer service! My daughter recently moved alone halfway across the country. Decided to order an Italian gold charm for "good luck and protection." Along with a gold necklace. Hopefully like baby shampoo it'll bring smiles and "no more tears!" Cassidy offered to order the exact charm of interest. She suggested several styles and lengths of chains. She offered to wrap, include a personal note and ship the insured gift to my daughter's new location. Cassidy is not only an excellent sales representative she exhibits an astute artistic presence in her suggestions. She's highly emotionally intelligent bringing her personable experiences along with with down to earth charm and patience. Thanks a trillion couldn't be happier!

I have told everyone I know about this place (well, girls, anyway) because of my fantastic…read moreexperience. I needed a new wedding band bc I did not do a great job picking out my first one. Tiny diamonds means tiny prongs that will ruin your life and snag everything they come into contact with. So I did significant research and visited every jewelry store in town. Herteen has a jeweler they work with in new York that will literally make anything you want at a great price. Long story short, I got what I wanted for about $1000 to $1500 less (50%) than the other stores I visited. They do great work, and get it done quickly. My band took 3 weeks (other stores quoted me 6 to 8 for custom work). Everyone I spoke to was really helpful, and Kristin was really responsive via email. They unsoldered my current band, resized and re-rhodium plated my engagement band, tightened my prongs, and soldered my new band on for no additional fee. Love this place! They have a surprising selection of bands and engagement rings for the size of their store, also. And they carry a lot of Gabriel & co., which is pretty nice stuff.