This local Richmond shop is one of our go-to spots for unique gifts. Love the aesthetic, and we always make it a point to stop in whenever we're on Cary Street. It's the kind of store where you can easily find something for just about anyone and any occasion. They have a great selection of greeting cards and some of the most unique wrapping paper. Also, we've picked up several Jellycats here for our niece. Prices can run a bit high, but that's part of the charm since many of the items feel thoughtfully curated and aren't the kind of things you'll find everywhere else. The staff is consistently friendly and always greets us when we walk in. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind gift, this is the place. read more

What a great store! Every time I'm in Carytown, I always stop in to check out their eclectic assortment. They have everything from cards, to books, to home decor, to Richmond themed gifts, to baby clothes and other fun trinkets. It's a great place to shop with friendly associates. If you're looking for a gift, or want to treat yourself to something fun, stop in! read more

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The CUTEST store. I could spend hours in here. There are stickers, stuffed animals, books, stickers, and pretty much everything you could dream of. Would be a great place to look for gifts when you need something but don't know exactly what you're looking for. Nicely organized and the nicest staff. read more

Loved this store from top to bottom! Phenomenal card and gift selection for all. Highly recommend you visit if in Carytown! I want to find all stores just like this one! read more

A cool shop to find family gifts, art, games, tots, stickers, pins, and housewares. A bit slim on the aisles in walking around but there is plenty to see. The service is nice inside so go forth and explore! read more

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Awesome little gift shop packed to the brim with all types of stuff. I have been coming here for over a decade. Huge card section in the back. Kitchen ware has been popular in terms of gifts I have doled out. Novelty socks too. For myself it has been magnets and other knick knacks. The people here are great. They are always helpful and nice, especially the one wearing the Semester at Sea t-shirt several years ago. read more

I love quirky items you never knew you wanted, but definitely do need! Or is it vice versa? Either way, there's a lot to love at Mongrel, a shop, full of useless or useful items for loved ones or for yourself! We visited Mongrel while walking around Carytown in Richmond, which is just fitting for the area. Like most of the stores in Carytown, Mongrel is a hip store with fun, eccentric items. There's a ton of different items here, which are perfect for gift giving with every trend on point. I didn't necessarily need anything from Mongrel, but did I want everything? Why yes, I did. Mongrel is worth a gander if you're in the Richmond area, even if you just need a smile on your face because there's bound to be something or two here that'll make you smile, from the politically incorrect greeting card or house accessory that speaks to you on so many levels. You'll find stationary, house accessories, jewelry, scents and candles, greeting cards, Virginia-themed gifts, etc. Lots to love. read more

Mongrel - Valentine's Cards - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is the perfect place to buy unique gifts and cards. I'm always able to find something appropriate for even the hardest-to-buy-for friends. Staff is always friendly and helpful. It's never the same place twice. read more

Pretty sure this store should be named after me! It has my name written all over it every step so take in the store. From witty , sarcastic cards to cute items, back to a poop game for kids or well perfectly mature adults like myself! I mean seriously, this store should have something you are looking for. It's like when someone asks you, "why are you going to such and such?" My reply, "just to browse and look for something I did not realize I needed." The staff was helpful, especially when finding a bag they had. You have to hit this store up. I know I still be back read more

Mongrel - Something I did not know I needed! - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This store is very cute. Lots of trendy items, eye-catching pieces, and funny cards and stationary. The products are all beautiful, quirky, and entertaining. I am giving three stars because the prices for most of these items are more than I would expect them to be. I understand small businesses may need to be a little more expensive but $6 for a single plain Christmas card is pretty pricey to me. As much as I love the "on trend" items, I can't help but feel the price is a little steep. One other thing is that I've been three times to peruse with friends from out of town and it is always very crowded. The walkways are a little narrow so be prepared for that. Overall it's a cute place to look at and if you don't mind the prices you can find a lot of gems here! read more

Looking for that unique gift or RVA souvenir? In the market for a quirky coffee cup, or a funny greeting card? Searching for that special something for that special someone? Mongrel is the perfect place to find what you're needing, doggone it!! Such cool and clever items! I also love the books,stationery, notebooks, journals, and other paper goods! Even the household section is stocked with fun and whimsical things! If you're in Carytown, make it a point to peruse this shop! I always find a "must have"! read more

Best gift shop I've been in. Curated to me and my interests This shop is located on the caryton strip and just a few blocks from the airbnb I'm staying in. I have peered in the window a few times and they finally were open today on Wednesday (closed Tues). So glad I got to stop in and trade some of my $ with them. read more

I love Mongrel! It's one of my go to shopping stores in the Richmond area. They have an excellent selection of cards (birthday, celebrations condolences, etc). I also recently found the poster selection that is so cheap, only $5 per poster. Oh they allow dogs inside and have doggie treats available! The fastest way to my heart is through my dog ;) read more

Mongrel - USA and flowers poster $5 each - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Stationary, stickers and cards oh my!! This store has all of my favorite things and is a really cool place to find a gift for someone. They have a ton of fun items to choose from. If you are looking for RVA merch they have it and soooooo much more. read more

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Fantastic selection of giftware for any kind of celebration. Wide variety of gifts for many interests and a very helpful sales staff! Lots of "Richmond" items too! read more

What a cool little gift sho right on the main drag of Carey town. Are you looking for neat cards? They have them. Do you need political buttons? They've got them. Do you need specialty wrapping paper? It's here. What about a new tarot deck? Yep there. This store was full of eclectic ephemera, really cool things you just won't find anywhere else. Things that brought a smile to your face. Things you didn't know you needed until you saw it. read more

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This store has everything you would need for giftgiving. It is in Carytown really close to the Byrd theater and there is street parking or paid parking around back. It has TONS of cards and for every occasion imaginable. They also carry gifts for all ages and items that are very Richmond. I tend to buy myself gift more than anyone else!!! At Christmas time they have tons of ornaments all around the store and so this year I got a Pamplemousse Le Croix Can for myself! read more

Mongrel - Le Croix can Ornament - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I always poke my head inside Mongrel when shopping in Carytown and I always find some cute items for myself and friends back home. This is definitely a great store to find a gift for someone. They have items here I've never seen anywhere else. It's larger than it looks on the outside with two large rooms you can wander through and items loaded onto both sides of the walls. They have paper goods and candles and decor and coffee mugs. Etc. It's always fairly crowded inside but is large enough to walk around easily and staff are prompt and friendly at checkout. read more

Very interesting store with so much to look at it's a bit of eyeball overload. The store was MOBBED, like barely able to get around mobbed. It was actually hard to navigate the crowds and take in all of the cool items! Cards, unique gifts, wrapping paper, cute items, sarcastic items (I'm looking at you, Blue Q!), stuff for kids, stuff for adults, etc. Many, many things to choose from - many we'd never seen before! Definitely worth visiting especially if you are trying to find a gift - the options are endless. Might be a little crowded but if you can deal with the long customer line and saying "excuse me" a few hundred times, it's worth a peek! read more

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Mongrel is a wacky gift shop with its own personality in Carytown. A friend recommended it months ago and I loved my first visit but forgot to review sooo here I am after another shopping experience! Back in May, I purchased their RVA-etched mug. At the time it was just so I could keep the memory of my visits close by. Fortunately, times have changed and now I don't need a mug to think of Richmond, but that didn't stop me from buying two adorable glasses ($8.95 each) also etched with RVA-centric logos the other night. One says "RVA" and the other says "Drink Richmond Beer." Love them! And, of course, the shop offers more than glassware. There are a ton of paper products available, including crude Christmas cards. I stood there reading them and laughing to myself for quite a while. I would have purchased a pack, but I am cheap when it comes to cards so I did not. Their general stock runs the gamut and includes funky sock designs, home decor, expensive candles, sturdy kitchenware, and much more. It's a prime place to visit for special gifts, and I know I will be back at least once more before Christmas! read more

This is such a fun shop and no matter how many times you've been it's worth another trip. There is such a variety from quirky doormats, adorable mugs, great recipe books, any cars your heart could desire, and much more! The staff is always very friendly and helpful if you're looking to find something specific. If you're looking for a unique gift, the perfect office party addition, or a card for your favorite funky pen pal, this is the place to go. read more

Crazy cool gift shop with more things then you could ever expect. Some things were kind of pricey but the $1 postcards were greattt.

I thought I had been to a gift store in the past. That is, until I came to Mongrel. Simply put, Mongrel is one of the greatest gift and card shops I have ever been to in my life. Some gift stores have themes and some feature very specific types of gifts, but rarely do you find a gift store that has a little of everything. And then some. We stumbled upon the store while meandering around Carytown this past weekend. I had seen some reviews prior so I had an inkling of an idea of what I would be walking into, but no amount of reading reviews can prepare you for what you're about to experience. Given that, there's really no way to describe what kinds of things are here. There are your common gift type items like greeting cards, handbags, and books, but there are also some very specific things like inflatable unicorn horns for cats (really!), Shakespeare insult bandaids, meat tenderizers in the shape of brass knuckles, obscenely named hand sanitizers, mugs that show a Triceratops Meat Chart, and much much more. There are things for every age and type of person. I think we were probably walking around this store for no less than 30 minutes. Besides humorous gifts, there are also some really nice things like chopstick sets, kitchen items, and notebooks. I'm not sure if it is intended or not, and may be because of the name, but there are a lot of products featuring animals one way or another, and I love that. I normally try to comment on the price of items at places I review, but the nature of the vast selection of gifts makes it difficult. There were some cheaper items and more expensive items. Like any gift store. We ended up buying a pencil bag with incredibly random Japanese character art of a hamster and carrots, and also a set of dog pins. That said, there was so much more I would have bought, but it's one of those stores you go when in gifting mode, and we were in wandering-around-Carytown mode. So, next time a major gift shopping event comes up, be it Christmas or a birthday, Mongrel is right at the top of my list. Heck, I think if you wanted to find some great Halloween, Thanksgiving, [insert holiday here] gifts, Mongrel would be just the breed of gift store worth checking out. Unequivocally 5 stars in my opinion. read more

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Mongrel is a cute, but large, store that offers items such as gifts, stationery, and home decor items. I loved their greeting card selections, which is a mix of familiar brand lines and local card makers alike. Prices are comparable to any independently-owned store. I was a little disappointed as the staff didn't seem to be available to offer any assistance, and after making some multiple rounds around the store, I soaked everything in and was done. I am a huge greeting cards collector, so I just wished I was able to experience my visit a little bit better! The store itself is located in a hip area, next to the theater. +a nice selection of greeting cards +MIA staff T___T read more

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This store never gets old. Come here for ALL your cool, quirky, hilarious, and local gifts, or just to browse. I'd write more but you have to see for yourself! read more

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Mongrel is a favorite of my partner. She loves the unique gifts and the card assortment. I went there for my partner's birthday and I will never return. While the staff was great and many of the items that they carry were awesome, I was extremely disappointed when visiting the Richmond section of their store. While looking at all of the cool Richmond related stuff when I saw the "judgmental map of Richmond" on the wall. If you've never seen it, a simple google search will show you what I'm talking about. This map is intended to be a joke and I've heard a couple folks joke about how funny it is. If you look at it for more than a couple seconds, you realize how wildly racist this map is. I happened to be looking at what my neighborhood is called and found that mine is titled "blacks with mortgages". This is absolutely unacceptable (not to mention all of the other racist and discriminatory names) and a store that carries this map proudly framed and displayed on the wall is one that I will never shop at again. I will tell every person I know that Mongrel is a store that perpetuates and makes humor out of racism in the city of Richmond. Thanks Mongrel. read more

A couple friends and I were visiting and having lunch in Carytown on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when we stopped by this shop. This was pretty perfect since I was on the hunt for an upcoming birthday gift and wanted to get something unique. The shop is actually fairly large, and we had a lot of fun browsing. There's a lot of funny and cute gifts for a variety of people and tastes. Right by the entrance there were notebooks and books of poems, as well as stationary, mugs, and tumblers. There were also shelves set up specially for gifts for Dad, gifts for the feminist in your life, wedding-themed gifts, etc. There really was really such a wide range of different knick knacks and items that I think you could walk in and find a great gift for just about anyone. I would definitely recommend browsing the whole selection (if you have the time) before settling on what to buy. After looking around for a good amount of time, I stumbled across a heavy, beautifully bound, gold-edged journal with 365 Jane Austen novel quotes, 1 for each day of the year. This made the perfect birthday gift for my friend, whose favorite author is Jane Austen. The journal cost under $20, which I thought was reasonable for the quality and the heft. Again, I would suggest looking around thoroughly before deciding what to buy, since there were some thinner notebooks and less substantial items that were a bit moderate- to high-priced, so definitely make sure you're satisfied with the price-to-quality ratio of whatever you're getting. The staff were friendly and check-out was quick. The shop was fairly busy when we were there, but not crowded. American Express accepted. read more

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A great local shop for gifts. You can also shop online and do store pick up if in the area. They are limiting guests depending on the traffic. I love checking this place out when I need to find a gift bc they have fun and quirky gifts. read more

Eclectic assortment of home goods and one of the most expansive sets of greeting cards I've ever seen. Did your aunt's dog die? There's a card for that. Did your friend adopt a baby, and you want to tell her it's okay to ignore inappropriately invasive questions? There's a card for that. I could browse in here for quite a while, with the following caveats: (1) some prices are STEEP--even coming from DC, I did a few double-takes after looking at price tags; (2) there's so much stuff crammed in that at times it's hard take everything in because you've got to squeeze past other people. read more

This is such a cute and unique boutique shop in Carytown. I cant help but to always stop by this shop to check out what they have. It's very attractive and just unique on what they carry. I love the books they have (to get for the hubby), cards for all my family and friends, and the gifts for all ages (and dry humorists) hahaha. A must stop shop for the locals and tourists. I've always have a great time going in there and finding specialized gifts for each of my friends. read more

Best go-to for memorable cards and gifts. Lots of fun things available at very reasonable price points. My personal favorite? In the back there are wrapping paper sheets for under $5 that make perfect posters--vintage botanical prints, quirky animal prints, French advertisements. You can have a really inexpensive wall hanging that's totally unique. read more

This is, hands down, the cutest gift shop I've ever been in. There was a wide assortment of incredibly unique items, all reasonably priced. Would 100% recommend if you're in the area! read more

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Such a cute, little boutique place in Carytown! This store is huge and has so many little nick-nacks. My roommate loves this place and wanted to come here to find some new magnets for our refrigerator. We went on a Saturday. Big mistake, it was SO packed!! But it's almost Christmas so it makes sense. The store has everything from cards, candles, maps, kitchen items, animal things, Birthday ideas, wrapping paper and so much more!! Even though the store was packed, I had at least 2 employees come up to me and ask if I needed anything. So great customer service!! I ended up buying a funny adult coloring book for a present and the check out process was super fast also. Great local store that everyone should check out! read more

I love shopping here even if I don't end up buying anything. The store has a wonderful variety of items. For example, where else can you buy a unique greeting card, local Richmond glasses, a cute hat for your cat, handmade jewelry and a tea set? Anytime I'm in the Cary street area, I definitely make sure I pop in to see new items and normally walk away buying something I didn't even know I wanted. read more

I've been meaning to write this for a while but life got in the way. However around October 1, 2021, when I went to the store for a work assignment, I was followed by three staff members at this store. Not a single one of them introduced themselves to me, nor helped me find the cards I was looking for. However what they did instead, was to follow me around the store. Unfortunately this store has a habit of this doing with their black customers. We would know that if I could find the store's facebook page. For some reason, either because I am blocked or they deleted their facebook page (the most likely reason), I can't seem to find the facebook review I left for them. So here I am leaving it on Yelp to ensure, that anyone who goes into this establishment knows what they're getting into. Both my boss and I left reviews on their page, and my boss went so far as to reach out to them to at the very least talk to the manager of this store, to see if we could address the incident. Unfortunately nothing came of it. No response, nothing. I am no fan of leaving bad reviews on any site, however due to the lack of any response, email or acknowledgement that I have seen, read or heard from either my me or my boss, I have to leave this review. I actually think this is a wonderful store and you can find cool, and unique things. But what I cannot forgive is that between June 2021 and October 2021, two black people left reviews about being followed in your store, and not a single reply from management or staff addressing the concerns that were raised. My ire is not at the staff but at management, because you dictate customer experience and training of your employees. Anybody who walks into a store, especially one that espouses progressive viewpoints, should be treated like everyone else. Unfortunately that was not my experience. No judgement on anyone who goes to this store, but if you're black, I hope you have a better experience than me. Who knows maybe they've addressed it but I wouldn't know because no one from Mongrel RVA, has reached to me or my boss. Potential customers, feel free to do with this information what you will! To Mongrel RVA, do better. read more

Mongrel - screenshot of my review - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I can only agree with those who've found Mongrel overwhelming- many adjectives describe the place, but that may well be foremost among them. It is not that the place is poorly organized or lacks focus, but there is simply So Much Stuff packed into the store [which is not tiny, but reasonably-sized for Carytown] that I have found it flatly impossible to actually browse through everything. If -nothing- else, the cards alone will get me to a saturation point and I just have to stop, even skipping the ones for events I have no need of or in styles I don't like. Besides cards of every sort imaginable, the place is a good source of completely random gifts- fancy matchbooks, cute real books [They had the Pat the Zombie book, bless them], candles, knick-knacks... everything. The only particularly jarring note for me is the inclusion of magnets and buttons with heavily political statements, which generally make me shake my head whichever side they're bashing, and the marijuana stuff which will also not appeal to everyone who browses through. The same can probably be said for the naughty card section, though, or the sassy magnets about drinking, so... Not a bad place, but keep an eye on which spots grandma peruses. Or not, if she's as cool as mine, of course. read more

I never understood how truly special Carytown was until I started working in this part of the city a few months ago. The businesses and restaurants here have a sprinkle of quirkiness and fairy dust that makes Carytown magical. Well, Tinker Bell herself must have dusted Mongrel because this store is one of a kind. Mongrel is a store filled with little things, little things that some people may say is unnecessary but make life fun and put a smile on your face. Mongrel is a gift and novelty shop filled with items you can't find anywhere else. If you need a card for a loved one or a housewarming gift for a friend Mongrel will have an amazing choice for you. The cards aren't Hallmark, they are extra, sassy, trashy or gut punching funny, whatever your flavor. I am addicted to rose gold and found a beautiful retro rose gold tea pot at Mongrel. Is this a necessity, maybe not for you but, yeah for me it is lol. Also, I bought the cutest luggage tag that was rose gold and pink. It screamed my name as soon as I seen it and absolutely made my day. Mongrel can be a bit pricey but this special store is worth the extra money. If you are looking for something to brighten your or someone else's day or home please visit this store. This local store of odds and ends will have you leaving with a little magic in your hand and spreading that Carytown Charm. read more

Great place for cards, stocking stuffers, and a bunch of stuff you want but don't really need.

Mongrel is a great little shop in Carytown. They have a lot of cool books, home goods, cards, and novelty items which makes it a great place to buy a gift. Their stock ranges from classy (like that pristine old fashioned shaving kit) to charming (as in the ...) to mildly inappropriate (who doesn't get a kick out of those sassy hand sanitizer slogans?) - so you can find a gift here for just about any person or occasion. I've bought gifts for Mother's and Father's Day here for the past two years and the items I've found here were so spot on it's almost as though they were created specifically for my parents. For Father's Dat last year, I bought my dad, a retired Navy lieutenant, a mug that says "Dad" with an anchor on it. For Mother's Day this year, I bought my mom, a lover of both loose leaf teas and elephants, the cutest elephant shaped teapot. I think those gifts are just about as perfect as you can get! Even if you're not searching for a gift, Mongrel is definitely worth stopping by if you're in Carytown. read more

What an amazing find in Richmond. We were looking for museums and then had the idea for some salads and found the eatery across the street from this wonderful stationary, novelty and gift store. How lucky were we! They had a enormous collection of cards and postcards and unique gifts. I was initially turned off by the name as I tend to associate that name with unpleasant images but they were clever in usurping that name to bring notice to their eclectic and colorful collection of goodies under their roof. I could have perused their offerings for hours. The street reminded me of San Francisco CA or Provincetown MA or Rehoboth Beach DE. I felt as if i had been transported away and was anywhere but in Richmond, but it too is Richmond. That's the beauty of it . It is alive and gay and colorful and whimsical and joyful and a feast for the senses when you enter through their doors. The staff were wonderful too! I could have spent so much more money there. I hope others do. They seemed to be the celebration of the diversity of life for the neighborhood. read more