I've been to their store a couple of times, their prices have been quite reasonable, and for someone who is a beginner at carving, they have staff who are extremely helpful. The best thing about Lee Valley though are the courses they offer, ranging from wood carving to proper tool use, I've had a very positive experience with them. I had originally gone for a christmas themed wood carving course that lasted a full day. The instructor was very helpful to get beginners started and it was great fun.