East Main Street is the spine of downtown Kent — a compact strip of independent shops, used bookstores, record stores, and coffee shops that has been sustained by the university population for decades. It's not a destination shopping district, but it has the texture of a place where people actually live and spend time rather than one assembled for visitors.
On Saturday mornings in summer and fall, the Kent State Farmers' Market sets up downtown, drawing local producers and a good cross-section of the community. It's worth timing your visit around it if you can.
The walkability is one of downtown Kent's genuine strengths: the strip from campus to the heart of downtown is an easy stroll, and most of what you'd want to see is within a few blocks.