Celebrating Michigan through and through…read more Overall, this is a super cute gift shop that differs from the glut of touristy t-shirt & souvenir shops dominating the main drag in Mackinaw City. I came across this Made in Michigan shop, located in the Mackinaw Crossings outdoor mall, while on vacation at the end of the summer as I was shopping for something more unique, something that didn't scream "you've just bought a tacky souvenir at a tourist trap." After looking around for a few minutes, I could tell there was nothing tacky or "tourist trap" about this shop. Sure, they sold some t-shirts with a distinct Michigan feel (better quality than most of the local t-shirt shops dotting the street), but beyond that there were hand carved wood chopping boards shaped like the Michigan mitten, seasonings, dressings and jams all produced in Michigan kitchens, unique jewelry, artwork and toss pillows in a nautical theme, clearly a nod to Michigan's "Great Lakes" heritage, and plenty of DIY/upcycled home decor, including old Michigan license plates turned into wall hangings. True to its name, everything sold in this store is 100% Michigan made, be it artwork, pottery, glassware, home decor/crafts, jewelry, candles, soaps, clothing, food items and more. In other words, if they sell it, it was made in Michigan. I liked not only the concept, but the execution as well. This store did more than just pay lip service to the idea of selling only Michigan-made products by local artisans. It delivered on all counts, including quality, selection and price. Despite being a gift shop in a popular Upper Michigan tourist town and selling only handmade products made by some of Michigan's finest crafters, artists, etc (not a single commercial/big box retail item is sold in this shop), the prices were quite affordable, surprisingly low, in fact. Truthfully, I expected the prices to be much higher and I would have gladly paid for such high quality, original pieces, though I was secretly jumping for joy at how decent the price point on most things were. I picked up a dainty "upcycled DIY" necklace for myself for $18, some homegrown jam, fridge magnets (about $2 apiece), and a limited edition print (by a fairly well-known Northern Michigan artist). When all was said and done, I dropped less than $80. It's hard to spend under that just walking into any gift shop in Mackinaw City without buying anything more than a cheap t-shirt and some fudge. In my opinion, it was money well-spent. I believe there is an official Made in Michigan Store "sister" location in Grand Rapids that is open year-round that sells a very similar product line as well, based on what the salesperson at the register told me as she was wrapping up my items.

From the owner: Our business helps bring Michigan to youread more

This is one of the best gift shops in town. The guy working there was super friendly. Turns out…read morehe used to live in Ocean Beach (San Diego),my old 'hood! They have a wide selection of merchandise and the prices seemed fair. They were having a clearance sale when I was there due to it being late Oct and end of the season. I got myself a bunch of postcards and a new pair moccasins. I remember coming here in 2007 and it was one of my favorites then, too. I'll be back anytime I'm in town! 102811

This was our first stop on our road trip and found the selection, value, and attitude of the people…read moreworking - to be fantastic. This is how a business should be run. We were shown new products and also had our questions answered completely. Bought a belt that was clearly top end leather and they sized it, cut it, and setup the buckle in minutes. Superb work! I highly recommend a visit.

One advantage of shopping late in the season is the store owners and employees are more relaxed,…read moreand have more time to visit and kick back. I enjoy that. I try to help the local economy with my shopping and really enjoy the conversations when they happen. This store didn't have the moccasins I was looking for but he did have some neat little souvenir trinkets that I bought for the folks back home, and some postcards that were different than the ones I already had. They also have a lot of leather goods and Indian jewelry. The guy behind the counter was very helpful and friendly, taking the time to help me find just the right items and making the excursion fun. Customer service and having fun. That's what I like. 102811

This place rocks, great atmosphere helped by having actual high quality items at reasonable…read moreprices. Staff are kind and knowledgeable and won't try to upsell you. Got a beautiful mug, an ornament, and a foldable knife that i still haven't quite figured out how to use yet. Plenty of space to look around. Great place would return upon visiting

What a find! This…read moreis a cute little gift shop featuring lots of home decor and Mackinac Island related merchandise. If you're interested in Lilac Festival or Somewhere in Time memorabilia, then this is the place for you. It's largely geared to women, with the emphasis on jewelry, clothing and home decor, with a bit of nautical-themed and Northern Michigan type souvenirs, like some of the other gift shops located in Mackinaw. Unlike most of those, Sophia's doesn't cater to the typical tourist, selling a glut of the same coffee mug, t-shirt and fudge as everybody else. It's more of a home decor/jewelry gift shop instead of a tourist destination. In other words, there were no cheap "Made in China" plastic souvenir lighthouses and run of the mill "Up North" bumper stickers in sight. Heck, it even has a row of white rocking and Adirondack chairs out front for guests to relax in, reminiscent of the Grand Hotel on the island. After a day of shopping, who doesn't want to rest their feet? It takes quite awhile to see everything in this store. I really love Lilac Festival (held each spring on Mackinac Island) and have been there for it a few times, so I was pleased to see so much gear devoted to it. I've been collecting the official Lilac Festival posters that come out each season for years now, so I picked up this year's edition here for $10. They had some previous year's Lilac Festival artwork available on clearance and I snagged one from a year that I didn't have yet for a few bucks as well. There was a huge selection of both costume and handmade jewelry, many pieces of which were priced between $40-$60 each. I thought that was reasonable. I loved the Parisian motif of the home decor, including trunks, signs, wall art, candles and more. I fell in love with a cute faux-vintage sign that was simply marked, "Love the Journey." I'm still kicking myself for not buying it when I was there. Ugh. Prices are moderate, considering this is a gift shop in a tourist town where the prices on the most mundane items are jacked up, no matter what. The customer service was great. The cheery lady behind the counter helped me locate the Lilac Festival poster I wanted and chatted me up about my travel plans, where I was from, etc. She was both friendly and helpful, but not in a fake, tourist town way. The only problem seemed to be with the store's inability to run a "chip" credit card. It had to be processed multiple times and eventually run with the pin code to complete the transaction. It was a problem we experienced at several of the smaller gift shops around Mackinaw City. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I have three "chip" cards in my wallet, so it's a problem when the store doesn't have "chip reader" capability. It was weird and kind of a drag, but it didn't deter me from shopping here. FYI If you have a "chip" credit card, beware, because it might take a few minutes to complete your transaction!

The store was very nice and clean, the people were helpful and nice. But most things were a little…read moreoverpriced. Everyone was nice but it wasn't worth the visit

Calling all self-proclaimed nerds, a store that will reach in and pull out your inner geek is…read morehere. Found this store while browsing for souvenirs with the wife in Mackinaw City last week. I saw the sign and couldn't resist the urge to walk inside. There is a life size Dr. Who Tardis in the rear of the store, right by the cash registers. Are you kidding me? And you can walk inside of it, too? I'm there! You can't hog it, though, because there was a warning on it to not waste time standing in the Tardis because let's be honest, everyone deserves a moment alone in the Tardis. Don't be selfish, kids. You can't take merchandise in the Tardis, either, nor can you jump around much. Sorry, it didn't seem to have been made for that kind of activity. If it was Dr. Who, Star Wars, Star Trek, D & D, super hero, or any other Sci-Fi related merchandise, this store had it in spades. Whether it was limited edition or popular, toys for kids or adults that just act like a kid were here. It was collectible city in here. It was a small store that had more merchandise in it than most of the souvenir shops I came across. I was a kid in a candy store. More than anything, it was a place to find the latest and most sought after in Dr. Who and Star Wars collectibles I browsed through everything for awhile, finally bought a few things, but it took some time before the guy around to waiting on me, but me did acknowledge me and asked for my patience. He was helping other customers who wanted things that were up high on the shelves and not accessible without some assistance or a ladder. It was crowded and I see why. If you are a kid or just a kid at heart, it's a neat place to look around. Tourist area prices, but the store was really different, so it was mostly worth it. I think I'd like a second look at what they had. I wanted to buy more, but my wife was impatient, so I only grabbed two small gifts and left. It was a fun little store. It was nice to see something like this after looking at the same $18 t-shirt and $23 sweatshirt all day. I nearly forgot where I was for a hot minute. There is a $5 minimum for all credit card purchases, which seems silly and unnecessary because everything is over $5.

I made a one hour stop in here for my shopping spree on October 27, 2019 while vacationing for 3…read moredays in Beautiful Mackinaw City. Of course it was just in time before they closed for the winter on October 30. Store closure is a must for all businesses in Mackinaw City due to the harsh Michigan winter months and strong winds. Maybe that's how this store got its name "Windjammer?" :-) There's always soft Rock and Roll music playing inside as well. This store is #1 on my list to shop inside compared to the other downtown stores in Mackinaw City. It is well known for their largest stock of candy and their variety of assorted souvenirs and toys at reasonable prices. Hint: In October before they close, most of their summer t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, socks plus.. are marked down to half off. Upon walking in the door across from the candy counter is the Clearance area. There's an upstairs with more clothing and large designer blankets as well. The store is carpeted for comfort in walking. For children you will find books, crafts, stuffed animals, clothing, mini toys along with those cool " My Name" license plates for their bikes. There's a "fragile" area of colorful coffee or tea mugs with different photos of Michigan. A jewelry section of items near the register as well. The name also called the "Candy Corner" is true since the business is located on the corner of East Central Avenue across from the ferry boats. Their special details and quality is all their "Homemade" candies, caramel corn, fudge, flavored peanut brittle, taffy to name my favorite sweet ones! Free samples of daily fudge too. Finishing up my review with another favorite area of this store is along the far back walls with a variety of "Collectible Tin Signs." I hope I can post some unique photos I took of them last Fall 2019. I need to check through my photo gallery of 7,000 so I stay tuned :-) I highly recommend this store when visiting or vacationing in Mackinaw City! Stop inside and Spend $$ the extra time by walking around to see and enjoy the large variety of their merchandise. https://candycornermc.com I

This was a fun gift shop located downtown Mackinaw City where you could buy a variety of items from…read moretypical key chains, magnets, shirts, mugs, stuffed animals to even fudge! I loved the raccoon hats and some silly socks that I saw - I ended up buying 2 pairs of socks as souvenirs. I also found some delicious looking fudge, but we held out against buying it cause we wanted to get it from either the Mackinac Island or a fudge shop. But we also ended up buying 2 magnets - 1 as a souvenir for a friend and the other 1 for ourselves. But as fun as it was, I was hoping to see this shop sell more Mackinaw City or Mackinac Island themed items, like for examples I was looking for baseball caps displaying either places, but I couldn't find any.

Had some good variety in there and the staff was very nice as well. In terms of quality or taste,…read morefairly standard I'd say. Hard to downscore a fudge joint )(after all, who doesn't love fugde??) but compared to some other places I've been, felt a little underwhelming.

Great customer service, very friendly folks. We are Fudgies…read more We hit this shop on the way south, and had a sugar buzz all the way to Grand Rapids. Got a great deck of cards with different rocks on them. (Only rockhounds will get that) Very old style gift shop that should be on your list for a quick visit.

a lot of the items are pretty cool. however a lot of the items are also cheaply made and/or…read moreoutdated (ex hockey sticks featuring logos for teams that don't exist anymore and old Christmas stuff from years prior). I personally think a good chunk of the items in this store are overpriced but it depends on what you're looking for. Lots of stuff on both floors. Recommended visit but not for everyone

Not only did we stand in front of the fudge counter for 5 minutes while the employee completely…read moreignored us, but we just got home and saw she charged us a $1.12 convenience fee (guessing for using a c.card). The problem is she never said ONE word about it and we spent $35 in fudge. Don't recommend, full of cheap crappy items too. Visited 8/5/19 @12:25:11. The owner should speak to the employee running the front counter on this day/time

Interesting new store that just opened up this year at Mackinaw Crossings. They have every kind of…read moreLego toy and mini-figure you can think of all under one roof. It's more of an all-ages environment, not just for children. Honestly, I might not let a small child run around here unattended, there's just too many breakable pieces in the store, including a large ferris wheel constructed out of Lego pieces that sits on display. It's a look, don't touch display, but really interesting when you look at it long enough. The prices are higher, as is expected in Mackinaw City. It's standard tourism prices. However, this shop has a lot of rare, harder to find Lego mini-figures, so that was cool for anyone who collects them, like myself. There is a Ghostbusters Lego car in a box autographed by Ernie Hudson. I thought about buying it, but it didn't come cheap, nor did I expect it would be. They had so many different Legos, including the more obscure designs and plenty popularized by pop culture, like Mine Craft, Star Wars and many super heroes. This is more than a toy store and official Lego retailer. There is a hands-on Lego museum in the back for both kids and adults. Admission is $5 each. It features thousands of Lego pieces to work with and build your sculpture, plus a huge Lego display composed of thousands more Legos that you can try guessing how many and which kind were used. Very interesting for all ages. I think it's a departure from the tourist-oriented shops that I've seen here in the past. It could easily be found in a mall downstate. Different change of pace for Mackinaw Crossings. I was glad to see one less gift shop selling moccasins and hoodies, but I like Legos, so maybe that's just me and my quirk, but I love me some Legos and I'm an adult.