Wow, this place sucks. It's full of garbage and things you would expect to find at the dollar store, BUT IT DOES NOT COST A DOLLAR! It's overpriced. It's not a good place to shop for traditional children's toys. You're better off going to Target or better, the internet. I mean, you try giving a child a slinky or the boardgame "operation" and tell me how long it takes him to shove the stupid toy aside and reach for his xbox controller. read more

The gifts in this store are pretty neat but overpriced. The owner and employees of the store are extremely rude and unwelcoming therefore I will never return. We got the lights turned out on us in the store way prior to closing time and the owner rang a bell in our ear. read more

Until last night, I used to shop at Richard's for children's toys and gifts regularly--for my children's birthdays, Christmas, and gifts for their friends. I like supporting local businesses and will do so to a fault, even if it means I spend a little more money. Customer service has never been great a Richard's; I had to exchange a toy once that was a duplicate gift to my daughter, and could only get a store credit even though it had been less than two weeks since it had been purchased and I had the receipt. I did not mind since my kids love going there, and finding something else was not a problem. I have noticed their prices are not competitive, but would not expect a local business to keep up with Walmart and online stores, so, again, I did not mind. I had also noticed their poor treatment of other customers, and the warning signs on the front door about unaccompanied minors (high school students at the nearby Grady must have been a problem?), but turned a blind eye to it. What a mistake! Last night, in the midst of the holiday shopping season, I took my family to Richard's to make sure we got everything on the kids' lists. I told my husband to take the kids to the car while I made some quick purchases. I knew it was getting late, but had not looked at the time recently, nor did I know what time Richard's closed. As the kids were leaving with my husband, a man shouted loudly, "Turn the lights OFF!" and I looked at my husband and said, "I guess they're about to close. I'll hurry." I frantically grabbed a basket and started to comb the aisles looking for the 3 gifts my kids wanted. However, I could not see because the lights were off! As I stood in the puzzle aisle trying to see the boxes, an employee came and stood at the end of the aisle and said, "Ma'am, you'll need to take your purchases to the register now." I said, "I'm sorry, I can barely see--can you give me just a couple seconds? There are just a few things I need to get and won't have time to come back this week." She said, "We're closing the registers, you need to leave." WHAT?!?! No offer to help, no apologies, just basically, "Get out." A few seconds later I heard the same loud man's voice saying, "Is there anyone else in here?" I did not answer, but the employee who had just seen me said, "Yes, there is still one customer in here." Then the man shouted from the front of the store, "You need to leave, the registers are closed now." I went to the front, where he was standing, holding the door open, motioning for me to get out. I said, "I can't believe you are being so rude! I spend hundreds of dollars here every year! I just have a few things..." and he said, "You don't tell me how to run my business, I don't tell you how to run yours." I said, "I'm not, I just don't understand why you are being so rude! Are you the owner or manager?" and he said, "Lock, stock and barrel!" I asked again, only to get the same nonsense response, TWICE! Then he finally said, "I own the ground you are standing on, and everything around you, now GET OUT, we are closed and these people need to get home!" And I quote! I was completely mystified. I have never, ever, been treated so rudely by an owner, manager, or store employee anywhere. I thought it must have been really late, but when I got to the car (which was parked all the way in the back of the lot), I dug my phone out of my pocket and it was exactly 8:05pm. I was in there a mere 3-4 minutes past closing, most of which time I was being harassed to leave! I honestly felt scared and threatened by this crazy, scary little man who claims to be the owner. I was shaking and dumbfounded. As much as I hate to say this, I went home, went to amazon.com, found the items there MUCH CHEAPER, got FREE SHIPPING and the items will be here in time for Christmas. So I have no need to ever return to Richard's. If you must shop there, be aware of their crappy attitude (as noted by several other reviewers), their return policy and price policy, and the belligerent little man who might just be the owner. And know that you can find their products elsewhere, cheaper, and with less attitude. read more

I have mixed feeling about Richard's. There is a great variety of clever gifts, excellent cards and simple housewares. So for that aspect I give it 5 stars. However, for customer service I give Richards two stars. The owner/manager is consistently rude. I recently asked him for assistance in finding an item and he acted like I was a huge inconvenience. This is only equaled by the other people who work there. One young woman spends more time outside smoking than in the store. The cash register associates barely look at you when you are checking out and if you have a question they rarely know the answer and if they do you can barely understand them. Richard's would be far hipper if the people who worked there were as clever and interesting as the inventory. Not sure if the owner thinks it is part of the "charm" that everyone is a rude misfit? read more

I gave them 2 stars because they have a great selection of toys Etc. The service was the worst I have ever experienced in a retail store. The lady stocking shelves almost bit my head off when I asked where something was- clearly not her job. And there was a man behind the register that was very nasty. It's really a shame because it has such a nice old fashioned feel but the service definitely doesn't match. There isn't anything you can't buy online and have shipped for free these days- I hope they understand that and work on their staff. read more

Where else can you get a jigsaw puzzle, fart machine, a flower pot, board games, sewing supplies & kitchen gadgets, the old school way in atlanta?!! It reminds me of the old Woolworth's on a smaller scale but no diner! It's total randomness and i love it. great for children- lots of stuffed animals and junk for them :) I also learned about my favorite stain remover here. seriously i put it in everyone's stocking at Christmas. It's called GONZO. buy it. it's magic. they have little spray bottles of it at the register. read more

This place is my go-to for unique kids presents. It's a little easier to get into this shopping center than the midtown RVS (but not by much, though) on the weekends. They have everything you could want- great wooden toys, old school toys, all of the Calico Critters, wood train sets and tables, Playmobil everythang, Star Wars, and an aisle for holidays. I love getting stocking stuffers down the holiday aisle, and basket knick knacks for Easter. I took my parents here and they went beserker buying all of the old school toys they remembered from their childhoods, and mine. I got my daughter the Strawberry Shortcake ragdoll that was recreated for her 30th anniversary doll. And yes, she has that same smell, ahhhh! Definitely hit this place up if you want quality toys. read more

Without question the most rude owner of any establishment I've ever encountered. Wheelchair accessible?? Ask the folks at Shepard Spinal Center how accomodating Richards is. If you are looking for an establishment that appreciates its customers and employees Richard's is not the place. read more

I love Richard's. I grew up right down the street from the Peachtree Battle Shopping center and we used to go there as a special treat after school. I love that it hasn't changed silly putty, and monkeys with the symbols in their hands are sold next to china plates and lamps. Now I go in there with my nephew to get him a treat. My most recent trip was to pick up some greeting cards and they have a lot of hilarious ones. I like there selection because the cards are not cheesy greeting card humor, it is more like you read it a couple of times, say to yourself "what the..." then comes laughter. read more

All kinds of cool stuff for kids and adults. Just what is says, "variety" store. Kind of reminds me of Woolworth's up north, back in the day when I was a kid. Some of you will know what I mean when I say "Woolworth's". Some of you will not. read more

Apparently this place has some sort of social magnet in it, as I also "stumbled" on it one night while looking for Halloween supplies. They not only had everything I needed to complete my costume (I was a poker dealer/table), they had all the accessories my friends needed for their party. I wandered for well over an hour, exploring the vast selection of costumes, decorations, puzzles, novelty gifts, and even hardware. With its proximity to several great bars, this place might just be what goofball heaven looks like. read more

I'm just so happy places like this exist. I walked in and within 10 minutes I had my hands full with gifts for 5 different friends. Not souvenirs, not special occasion presents, just a whole lot of crap that no one really NEEDS but you know will bring a smile to their face. This place must be a gold mine for Halloween needs! TIP: if you're a tourist and flew here, DON'T buy liquids over 3 oz. I was so excited about the Poo-tin Lavatory Mist with said shirtless leader riding horseback on the label, that I purchased it without remembering the laws of the TSA :( read more

I love this place. If I'm ever at a loss over what to get for someone's birthday, I go to Richard's. They have it all... board games, toys for kids, toys for big kids, kitchen supplies, tools, lunch boxes, holiday stuff, and the best selection of cards I have ever seen. read more

I dont know how I've lived in the area for so long and just got my first taste of this place a few weekends ago. My mom told me about it and explained that she loved to browse here when she was in the area. Since I think my mom and I have similar taste, i wanted to check it out and I'm glad I did. This is a place you can get lost in for hours. I haven't seen a better variety of books in many other places and all items are very resonably priced. If you are looking for a board game, this is the place to go b/c I have checked and they seem to be the cheapest in town. Everything is so quirky and amusing, I love it. read more

I always try to support independent businesses because they offer better service and they tend to support smaller, more unusual manufacturers instead of the middle-of-the-road crap you find at Wal-Mart, Target, CVS and Ace. At Richard's you don't even have the trade-off of higher prices! They are viciously competitive with the big boxes on price. But they have merchandise you will never find at the chains. There are always marvelous little gems to be discovered at Richard's. Even though it's small, it somehow beats Toys R Us for little kid presents.I don't know how. Great for Halloween costumes. Kitchen gadgets, BEST greeting cards (including "adult" selection), sewing notions, party supplies, cleaning stuff, who knows what else? Just go and browse. If they had a candy counter with a scale, and a comic book rack, it would really be a dime store. (Sigh.) read more

These two stores (a Richards Variety chainlet, as it were) are horrific for customer service. They are also very overpriced, though as others have noted, they have a good supply of gag gifts. Unfortunately, don't even TRY to return something. I bought two small items from the Monroe St. store which is far out of my usual flight path. I tried to return the items a few days later at the much more convenient to me Peachtree Battle store. "Oh, no, no!" I was told. It seems they don't carry the identical inventory in both stores and it was up to me to get the two small items back to the Monroe St. store from whence they came! Bottom line: they wouldn't accept the return at the Peachtree Battle location. A few more days passed and I finally made it -- a special trip -- over to the Monroe St. store. Well, more surprises awaited me ... it seems that even though I had my receipt, it had been more than 7 days (about 10 days to be exact) since my purchase, so I could not get my money refunded to my credit card. Instead, I could ONLY get a store credit which I had to use ON THE SPOT!!! Given that I was full up on whoopee cushions, overpriced toys, and obscure kitchen gadgets, I finally settled on some birthday cards. I then had to wait in a long line and when the woman was checking me out using my store credit, she pointed out to me, "there are no returns on greeting cards -- all sales are final." I looked her dead in the eye and said, "Don't worry, I won't be back." Not sure she got what I was saying, but I will never, ever darken the door of Richard's Variety stores again. read more

I stumbled upon this place by accident while feverishly looking for party supplies for an office birthday party. Overwhelmed with their inventory of nostalgic toys and quirky drink napkins, I vowed to return after work to shop at a more leisurely pace. This place quickly became one of my favorite gift stores and I always find things in there that I've never seen anywhere else, like Salvador Dali stickers and vintage matchbox tins. I told my Mom, a huge fan of Woolworth's and any other 5 and dime, and she wants to move to Atlanta just to be closer to the store. In addition to their kitsch collection, they also have kitchen and home items like butter dishes and hammers AND they cut keys for 99. Oh and I found my party supplies... read more

Another place I could spend an entire day cruising up and down the aisles. I've walked out from one trip with a good quality cast iron pan, monkey head key covers, gag gifts, a cute bag, and vintage inspired cards for under $50. This is a gem. read more

Where else can you find a brain shaped mold for your Jello salads, mini heart shaped tins for cupcakes and the best assortment of Legos outside of Legoland? This store is the place to go for all sorts of kids toys and books plus kitchen, baking supplies that you don't see anywhere else. Good assortment of tasteless novelties also. The greeting cards are great and yesterday the staff was helpful which is not always predictable but part of the charm I think. Buckhead can be boringly genteel sometime and a bit of attitude is refreshing! This place is small, crowded and you really need to go up and down each aisle three times to see all that is there. read more

I love Richards Variety Store. It is a trip down memory lane. There truly is something for anyone there.

I loved shopping at Richs for many reasons.... My son can spend an hour riding the 10 cent pony, they have eclectic furniture, toys from my era, and hard to find toys.... What I didn't know was how stringent their return policy was. I understand receipt, time frame for returns....What if the item is broken??? Too bad!!! The cashier stated" If the item is opened, you can not return it" and "I was passed the 7 days"!! I explained that I opened the item and then it broke, I did not use the remainder because I was worried they too would brake. She said "I should write a note to the manufacture". I asked if they stood behind their products and she recited the return policy once again. Another cashier came by and said they would return the un-opened item eventhough I was late on the return. She then said it would take a minute, would I like to shop??? I said probably not. She processed the return and felt the need to once again, recited the return policy. I told her I got it the first time. I did show them a note from the ER, my kids were very sick so I couldn't come in. I loved shopping here but I feel that with the holiday season around the corner, I dont feel like giving my money to a store that doesn't stand behind their products. Goodness, Tuesday morning and Trader Joes stands behind their product... What Happened?? Sad we have to drive further for my kids monthly reward gifts. I haven't left angry from a store..... ever... read more

I'll add my two cents to the list of accolades for Richard's. The greeting card section is great (although I wish they had a bigger selection of Christmas cards), they have aisles and aisles of games and toys (including a pinball machine and a slot machine), a good supply of kitchen utensils- even Advent candles! Richard's is the kind of place that makes shopping fun! read more

Where to begin. I passed by Richard's a few times, when I would go to Trader Joe's and hadn't even looked in the window. The other night, while on the phone, I noticed Richard's and went in. I walked around and just thought, "Oh, that's cool" to pretty much everything I saw in there and I kept getting suprised with every turn I took. I couldn't believe how many different types of merchandise they had. I will be back in there soon to do some Christmas shopping and hopefully this time I won't be lost in aw. read more

My mother bought all of the stocking stuffers I recieived as a child from this store. Enough said. :)

Today was my first time going into Richard's Variety Store. It won't be my last. Our Girl Scout Troop set up outside to sell cookies. The staff couldn't have been friendlier. During a "down time" at our Cookie Booth, I went in to explore the store. They have cards for EVERY occasion, tons of toys, candies, party supplies, kitchen supplies, and everything in between. If you're looking for a unique gift for someone, this is the place to find it. read more

This place is great - they have it all! I can get lost in here for hours. So much of their stuff was like a blast from the past, and the prices are not so bad, either. read more

You think you're running in for a quick something or another, and then you're just taken in by all of the cool stuff this place has. I mean, there's little stuff everywhere and you just don't want to blink in fear of missing something! At least that's the way I feel when i'm in there! I love this place! Very cool stationary, gifts, books, and novelty items. Not your mainstream type of gifts, which i love. Very well organized and maintained. Kudos. read more

LOL - funny gift and gag gift store! One of a kind stuff!

This is the best store ever to accomplish all your gift shopping in one spot, and skip the mall entirely!!

The store is cool the help at the checkout is less than friendly but I guess if I made $8 an hr I would be a miserable person too.

Love Richards! I recommend it to friends all the time! If I had a kid, they would have all the books and toys from in here because it is not the toys you see everywhere else. They also have just the thing you are looking for that no one else carries. AMAZING! read more

Toys, gifts, books and even household wares that range anywhere from the young, young at heart, and even somewhat charmingly naughty. I love it! Take a good look around: you don't want to miss a thing! read more

This is a really cute store that you should stop in if you have some free time or are looking for the perfect gift for a child. They have TONS of toys, many of which are from your childhood and will take you down memory lane. They also have a lot of interesting adult books, great greeting cards, and oddly enough kitchen supplies and a small amount of hardware. It certainly is a "variety" store and is very interesting to explore. read more

Love this store. So much fun for browsing, like Junkman's Daughter, but without the ridiculous costumes.

This place is a classic. I like stepping over to the fun side and finding for some really quirky and cool stuff. If you want to get a nephew or kid some toys you remember, some neat things that don't all plug into computers, or if you just want to brighten up your place with a quirky sense of humor at good prices, try out Richard's. Also, a great variety of cards for every occasion. read more

I always make a point to stop by Richards Variety Store it is a fun fun fun place to buy gag gifts like plastic snakes, rubber roaches and toys for the kids. Nice helpful friendly folks waiting to show you around! read more

This place has everything! Perfect for gag gifts, hostess gifts and everything I'm between! Super unique store w/friendly staff. I. Heart. Richards. read more

I have been coming to this store since I was born and it was called 'Richard's Dime Store' (to put it in perspective). It truly is the best place to pick up something for everyone. They have tin toys, plenty of legos, and puzzles, books, kitchen items and more Melissa& Doug toys than I can buy. Check it out for gag gifts or a ride on the old mechanical horse. Don't drop anything though because the manager will come out of nowhere and bite your head off. Still have nightmares about it since I was a kid. Amazing store terrible management and service. read more

" You Wont be able to Shop with Your Purse " I am in Atlanta, Georgia with my fiance who is working on a film called The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock. We are proud owners of an Art Gallery called STASH GALLERY in Miami, Fl. When your out of town working - people on the set refer you to go to certain restaurants, clubs, stores etc. Richards Variety Store was one of the stores we were excited to go to... Upon arriving, They have a woman at the door who takes your bags. ( shopping bags and puts them behind the counter which is customary in most stores) But I wasn't asked for my shopping bags, I was asked for my purse... I became very upset when I saw a woman with the same size purse as I had walking through the store. Let me add here that this woman was white - I am mixed Puerto Rican, German, & black foot native american indian. When asked why the lady was allowed to shop with her purse and I was not, the owner added that she slipped by... I am almost positive the woman who held the purse slipped by because she was WHITE. I was highly upset and highly disturbed by this incident. This place treats its customers like thieves if you are other than white. It makes your whole expierence there very unpleasant. To make matters worse the owner apologizes to my fiance ( who's french & white ) instead of apologizing to me... the colored girl. On top of that, he employs black people to check in bags and mop floors and has a couple of white girls manning the registers. What bothered me most was the stereo - typing that was going on... I was made to feel like I look like a thief. It really messed with my self esteem. Especially when you have shopped all over town and no one has done this to you. I am staying in BUCKHEAD which is a pretty expensive place to live. Instead of spending a couple of hundred dollars - I spent $80.00. ( i go to these kind of stores because I am an artist who uses a lot of nic-nac's in my pieces of art. ) After everything was said and done - I will never go to this store again and My fiance and I will be telling every one on set not to go there unless they are white. ( oh let me add - on top of taking my purse I was followed around the store ) To me, this was crazy... I have never stolen anything in my life - I believe in Karma and being a business owner I know how I feel when something gets stolen from me. So you can only imagine how I felt when I was being profiled and targeted. Let me also add that I travel all across america and the world and I do a lot of shopping. This was the first time I was asked for my purse. I hope if anything this review gets back to the owner, maybe it will teach him a BIG lesson. He just lost a lot of good customers, the whole film crew.... I would recommend going to Urban Outfitters or Junkmans Daughter or An Old American Store if your in Atlanta... you will have a much better time nor will you be followed like a thief or criminal. Love & Luck, Evo Love read more

Lovely store.fun fun fun toys.great selection of weird toys,but they also have gag toys and the weirdest things