Crazy Wisdom almost became one of the victims of the Pandemic – shutting down for a long time like everyone did as the owners contemplated permanently ending the life of one of the most quirky and intriguing bookstores in a town that is famously full of them. But, they came back changed but still very themselves, much like Literati did when they also almost closed, and Ann Arbor is very much culturally richer for it.
The store is still on Main Street, in between Vineology and Censys. The bookshop still specializes in mysticism, healthy living, holistic solutions and spiritual topics. Also still here is the bookshelf that becomes a staircase and delightfully eclectic collection of trinkets, which are also for sale.
“I think that coming into Crazy Wisdom … It’s hard to just run in really quick. Most people plan to spend time in the store … that’s why we have chairs for people to sit, and most people do. They come in and relax, it smells really good – we burn sage everyday – and it’s an experience for them rather than just a store,” Store Manager Chandra Mitchel said. “Everything about this store is meant to evoke relaxation, calm, good feelings. I get that every day, people come in and they’re like ‘I would spend all day here if I had the time’ but they still ended up spending an hour here.”
Crazy Wisdom was famous for its second story tea room, which is no longer operating as it was before. However, the bar itself is still there with some very basic self-serve coffee and options, but there is no barista. While no one will charge you, there is what Susan Youngs, Crazy Wisdom’s Eeents coordinator, said is a “donation based” cash jar and payments system.
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While it may be sad for many to see the tea room go away, it is still a music venue. The musicians are backlit from the floor to ceiling second floor windows facing the facades of banks across Main Street, creating an incidental light show every day as the musicians play as the mid-afternoon turns to sunset, and then to the black and orange and neon of downtown’s lights.
“We have events on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and on Friday nights we have live music,” Youngs said. “And the space is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5pm. We don’t have events then, but sometimes the public just comes up then.”
If nightclubs and stadium concerts are not your thing, the nice alternative brings acoustic music and comfortable furniture to a mellow setting that is much more intimate – the sort of place where the musician can have a long conversation with everybody afterwards.
“People are welcome to bring their own food and drinks from outside. We’re hoping that with people’s money being a little tighter these days, that they can benefit from not having to worry about cover charges and having to spend a small fortune on food while they’re here,” Music Director Stuart Benbow said. “(The music at Crazy Wisdom is) generally acoustic. But we’ve had some electric in here, keyboards, trios – everything from blues nights and jazz, to singer-songwriters. We do a songwriter roundup on the first Friday of each month.”
A rentable meeting room is situated on the other side of the second floor from the music venue. In between is a lovely little art gallery, whose unique pieces are lit by skylight.
Crazy Wisdom also publishes a monthly magazine, and a community journal, both of which you can subscribe to. They are currently open 11am to 6pm every Sunday and Tuesday, 11am to 9pm every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and 11am to 10pm on Fridays.
Drew Saunders is a freelance business and environmental journalist who grew up just outside of Ann Arbor. He covers local business developments, embraces his foodie side with reviews restaurants, obsesses over Michigan's environmental state, loves movies, and feels spoiled by the music he gets to review for Ann Arbor!
