Nickels Arcade is always a must stop for me when I'm in Ann Arbor…read more Located in a small alley near State Street and The Diag, Nickels Arcade offers a cobblestone pathway and numerous local shops that are so incredibly unique. Most shops are closed by 5pm or 7pm so I definitely recommend stopping by early in the day if you can. However, Nickels Arcade is still perfect to stroll by in the evening as well. I wanted to visit Bon Bon, a local chocolate shoppe, but unfortunately they were closed by the time I made it during my most recent visit. I loved that they offered a menu outside so I could still look at what they offered. Another shop I'd like to stop at during my next visit is Comet Coffee. I am always interested in finding new coffee spots and the window art on Comet's window was so inviting! Other shops in the alley include a barbershop, tobacco shop, and various antique shops. Spend an hour strolling through the shops. You won't regret it!

Really adorable shops. Went to check it out on my trip and found cute handcrafted thingsread more

This mall is laid out in a very different manner relative to other more conventional malls. It…read morelooks linear with side halls from the schematic...but it doesn't feel like it. It does not have the grand, high-ceiling, well-lit atrium most large malls would have. It's a little dim inside and feels a little dead since an alarming number of its storefronts are empty. There's also very few food options giving people less reason to spend time there. The anchors are reduced to Kohls and Penneys, and I fear for the longevity of the latter. There were very few people in the mall when I was there save a few mall walkers and a couple of people pacing on their phones. On the plus side, there is a nice children's play area outside Penneys and the large atrium at the end of the mall is a nice space, even though dark. The Easter Bunny was there and set up for kids' pictures, so there was still some evidence of at least minimal vitality. And some of the shops still open were favorites such as Penney's, Kohl's, Spencer's, Lids and Victoria's Secret. It is my theory that about 20 - 25% or so of the existing large 60s-70s-80s era malls will survive over the next few years because that wil be all that the market will support. That trend, of course, is already well underway. Those that survive will need to remake their malls into destination experiences in some way. Malls used to be entertainment hubs in themselves just because of the fact that they provided shopping and dining experiences and a place to hang out (younger crowd) or a place to escape (Mom's day out). But reduced foot traffic in malls and higher operating costs have exposed too-thin margins that are killing mall retail populations rapidly. And people shifting their tastes to experiences rather than material goods is causing consternation among retailers as well. Add to that the fact that malls aren't that attractive as hangout places anymore, which is not unrelated to the retail demise. As most malls continue to disappear or morph into something else through deliberate re-purposing (eg., residences), this one does not seem like it has the right ingredients to be a mall survivor. It just feels like a dead experience when you're there. 6 PM on a weeknight might not be at the top of primetime, but evidence of life should have been better than what I saw. This mall seems like a place where you go to pick up something at a particular store and you leave. There's little temptation to stick around once you've accomplished your purpose because there's no reason to do so. That's not sustainable for the retailers. The business model of malls dictates the opposite if it's going to work. The tenants are supposed to synergistically support each other in attracting patrons who come to browse multiple shops. It seems like this is going the way of the transition in retail that is embodying the end of an era. Change is happening rapidly in America's commercial culture. But that's life. Who knows? Maybe someone with some vision and creativity will figure out a survive-to-thrive plan for this establishment. But realistically I don't think this place will still exist in ten years, at least not as a conventional mall.

High theft. No real security. Management is bottom of the barrel…read more They wonder why the mall is dying? No stores want to be there because of high theft and that "security" is not security. Security is nowhere to be seen. The HVAC system is run down. Stores are too hot to shop in. The mall is under terrible ownership and management and is going down.

I really enjoyed the Westchester Square Mall. In fact, I enjoyed all the shopping and sight-seeing…read morein downtown Plymouth. Compared to most other cities in metro Detroit and surrounding communities, it has one of the most fun and funky downtowns, thriving and active, with a lot of emphasis on organic and earth-friendly goods. Westchester Square Mall is a series of connected shops and includes outdoor paths between them. Included in the mall are places like the Omelette and Waffle Cafe, a stained glass gallery and supply store and many other small independent gift shops. One of the best things about shopping downtown Plymouth is that parking is a breeze. There are a number of large city-owned lots that are completely free, with time limits ranging from two to eight hours.

I am from Boston and was looking for a little area like this! Its a strip of very quaint and cute…read morestores. Both the interiors and exteriors are just so cute, cozy and welcoming! Perfect for the summer! A few of the eateries offer outdoor deck/covered patio space. Wish I had time to sit and relax there!

Shopping center? No. Pleasant, safe, clean place to spend an afternoon or evening: Yes…read more Dexter is great place to enjoy a nice stroll, some great eats and anything outdoors. A very Norman Rockwell-esque town.

On the recommendation of a friend, I recently checked out Dexter's downtown. I like shopping…read morelocally and giving my money to small independent shops instead of big national chains whenever possible, and Dexter is a good place for this. They have nice shady parks, a local history museum, and lots of independent shops, coffee houses, and restaurants. Parking is phenomenally easy-- and free. While I was here, I passed The Cookie Momster, a Victorian-themed gift shop, and a Bear Claw coffee on my way to the Dexter card shop. From there, I visited Christine's, a gift shop, and bought a butterfly finger puppet for my niece whose fourth birthday is coming up soon. From there, I strolled over to the Dexter Bakery and got a really good donut. If you're looking for somewhere cute and quaint to do some shopping or meet a friend for coffee or lunch, Dexter is an excellent choice.

I love the Bass Store!…read more It's always clean and orderly and the customer service is fabulous. Shoes are all stacked on shelves so you help yourself to try them on but they're always willing to check the back if you can't find your size. Their shoes might not be the latest in trendy fashions but once you get to a certain point in live, you go for comfort and Bass shoes are the most comfortable shoes out there. Shoes are always 50% off and typically they are running some other special. Sign up for their rewards card and you'll get emails about the deals going on. This weekend, they had buy one pair of ladies shoes for 50% off and any pair after was 75% off!!! They also had a deal that if you had a receipt from making a donation to Salvation Army, they gave you another 10% off! And one final tip, if you sign up for the Tangler Outlet "rewards card" (which costs you $10 but then every year they send you a $10 coupon so it pays for itself), and if you spend $50, you get another 10% off. I got two pairs of $72+ shoes for $38!!! The multiple discounts they give rocks!

It's a mall. Looks 1980s maybe but generally well maintained. Not much more to say, it's just a…read moremall.

This strip mall has been around for decades, some stores have moved out or closed (antique shop,…read moreBaskin Robbins, AAPL North branch, Flim Flam Diner) but others have persisted (Evergreen Restaurant, Carpenter Bro's Hardware, an animal hospital, Little Caesar's, and the Chinese supermarket Way 1, One-hour Martinizing just to name a few). Newer additions include Songbird Cafe, pottery studio, Kidd's playspace and activity center, Indian grocery, yoga studio, Asian bakery and karaoke/mahjong hall. The main building is basically a sideways T shape, the Chinese supermarket being the base. Inside, the sunlight filtering down colored banners hung across from skylights inflect a warm rainbow effect contrasted with the exposed brick walls and rust red tile hallways. With exception of the supermarket all stores are accessible from interior and exterior doors. Aside from signage changes, the interior has remained the same for 20+ years. Parking is plentiful but since the addition of the newer block of stores closer to Green Road, sometimes it gets more crowded, though I have yet to see it completely full.

Love this vintage shop. Terrific selection of well-curated vintage clothing, from the 1950s through…read moreat least the 1990s. Prices are good, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Definitely worth checking out!

Super cute clothing, pretty pricy for used clothes even for being vintage. However the place…read moresmelled strong of feces. I had to leave because it was so strong, would have spent more time inside but physically couldn't.

This is a fun place. I often bring my child here for clothing. We recently purchased a dress. I…read morelike their return policy. We are not sure if it is what we want, but they assured us we could return it. We typically do not end up returning products. I have bought so many Dry Goods items as gifts. I like their slippers. This is a nice location, it is fairly large with plenty of places to try on clothing and an entire room of sale items. The people working here have always been helpful and pleasant. They have a good selection. Personally, it is not my favorite location, I do like the smaller store in Rochester, they seem to pack in a bigger variety of items, but we come here from time to time when we are in the area.