The best book, hobby & craft shops in McHenry County

Abalabix Books is Crystal Lake’s friendly indie spot for new reads, thoughtful gifts, and surprisingly fun book clubs, including the delightfully low-pressure No Book Book Club. Expect staff picks you’ll actually trust, community vibes, and the occasional cameo from George... whoever he is, he’s clearly beloved.

From the Crystal Lake newsletter, October 8, 2026

Book Vine For Children curates board books, bilingual English-Spanish titles, and social-emotional reads that actually hold a toddler’s attention, plus puppets and interactive toys that make storytime pop.

From the Crystal Lake newsletter, September 9, 2026

This week, Pearl Street Music is the local fix for instruments, one-on-one lessons for all ages, quick repairs, and recording sessions.

From the Lake Geneva newsletter, August 8, 2026

Got a kid joining band this week or a guitar itch to scratch? The Instrument Barn has woodwinds, brass, ukes, guitars, and pre-owned pianos, plus school rentals, lessons, clinics and instrument repair and piano services, so you can sound good without overthinking where to start.

From the Crystal Lake newsletter, August 3, 2026

Whether you're stringing up your first guitar, hunting a cymbal that finally behaves, or building a home studio, MDS Music packs a serious spread of guitars, drums, keyboards, pedals, and pro audio. Test the toys, tweak your rig, and leave sounding suspiciously better than last week.

From the Crystal Lake newsletter, August 12, 2026

Back-to-school band season sneaks up fast, and Piano Trends Music Company has your fix with instrument rentals, sheet music you can grab in print or download, legit lessons for piano, guitar, and band instruments, plus on-site repairs and a rehearsal/recording studio if you’re ready to make some noise.

From the Crystal Lake newsletter, October 16, 2026