Curious Iguana — Local services in Frederick

Curious Iguana is emblematic of everything you could ever want out of a neighbourhood bookshop. I've never been to downtown Frederick and drove an hour up from northern VA as my family who lives in the area got me a gift card to the bookstore. Their storefront and location is so lovely, and the inside is even better. It's such a warm and cozy environment. We came on a busy Sunday, and all of the booksellers managed to greet everybody as they came in. They were extremely attentive and went around the shop periodically to check in on everyone. The selection of book titles are beautifully curated-- there is something for everyone. I have a book addiction to the point where friends and family are scared to gift me any books in fear I've already read them (hence the gift card). Curious Iguana managed to have so many titles that were new to me. As a result, I came home with a stunning stack that I'm obsessed with. The middle grade and poetry sections were standouts for me-- I don't usually pay as much attention to middle grade but the store carries so many awesome stories in that particular genre. And I find that poetry is often a neglected section at indies, but that is certainly not the case at Curious Iguana. They even have a variety of tarot cards! I try to visit indie bookshops as much as I can. I often feel when it comes to diverse reads, many shops can 'appear' to be interested in POC voices, but don't actually showcase them or show staff interest in them. It is clear from my one visit that all voices are welcome based on staff picks (which are fantastic) as well as the booksellers themselves. The staff are great by the way— very kind and it’s clear they have a lot of regulars that like to come in. And I know this can be a very contested topic, but in a world where so few mask anymore, I truly appreciated that all of the employees (at least when we came in) still wore masks inside. It makes me feel more assured for those who are immunocompromised. One thing though is I wish I could order books directly from their own website/store inventory and have it delivered to me. I also wish I lived closer so I could visit more often! Of all the indies I've been to, Curious Iguana is definitely in my top three after this visit. A true gem in downtown Frederick and the DMV area. I will be back when I can. Thank you for hosting me and my family and for having such a wonderful...

Sometimes I look over old reviews and if I've been back to that particular location and things have changed or efforts have been made I feel it's only fair to acknowledge that and edit the review and/or add or subtract stars as necessary (was 2 stars, now 4). This was the case with this bookstore. My wife, my daughter and I went back into the bookstore to find a book we could all read together and the two employees that were working at the time, a young man and a young lady, couldn't have been more friendly and more helpful and I really appreciate that. I don't know if the issues of my old review are still present, but at the end of the day it's about that one-on-one connection with your customers and they did that really well. These two employees brought you up 2 more stars. I'm saving the 5th star for the next time I go in to see if the older issues have been resolved.

Old review:

This book store loses 3 stars because an employee was allowed to wear a shirt advocating a social/political cause. They also seem to largely display (promote) books from only one political perspective. That is their voice I guess. Here's mine: Leave the bias out of the business and I will return. Until then, hello Barnes &...

What a fun Downtown Frederick store and amazing customer service! I purchased a 12-day holiday puzzle where you complete a portion of the puzzle everyday for 12 days, but it was missing the pieces for day 4 (the day 4 slot had the pieces for day 2). The puzzle manufacturer (Galison) was unwilling to help, but when I called Curious Iguana the woman i spoke with was immediately willing to help and replace my puzzle, even though this was not their fault at all!! I came back the next day and spoke with a different woman who was equally apologetic and willing to help. I am so happy i was able to replace my puzzle (my new one had all 12 days!) and so pleased with how Curious Iguana staff handled the situation. Frederick is lucky to have such a great store with caring staff. I will definitely be returning and i highly recommend making...