The Brain Stores return policy leaves much to be desired. There are no returns after the product is opened. This is normally not an issue since one gets to try the product out before purchasing but CAUTION when purchasing a gift. Make sure you inform the gift recipient that unless they are sure they are going to like it that they go to the store and try it out before opening up the box. Why would you want to inconvenience someone — just purchase from a retailer that has an acceptable return policy. True to their name — I learned something after my dealings with The Brain Store.
Ioannis K.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Cupertino, CA
One of the best toy stores I’ve ever visited! I brought a friend here who was looking to buy a challenging toy for his super-smart 6-year-old nephew. He was disappointed with every other store we went to, but Marbles offered an amazing variety of choices. He ended up with some kind of programmable automated robots, and his nephew was ecstatic when he got it! Wonderful store!
John R.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Tustin, CA
Went to the store to buy a 7 year old a gift that his family would like as well. Saw a wooden puzzle game and it looked fun. Recommend the Katamino Deluxe — it’s challenging in the beginning but a great learning tool.
Judge F.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Jose, CA
The place is not large. Gets crowded quickly, but I still love this place. It’s not a typical toy store. If you have questions, workers there explain how to play with the toys. There are games that teach kids how to program, lots of puzzle games, all sorts of things that allow kids to learn problem-solving and express their imagination. Some toys are expensive, others will soak up your kid’s playtime because these games are really tricky. Coming here for the first time, I spent well over an hour in this small store just playing. Some games are left on display for people to try out. Some pieces for the display will be missing because a lot of kids and their parents move things around.
Edward L.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Waban, MA
Solid store for cerebral toys that may still be of interest to kids.
Shireen K.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 San Francisco, CA
Great toys however the individual who I asked for assistance had very little to no knowledge on the product and kept recommending pricey games when asked for a different recommendation. Tried to make a return with an unopened game and original receipt(2 weeks after purchase) but was given store credit because store policy was that they cannot give cash for a return apparently. Not planning to shop there again.
Deb B.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 San Francisco, CA
Horrible customer service. I purchased the PuzzleBlox for my nephew on Friday, May 23rd. It consists of 130 six sided cubes that make 6 different puzzles. When we opened the package, a number of the cubes were missing a side, that had come off. As these sides are imperative to putting the puzzle together and having no idea which side belonged to which cube, I took the puzzle back to the store on Sunday May 25th. The young lady working that day told me I could not return it as it had already been opened. Regardless of the fact that a number of cubes were broken, in essence selling me a defective product. She told me I would have to reach out to the manufacturer to get my money back. Really! I have to go through a corporation to get a refund when Marbles sold me the product, I call that fraud! While they have some great gifts, I will never shop there again as they dont standby the products that they sell.
Danielle C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Redwood City, CA
I have been to this store before in Seattle so I knew what to expect going into this one at the Westfield Mall. This store is also a bit on the smaller side but packed with lots of fun brain-stimulating games and knick knacks. There are often display games so that you can try them out before buying. Anyone from a child to an adult can enjoy what this store has to offer. There are games for all ages. I wish these stores were a bit bigger though. It always feels rather cramped hovering around the displays.
N T.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Palo Alto, CA
Excellent selection of interesting games, puzzles, and toys. It seems like the store has a lot of regulars. Since all the games are out to try, kids and adults like to come spend time here playing games and trying stuff out. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, encouraging everyone to spend time playing with things. I discovered many interesting games I hadn’t heard of before. I really like the selection here because it is not full of those complicated german board games that take hours to learn; the games here are simple but interesting, and there is something for every age/ability. The store is very small, so it can get crowded.
Jenny T.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Hayward, CA
I love this store! I can’t believe I’ve been skipping over this shop for so long. They have things that will tickle your logical senses and keep you wanting more. I ended up buying a single persons solitude chess game. I bought it for our company’s greedy Santa game. But I also secretly bought it to snatch the gift away from whomever opened it up :) HEY! This is called G.R.E.E.D.Y. Santa, I might as well use the name to my own advantage, right? The staff are gameboard GAMERS and so helpful. I told them my budget and they showed me different options within my budget. Then they lured me into playing that solitude chess game and I bought it in an instance. I was so smart when I beat myself in a game of single solitude chess! Yea, I was good and I also felt like Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be venturing back into that store for more goodies to buy. I’m just happy with my purchase and happy this store is here for me now. One thing to note, I think their games are a tad expensive… hence the 1 star reduction on the ratings…
Duana S.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Escondido, CA
Really cool place to get some really unique games. The staff were very interactive and helpful!
Ryan D.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Leandro, CA
Great staff and great puzzles. I’m burning my next paycheck here. Games night: 3rd Thursday of the month from 5:30 — 7:30. Hopefully I meet my soulmate here. Cute nerds :)
Katie K.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Francisco, CA
Best way to burn the rest of your lunch hour. HANDSDOWN. A wide range of great games and ‘brain coaches’ to walk you through how to play them. If you have family members or friends that you need to buy a gift for but aren’t exactly sure… go here. These games challenge your brain and can spark interest in almost anyone. Being competitive at board games is one thing, but using strategy to secure the win is another!
Ambar C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Los Angeles, CA
Wow. This is exactly the kind of place I never knew I always wanted to go to. This place is full of brain teaser style games, puzzles, toys, etc. There are games to sharpen different skills(e.g. vocabulary, creativity), and there are games for all ages. There are also a variety of books and puzzles available. Speaking of puzzles, they have a puzzle that is made up of overlapping pieces with no corners! It’s really the type of place you could get lost in for hours … except that it’s barely bigger than a closet.
Kelly N.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 San Francisco, CA
This store is really cool… except I feel like I got duped. I just paid 50 bucks for a rubik’s cube that I found online for 20. It took me a while to decide to buy it because of the price but the guy I’m buying for is literally a genius and can solve a normal rubik after only a second of looking at it, I needed to get something more challenging. This store is cool if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but once you find it I suggest shopping around before you purchase.
Melissa N.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Martinez, CA
I came here during Black Friday, just to explore, and was greeted with the friendliest staff. Not only were they willing to teach visitors the details for the puzzles and games; they were enthusiastic to play along with them. I went in looking for magnets to play with and found myself putting together little models out of the pieces from the Ball of Whacks and the Y-Ball with some of the employees. Upon request, I was given demos of all the products I was curious about. This little store stirs conversations among the curious and the creative. Also, little stress balls in the shape of brains are given to their cool customers. Whether you’re by yourself or with good company, you’ll enjoy your visit.
Mrs. L.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Francisco, CA
If you’ve read my reviews you know that I am a stickler for customer service. If the employees are horrible I will tell the entire world. And I have, trust me on this -(American Apperelle and the late Divinity Tree, anyone?)! So I was very happy to take 3 of my best friends into Marbles The Brain store. We all enjoyed our visit very much so that one of my friends dropped big bucks on their purchase. Everywhere you look there are testers of all the games. There is item kinda sorta like a skateboard helps with your balance, that was fun What I appreciate about Marbles is they greet each and every customer the same way, very friendly and down to earth. Anti-snob/Its a small store but designed in a way that you can walk around and ‘hide’ if you want. And games, games, games! This is the perfect store for parents, students and anyone who wants to improve their brain health. At first I thought the games would be too hard for me but they explained everything to me in a very short amount of time and I quickly found a favorite game! My friends were browsing and I snagged a table in the back playing games I became quite comfortable and time flew by quickly! One of my friends became interested in the brain software for critical thinking. They have a monitor where they demonstrate software. He returned to purchase the item and is very happy with it. I imagine they will be PACKED for the holidays as any smart parent would want to visit this store to help their children succeed. Oh, and its right by the food court what else would you want?
Leana L.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Francisco, CA
Fun stores with lots of cool games that keep you thinking! Friendly employees that are helpful, but not overbearing.
Dan P.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 San Francisco, CA
They should open up more stores like these for childen everywhere… help them stimulate their little brains.
Cathy H.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Providence, RI
I think I may have just stumbled on my dream job: BrainCoach at Marbles! The salespeople here only add to an incredible retail experience. I can’t stand the lengthiness of mall wandering… hours wasted to find one top or piece of jewelry. But time is never wasted here. If you’re a fan of jeopardy, trivia, Scrabble, Cranium… this is all that stuffed into an immaculate, well-organized little space. Slab on some science(the employees can explain how each game trains a different part of the mind: cognition, memory, critical thinking, etc.) and best of all, they let the games sell themselves! Every item has a «tester” – like a blush at Sephora, but so much more fun. And hey, outcome might be the same, you might come out looking like a clown, but it’s OK – we can’t all pick up brainteasers the way my idol, Ken Jennings, might. Come to think of it, they should hire him as a spokesperson. On the third Thursday of every night, they host Game Night, where you can challenge an employee to any game in the store. I killed a solid 2 hours in here and forced myself to leave to eat.