Your Guide to Puzzles in Michigan
Michigan Stores by City
Detroit
Detroit Institute of Arts Museum Shop
The DIA Shop, located in the Farnsworth Lobby on the main floor of the Detroit Institute of Arts, offers beautifully designed puzzles among its art‑inspired gifts. Their inventory includes puzzles like the 1,000‑piece Detroit Puzzle, in addition to prints, books, home goods, stationery, and apparel. The shop’s offerings reflect the museum’s art collection, giving visitors the chance to take home puzzle pieces tied to Detroit architecture, nature, and cultural history. With extended hours on Fridays and weekend availability, it’s a solid spot for puzzle lovers and gift seekers alike.
Photo Source: https://dia.org/events/museum-shop-double-discount-days
Next Chapter Books
Next Chapter Books is a cozy independent bookstore on Detroit’s east side, known for its welcoming atmosphere and thoughtfully curated selection. In addition to a wide range of books, they offer a unique collection of jigsaw puzzles featuring artful designs, scenic imagery, and Detroit-inspired themes. The puzzles here make great gifts or quiet weekend projects, and the selection is always changing. It’s the kind of spot where you’re just as likely to find your next favorite book as you are your next favorite puzzle.
Photo Source: https://www.bridgedetroit.com/its-the-next-chapter-for-east-english-village/
Pages Bookshop
Pages Bookshop is a warm, independent bookstore in Detroit’s Grandmont‑Rosedale area, known for its carefully curated books, community events, and friendly staff. If they carry jigsaw puzzles, you’ll likely find a selection with artistic prints, Detroit‑scenes, landscapes, and modern designs in both 500‑piece and 1,000‑piece formats. Their relaxed atmosphere makes it easy to browse through the puzzle designs and pick one that fits your style or mood. For puzzle lovers, it would be one of the nicer local spots to discover something unique.
Photo Source: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pages-bookshop-detroit
City Bird
City Bird is a Detroit boutique that blends local art, design, and gift culture into one welcoming space. Their puzzle collection features well‑made jigsaw puzzles like Le Puzz’s designer cuts along with regionally themed puzzles, Detroit maps, Michigan wildflowers, and Great Lakes scenes, offering both beauty and challenge. Whether you’re into simpler puzzles or ambitious builds, there’s something there to fit your vibe. It’s a great spot if you want puzzles with character and connection to place.
Photo Source: https://www.citybirddetroit.com/
Opal Grove Games
Opal Grove Games is a vibrant, community-first game store in Detroit offering a wide mix of board games, tabletop RPGs, and an eclectic collection of jigsaw puzzles. Their puzzle selection includes unique, high-quality designs that range in difficulty and style, perfect for solo challenges or relaxing nights in. The shop occasionally hosts puzzle competitions, adding a fun, social twist to the puzzling experience. Whether you’re a serious puzzler or just getting into it, Opal Grove is a great place to find your next favorite.
Photo Source: https://www.opalgrovegames.com/blogs/news
Vault of Midnight
Vault of Midnight is Detroit’s destination for comics, collectibles, and all things geek culture with a surprisingly cool selection of jigsaw puzzles, too. Alongside graphic novels and board games, you’ll find puzzles featuring comic art, pop culture icons, indie illustrations, and eye-catching designs. It’s the kind of place where you can pick up a new favorite comic and a 1,000-piece puzzle in the same trip. Whether you're into superheroes, sci-fi, or just beautiful imagery, there's a puzzle here for you.
Photo Source: https://www.vaultofmidnight.com/locations
Grand Rapids
Blue Bridge Games
Blue Bridge Games is a warm, community‑focused game store in Grand Rapids that doesn’t just carry board games and RPGs, they also offer a solid selection of jigsaw puzzles in various styles and piece‑counts. Whether you’re after a simple scenic puzzle or one with pop culture flair, you’re likely to find something unique. Their friendly staff know puzzles and games well and can help you pick one that fits your mood or challenge level. It’s a go‑to spot for puzzle lovers who appreciate variety and knowledgeable service.
Photo Source: https://bluebridgegames.com/
House Rules Board Game Lounge
House Rules Lounge is Grand Rapids’ go‑to spot if you love games and puzzles. They have a strong retail section carrying puzzles, from casual, scenic designs to more thematic ones that match the quirky, pop culture taste of their board game inventory. With a huge game library of over 600 games, you can browse puzzles, pick one up to take home, or test out a board game first. Add in a good drink or meal and the vibe is relaxed, fun, and different from your usual puzzle‑hunt spots.
Photo Source: https://houseruleslounge.com/
Rider’s Hobby Shop
Rider’s Hobby Shop in Grand Rapids is a go‑to for hobbyists of all kinds and yes, that includes puzzlers. They carry medium and large jigsaw puzzles for beginners up through more challenging designs, along with accessories like puzzle boards and glue to preserve your work. Whether you're shopping for a kid’s first puzzle or looking for a scenic or artist‑designed 1,000‑piece set, their selection has both variety and quality. The team here know puzzles well and can help you pick something you’ll enjoy.
Photo Source: https://ridershobby.com/contact-us/
Global Gifts
Global Gifts in Grand Rapids is a fair‑trade nonprofit gift shop full of artisan treasures, and they occasionally stock specialty or decorative puzzles alongside their beautiful home décor, jewelry, and handcrafted goods. The kind of puzzles you might find here often reflect global art styles, natural themes, or decorative designs rather than mass‑market photographic sets. Shopping here means you’re supporting ethical trade and creators who are paid fairly. It’s a thoughtful place to find a gift with meaning and maybe a puzzle that’s as much art as it is a challenge.
Photo Source: https://www.globalgiftsgr.com/home.html
Cellar Bird Books
Cellar Bird Books is a cozy, curated independent bookstore on Bridge Street in Grand Rapids, offering not only new books but also a thoughtful selection of puzzles, notebooks, stickers, and other literary gifts. Their puzzle offerings complement their book collection beautifully. Perfect for someone who loves reading and enjoys a design‑oriented or thematic puzzle. The shop feels warm and welcoming, ideal for browsing or discovering a gift for yourself or a friend. If you’re into reading, quality, and design, Cellar Bird is a great stop.
Photo Source: https://www.experiencegr.com/listing/cellar-bird-books/16872/
Books & Mortar
Books & Mortar is a thoughtfully curated independent bookstore located in the heart of Grand Rapids’ East Hills neighborhood. It’s known for promoting inclusivity, progressive values, and a diverse range of voices across fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. The store has built a reputation as a welcoming space for readers who seek titles that challenge, inspire, and represent a wide spectrum of perspectives. Beyond books, they also stock a selection of gifts, cards, and stationery that reflect their community-first ethos. Whether you're a longtime local or a first-time visitor, Books & Mortar offers a refreshing, human-centered alternative to big-box bookstores.
Photo Source: https://www.grmag.com/entertainment/join-mayor-bliss-book-discussion/
Ann Arbor
Schuler Books
Schuler Books in Ann Arbor is a spacious, locally owned bookstore offering a welcoming and well-organized shopping experience. In addition to a wide range of books, they carry a curated selection of puzzles for both kids and adults. You'll find everything from artistic 1,000-piece jigsaws to family-friendly puzzles with regional or literary themes. Their puzzle section is thoughtfully stocked and a fun place to browse for gifts or personal enjoyment.
Photo Source: https://www.yelp.com/biz/schuler-books-ann-arbor
Mudpuddles
Mudpuddles is a beloved toy store nestled in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown district, known for its creative, hands-on selection of toys and educational products. Established in 1994, it has become a go-to destination for parents, grandparents, and gift-givers looking for something meaningful and fun. The store offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere with shelves full of thoughtfully chosen items for children of all ages. Among its many offerings, puzzles stand out as a favorite for both kids and families.
Photo Source: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mudpuddles-ann-arbor
Literati Bookstore
Literati Bookstore is a warm, independent bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor, beloved for its thoughtfully curated selection of new books across genres from literary fiction and poetry to children’s and nonfiction. While its primary focus is books, it also offers a modest assortment of gifts, stationery, and puzzles. The puzzle selection tends to include smaller jigsaws, illustrated puzzles, and visually interesting designs rather than huge mass‑market puzzle walls. It’s a great stop if you want something unique and bookish rather than just big volume.
Photo Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccalerner/2018/02/06/literati-bookstore-marks-a-new-chapter-for-ann-arbor/