Last time I wrote a review for here I was not a homeowner. Now I've been one for over 12 years and…read moreI've been here many times over for goodies for my yard, gifts, treats for myself, etc, and it's become one of my favorite places in town so I figured I should finally give them good update! No matter the time of year I love visiting Downtown Home & Garden. My previous review stated, "I love any store where I can get tulip bulbs, a new bird house, a winter hat shaped like a Christmas tree, a new cookie sheet and a loaf of Zingerman's bread" and all that still rings true. But these days I also add national parks merch, gear for my dogs, holiday decor, kitchen gadgets and cookbooks and, perhaps most exciting for a Polish broad like myself, a variety of Polish pottery pieces. In the spring and summer months I can be found perusing peony bulbs for my garden, hummingbird feeders, bird seed and squirrel proof bird feeders, planters, plants/starters for my veggie garden, pest control and fertilizers, plus a variety of lawn decor and sculpture pieces, etc. Some things can be kind of pricey but you truly get what you pay for. Even after years out in the elements everything I've bought for my yard here is still in amazing condition, my plants from here always yield the most delicious fruits and veggies, and the little birdies are so happy with the snacks we provide them from their bins.

Interesting store that is probably really good if you're a suburban homeowner. For me, I liked…read morethat I was able to make friends with a cat that works there, got some cute socks and slippers for the Chief of Staff, a postcard (the only store in town where they knew what a postcard is), and a pretty ceramic bowl that my cats broke the minute it got home.

I bought a rug from Mr. Amiri in the spring of 1975 for $75, which was a lot for a student back…read morethen, but I was headed back to California and wanted a memento of my time in Ann Arbor. He had exquisite manners and it was a pleasure to do business with him. I will always remember my visit to his shop.

Persian House of Imports has a great selection of hand woven rugs and other great pieces. The…read moremanager, Mr. Ali Amiri, is the nicest man and is always happy to answer any questions and give information about what he is selling. I would highly recommend Persian House of Imports, especially because it is a great small business that has been in Ann Arbor for 50 years. Get out to this business, even if its just to look around. I'm sure you'll find something that peaks your interest, and Mr. Amiri can get you a great deal.

This boutique is super cute with lots of unique gifts and fun items. I loved all of the food themed…read moreitems like ravioli candles, olive candles, a bread lamp, and hair clips. I also saw a lot of Baggu items, which is a brand that I really like. Lots of stuff I hadn't seen in person before, like the teeny tiny backpacks. They also had a lot of local art, jewelry, cards, candles, and more. It's a great spot for finding a gift for yourself or your favorite gal pals! Unfortunately I was not greeted when I came in nor when I was browsing, which I feel is such a small thing that can really make a difference when shopping. The person at the counter was with another customer, but even just a quick, "hi, welcome in!" can be so nice. That said, I would come back in the future just to check out what they have in stock.

Another place that I can't believe I haven't written a review for yet. I absolutely love this store…read moreand it's one of my favorite small businesses in Ann Arbor! Located in Kerrytown across the street from Detroit Street Filling Station, this woman-owned business is stocked full of so many unique and thoughtfully curated and sourced items. You want to come here for all the most unique and gorgeous looking goodies to gift to yourself and your loved ones and make sure to stop by often as they have a rotating selection of goodies throughout the seasons and months as well! They always have gorgeous window displays, the employees are always so happy to see you and the service is wonderful, and this shop is just so dreamy! Things are definitely on the pricey side here, but everything is really high quality and they feature a ton of local artisans in the area as well. There's nothing I love more than an intentional shop and you can truly feel how intentional Thistle & Bess is in every detail their store contains. Absolutely lovely and always worth a peruse whenever you find yourself in the Ann Arbor area!

Let me just preface this by saying DO NOT COME TO THIS STORE…read more I came in to purchase a dress for a formal. They said I would be able to come back and return the dress if needed as long as I had a receipt, however they did not put a receipt in my bag. Then when I came back to return the dress I was blamed for their mistakes and told I could only return the item for a gift card. Additionally the worker was extremely hostile and did not know how to work her own cash register and had to call for help multiple times. After issuing the gift card they told me that I would not be able to use the gift card because "their machine was down," essentially stealing $65 from me. Despite saying that they would reach out to me about the issue they never did and I had to call multiple times to resolve this issue. On the phone the worker called me rude (I don't know how trying to get a refund is considered "rude") and was extremely unhelpful. Finally they agreed to exchange the gift card for a different item (after 2 phone calls and 4 in store visits, I don't know why they couldn't have done this in the first place) This fiasco wasted me hours of time. Do yourself a favor and order a dress from somewhere else or head to a mall or basically anything but go to this store. If you must purchase something avoid interaction with Mary. She is completely clueless and obviously was not trained properly. Edit: The store owner called me a day after to guilt trip me, offer various excuses, and when that didn't work blatantly told me to the take review down and tried to bribe me. Unfortunately I will not be bribed.

Used to be a very frequent shopper at Verbena but after my experience today it's safe to say the…read morestore has unfortunately lost my business. Was browsing the earring section with a few friends. Decided to go look at something else, so I put the earrings back. When I returned to the earring section, where my friends were still standing, I was approached by an employee. She asked me if I had left the earrings over on the other side, where I had just returned from. Confused, I said I hadn't. She continued prodding me about the earrings (are you sure you didn't put them down, where are they, etc...) I then realized she was accusing me of stealing them. Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, she asked me to show her the exact place that I had set down the earrings (wtf) which I was able to do. She then walked away without even an apology. It goes without saying that accusing customers of stealing when you obviously have no idea what you are talking about is not only disrespectful, embarrassing (given that the store was incredibly crowded at the time), but extremely unprofessional. Sad to say I will not be returning to Verbena....clothes are cute...and employees usually professional and respectful.

We finally checked out the Kerrytown Market & Shops. The food market inside is perfect for…read moredelicious, upscale eats. We loved walking around all the shops and seeing what they had to offer. Perfect for a rainy day, everything is located inside! Be sure to check out this cute little spot.

What a fun experience!!…read more We went to the farmer's market and walked inside the shops and loved seeing everything! Parking can be found behind the farmer's market. There is a lot where you can pay by spaces (about $2 per an hour, very affordable). There are bathrooms inside on the top floor and tables and chairs scattered throughout where you can eat lunch that can be purchased downstairs or at the farmer's market. We bought Pad Thai for $7 from Baan Phad Thai in the farmer's market and it was delicious!! We also found two amazing houseplants, Roos Rois Coffee, and fresh Apple Cider! Will definitely come back because this farmer's market and shops are fun to walk through and have unique items!

This is my favorite gift shop for friends and family! The selection, service, and prices are great…read more I even bought the cutest earrings for myself there just recently and get compliments on them all the time.

Excellent shop. I went inside for one thing only. I asked and it was found…read more Very happy and friendly team!

Such a cute Ann Arbor (hidden?) gem that I will always make a stop at to check out. It's located on…read morethe second floor of the Kerrytown Market & Shops. If you're going up the red stairs from the downstairs grocery store/entrance closest to the farmer's market, it'll be the first store on your left past the Kerrytown chime. 16 Hands is just an absolutely wonderful store, stocked to the brim with so many unique goodies and gifts. When I say unique, I mean unique - one of a kind! There are so many things here that I have genuinely never seen anywhere else, and I'm someone who naturally gravitates to tchotchke stores already and would like to think I have seen a vast selection already! There's always something new here each time I go, so I strongly recommend that everyone come and take a lap around this store to see what treasures are lying in wait to be discovered by you. Prices are reasonable and have a great range of options for all kinds of budgets. Highly recommend checking this shop, and frankly all the second floor Kerrytown shops out! 16 Hands is by far my favorite though!

It is out of business. So sad as I loved this store. Have shopped here for years. They had so many…read moreunique hand made items.