Ames, Actually
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Ames Thrifting + Shopping Guide

Secondhand racks, local shops, and the best detours for people who like a good find.

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Side Quest: Find the tiny corn cob.

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A local guide to bookstores, boutiques, thrift hauls, and the little retail detours that make Ames fun: secondhand scores, local gems, and a very convincing reason to “just browse” downtown.

Where to shop

Dog-Eared Books

Independent downtown bookstore; cozy, browseable, and the kind of place where one book becomes three.

1864 (Shops at Clark & Main)

Ames-themed apparel, hats, gifts, and local-pride merch.

Duck Worth Wearing

Downtown consignment and resale-style stop for secondhand fashion and surprise finds.

Overflow Thrift Store

Affordable thrift treasure-hunt energy; clean, budget-friendly goods with a mission-driven feel.

Goodwill

The classic thrift stop for low-cost finds, housewares, and outfit experiments.

What to do

  • Stroll Main Street and the side streets instead of speed-running one store.
  • Pair a bookstore stop with coffee and a downtown wander.
  • Build a thrift loop: Duck Worth Wearing, then Overflow, then Goodwill.
  • Hunt for Ames-themed gifts, locally made goods, and something you absolutely did not plan to buy.
  • Check for seasonal extras like a thrift crawl, holiday shopping events, or a farmers market Saturday.

Best for…

  • Best bookish stop: Dog-Eared Books
  • Best Ames-pride gift: 1864
  • Best secondhand fashion score: Duck Worth Wearing
  • Best budget thrift haul: Overflow or Goodwill
  • Best artsy gift stop: Octagon shop
  • Best casual downtown browse: Main Street and Clark & Main
  • Best shopping loop: Coffee, books, a thrift stop, and one more lap

Practical notes

  • Getting around: Downtown is very walkable. Drive or use CyRide to get there.
  • Budget: Window-shopping $0–$5. Thrift haul $10–$30. Gift or book spree $25–$60+.
  • Best timing: Saturdays for market energy; weekday afternoons for quieter browsing.
  • Mistakes to avoid: Only checking one store, skipping the bookstore, and underestimating how easily this eats an entire afternoon.
  • Good to know: Downtown Ames rewards slow wandering more than speed shopping.

The local vibe

  • Friendly, local, and easy to browse without pressure.
  • More indie than flashy.
  • Students, longtime locals, and gift-hunting parents all mix here.
  • Thrifting and small-business shopping feel normal, not niche.
  • Nobody plans to buy a tote bag, and yet the tote bag always comes home.

Ames rewards the curious, the thrifty, and anyone who enjoys a very strong small-business streak. Come for the browsing, stay for the bookstore, the thrift finds, the local gifts, and the suspiciously satisfying “quick stop” that lasts two hours.

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