Carbonstok

Damn, I love Carbonstok. It probably does have something for everyone — with every items ticking one or more of the following boxes: beautifully-​designed, vintage, quirky, ironic, gadgety, clever, useful, trendy and eco-​friendly. Sometimes the general Etsy-​ness of it makes me itch (look at us being quirky and ironic!) but it’s all done with such a great eye and such enthusiasm for the products that it never really gets that annoying. Probably the best place to buy stocking stuffers in the world.

I’ve fallen in love.
This store is absolutely amazing. Everything about it is just so well executed. It’s beautiful inside, the products they sell are wonderful, and for such reasonable prices. The people are incredibly friendly and obviously care for the store. All in all, a really sweet place to shop.
It’s a smaller store, but that’s okay! They make up for it in selection. Remember, quality over quantity. This is the store that offers all those weird things you may have seen at other stores, made by brands such as Kikkerland, Fred, or Blomus. They offer everything from unique umbrellas, to funky ice cube trays, to garden decorations. One of my favourite products is easily the cardboard safari animals. I’ve yet to get one because the one I want is always out of stock, but I will persevere.
Every time I visit, I’m always greeted upon visiting. Which is nice, but what really gets me about this place; they talk to you about the products. When my boyfriend bought an umbrella covered in eyes, the cashier mentioned how awesome it was. When I asked about the cardboard safari, he told me they were expecting more, and that the one I wanted was a strong seller. This is what makes good customer service; people who believe in what they sell, and are as excited about it as the customer.
The bottom line is, this is a great addition to Barrington street. It’s a really amazing store, and a place I’m always, always telling people to visit. So you should too.

So much fun! So much pretty! So many neat things to buy for yourself and friends.
Eco-​friendly cleaning solutions, green toys, pop-​up stores celebrating local artists…
The aim is to sell products that promote sustainability and good design. I think they’re doing a great job. Not everything is useful, but it’s a good place to pick up a thing or two for the hard-​to-​buy-​for person on your list.
Make sure to leave time to check out the book selection, as there are real gems ranging from the incredibly useful to terribly silly.

You may not think of Carbonstok as the place to purchase tools but I got my Dad a collapsible hammer multi-​tool there. Even though my Dad has 1,001 tools, he was truly enamored with this little device. As he put it, «It’s a man-​sized multi-​tool!»
And I had no plans of buying it when I went in! I was just exploring for ideas. That’s what I love about so many small shops. They’re small enough to browse so that you can truly appreciate each item. And there are almost always hidden gems like this one.
I have picked up a few other items at this fab place over the last year or so. Mostly gifts. Because, again, they have lots of unique items that you may not find anywhere else.
Their «do as little harm as possible» approach to the environment? That’s both sensible and sensational!

Yes! YES! Yes! I love Carbonstok. I’m actually embarrassed to admit how much I love Carbonstok just because that involves also admitting how long it took me to go check it out. Shame on me…
Every shelf and display is covered with weird, quirky, and unusual things. This week, it gave me a one-​stop-​shop for the coolest stocking stuffers money can buy, ranging from mustache erasers and wind-​up robots to wine glass scrubbers and cute stationery.
While everything looks really fancy, the prices are pretty reasonable so you don’t need a huge budget to get in on the fun. Staff were friendly and fun to match the vibe, and there’s an interior entrance to the Uncommon Grounds next door in case you need to refuel while you shop!

Carbonstok is a great store that stands firmly behind the concept of sustainable business. With a solid selection of merchandise that you can feel good about buying, Carbonstok sells some brand names you may be familiar with, but also supports local businesses. On my last trip in I picked up some amazing-​smelling products from NS-​based All-​Ways Us (
) which will make excellent stocking-​stuffers. The store is clean and well laid-​out and the staff is friendly and helpful, so I’d definitely recommend Carbonstok as a stop on your holiday shopping travels.

Carbonstok is a neat little shop that advocates the concept of sustainable design. Its space is bright, and the shelves are fully stocked with all sorts of gadgets, toys, appliances and accessories aimed at keeping the carbon footprint in check.
It was an interesting peek-​a-​through, however, there wasn’t anything here that I could imagine myself purchasing. A lot of it just appeared as cool stuff that would just end up taking space. Mind you, there were some great ideas, but a large dose of these creations end up just a little bit short of their «eco friendly» tagline.
Carbonstok is a little wobbly on the actual follow-​through on sustainability. Good efforts, and I will agree with Lacey– a little bit of tweaking could take this shop to another level.

Carbonstok Rocks! It has everything I love and nothing I really need. So this is the perfect go to store for a new perk buy.
I love going in here to see the latest gadgets, or the strange Moose Head as a few people have pointed out.
You will find some great gift ideas for that person who has everything. Thank Goodness Carbonstok carries off the wall items.

Carbonstok is a beautifully open space with lots of natural light filtering in through the large windows.
I enjoyed my browse around the shop yesterday and am very fond of what the store is attempting — providing greener alternatives to many unsustainable products on the market today.
However, I would have liked to have seen more local wares, as purchasing locally made goods is often the first step in reducing one’s «carbon footprint.» This shop has a lot of neat merchandise, but I wasn’t floored by a diverse selection of goods. I think that with a bit of tweaking, Carbonstok could rocket from good to great in no time.

This very eco friendly shop, fillied with unique gifts and gadgets reminds me of Urban Outfitters that I used to shop at in Toronto… without the clothing.
Everything is very fun, modern, whimsical and… well unique — worth saying twice. The merchandise is always changing so well worth a trip back, even if you’ve been before. It’s a fun and different place to shop for a hostess gift or a way to personalize your first apartment.

I love checking out Carbonstok to see what the latest quirky item is that they have stocked. The store is filled with really sharp, funny and aesthetically pleasing wares to decorate your place or gift to a friend.
My personal favorite purchase at Carbonstok remains the cardboard deer head that hangs above my bed, but I’ve also picked up books, bowls, bags and a lot of other odds and sods that only seem to be offered at a place like this.
The shop is bright and well laid out, making great use of its slightly tiny space. There is a lot to check out here, most of which is very cool.
Next time you’re down on the far end of Barrington Street be sure to pop in and see what’s new at Carbonstok.

Carbonstok is what I’d classify as a «gift store», on that is full of lots of stuff you want but don’t need. Perhaps though, that flat-​pack cardboard moose head for mounting on the wall just SPEAKS to you, as it did to me. «My brother’s new dorm room,» I thought, «could really use something like this.» Carbonstok is full of opportunity. Most excellent is their eco-​consciousness, which they wear on their sleeve. One must admit though, it’s a bit ironic to be so eco-​conscious while selling stuff that is arguably entirely un-​needed. Despite this, we like them. I find their choice of products really creative and beautiful, which makes it a great place to explore, and one of the first places I check for offbeat gift ideas.

The shop reminds me of an ‘Onion’ article I recently read about a guy (fictitious) who admits to spending 90% of his income on ironic items. Che Guevara wearing a Che t-​shirt, etc etc.
If you’re a fan of ironic and humorous items, beware this shop! Particular highlights include books like: ‘Don’t Squat with your Spurs on: A cowboy’s guide to life,’ Buddha banks (piggy banks for adults) and cherry wood wall hangings with robots (and other not so artsy) things painted onto them.
Carbonstok also carries a bunch of items that are all essentially a funky take on every day stuff. Bright red colanders, and barefoot venus bath products abound.
You could drop a lot of money in this shop if you aren’t very careful! Great place to head for gift ideas. Very creative space with lots of cleverly designed items.

Carbonstok classifies its stock as follows: Clever, Fun, Timeless or Forward. Everything in this place fits into one or more of those categories, and that makes for a really fun and interesting shopping experience.
The shop sells office accessories, kitchen gadgets, body products, stationary… and all uniquely-​designed items that you’re not likely to find anywhere else in the city. Prices are moderately high, but the interest factor makes up for it.

From a professional, sleek looking Bartending set, to a Laser cut recycled cardboard deer head; this store has everything!
Halifax has many bars and restaurants. But not a lot of stores that have fun, nifty gifts for almost any occasion. That is why I love Carbonstok! You can get useful and not so useful items for very reasonable prices. They have an incredibly unique selection of items. It is hard to say what they specialize in because they have such a wide assortment of products. So the best way to describe it is alternative products with a positive vibe.
The staff are very friendly and when you walk in, you are greeted with pleasant, low-​level music that instantly relaxes you. If you need a wacky gift, a useful kitchen tool or something to make you laugh or liven up a room in your house, go to Carbonstok!