Shopping in Flint

J.P. Jackson, a faithful customer of The Book Trader since its opening in 2003, purchased the business on the first day of 2012. Since then, he's expanded the shop's hours, increased its inventory of reads, and picked up a line of humorous greeting cards. Shelves loaded with 6,000 tomes organized by author and genre make it easy to find pulp fiction, beach reads, or postmodern mad libs. Staffers screen all incoming books to ensure quality and a diverse selection, making sure to spray stray fingerprints with vanishing dust.

If clients cannot find a desired book, the shop's experienced staff will keep an eye out for the title and call when it arrives, or even channel partnerships with other local bookstores to snag the title. The Book Trader also accepts used books, and converts trade-ins into store credit that can be used for up to 50% off future purchases.

Geology guru Bill Rotay stocks The Golden Apple's shelves with sterling silver and semiprecious-gemstone jewelry, drawing from his University of Michigan degree and lifelong adoration of sparkling baubles. The shop's name alludes to the Greek myth that amber was harvested from the garden of Hesperides, where immortality-bestowing golden apples grew. Over the course of more than a decade, the store's original, predominantly amber, inventory blossomed to include a collection of Chinese freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and gemstones from Thailand, Mexico, Bali, and India. The Golden Apple also peddles a variety of mineral rocks and pottery, as well as fossils of ancient organisms and Betamax tapes.

Cases of diamond rings, amethyst earrings, and two-tone gold pendants sparkle and gleam in Azzi Jewelers’ display cases. All of the upscale pieces in the store are available through its well-organized online shop, including 14-karat gold or white-gold pieces, independently graded diamonds, and stunning gemstones. Premium brands design some of the finery, including hand-engraved wedding rings by Armani and stylish diamond adornments by Symphony. Customers can unleash their creative forces using the design-your-own jewelry feature, which customizes anything from an engagement ring to gemstone-encrusted shoelaces.

To become a finished Motawi Tileworks tile, slabs of raw clay must run the gauntlet of an elaborate production line, where they'll be crushed under a 60-ton press, dipped or drizzled in colorful glaze, and fired in a kiln at 2,000 degrees. Though the handmade process lends itself to variations in colors, it creates uniformly durable tiles built to withstand the heat of a fireplace, the splashing of a kitchen sink, or the futility of existence atop a shelf.

The company's artisans have handmade their tiles in Ann Arbor for two decades. They draw on this experience while creating three types of tiles: flat field, polychrome, and molded. Each catches eyes on its own, or transforms into an artful mosaic when mixed and matched. During the design process, the craftsmen draw inspiration from a huge range of American influences, from Native American artists to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Stuffed animals are our first friends as children, comforting us during long scary nights and on road trips to unfamiliar new solar systems. Chelsea Teddy Bear Co.’s employees realize how important these companions are to children, so they pay the utmost attention to detail as they stitch together soft, plush fabric, ensuring that the custom furry friends last a lifetime. The comforting pals range in size from 4.5-inch key chains to 20-inch animals that inspire reassuring hugs. Children can stuff and outfit their choice of a bear or other wild creature, ensuring that their companion is suitably dressed for tea parties or waging war on an infestation of Furbies.