By May/mid-May G &M on Walnut and Royerton Road is full of fantastic, quality plants, hanging…read morebaskets, even rhubarb. This business has been a staple in Muncie for years. Great seeds and starts for gardeners, too! Ignore negative reviews here. If you go, you know.

The man at the checkout acts strangely, is unfriendly, and doesn't seem to know anything about…read moreplants or want to be helpful when asked a question. I'd ask for someone else if I ever had another question. Clearance flowers are in bad shape and haven't been watered.

This place has been a family tradition for the past 5-8 years. Is it bad that I can't remember…read moreexactly? Ha Ah, you know how it goes. But I do love Sickels Tree Farm and the memories it has created for me. I grew up always having a live Christmas tree and by golly .. live trees are the way to go! Tree hunting? Exciting. Cutting down the tree? Adventurous. Smelling the tree afterward? Delightful. ha One of their greatest aspects is that you can literally head out onto their land on your own and pick out your own tree. Like any other Christmas tree farm - ha - but this place does it quite well. And of course they have the photo op after you've found that special tree. Pricing is totally dependent on the height of the tree. Makes sense, right? If you're feeling a bit lazy, they also have pre-cut trees. Everyone wins. In the main building where you make the purchase, you'll find a nice little gift shop. And complimentary hot apple cider. Lovely time!

Pretty good selection for a small town. They get in some odd flowers and foliage you wouldn't…read moreexpect in a small town. Good prices, and they'll let you into the cooler to pick out the exact stems you want.

What a great addition to Main Street in downtown Greenville! This spot reminds me of a living…read moreMagnolia Farms/Fixer Upper style urban country shop filled with silk succulents, fabulous woven pillows and rugs, basket containers, candles and tea towels. I personally fought the urge to go home with the magnolia silk wreath beside the front counter but my mom ended up buying a kitchen tea towel and oven mit. From the moment you see the front window display at Cozy Nest you'll know this isn't your average small town gift shop filled with trinkets, Cherished Teddies, Precious Moments and Wooden Willows angels (no offense to you collectors out there). Conveniently located a few doors down from lunch at the Montage Cafe and cappuccinos at The Coffee Pot and you couldn't ask for a better Saturday morning in Greenville. I was impressed with the prices given what the items are. My only complaint was that the shopkeeper seemed to have a friend in while we were there and never greeted or engaged with us which would seem like a great marketing opportunity for a newer business. We'll certainly be back and I imagine this scenario isn't always the case.

This great little gift shop is named for a 140 year old orchard that was planted by the Delaware…read moreCounty Orphanage on this site. The land was later purchased (1917) by Frank Ball, of the Ball Jar Company and became part of his estate. The shop is filled with Indiana themed items that you can't find anywhere else. They have wonderful Bob Ross themed gifts, books, paint kits and even wigs if you want to do Bob Ross impersonations. Another shelf is full of Ball jars and assorted canning equipment. There were even lovely, hand crafted earrings made from old Ball jars. Local Amish popcorn and other Indiana goodies filled shelves. Garden decor and narwhal themed toys were featured. A clerk welcomed us as we entered and offered assistance. Supposedly they sell sandwiches, but I didn't see a counter for them. I did see a freezer with ice cream bars. Patio seating with umbrellas were in an outdoor area in front. The building is accessible and parking is abundant. This is a perfect shop for Indiana themed gifts.

This is a "can't miss" place to shop for unique gifts while enjoying the Minnetrista Cultural…read moreCenter. Staff is always smiling and so very helpful. It is like coming home. They always remember you and your family from the area! Plus I love seeing the pictures of my DH's grandfather on the door! Rowland was a wonderful gentleman with a dry English wit! Thank you Ball Foundation for this local gem!!

they came to my house while I was on a lunch break and gave me a great quote, my lawn was mowed…read morebefore I got home! 10 out of 10

They got a lotta toys here! Especially educational and child-development toys. You know, them fancy…read morekind of toys that aren't just fun but also make your kids think. I did not visit with my kids, but I know my kids would have loved this toy store. They love any kind of store where they can touch and play with the merchandise, and Toys Forever is such a place. It's very hands-on. There are toys all around that people can pick up and experience, which is very cool. Even though my children were not with me, I visited Toys Forever because I wanted to get my kids something from Muncie as a souvenir. You see, I was just passing through this fine city. My kids love things that are superlative: "The world's tallest X" or "The worl'd fastest Y." So when I saw The World's Biggest Candy Necklace near the checkout counter, I grabbed two. Done and done! The candy necklaces were a hit, as I thought they would be, and they only cost a few dollars each. There are fun things for all ages and at all price points here. The people who helped me were super friendly, and I saw that they were helping several other people find what they needed and answered questions. I love charming locally owned stores like this one.

This past weekend, I spent some time in downtown Muncie. While I'm nearly always in Muncie for…read morebusiness or a project, on this visit I actually had some time to do some exploring including checking out downtown's Toys Forever Models & Hobbies shop. Located in the historic Goddard building (originally built in 1884), Toys Forever is a locally owned hobby shop started in 2007 and launched an online presence in 2015. Examples of items carried include radio control, model railroad, plastic & scale model building, games, toys, Melissa & Doug, scientific and educational games, puzzles, and more. I found the employees to be delightful and well-informed and you could tell by kids in the shop that this is a hands-on establishment. This is in downtown Muncie with solidly available street parking and occasional parking lots. Some of the street parking does have a 2-hour limit, however, unless you park down at the Courtyard by Marriott (about 3-4 blocks away) you should be able to snag free parking. Downtown Muncie is a little hit-and-miss with accessibility - curb cuts are fine, however, some stores do have a step to get in them. This shop, however, is perfectly fine in terms of accessibility and the interior is surprisingly solid. Employees seemed very willing to assist as needed. Toys Forever definitely leans more toward classic toys/games/hobbies, with some exceptions. I've long thought about getting into trains and this story really fueled that desire. I don't live in Muncie, however, I would definitely return upon future visits and really enjoyed discovering this Muncie hidden gem.

This is a small business owned by a mother and daughter up in Mt. Summit. Jacob's Orchard -which is…read moregreat- is another stop if you're up in this area. It's north of New Castle. The shop is in an old bank. It's 111 years old!!!! It still has the vault! It's so pretty inside. They did a great job on it. Behind the store a lady plants sunflowers every year. Thousands of sunflowers bloom! She said people will stop and just aww at them because it's so many. They sell candles, soaps, clothing, decor and ice cream! They have a nice little area where you can buy scoops of ice cream. They even make fresh banana splits! This truly is a small business that has a story just by using that bank to give it new life. Not if but when I visit again! :-)