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 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 is such a charming store. A great selection, truly something for everyone -- pet things,…read morebirding things, toys, tees, and more. They offer free gift wrapping! The staff was very helpful and chatted with me and offered to help me narrow down my choices -- I couldn't decide and ultimately just bought all of the stickers that I had been holding! There is metered parking (free Sundays) on the street nearby.

We stopped by this place today while in town, it has a lot of nice gifts and souvenirs. I ended up…read morebuying a Michigan car sticker (with a UM logo on it!) on clearance for $2, a Petoskey stone for $7.99 (a polished stone), and a nice greeting card for $5. They have all sorts of Petoskey and non-Petoskey related gifts, plus other fun stuff - I also saw a corgi float, for example, and other things. I saw they have some sort of rewards program too where you write your name down on a card and grab the card from the front every time you come in, I think - kind of like a filing system. Interesting and unique. They ALSO have a pressed penny machine here, and I collect pressed pennies, so I was excited about that too.

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.

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!

This place was pretty much the best thing about Saint Ignace and I think that's sad that a souvenir…read moreshop would have to take the cake, but it did. This place had all sorts of Northern Michigan souvenirs, from tacky and cheap, to kid friendly to plenty of authentic Native Indian merchandise and even some antiques, too. I picked up a couple of things here, average-priced for the market, and had a little fun actually sightseeing and looking through the bins of weird and odd lots, plus all of the antiques lining the shelves around the back and sides of the store. It's a big store, so it wasn't difficult to find something of interest. Some of the Native American-made souvenirs were quite nice, plus the antiques were a little intriguing. The owners/clerks were not too friendly, but they were polite enough, I suppose. I guess they get tired of being asked for directions and people rolling their eyes at tourist pricing. The best thing about this place was the view from the top of the building. Yes, this big old barn of a building sports a great view of the Mighty Mac from the Canadian side if you decide to venture to the top. My wife and I did that, along with about a dozen other tourists coming up to take in the view. We grabbed some pics and took in the scenery, which was really the whole point of coming here. Oh, and the view from the top is free. You can't beat free.

The woman working here ripped the ticket off my item and then charged me double while I was…read moredistracted. I will never give this place my business again after their dishonesty and theft.

On October 22, 2019:…read more A must stop for shopping plus always my favorite store located in the Mackinaw Crossings shopping plaza, is called "Sharky's Mackinaw Outfitters." This store has 30,000 Sq. Ft. Of Merchandise! Oh yes.. walking in this store is truly unbelievable. A warehouse of wood structure selling merchandise here and there and everywhere. There are many walls, shelves and counters of Mackinaw memory of souvenirs. Look for the log rustic style on the exterior as well as the stairs that travel to the 2nd Floor upstairs which contains All Items for a price of $ 9.99 or less. I found my purchases in racks labeled by sizes. This vacation travel souvenir store sells: T-shirts, Shorts, Sweatshirts, Sweatpants, Hats, Tote Bags, Bathing suits, Under Armour, Novelty Items, Glassware, Stoneware, Shoes, Boots along with Fishing & Camping Gear. A Must stop in Mackinaw City to buy many items for low prices. The staff employees are working around to assist your shopping spree and check out is fast as well. Cash or the plastic cards is payment. This trip I shopped light. I bought 2 pair of clearance (@7.99), soft jersey capris. I couldn't decide on which color so I bought them both for Me! I will enjoy wearing them all year long. Also I bought a cool iridescent colored coffee/tea or hot toddy mug. (Photos attached) :) Check out this amazing store. You will definitely find something in your budget plus bring back home a memory of Mackinaw City !

Huge selection! Priced right. The upper floor had so many items to choose from that were $9.99 and…read morebelow! Service was great and we got a nice beach bag for free for our purchase !

We stopped into this business on our way through town and attempted to enter the observation tower…read more At this point the older female employee said "no dogs allowed".We told her that he is a service dog and he was wearing a vest clearly marked "SERVICE DOG". We told her that you cannot deny access to a service dog. She said I don't make up the rules. The owner told me no dogs allowed. We informed her that it is a misdemeanor in the State of Michigan for herself not the business if she denies access. She asked if we wanted her to call the owner because she cannot allow the dog to go up. We said yes call him. We waited until the owner arrived. He asked us "what's the problem"? We explained the situation again. We explained that it is against the law to deny access to a Service dog. He went behind the counter, they talked quietly, he then informed us that they can deny anyone they want, and we could not take our service dog with us up in the tower. We tried to show him the laws for ADA protections for individuals with service dogs, they did not even want to look. We will never stop at this shop again nor would we recommend this to anyone that cares about Americans with disabilities.

This lady was very rude. Yelled at us when we asked if there were other sizes in a t shirt we…read morewanted. We decided to go to another shop to spend our money at.

Why do I keep seeing racks of socks in so many stores. Is this a thing, that wasn't before?…read more It's fun to look at, but I know well after having so many Blue Q socks that they don't last long and wear thin and get holes quickly. The socks are the main things that caught our eye, or the Michigan periodic table T-shirt, two types of TP install and the emotional baggage bag as well.

This store is so much fun!…read more It's not Mackinac Island oriented per se... they did have Michigan stuff ... mostly a general gift oriented store. Lots of what I'd call, stocking stuffer things. Fun, snarky or unique gifts.... small and large. It's on the main shopping street of Mackinac Island... but a tad hidden. You have to walk into a tunnel/walkway back towards the giant turtle. Folks working here are friendly and quick to help.