Riki J.
Yelp
Ten Thousand Villages is like if your favorite eccentric aunt opened up a gift shop after traveling the world & told you a little story about everything in the shop.
The staff is made up of volunteers & they're all just so sweet & friendly. They love to talk about the merchandise & they're more than happy to print up the story behind the item when you pay, if you like. Then they wrap it up in tiny brown boxes & they smile at you & you think, "this person isn't even getting paid! Why are they so happy?" It's because they love doing this & they truly believe in the mission.
The shop itself is a decent size, rather longer than it seems from the outside. They have jewelry & accessories, things for the home, cards, chocolates, small instruments, candles, soaps, hats, bags, toys and so much more that I can't even remember. During the holidays, they have ornaments & wrapping paper. In the back, they often have clothes & sometimes baby items. Quite a lot of the items are handmade & there will be tiny imperfections or minute differences, which I rather like because I think it makes a gift more unique. Some of the home decor items are made from recycled materials & I just love that.
Shopping at Ten Thousand Villages makes me feel happy. Not just because I almost always buy something for myself, but because I feel like my money is actually doing some good in the world.
They usually have some coffee made that you can sample, and some chocolate pieces that you can taste. There are mirrors everywhere for trying out that scarf/hat/necklace/crossbody bag that you maybe don't need but definitely gotta have. And again, the volunteers are so wonderful about helping you with anything you need. They're patient, I can attest to that, because I'm very indecisive. And they're just truly good human beings.
If this is your first time, there is slim parking in the front. Plenty of parking in the back & a back door to the shop between the two restaurants. One last tip: nearly everything you see online can be found at the store on Burnet. Yes, this is the store that used to be on South Congress. But it's been here for many years now & I actually think this location is better. Much easier to get in & out of.
Go there, touch things, have some coffee, have some chocolate, listen to the music, chat with the volunteers, and buy something that actually makes a difference in someone's life.