Fantastic local independent bookstore with an amazing selection of fantasy, horror and dystopic…read morenovels

I accidentally wandered into this shop while killing time yesterday afternoon. I was impressed by…read moreall of the different types of books. Every time I looked through a shelf, I seen something new. There were a lot of different genres, however I don't think they were organized very well. It was also difficult to walk through the store as everything was pretty tightly packed in. The lady who checked me out was very kind. We had a brief discussion about the interview I was waiting to attend. She told me to remember to just keep breathing, which I appreciated greatly. Besides that interaction, no one else in the store talked to or approached me. It would have been nice to be welcomed in. Altogether, though, a very sweet shop ! With a ton of variety.

They have some fun unique gifts and IU shirts. The woman at the counter was exceptionally nice.read more

It's a shop full of all that quirky, humorous swag that nobody really needs but makes great gifts…read more I bought a three-legged clay South American good-luck pig for my grandmother (who loves pigs) and left it at that, but I could have easily picked out something for each member of my whole family and several friends. Shot glasses, flasks, magnets, bumper stickers, all sorts of Anne Taintor stuff, books, greeting cards, buttons, candy, action figures...basically knick-knacks, gew-gaws, doodads, baubles, trinkets, novelties, and ephemera of all types. And an AVALANCHE of IU t-shirts, about a third of the store. Most are actual licensed t-shirts so you know that you're getting a quality shirt, but the prices range from six to ten bucks. Soft t-shirts, block-letter t-shirts, t-shirts with or without the trident symbol, "B-town" t-shirts, humorous t-shirts ("Purdouche", "Dry Campus", et al), etc etc etc, in numerous colors and several sizes. I saw t-shirts in several stores that day, and Greetings had the best prices and widest selection of all of them.

What an amazing bookstore! When I first walked in, I thought this bookstore seemed so modern. But…read moreit is clean, organized, and homey. The pictures of dogs on the walls, the free coffee station, the couches, and the group who came together to work on a puzzle?! How cute. They have beautiful watercolor pictures of Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh and more. Many genres of books, including a crime vault. A cute kids section. There are couches to sit and enjoy a book or a coffee along with a fireplace. It was so welcoming!

This was the most wonderful bookstore I have been in! It was so cozy and inviting and everyone was…read morehappy and relaxed. The fireplace was the cherry on top of it all. If I'm ever back in town I'll definitely stop back in!

This gem is well-organized for the best browsing. The staff is mostly volunteers who know and love…read morebooks. It serves the good purpose of supporting library programs. The prices put owning books in everyone's reach.

This is seriously the best bookstore in Bloomington. Nearly new books for amazing used prices!…read moreCharming staff! All sales benefit the Monroe County Public Library.

Such a wonderful place! They offer top notch books, events, food/drinks and fun little gifts…read more Staff are super nice and knowledgeable. Make sure to check out the calendar of events!

I'm a fan. Wish I lived closer. There's a great cafe with plenty of room to work and read. The…read moredrink I had was good too! I had a blackberry matcha. There's quite a section of books and many gifts too. I will be back the next time I'm in Bloomington!

So happy I found this place! I had been all around Bloomington trying to find some affordable and…read morestylish furniture and I am happy to say that my quest ended at this amazing store. The owners restore used furniture...but when I say restore, what I mean is that they create works of art...unique pieces for your home. Also, the couches are sanitized! The ONLY place that has ever mentioned that. Worth the drive! Come check it out!

Venue Fine Arts and Gifts is located close to campus and offers a nice selection of local and other…read moreunique pieces of art, including metal sculpture (Bert Gilbert), jewelry, pottery, wall art, cards, and other cool and collectable items (as a present for you or others). Venue is located within 1 floor of a large architecturally interesting house. As you wander through the various rooms, the art is nicely curated and displayed. The owners were personable, knowledgeable in their wares, and would leave you alone if you wanted. I'm sure I'll be back the next time I visit the Bloomington area.

I love art, especially unique, handmade jewelry and pottery. So when my husband and I accident…read morestumbled across the Venue, I had to go inside. The shop was filled with paintings, pottery, hand-crafted jewelry and other beautiful items. I was particularly excited to discover jewelry pieces from one of my favorite Indiana artisans. The Venue is not a huge place but it's definitely worth the stop. The owners are worth a mention, as they are very personable. In fact, when we mentioned that we were in town on a romantic weekend getaway, they offered suggestions for some must-stops. I will definitely be returning.on future visits to Bloomington.

Much of this store is local/regionally-made art. Jewelry, paintings, photos, sculpture, wood…read morespecialties, apparel like hats and gloves, wall art, all made by area artisans are here. The prices are reasonable for the quality of work. This store is run by a non-profit artist organization, The Pillar Group. There's another similar shop at College Mall in Bloomington, where Victoria's Secret once stood past Target. The art is diverse and has a local and Indiana theme to it. While most jewelry is focused towards women, there are a few pieces of men's gear. It has the feel of a gift shop, and indeed there are greeting cards, and wrapping available for purchases. It's a very wide variety of handmade art, and it's all well-presented. I'm embarrassed how much I've purchased here; the values are pretty good for what I look for. Parking is downtown-crappy, but the store is bright and easy to shop.

One of the benefits in shopping in store is that you get to appreciate the quality of the goods…read morebeing sold. Another benefit of getting out to explore your community is finding a business you didn't know was there and you are pleasantly surprised by what you find. Kind of like finding a hidden treasure! My wife was shopping next door inside Tivoli Fashions in the Fountain Square Mall just south of the county courthouse in Bloomington. Since the shopping she was doing had nothing to do with me, I wandered out into the mall and found By Hand Gallery just across the hallway. If you enjoy looking at hand crafted items like wall hangings, ceramics, and small items that can be gifts for either your friends or for yourself. When I walked in, I was immediately greeted and asked if I needed any assistance. Even when I explained that I only stopped in to pass time while my wife shopped next door, he said he understood and to feel free to browse and ask questions. I was feeling welcomed, not watched or like I was wasting his time. That's good business. I really enjoyed looking over the items. I don't do a lot of decorating in our home, but I did see things here that I thought would look nice. I didn't make any purchases at this time, but the items I looked at seemed of good quality and worth considering coming back for. Review #3911