The owner and the store are so special. They have a wonderful selection of toys that I remember as…read morea child as well as newer age toys. Alot of great brands like Melissa and Doug, Art and Crafts options, books and STEM kits. Everything is fairly priced and they offer gift wrapping services! We love supporting local toy and book stores!

This is the best little toy store in town. Lots of toys to spark children's imagination! As a…read morechild play therapist I highly recommend this store! They even wrap your gifts for you! Great customer service too.

I keep introducing more and more of my friends to this Strapping location, it's a bit tucked away…read morebut such a gem in the little R Street shopping area. If you're looking for it, it's behind the Philz Coffee in the Ice Blocks area. There's a parking lot right next to it, but if that lot is full there are plenty of parking options nearby. Once you're in the right area you'll see Strapping right away. They usually have a sandwich board outside with something fun written on it and they have eye catching rainbow signs as well. I think this location may be the smallest, but it's packed with fun items and always has something fun and new to look at. You can find a variety of local items as well as some from small businesses as well as popular gift brands. We love smelling all the Voluspa candles here to find our favorite scents. The staff is always really friendly and they let you take your time looking around. It's hard not to walk out with an item or two each time you visit. This is a spot I end up bringing friends and out of town guests if we're grabbing food on R street or nearby at Midtown Spirits and we even walked here from the newly opened Journey to the Dumpling while we waited for a table to kill some time. It's such a fun store.

Such a cute little shop where you can buy lots of tchotchkes and punny delights. I remember seeing…read morea lot of funny things. Definitely want to go back when I come to Sac.

Great selection but I have never been to a store that smelled this musty. The guy (white) sitting…read morein his chair in the back seems to be annoyed by his customers. Made eye contact and ignored us. Felt like we barely got any kind of help or acknowledgment. I can get over that part. But it gets better... what I could not get over was the smell. It smelled god awful body odor the moment we stepped into the store. And they all sound congested and mouth breathing. Lmao. So I basically walked into Covid. Setup is weird, they have colored dots for card in glass. So YOU have to look up the prices which is genius. Bought $25 worth of cards while the guy who's packing it is mishandling them even though they were in the glass case. So bravo. They also don't carry common cards. Name is wrong it's actually called Skyscraper Comic. They are giving the last owner a bad name for sure. If it weren't for them they would be one star.

Came in for the comic book day and got free comics. There's a great selection of comics to choose…read morefrom. The guy that works here was nice and accommodating. The place was quite big and I saw 2 guys playing Pokémon cards (for those interested in that).

Honestly, what's not to love about Evangeline's? I've been coming here for gifts and just to look…read morearound while in Old Sac for years! It's a must when in the area! So many unique items - gag gifts, naughty gifts, a whole glow in the dark section, T-shirts, magnets, jewelry - you name it! They have a whole Hello Kitty section, a mushroom themed section and even an Alien themed section, just to name a few. You can find it all and so much more at Evangeline's - it's really an amazing store! I could spend so much time looking at every section and item. Most items are fairly priced, but as with most small businesses, a lot of stuff is sometimes on the pricy side. Don't even get me started on their incredible 3 store costume mansion that is now open year round! It's a must see as well! Staff is friendly and helpful! Check them out!

Costumes upstairs, and a bunch of random chachkis, toys, etc downstairs. Super dope store with a…read morelot of charm and laughs. Think of it as a Spencer's times 5 but also localized for Sacramento. If you like being a lookie-loo, this is your spot!

Among all the amazing small businesses in Sacramento, 1-Up Retro is probably the one nearest and…read moredearest to me and my son's heart. I grew up in the golden era of gaming, the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s when weekends meant blowing into dusty cartridges, late-night multiplayer battles, and flipping through Game Informer magazines dreaming about the next big release. Those games weren't just entertainment, they were core memories of my childhood. Now, seeing my son discover and fall in love with those same games and magazines has been something really special. Ever since we moved to Sacramento a few years ago, every visit to 1-Up has felt like stepping into a real-life time machine. The moment you walk in, you're surrounded by nostalgia, memories, and pure joy. Whether it's seeing shelves packed with retro classics or spotting consoles you haven't touched in 20+ years, it instantly takes you back. The owner and staff are all incredibly cool, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about gaming history. I'm always blown away by the little-known facts and stories they know about these old-school titles. You can tell this isn't just a business to them, it's something they truly love. Special shoutout to Travis for the amazing customer service and for hooking my son up with a PS2 Slim in fantastic working condition. Seriously, where else can you walk in today and find a retro console like that, fully functional, along with a huge selection of games ready to relive those memories? I would love nothing more than to see businesses like 1-Up continue to succeed and thrive in the face of online competition. Places like this keep the memories, community, and fun alive for old gamers and new generations alike. Sacramento is lucky to have them. Game over? Not here at 1-Up, the memories just keep hitting "Continue."

This is a friendly large vintage game store. The garage door entrance is a nice touch to the…read moreoverall feel of a store visit. I found so many items I wanted to buy. They carry video games from a plethora of consoles. They also have collectibles, box/collector sets, videos, etc. Long story short, I left with a pile of goodies. I thought the store was spacious to walk around with other people around. The displays were great. I liked how they converted an old grocery store veggie stand into a display on the right side. The only bummer is the tape and stickers used on the merchandise. I bought some mint in box items and the sticker price tag was so hard to peel off. It left a very bad sticky residue. I was able to clean it off most of the items. But, I worried that the paper boxes would be damaged if I used a solution. The staff was super friendly and answered all of our questions. I enjoyed the little lounge area in the front right while waiting for friends to checkout.

I've visited the Land Park location for the Kitchen Table twice within a week now, once just for…read moresome shopping and again for a fun cookie decorating class with Sugar Sweetery. They have their own little parking lot and the store is so cute. It's filled with curated items ranging from gifts to homegoods, decorations, and edible items. You'll also find a lot of local businesses highlighted. They change stock throughout the year and bring in seasonal items for the holidays. It's a great spot for gifts or any items you may need for a themed party, dinner party, or to perfect your own home decor. On top of the shopping, they also host local events like pop-ups and classes. You can check online or in store to see what's coming up. Every time I've stopped in the staff has been friendly and welcoming and there's always something different to look at. They also have great prices on items, I've been able to find gifts in many price ranges and have been surprised by some of the gems I've found for a great deal.

I absolutely love this shop! Not only is it a small, locally run business, but they sell some of…read morethe best home and kitchen supplies. Whether you need something for yourself or are looking for a gift for a birthday or special occasion, you can't go wrong with something from The Kitchen Table. As an avid baker, I love that I can come pick up high-quality ingredients, like Mexican Vanilla, that really make my recipes pop. They sell everything from candles and soap, to cocktail shakers and cards. They always offer a ton of great seasonal decor and I always end up spending way too much money in the store. Not only are they a small local business, but they pride themselves on carrying products from other small local businesses. Huge fan, keep up the great work!

Huge souvenir store that has many different items. They have a Disney section and plenty of games,…read moreshirts, mugs and more. Fun place to shop

This is an entertaining spot to visit while exploring the Old Sacramento Waterfront. It's 3…read moreinterconnected stores (The Vault, The Old Fashioned Candy & Confectionery Shop, & G. Willikers Toy Emporium) that cover a lot of space with tons to see in every nook & cranny. Entrances are on K Street (The Vault) and Front Street (G. Willikers). What will you see? Toys galore in G Willikers--board games, vehicles, polished rocks, bath toys, musical toys, stuffies, figurines, current characters, nostalgic throwbacks, & so much more! Lots of candy! Souvenirs--things like keychains, drinkware, historical books, a pressed penny machine Character themed items in The Vault--Disney, Sanrio, Peanuts, Muppets, Gudetama, Star Wars, & Pusheen to name a few Assorted other stuff--decals, lanyards, socks, clothes, bags, name signs Unique attractions to see are a mountain with trains, a shooting gallery game, & a big Lego bear. There is also an area with collections of art. Sadly we weren't able to look at the art section because it was closed off. According to a worker we asked, the person in charge was there to open the area, but was nowhere to be found though we waited a while. It was the middle of a spring break weekday. A stop here offers a whole lot of fun & amusing things to see.