We were staying in Des Moines for a night while traveling to MN from Texas, and came across this…read moreplace when trying downtown one morning. The store itself was really neat to walk through, and they had fantastic restrooms! However, the people there were not very friendly. I smiled at one girl who worked there, and she just stared straight through me as she walked by me. Then, there was a guy and another woman, with only the woman briefly saying anything at all to us. They did have a nice selection of odds and ends, with lots of tins, old kitchen utensils, pots, pans. It was an okay stop for the morning, but wish those working there had been a bit friendlier. There is apparently free parking somewhere, but we had already paid at a meter before seeing the sign inside regarding this. Maybe we missed it on the outside somewhere, but that would definitely have been helpful to have seen before paying.

The Raccoon Forks Trading Company is kind of hidden away from the main East Village establishments…read more I only found it because I had parked at the nearby (and free) Capital lot and wandered by it on my way down to Fontenelle Supply Company and Raygun. There's also a restaurant next door (and connected inside) called Railroad Bill's Diner, which will have to wait for my next visit. I enjoy antique stores, especially the ones that have some curation and don't make me feel like I'm drinking out of a fire hose when looking around. This store is nicely laid out, easy to navigate, and features various individually owned (?) and themed bays (like books or tools). I also appreciated that I was pretty much on my own, unless I needed to ask for help or advice. So what did I buy? Let's just say that Gayle has already asked about it, rolled her eyes, and restated that we didn't need any more "junk" in the house. These places never reveal their true breadth in one visit, so I will be back the next time I'm in town. When you decide to come, please also note the historical building and its freight company heritage.

Fantastic Vintage Clothing store, and costume shop! They also have Records, and other fun retro…read moredelights! This a fun place to go with friends! You can spend hours sifting through the vintage goods! The store is huge and the prices are very responsible! Compared to other cities! They will also rent you costumes! This is a go to spot for Halloween shoppers! Next time you roll through Valley Junction stop in and try something fun on!

Oh Atomic Garage... it's a shame you don't have more reviews in general... I just had to review…read moreyou. Atomic Garage is an amazing vintage clothing and vintage store in the trendy area in Des Moines... the owner/manager is super chill and a fun person who takes her vintage clothes seriously. Their selection is awesome and reasonably priced for how rare some of it is. It's definitely a great place to stop in when you're in town... and an even better place to stop in when you need a badass outfit to go to a formal event with. It's super well organized and just an overall fun store to walk around. The only reason I took a star off is because some of the stuff isn't for sale. It's only for rent... and that disappointed me. I don't live in town, so I couldn't rent the incredible options of suits/tuxedos that they sell there.

Good variety, reasonable prices, Owner is a great guy and a good Christian. Definitely one of my…read morefavorites .

One of my favorite stops when I'm out thrifting. It's been a couple of different iterations over…read morethe years, but this one came with a remodel and it really classed the place up. Don't get me wrong... It's still a second hand store so don't expect Dillard's but comparatively spearking it's one of the cleaner nicer shops in the metro. What have I picked up here? Antiques, brass, an almost 6 ft set of longhorns, Buck knives, cast iron, tools... And most recentl y a vintage wall Coca Cola bottle opener that the owner gave to me free of charge when my gf mentioned it was my birthday. We're kind of regular customers... Lol Inventory varies by the day. We try to swing in often. Good people. A good shop. Not much else you can ask for.

I bought a straightener there on Saturday couldn't find any place to check to see if it worked paid…read morefor it got home didn't told him it didn't work as if they had policy they said no the best thing I could do is just re-donate it why would they want me to re-donate it if it doesn't work so they can make another five bucks off of somebody

There are some good buys (not overpriced) if you look closely. However, this is one of the most…read moreunreasonably priced thrift stores in the area. Furthermore, a full 75% of the vintage items that I have looked at closely have turned out to be damaged or missing major parts.. interestingly, "vintage item" prices never go on sale even though they are consistently overpriced. The staff is helpful and friendly and St Vincent de Paul does good work in the community. So my review is mixed.

Featuring mostly Iowa-made products for your home, office, kitchen, bathroom, pantry, or a gift,…read morethis store, located where the historic Oak Park and Highland Park neighborhoods meet on Des Moines' north side, gets it right! There is such a good vibe within, as owner Mallory is a friendly, kind person who has a lot of unique, hand-made, terrific items. She's a Story City native and a UNI grad, and she fully supports and recommends some nearby shops. I especially loved her greeting cards, candles, charcuterie boards, and cookbooks. The shop is in its fifth year and is thriving. I appreciated the fair pricing and overall quality of the products. We will add Des Moines Mercantile to our stops on future visits to Des Moines.

What a cute store! We just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought we would check it it…read more They had a variety of cool cool books to cooking utensils to cookware. They had pillows made from recycled vintage wool blankets. The cast iron cookware is amazing. There were even candles and some baby clothes and books. They had small bags of coffee from Guatemala and a few other places.

I'm going to kind of double up on this review. Harvest Creek and Pine Creek Ltd pretty much sit…read moreright on top of one another. They are "creeks" separated by a wall but they both have a very similar feel. So similar in fact that I asked my girlfriend... "Do you think these shops might have the same owner?" The atmosphere is low lit and cozy and the collection of merchandise is eclectic. Definitely not something that you run into every day... I'm not sure how to describe the merchandise. Pine Creek offers some seasonal and smaller home furnishing. More leaning to home good. And some items on Harvest Creek you don't necessarily think of when you think Iowa. Some border what you think of when you think wiccan or occult (not in a bad way though)... If I had to guess the owners have their own personal tastes and interests and they stock the shops to align with what they like and hope the market finds them. We really enjoyed looking through both of these little shops and they are ones I would encourage anyone coming through the Winterset area to stop and check out both Harvest Creek and Pine Creek Ltd!

This is one of the most unique shops I've ever been in. It feels as if you are entering a mystical…read moreworld. It is absolutely beautiful inside. It is a treat to visit here.

Disgusting smelly place. Very unorganized. Didn't find many deals for the effort put out…read morelooking.I do love the name though!

What an interesting mix of antiques and more! A little on the dingy side, but that's what makes it…read morefun and keeps the prices reasonable. Booth after booth and case after case are loaded with treasures! It's obvious that some vendors take more pride in their booths than others. Some booths just look messy and others are very tidy and organized. I was REALLY excited to see a vintage Kmart cart and some old Walgreens hand baskets here. They're for shoppers use, not for buying. My guy was happy to get a plate of cookies from Luanna's Kitchen. ;) This was a very fun place to stop! Highly recommend!

Kin in the East Village is the kind of shop you walk into and immediately slow down because there's…read moreso much to take in. The whole space feels warm and intentional soft lighting, crystals lining the staircase, art, jewelry, and the cutest little displays tucked into every corner. It's cozy without feeling cluttered, and everything feels really thoughtfully curated. I loved how it has a mix of things Including unique gifts, cards, home pieces, and little spiritual/wellness touches that make it feel a bit magical. You can tell it's one of those shops where every item was chosen with purpose, not just to fill shelves. It's also just a really calming space to be in. I found myself wandering slowly, picking things up, and actually enjoying browsing instead of rushing through. If you're walking around the East Village, this is 100% a place you have to pop into even just for the vibe. Definitely one of those spots you'll keep thinking about after you leave

Really loved visiting Kin in Des Moines. My coworkers and I had aura photos done. I've had mine in…read morethe past and it was yellow both times. On this day I had a white aura! Highly recommend the experience. Ken is such a cool store with an amazing selection of tarot, and Oracle cards. Lots of crystals, jewelry, and cool metaphysical items. The staff was really kind and helpful.