Recently came here with my wife. This was one of the first stores we checked out in downtown Glen Ellyn. This place had a lot of great and cute little home decor items. There's also tons of great gifts for family and friends too has a little bit of everything even the unpredictable finds. It's a bit pricey but it's got a great customer base from our time visiting. Lady at the front desk was really friendly. read more

This is one of the Ten Thousand Villages that has an annual handmade rug event, where you can come in and see the rugs. You might find handmade rugs someplace like The Dump in Lombard, however here you can be sure it's made by fairly-paid artisans and you don't need to wonder about child or slave labor. They often have interesting jewelry which is quite affordable; miscellaneous housewares; runners/napkins/placemats/aprons etc. and hand-knit hats/scarves/mittens. They even carry fair trade chocolate bars. It's a little bit like Pier 1 used to be but with fairly-paid artisans instead of mass merchandise. There's nothing here that you need, but there is probably something here that will make you smile. Staff is very pleasant and patient when you ask them to, say, show you every rug in a three-foot stack of carpets, and if you have something particular in mind, they'll help you find something similar. read more

I had driven by this little shop and I had been meaning to check it out. I had no knowledge about the back story, it is all fair trade and helps out underprivileged artists and craftsmen in other country's. What an awesome concept! The store manager, Cynthia, greeted me immediately upon entering the store. She was delightful! The smells in this store were incredible and I wanted to buy every candle. I to,d Cynthia I was looking for a gift and she walked around the store with me making suggestions as we went and then gave me time to shop on my own as well. I settled on two pieces of jewelry that I wanted to gift to my friends. She cut off the prices for me and wrapped them up nicely in gift boxes. Overall, it was a wonderful experience! read more

Ten Thousand Villages - Exterior - Jewelry Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

I had a really good experience shopping at this TTV location. The store is clean, orderly, peaceful, and friendly. The entire aesthetic and ambiance of the store is welcoming and cozy. The merchandise is all lovely, ranging from everyday use to more worldly and art-centric objects. Everything there is artisan/artist created, much of it created by hand - and I always find something interesting for myself or someone else. They have a great selection of home-wares, clothing/accessories, decor, instruments, toys, jewelry, music (CDs), and even a few food/treat items. I personally love the music/CDs selection. People have noted that the prices are a little high here, but that is because a sizable portion of their sales are sent overseas to benefit artisans and artists, and the rest goes toward supporting their fair-trade business philosophy. All in all I feel the products are all worth their cost (being as they're handmade) and since it benefits a good cause I feel good about spending my money here. The staff here is super friendly and helpful. The assistant manager was there when I came in and she asked if I needed anything several times while I was browsing, opened a jewelry case for me to view a necklace, and was even kind enough to change over the music on the speaker system several times so I could sample a few CDs before deciding on which one to buy. She chatted with me in a very personable manner while she rang up my purchases and I really appreciated her authenticity in making me feel so at home. It was like talking to an old friend. I'm really glad I stopped in here yesterday. I'm sure I'll be back. You should check it out too! read more

Friendly, helpful staff. While not only offering one of a kind items, they are supporting and help sustaining citizens around the globe. Definitely bettering our world.One other commented that, "Similar stuff to what you find at a World Market as far as crafts, home decor, jewelry, etc.,". That is not true. World Market is a for profit store, just like Hobby Lobby..selling mostly mast produced items. Ten Thousand Villages is a model organization for connecting limited artists with limitless buyers. They were recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by Ethisphere Institute and Forbes Magazine. One third of profits go directly back to wages for artisans, and the other two-thirds used toward importing, shipping, marketing, administration, and storage. Compared to the typical 1 to 5 cents to a dollar artisans in many countries receive by selling through traditional commercial retail, Ten Thousand Village's wage allows artisans a fair wage they would currently be otherwise unable to attain. read more

I visited there on Saturday and chatted with Erin & Sarah, who were both friendly, welcoming, & helpful...+ a few good laughs!

I have been here a handful of times. Great selection of items for your home and unique jewelry. Each time I go the sales reps are friendly and helpful in making suggestions. Had an incident where I thought I lost something at the store and they were very gracious in helping me resolve the issue. Also love that they uphold fair trade agreements and support artisans worldwide. read more

When I want a unique, hand-crafted gift for someone, Ten Thousand Villages is an awesome choice. I can always count on it for cool home decor, jewelry, ornaments, scarves, fair trade chocolate and coffee, and more. These stores (three in the Chicago area) are run by volunteers via Mennonite Central Committee, but I promise they won't proselytize. If they do, come see me, I'll give 'em a talking to ;) Everything is fair trade, so there's no guilt -- just knowledge that the person who made it was paid fairly. I love looking around here, seeing what's new and calls to me. I just might have found some cool Christmas presents here, but I wouldn't want to give anything away! read more

Similar stuff to what you find at a World Market as far as crafts, home decor, jewelry, etc., but all done as fair trade with the creators. The prices are higher than on comparable items at WM, but you get that "I did something good" glow when you shop here because you are supporting a cause. It depends on your mores and your budget which store you'd rather support. read more

Wonderful place to treat yourself while supporting smaller sellers/international concerns.

I love this place. I love the idea of this place- unique, fair trade items that help people in other countries around the world make a good living. I can always find something here for a great gift. There is a wide selection of jewelry. There are cool home decor items. I also think their fair trade chocolate is excellent. I know their coffee is very popular. Some of the prices feel a little expensive but they also have lower cost items too and for the uniqueness of the gifts and the meaning behind them I think it is worth it. I think the people working are volunteers and they are friendly and helpful. Great store! read more

Very nice store. Well organized. Friendly staff. Unique pieces. All fair trade. Cute layout, well decorated. Prices are a bit steep but I get it, it's all fair trade. I bought a bookmark and a ring. I lost the bookmark and don't wear the ring very often. But, if I were willing to dish out the dough, or if I found the perfect-must-have kind of piece for my home, I would indulge because the have some wonderful pieces and the colors are beautiful. Rich hand crafted potteries and decorative items. I really like this store. read more