Not Particularly About Books

My friend Jennifer said, "Come to Chelsea, Michigan and have coffee with me." So I did. And then she took me to two stores and introduced me to several people.

The first was Jeremy Montange (and later owner Bill Harris) who run a new bookstore called JUST IMAGINE, filled with children's games and toys and books for all ages. They also have music CDs, guitar strings, reeds for musical instruments, and much more! Since the store only opened in May of this year, the selection is still limited but is planned to grow in response to community interests. That being said, there is plenty to keep one happily browsing.

Up the stairs towards the back of the store on the second floor is THE MIDDLE BEAD, a small business that specializes in making and selling glass beads. I have never been in a bead store but Jennifer insisted we climb just for the beauty of the displays. I found myself drawn to the incredible variety and artwork of Marc Rafferty's beads, finally selecting a long strand of freshwater pearls in the colors above.

It turned out in both instances that the proprietors were as much fun to talk to as looking at their treasures was. You can read more about these stores by clicking HERE. I highly recommend a trip to Chelsea to shop in a friendly and slower paced atmosphere. It makes searching for the perfect gift fun again. I look forward to my next visit with Jennifer!