Essence of Nonsense

One of my favorite «hidden gems» in St. Paul. Any time I need to buy a gift for a newborn (read: «teddy bear») or Christmas gifts, one of my first stops is Essence of Nonsense. They have neat doo-​dads for as little as a couple of dollars or less, all the way up to large stuffed animals costing as much as my iPod.
Did I mention the selection of stuffed animals? You can hug and squeeze and touch them — and pick out JUST the RIGHT one. No bears in boxes, high out of reach here! (well, ok, maybe one or two.)
They have a fun selection of classical, whimsical toys too. You won’t find remote control helicopters or chemistry sets, but what you will find are some fun old school toys. (Tip: Always check out the nifty gadgets at the counter, something there surely will make you smile.)
If you’re out toy shopping, make an effort to stop in and say hi. Poke around. Buy a bear. The Gunds will thank you. :)
Oh, and if marbles are your game, then this is your store. They must have the largest selection of marbles in the Twin Cities.

Very small shop with very large stuffed animals. great book selection, many of which aren’t even in english.
which really makes me feel stupid.
So my parents didn’t send me to Chinese immersion school, big deal.
Anyway, we got overwhelmed in here, and ran next door to the Thief, where we are way more comfortable.
Still, nice store.