I've been taking handbuilding pottery classes at another space in town but I wanted to try out…read morewheel throwing before committing to a full semester. My hand/eye coordination is not great (which is why I tend to gravitate towards sculpture and more controlled building) but wheel throwing is such an amazing artform I wanted to give it a shot, but I knew if I didn't enjoy it right off the bat that I didn't want to be stuck for weeks doing it. Luckily, Yourist offers a "try it out" wheel throwing session once a month and I was able to sign up for the May session along with my husband, cousin, and aunt. It was so fun to do this experience together with my family and I surprisingly took to the wheel pretty easily. During this session you're given a tutorial on the equipment then a demo with explanation of how to throw your own bowl, including posture, hand positioning, and tips for success. Then you're given three balls of wedged clay and are let loose to practice on your own as they instructors work the room to help you if you're struggling and cheer you on if you're doing well. You're then welcome to keep any three of the bowls you make and they'll fire and glaze them (based on your choice of glaze for each piece) for you for pick up a month later. First piece is $10 with every additional piece $5. I'm proud to say that I made 2 very nice bowls and one bowl that turned into more of a sake cup after I got too ambitious and the top of my bowl collapsed. But they all looked nice in their own way so I decided to keep all three. The glazes they have are really lovely, too, and make any piece, no matter how wonky (like my sad sake cup) look beautiful. I also found I loved the experience so much that for my next class I signed up for a hybrid wheel throwing and handbuilding class so I could get better at both. I also really enjoyed my time at this studio and have bookmarked several classes I'd like to take there in the future, including day workshops focused on specific topics. Once I feel confident enough in my foundational education I hope to also join the community workspace where, for a monthly fee, you have access to their studio to work independently. It's such a welcoming environment, I highly recommend checking it out!

This is a cool little studio. I was actually just stopping in at the convenience store that's in…read morethe same little strip mall and thought I'd stop in to see what Yourist was about. They have a tiny one-room gallery, but it's full of nifty pottery. Some of the items are mostly decorative, but the display also included useful items, like an olive oil/garlic plate, a soap holder, mugs and so on. There were many items for sale under $20 and even several under $10, and this would be a good place to pick up unique gift items for the artsy friend on your Christmas list. The other half of the Yourist building is a studio/art school. They offer classes for beginners and more advanced students, ranging from a beginner's class in throwing pottery on the wheel to a class in learning to glaze and paint the pottery you've already created. In addition to several classes for adults, they offer after-school kids clay classes as well, at pretty reasonable rates.

This is one of the best yarn stores that I've been to in the United States in a long time. There's…read morea huge selection of yarns, books, and notions on display. One thing that was disturbing was that I was never greeted by any of the workers and I was roaming the aisles for a chunk of time! I had been to two other "area" yarns stores during this roadtrip, so all my yarn needs had been met and I didn't "need" anything. (Maybe more so that I had blown my yarn budget already this trip...) If I'm ever in this area again, I'll stop by!

Spun Ann Arbor is a fiber artist's dream!! I first heard about this establishment through Knitty…read moreNatty's YouTube when Natalie and Kent went on their cross country LYS tour. The video was fun and made this establishment look like a warm & welcoming space. I appreciated learning more of the owners' origin story as Natalie interviewed them. All of that to say, I was more than motivated to check the place out. When I walked in, I was not disappointed. Located in Kerrytown, Spun has a local charm to it. The store itself is a great size where it's large enough for patrons to explore without feeling too crowded yet still able to maintain a cozy hipster vibe making it a great reflection of Ann Arbor. The sheep artwork (designed and drawn by one of the owners) is creative branding and contributes to the memorable experience. The yarn selection is massive and easy to navigate because of how well organized it is based on yarn weight. The amount of yarn may be overwhelming to some because there is a lot to look at - not a bad thing, only something to take into consideration. I thought it was quite extensive which left me speechless! Some may find it helpful to have a shopping list going in or know ahead of time what your timeframe is because you will want to spend time exploring each aisle. I had researched ahead of time on their website though found that when I looked at the yarn in person, some of the color hues I was expecting were different in-store compared to the photo listing online. I didn't mind as I had time to look and adapt, perusing in person so I was able to choose something else. I appreciated that there were quite a few local dyers, artisans, and spinners spotlighted - from the yarn to the notions/yarn bowls offered. Staff was welcoming - Annri introduced herself, provided a basket, and made herself available if I had questions. It was very friendly of her! The selection of yarn ranged in price where many would be able to find something in their budget. I felt some items were on the pricier side but that's considering the college town factor as well as that I only recently began transitioning to independent dyers, natural fibers & hand-spun. I did appreciate that there were several economy priced yarns offered which seemed like more options compared to other LYS' I've visited but still considerably less in proportion to Spun's independent dyer options. I walked away with stitch markers, two sets of double pointed needles, and four skeins of yarn! What a great haul! The staff was also kind enough to wind it for me free of charge which I greatly appreciated. I only had to wait in line and return for my skeins after 30 minutes. I could have easily spent all day at Spun!! It sets the standard for LYS and I'm excited for my next visit!!

In a day and age when bookstores are being run out of business by Amazon and other online…read moremarketers, it is good to see an old-fashioned bookstore stocked to the ceiling with titles ... all new books in a wide range of genres ... leaning academic or at least intelligent nonfiction with only a bit of popular fiction. We were not surprised to run across this kind of bookstore in a major college town like the University of Michigan. The store is located on a corner in a busy area of Ann Arbor, and covers two stories ... a first floor and a basement ... both well stocked. The staff was very helpful, especially with their "staff picks." We'll visit again ...

The staff here are very kind and the selection is pretty decent for a cute little downtown…read morebookstore. I love to purchase the shelves and find something new, although I found the layout slightly confusing, and I found various books and multiple locations. The little tags that talk about unique aspects of the book are a really nice touch. I did find it to be slightly biased politically, but I'm not sure what you can expect in downtown Ann Arbor. They did have a beautiful special version of a book that my best friend from Australia loves, so I was able to pick up that copy. I can't wait to send it to her. When I told her about it, she cried. The book is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much Literati for stocking such lovely products! Sidenote - this bookstore used to have delicious oat milk, lattes and unfortunately, they do not the café upstairs anymore. I do like that they got rid of all the tables where people would sit for hours on their computer computers. Now there is more room for books and I enjoy their selection of YA, cookbooks, and other genres. This is the same bookstore. We brought our Canadian friends too to browse, and it was very fun also. Thank you so much Indie bookstores. We love to stop in!

I love that independent bookstores are "coming back"…read more I love books - especially physical books with real pages. I love checking books out from the library. I love buying brand new books. I love buying used books. I love everything about books. I actually came here while running errands with someone else. I don't think I would have ever known this was here otherwise. I wandered around the store while the person I was with was taking care of whatever it is we came in there for. It was such an immersive experience. I appreciate how the store is laid out. There is/was so much thought put into not just the layout of where sections should be, but where each book goes. It is so well curated. I got so many incredible recommendations from the employee picks that I have loved, shared with others, and they have loved too. It's been a month or so since my last visit, so I'm excited to see what the latest recommendations are. If you're a book nerd, this is absolutely worth a visit. I will absolutely be back.

What a cute bookstore.. quite an array of unusual gifts, reading accessories, books for every…read moreHebrew and age group, and a pretty epic magazine display. The store is rather small but has a cozy reading area near a fireplace.. the selection of books is carefully curated.. customer service seemed pretty good and much better than the typical larger retailers. I really liked the layout and purchased up a few books and a magazine.

Kid , adult, and dog-friendly craft store! Such a charming…read moreand creative addition to the Ann Arbor community. It's a wonderful, screen-free spot that offers hands-on fun for all ages. They even have a kid-friendly tufting tool so little ones can make their own mini rugs! It's the perfect place for birthday parties, parent-child bonding time, or a relaxing afternoon of crafting -- and you can even bring your pup along! Chris was a fantastic instructor, patient, encouraging, and great at guiding us through the tutorials and bracelet-making while making sure our rugs turned out perfectly. He even finished them off with backing and glue for us. My child tufted a 12x12 rug in under an hour and loved every minute of it (no complaints at all!). I decided to make my own and we came back to make friendship bracelets. You can even make kits to go as gifts. We'll definitely be back! --- Would you like me to make it a little shorter for Yelp's "readable at a glance" style, or keep it full-length for detail and warmth?

10/10 experience with their tufting class! We were taken through each step very thoroughly and…read moregiven help whenever needed throughout the whole session. It was both my partner's and my first time ever tufting but it was fairly easy to learn thanks to the instructor. He was very sweet and friendly, making the class enjoyable. Definitely recommend for a fun activity if you're in the area!!

Great selection of quilting fabric, notions and such. The prices were decent for the quality of…read morefabrics offered. So hard to find decent fabric now that Joann is out of business! Several associates offered assistance but I was just checking out their selection, they were very nice and personable. They had a large selection of machines available and a class going on. They don't have fabrics for other things besides quilting however, in my opinion at least. But they had beautiful quality.

Great selection of fabric and other sewing supplies. Very friendly and helpful staff!read more

I have been framing things with Pictures Plus for so many years. I am always so happy with their…read morework and appreciate that they have the expertise to deal with unusual framing projects. We are fortunate to have this gem in our community! Cindy J

there's nothing to want at Pictures Plus in Westgate, Ann Arbor. the people are wonderful,…read morethorough, lean over backward to make sure you're happy, not just satisfied. Kaity particularly, has helped me make jpegs printable which previously timed out, so couldn't be printed. I fell that these aren't just someone I've done business with since I moved to Michigan 14 years ago, they're friends I rely on to get what I want, or need. you can't go wrong going to them for whatever you need.

Great workers, great values. I love this place and always go here when I need a book.read more

Great bookstore with friendly staff. Decent selection of books and comfortable place to browse…read more Only downfall is no food/coffee or bathrooms.