Great selection of clothes and gift items, fun events throughout the year too! I love that they are…read morealways coming out with new merch!

The ISU Bookstore remains on my "must stop by" list whenever I'm in Ames. Over the years,…read more"bookstore" has lost some of its meaning as ISU-branded merchandise sales and gradually taken over more and more floor space. However, there's still a modest stationary/art supplies section, an area for textbooks (strange to say that in a digital world), and a nice computer area in the back (and close to the stairway to or from the parking garage). As an Iowa Hawkeye grad, I have little interest in the ISU branded stuff, unless it involves a gift to my less enlightened Cyclone family members or friends. But the selection is impressive and the rivalry is light and friendly. And they'll validate your parking with a smile.

A unique store with an exceptional owner (Rob Beers) in the heart of Valley Junction's 5th Street…read more It was such a fun first visit! I'm a techy person, but I love great writing utensils, and I enjoyed exploring Beers' shop because he is the owner and one of the Midwest's last pen makers. He told me of the store's history and showed me some available (and very cool) items. If I hadn't just been getting over pneumonia, I would have bought some items, but I was running out of energy when I arrived at Quill and Nib. Cool calligraphy, fountain pens, notebooks, and writing paper are in the store, but it is the service that cannot be matched locally. I'm coming back.

the guy is really kind and amazing to purchase from and he has top quality pens. So good that I'm…read moregoing to give it to my girlfriend for Christmas.

The Frame Shop is absolutely the best. I have had framing done there for decades. The two women…read morewho work there have guided me to be absolutely happy with every framing. Further, they brought back to life a 100 year old piece that had fallen from a wall.

I had The Frame Shop frame a sketch my father had done on vellum (very thin paper) and they did…read morean absolutely fantastic job with it!!! It was a complex framing with sketch on a white backing and glass raised above the sketch so it didn't touch the sketch. I am very impressed with their work!!!

This store is great for the community. I am able to find items that I need most of the time. The…read morefabric selection is very good even though I am not a sewer. Anyone who quilts or sews needs to check this place out. They have quite the variety; clothes, over the counter medications, makeup, greeting cards, hardware items, knick knacks etc. I like supporting local businesses when I can. The offer some great promotions like % off around Xmas time when you fill a bag.

All you have to do is look at my stash of paper and ephemera to know I would buy everything in this…read moreshop, if money were no object. The first time I walked in someone from the staff asked if they could help me and my response was, "I can tell I am in trouble." If you are a paper crafter of any level, this is the place to visit. They carry exquisite papers, embellishments, die cuts, inks, etc. I have also taken a class and found it to be very fun and I learned a lot of new techniques. Every time I am in Ankeny, I stop in and tend to drop more cash than I should...but then I go home and admire my purchases for hours on end.

We were so excited to come in and make our own pottery for a reasonable price. The class was fun…read moreand we were given the option of painting it then or we could come back at a later time and paint it with studio paints and make designs, so we chose that option this class was in November). We went to paint these on February 13. We did very detailed pieces with flowers and intricate designs. The studio told me that they would be done within two weeks to a month. After a month passed, I called to see if our pieces were done, they weren't. After this, I called every week as the studio never followed up with me. Our pieces were finally done on April 3rd. So, I went in on the 4th to pick them up at opening. I waited an extra 15 minutes after opening and they had no one there, I knocked on the door and no one came. They did not have it anywhere that they were closed. I finally picked up our pieces and this studio absolutely destroyed our pieces. They melted the glaze and did not heat them in the proper temperature and ruined all our work designing them. So after 6 months, our pieces are going in the garbage. There was no apology for trashing our pieces or offer to reimburse us or to come in and redo them. It was so unfortunate that the team did not care to make things right.

This is such a great place to create! Families can walk in and pick a project right off the…read moreshelves and start creating. From simple projects like painting a piece of pottery (you take it home THAT DAY!), to projects that are more intricate, there is something for everyone! Owner, Stacy Schuurmann is so creative and offers many ideas for kids and adults to have fun with art!

Smurlz is the best salon in town. Great customer service, talented staff and a clean businessread more