20 Independently Owned Michigan Craft Stores to Explore This Summer

There’s nothing like a local craft store to help you learn a new skill, master a craft, and inspire your greatest project yet.

MICHIGAN — Michigan is the land of fur traders, lumberjacks, and miners. We’ve always been known for creating with skilled hands. So it’s not surprising that arts and crafts — and the stores that provide them — play an important role in our state’s culture. We’ve rounded up some of the gems.

Southeast Michigan

Arts and Scraps (Detroit)
16135 Harper Ave.

Arts and Scraps is a non-profit organization dedicated to recycling materials that provide resources for educational and creative opportunities in the Detroit community. Its recycled materials supply more than 3,000 classrooms and organizations per year. Aside from its programs and events, its community store is also a bulk shopping store open to the public. Recycled creative materials are sold by the bag for under $10 each. Products include traditional craft store items like fabric and yarn, as well as less traditional items like tiles, wood scraps, and machine parts. There is also an individually priced section where specialty sewing, scrapbooking, and other fine art supplies are sold.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook page, or Instagram page.

Dealers Discount Crafts & Florals (Center Line)
8199 E. 10 Mile Rd.

Dealers Discount Crafts & Florals has been a family-owned local business for nearly 50 years. It has a wide variety of craft materials, but especially synthetic flower picks, bunches, sprays, garlands, wreaths, bushes, and other greenery. The store also has plenty of supplies for making jewelry, soap, candles, woodcrafts, and so much more.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Discount Fabric Outlet (Clawson)
303 W. 14 Mile Rd.

Anyone who works with fabric knows the frustration of hefty by-the-yard price tags. If this sounds familiar, you’ll love Discount Fabric Outlet, which is practically the Five Below of fabric. Materials are a mere $5 a yard or less and over 75,000 yards of fabrics are stocked, with many varieties of apparel, home decor, drapery, and upholstery. “Deals of the Week” rotate based on stock, and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Want the scoop on upcoming deals? Text “Fabric” to 888-984-4847.

For more information, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.

Crafty Lady Trio (Macomb)
15357 Hall Rd.

Whether you’re a pro at needlework or just want to get a better feel for it, the Crafty Lady Trio has something for you. Not only is the store stocked with premium yarns and supplies, it also provides classes in knitting and crocheting for a variety of skill levels. Yarns are dyed in-house through the Just Bee Fibers label.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Munro Crafts (Berkley)
3954 Twelve Mile Rd.

Munro Crafts is a family-owned and operated wholesale bead and craft store that stocks a wide variety of craft supplies, including Sculpey and Premo clay, Swarovski crystals, beads, metalworking equipment, and much more. Its website offers project ideas and instruction sheets for crafters who need inspiration. Its products can also be shipped worldwide.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Scrappy Chic (Livonia)
33523 W. 8 Mile Rd

This Livonia store has more than 6,500 square feet devoted entirely to paper crafts. The store is jam packed with supplies from more than 200 retailers for scrapbooking and other crafts. And as a local business, it has plenty of paper, stamps, dies, and more devoted to giving your paper crafts a Michigander theme. It also hosts a variety of classes for as low as $5 per person.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

SCRAP Creative Reuse (Ann Arbor)
4567 Washtenaw Ave.

Have too many impulse craft buys laying around the house? SCRAP gladly accepts donations of art, craft, and office supplies, as well as other creative materials. SCRAP is a nonprofit creative reuse center providing eco-friendly art education and second-hand craft supplies. It’s a perfect solution for any crafter that wants supplies that are inexpensive, eco-friendly, and totally unique. It also has locations in Maryland, Oregon, and Virginia. 

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

Spun (Ann Arbor)
410 N. 4th Ave.

Located in Ann Arbor’s historic Kerrytown District, Spun is one of several storefronts at the Kerrytown Markets & Shops. It’s a family-owned yarn shop with a large selection of fiber craft supplies that provides aa community-focused and family-owned space with plenty of classes, events, and even educational YouTube videos. For those going it on their own, you’ll find everything you need to self-teach, including kits and how-to books.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube pages.

Beads To Live By (Jackson)
145 S. Mechanic St.

The city of Jackson in Michigan’s heartland is home to one of Michigan’s best kept secrets for jewelry makers. Beads To Live By offers a wide and colorful selection of Czech glass beads, Japanese seed beads, and more. Jewelry-making classes are offered in-person or via Zoom. Its website also includes tutorial videos and patterns, so you can craft smart no matter where you live.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, Instagram pages, or Etsy store.

Mid-Michigan

Odd Nodd Art Supply (Lansing)
317 E César E. Chávez Ave.

Lansing’s Old Town hosts a variety of unique locales. Odd Nodd is one of the newer ones, yet one that shouldn’t be missed. The store aims to encourage and supply local artists of all skill levels, from college students to older adults and everyone in between. They offer a wide variety of fine art supplies, but more than a few products are just a bit… odd. But that’s by design. Whether you’re looking for fillable pens, erasable highlighters, glitter ink, or fluorescent blacklight chalk, you’ll probably find it all at Odd Nodd.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram page, or TikTok.

Your Creative Escape (Eaton Rapids)
142 Hall St.

You’ve heard of paint-and-sip classes. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could do something like that for pottery too? In the small city of Eaton Rapids, just south of Lansing, you can! Your Creative Escape is a family-friendly paint-your-own pottery studio that’s a perfect opportunity to spend time with a loved one and create a personal work of art. Attendees are never rushed; in fact, you can come back later and take as much time as you need to finish your piece! The store also sells ready-to-paint pieces and glazes.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Craft Out Loud! (Coldwater)
67 W. Chicago St.

One of Michigan’s newest craft stores opened during the COVID-19 pandemic for one of the best reasons — the small city of Coldwater needed a craft store. Craft Out Loud! stocks an estimated 1,700 bolts of fabric, yarn, and plenty of notions, with more to come. Knitters and crocheters are also invited to come in and sit while they work. Craft Out Loud! might just be getting started, but it already has some pretty big ideas in mind.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

A Cherry On Top Crafts (Saginaw)
2216 Midland Rd.

What started as a basement full of stickers 20 years ago is now a cozy craft store that ships a variety of supplies all over the world. Five siblings honor their mother’s memory by supporting a community of local crafters. Though they started with scrapbooking and stickers, they have expanded their collection to include fine art supplies, needle crafts, and more. At Cherry On Top Crafts, you’re sure to find the perfect addition to your project that will be sure to be the cherry on top of your next creation.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram page, TikTok, or YouTube channel.

Material Mart (Midland)
86 Ashman Circle

If you’re a quilter, you can’t miss the selection at Material Mart in Midland. Its catalog includes a wide variety of prints with many different themes ranging from artistic and novelty to seasonal and holiday — and so much more. A selection of classes are offered in person. It also hosts weekly Facebook Live videos with helpful tips and new products.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Bead Haven (Frankenmuth)
925 S. Main St.

Next time you’re shopping in Michigan’s Little Bavaria, check out the River Place Shops for Bead Haven. With 5,000 square feet of beads, Bead Haven claims to be Michigan’s largest bead store. It carries a variety of Czech beads, seed beads, natural stones, vintage brass pieces, and more. Free classes are provided in-store every weekend for a variety of skill levels. If you can’t make it to Frankenmuth, Bead Haven will also ship products to your door.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

West Michigan

Craft Outlet (Grand Rapids)
1450 SW Buchanan Ave.

The Craft Outlet is like a thrift store for crafting, and you never know exactly what you’re going to find. The Craft Outlet stocks hundreds of new items weekly, with plenty of discounted products and weekly specials for a variety of crafts. Whether you’re a scrapbooker, crocheter, floral designer, or just looking for things to keep your kids busy, the Craft Outlet has you covered. Check out its rewards program and classes for even more crafting fun.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Chicks with Sticks (Kalamazoo)
5401 Portage Rd. #3

Chicks with Sticks is the yarn shop for all things stitching in southwest Michigan. At Chicks with Sticks, you’ll find plenty of yarns in different weights and colors, as well as needles, notions, and anything else you might need for needle crafts. The store ships its products anywhere in the United States. It also offers many different classes, including a “Thursday Night Hang-Out” drop-in class for any project you’re working on.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Northern Michigan

Arnie’s Arts ‘N’ Crafts (Houghton Lake)
3741 W. Houghton Lake Drive

Arnie’s Arts ‘N’ Crafts is one of northern Michigan’s hidden gems. The store claims to be Michigan’s largest family-owned and operated arts and crafts store. For almost 50 years, Arnie’s has been offering “more than crafts,” though today, it has more than 30,000 square feet of crafting supplies. Among its thousands of products, you’ll find yarn, beads, paints, scrapbooking paper, and so much more. Some of the rarer items include supplies for tumbling rocks, making clocks, etching glass, and even fixing lamps.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

InterQuilten (Traverse City)
1425 W. South Airport Rd. Suite G

InterQuilten used to be located in Interlochen, hence the name, but moved to the Cherry Capital in 2019. The store is a destination for all things fabric, with plenty of supplies for quilting and embroidery. Aside from cotton prints, it also has batiks, cork fabric, and hand-dyed wool. But by far, the best thing at the store isn’t on the shelves — it’s the knowledge base and community, along with a variety of classes for beginners to experts.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

Delphine’s Quilt Shop (Gaylord)
114 N. Otsego Ave.

Located on the charming Main Street in Michigan’s alpine village of Gaylord, Delphine’s is a destination quilt shop with over 4,500 bolts of fabric. One of its specialties is 1,800 reproduction prints, but it also stocks many colorful varieties of fabric. Classes are held year-round. Delphine’s ships across the United States too.

For more information, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.