diff --git a/lib/blockstore/file.js b/lib/blockstore/file.js
index 1db803d2..9b176575 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/file.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/file.js
@@ -37,9 +37,14 @@ class FileBlockStore extends AbstractBlockStore {
     assert(isAbsolute(options.location), 'Location not absolute.');
 
     this.location = options.location;
+    this.indexLocation = resolve(this.location, './index');
+
     this.db = bdb.create({
-      location: resolve(this.location, './index')
+      location: this.indexLocation,
+      cacheSize: options.cacheSize,
+      compression: false
     });
+
     this.maxFileLength = options.maxFileLength || 128 * 1024 * 1024;
 
     this.network = Network.primary;
diff --git a/lib/blockstore/index.js b/lib/blockstore/index.js
index 77bf9715..b8e4c634 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/index.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/index.js
@@ -6,10 +6,37 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+const {join} = require('path');
+
+const AbstractBlockStore = require('./abstract');
+const LevelBlockStore = require('./level');
+const FileBlockStore = require('./file');
+
 /**
  * @module blockstore
  */
 
-exports.AbstractBlockStore = require('./abstract');
-exports.FileBlockStore = require('./file');
-exports.LevelBlockStore = require('./level');
+exports.create = (options) => {
+  const location = join(options.prefix, 'blocks');
+
+  if (options.memory) {
+    return new LevelBlockStore({
+      network: options.network,
+      logger: options.logger,
+      location: location,
+      cacheSize: options.cacheSize,
+      memory: options.memory
+    });
+  }
+
+  return new FileBlockStore({
+    network: options.network,
+    logger: options.logger,
+    location: location,
+    cacheSize: options.cacheSize
+  });
+};
+
+exports.AbstractBlockStore = AbstractBlockStore;
+exports.FileBlockStore = FileBlockStore;
+exports.LevelBlockStore = LevelBlockStore;
diff --git a/lib/blockstore/level.js b/lib/blockstore/level.js
index bc965c87..83b9db7d 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/level.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/level.js
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-const {isAbsolute, resolve} = require('path');
 const bdb = require('bdb');
-const assert = require('bsert');
 const AbstractBlockStore = require('./abstract');
 const layout = require('./layout');
 const {types} = require('./common');
@@ -29,11 +27,13 @@ class LevelBlockStore extends AbstractBlockStore {
   constructor(options) {
     super();
 
-    assert(isAbsolute(options.location), 'Location not absolute.');
-
     this.location = options.location;
+
     this.db = bdb.create({
-      location: resolve(this.location, './index')
+      location: this.location,
+      cacheSize: options.cacheSize,
+      compression: false,
+      memory: options.memory
     });
   }