Chester’s Coins And Gifts

It’s clear that the primary focus in this shop is the coin selection. They have a ton of coins in here including lots of numismatic collection supplies. Listening to the employees talk about coins shows that it’s definitely their passion.
That being said, the shop carries other stuff. They carry a ton of home beer brewing supplies as well as wine-​making supplies. They carry specific coins in cardboard protectors, and they carry coin tubes and coin collecting binders. They also have coin-​collecting books and home beer/​wine brewing books. There are also coin bins full of foreign coins for purchase as well. They also can buy coins/​gold/​silver/​etc.
When I’ve been here a couple times, the employees have been nice. They offer help when you walk in, but they aren’t pushy about it. If they see you looking at something in particular, they’ll offer to tell you more about it. I’ve always been in the store when no one else is in the store, so it’s possible things will change if there’s more people.
That being said, I usually get an «uncomfortable» vibe being in here. It’s possibly because I’m the only person in the store or because it’s a store that’s usually populated with males. I’m not sure which one it is, but I do get a generally uncomfortable vibe. It’s not a sketchy place or anything like that, but the feeling remains none-​the-​less.
This is pretty much the only place in Ames to purchase home beer brewing, wine making, or coin collecting supplies, and it’s a family-​owned business. I’m happy to see that it’s around, and if you need those items, they’re happy to help you find what you need or order it in (if possible).
Note: There is a fee for using a credit card on purchases under $ 10.

The only place in Ames I know of to buy home brewing equipment. If there’s nobody in talking about coins you might get the employees to acknowledge you are there.
It’s great to have somewhere local you can go to on brewing day in case of emergency. But without more attentive service, you might as well order online and have a full selection available.