English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Ann Arbor, MI

Southern Michigan is full of cozy towns, like Adrian, with college-town charm and a vibrant downtown, and Tecumseh, with historic streets and cozy boutiques. One such village is Dundee, Michigan, known for its historic buildings, colorful downtown streets, and antique shops. Dundee was founded in 1832, and its historic downtown district features several buildings constructed in the mid-1800s through the early 1900s. Visitors can also get in touch with the past in another way by browsing the village's antique shops.

Located about a half-hour drive south of Ann Arbor or a half-hour drive north of Toledo, Ohio, Dundee is nestled on the shores of the River Raisin. It's also about a 20-minute drive from Monroe, a gem of a city on the shores of Lake Erie, with wineries and trails. If you're flying in, you're less than 40 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, which means it should be an easy drive into town. With a population of just over 6,300 people, Dundee may be best known to Michiganders as the site of one of the largest Cabela's stores in the country. The 225,000 square-foot location of the outdoor gear store features taxidermy animals displayed on a giant indoor mountain, as well as a 65,000-gallon aquarium.

The official village of Dundee website credits the opening of Cabela's in 1999 as the event that turned the village from a gas stop off US-23 into a tourist destination in its own right. Today, there are four chain hotels in the village welcoming visitors, as well as the quaint Vine Bed & Breakfast and a Splash Universe resort.

Dundee's charming downtown and cozy eateries

Dundee's historic downtown surrounds the unique, triangle-shaped Memorial Park, a short walk away from the River Raisin. The park has been a community gathering place since 1865 and features a bandstand constructed in 1913 in memory of WWI soldiers (which was re-dedicated in 2013). Around the park and on both sides of the River Raisin, you'll see historic buildings with Italianate architecture. One highlight is the Old Mill Museum, which was constructed in 1848 as a grist mill in the Greek Revival architectural style and later turned into a factory. Today, it's a local history museum — and some say it's haunted. The museum hosts a popular annual paranormal festival called ParaFest, as well as overnight ghost hunting investigations. "It's a very quaint little place," writes one ParaFest attendee on Google. "The water outside is beautiful and the little town surrounding it has a lot to offer."

You'll find several cozy eateries in downtown Dundee. Coffeeshop Cool Beanz promises an atmosphere "as warm and inviting as downtown Dundee itself," with a menu offering lattes and pastries. "Upon walking in, you're greeted with an atmosphere that screams coziness, and chairs that will challenge your best lazy boy," writes one Google reviewer. River's Edge Pizza Pub & Grill is the village's top-rated restaurant on Tripadvisor, with a 4.5 average. "River's Edge is a cozy local joint," writes one Tripadvisor reviewer, who adds that they enjoyed their burger and appreciated the brick wall decor. Uncle Lyle's Tavern & Grill offers nostalgic train-themed decor and upscale pub food, like bourbon-glazed brussels sprouts and a smoked brisket sandwich. One Google reviewer praises their "small town charm and homemade treats."

Dundee's antique shops and outdoor activities

If antiquing is your thing, Dundee is home to Dundee Antiques & Art and CK Antiques and Restoration. Both are located in downtown Dundee, on two sides of the triangular Memorial Park. Located in the same building as Cool Beanz coffee shop, Dundee Antiques & Art features antique postcards, collectibles, books, and home decor, as well as local art. One Google reviewer describes the shop as "quaint and cozy." Explore the shop, and you'll find some unique sights, like an indoor koi pond surrounded by bookshelves. "It felt like something out of a movie — quiet, whimsical, and totally unexpected," writes another Google reviewer.

Just across Riley Street, you'll find CK Antiques and Restoration, offering vintage clothing, accessories, and jewelry, as well as furniture and home decor. Reviewers remark on the selection of Elvis memorabilia and handmade art. "This antique shop is one [of] the best around. While you're in the beautiful village of Dundee, this is a must-stop on your way through town," writes one Google reviewer.

Thanks to its proximity to the River Raisin, Dundee also offers several outdoor activities. The Central River Raisin Water Trail passes through Dundee, offering opportunities to kayak and canoe. For those who wish to explore the water trail from Dundee, River Raisin Canoe Livery offers rentals. For another look at the outdoors, the 60-acre West County Park features hiking trails, river access, and an opportunity to observe birds. Finally, for those who would rather drink a glass of wine outdoors than go hiking or boating, St. Julian Winery offers a tasting room with an outdoor patio.

ANN ARBOR, MI – Most of the books alleged to be “inappropriate” in Washtenaw County’s district by out-of-state advocacy group Take Back the Classroom are on the shelves of its high school libraries.

An initiative from the Capitol Resource Institute (CRI), Take Back the Classroom recently landed in the spotlight after the searchable online platform was cited earlier this month over a list of books being removed from library shelves and put under review in Lapeer Community Schools.

At 616, Ann Arbor Public Schools has more “books found” that deemed unsuitable for kids than any other district in the state of Michigan.

However, a closer look shows many are available only to AAPS’ eldest students.

An MLive review of Take Back the Classroom’s “books found” lists showed 195 common titles across the district. All but a dozen of those can found attributed to the district’s Community, Huron, Pioneer and Skyline high schools.

But why does AAPS have more listed books than other districts of a similar size?

Take Back the Classroom’s platform does not make that clear. According to previous reports, CRI President Karen England has said their aim is to empower average parents to decide for themselves what’s appropriate for their kids to encounter at school.

The California-based organization has compiled a master list of 1,200 books it’s calling on school districts to remove, searching for 300 of those titles so far. They’re not trying to universally ban the impacted books from sale, England said previously, but rather trying to keep material they believe sexualizes its subject matter out of kids’ hands.

When visitors search the Take Back website for an individual school, results show how titles identified for being “sexually explicit” or with a “red-flag warning,” which alleges books promote “indoctrinate our students” on themes related to gender roles, sexuality, the LGBTQ+ community and topics it claims are “designed to lure children into the progressive mindset.”

“I’m not surprised that Ann Arbor would have so many books on their list,” Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Project, said late last week.

He and other critics cite what they believe has been a more ideological push from conservative policy organizations looking to ban books within the last few years ― often parents who don’t want their children to have access to certain content, ultimately affecting the literary choice of other families.

“Ann Arbor Public Schools is a diverse school community that features a lot of different stories and viewpoints,” Kaplan said, “and probably has the resources to have a library collection that reflects that diversity.”

AAPS, indeed, has a recent history of stocking shelves with culturally inclusive books, such as bringing in what AAPS officials said last year would be the state’s “largest native-authored collection of books.”

What books are getting the ‘inappropriate’ label?

The book most-often included on Take Back the Classroom at AAPS elementary schools is “Better Nate Than Never” by Tim Federle, a story about 13-year-old boy who runs away to New York to audition for “E.T.: The Musical.”

At the high-school level, the authors with the most titles named are Ellen Hopkins, Sarah J. Maas and Colleen Hoover at 15, 14 and 10, respectively.

Hopkins pens books that are frequently popular with teens and young adults. According to the American Library Association, her books “Burned,” “Crank,” “Glass” and “Tricks” were among the top 100 most banned or challenged books from 2010 to 2019.

The nonprofit PEN America also reported that five of her novels ― “Crank,” “Fallout,” “Impulse,” “People Kill People” and “Tilt” ― were among a list of 52 once under consideration to be banned from a Utah school district in 2022, two-fifths of which featured LBGTQ+ characters and themes.

Maas is a bestselling romantic fantasy author, and nearly all the novels under her “Throne of Glass,” “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and “Crescent City” series are included on the Take Back and mostly included the AAPS’ high school library shelves.

Titles from Hoover are also entirely in high school libraries. She is best known primarily for her 2016 novel “It Ends with Us,” which was adapted into the 2024 Blake Lively film of the same name and deals with romance and domestic violence themes.

Some well-known writers with just one or two books listed as “found” in an Ann Arbor school library include “Collected Poems” from Allen Ginsberg, young adult author Judy Blume’s “Forever,” Toni Morrison, whose award-winning work often chronicles stories about the Black experience, and fantasy writer George R. R. Martin with two of the novels “A Song of Ice and Fire,” which has been adapted into “Game of Thrones” and other television series on HBO.

Authors with three or four novels listed include Jennifer Armentrout, Elana K. Arnold, Margaret Atwood, E. R. Frank, John Green, Tiffany D. Jackson, David Levithan, Julie Murphy, Lauren Myracle, Chuck Palahniuk and Alice Sebold.

The four Atwood novels include “The Handmaid’s Tales,” a 1985 book detailing a fictional U.S. overthrown by a theocratic totalitarian regime whose elite subjugates women for their reproductive systems, and its sequel “The Testaments.”

The first novel was subject to a titular TV adaptation that concluded as a series on Hulu last year, while its sequel will be the subject for its own upcoming show.

Palahniuk’s most well-known novel is “Fight Club,” which was adapted into the 1999 film of the same name, as was Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” into the 2009 film.

In a statement Saturday, Rebecca Lowe, president of the Michigan Association of School Librarians, was also critical of Take Back the Classroom’s roundup of “inappropriate” books and contributors who aren’t “trained and degreed educators, librarians or professional reviews” before flagging titles.

“Using websites that assess books based on a group or individual’s subjective feelings about a book’s content introduces viewpoint and content-based biases into decisions about a library’s collections,” she said. “Using these rating systems as rationales for restricting the purchase of library materials or for access to materials is a form of unconstitutional viewpoint and content-based censorship that violates the First Amendment rights of readers, including students.

“Certified School Librarians are trained in collection development and are best suited to implement their school library collection development policies.”

Ann Arbor Education Stories

Boasting a dramatic landscape of dense forests and serene views of the Great Lakes, travelers to Michigan will find all manner of adventure. Waterfront lodges and ski resorts offer some of Michigan's most romantic getaways for couples, while eager explorers can paddle around the Beaver Island Water Trail to circumnavigate one of Lake Michigan's most beautiful islands. Meanwhile, for a restful escape from the big city, plan a weekend getaway to Blissfield, a Michigan village just as charming as its name. Tucked along the bends of the River Raisin, a stop in Blissfield will be an idyllic Midwestern experience.

Named for its founder, Hervey Bliss, the village was established in the 1820s, flourishing when the railroad brought new inhabitants. A stroll through Blissfield's historic downtown today reveals red-brick façades, Italianate and Victorian architecture, and vintage storefronts with bold lettering that echo the village's early pioneer history. Strings of twinkling lights stretch between the buildings, adding to Blissfield's relaxed atmosphere. Sightseers can snap photos with the stately brickwork, while antique collectors can pop into the General Store for vintage finds, and quaint local eateries offer a laid-back locale to refuel for more adventuring.

What's more, Blissfield's historic district is always lively with local events. Sommeliers can sip flavorful varietals during Downtown Wine Around, while an array of truck and bike shows draw in auto enthusiasts and children alike. In the summer, the annual Blissfield River Raisin Festival lights up the public park along the riverfront with fairground rides, parades, and evening fireworks, while the Farm to Table event celebrates Blissfield's agricultural heritage through fresh produce and tasty cuisine against a backdrop of live music. Michigan locals in Ann Arbor can drive south to Blissfield in about 50 minutes, while Ohioans in Toledo are even closer at just 30 minutes away.

Enjoy the excitement of Blissfield's local festivals

With the village calendar always busy, Blissfield is a delight in any season. Aside from the River Raisin Festival, the warmth of summer emphasizes Blissfield's laid-back atmosphere with the start of the Summer Concert Series. Both local bands and musicians from around the country entertain crowds gathered amidst the downtown streets. Food stalls offer refreshments as the strains of country music, bluegrass, and classic rock fill the air.

As the chill of autumn arrives, flea market fiends can stroll the historic downtown streets to browse the craft stalls and antique booths during the Antiques in Autumn market, while the Harvest Festival in October brings plenty of excitement for all the family. Children can join a scavenger hunt, adults can test their strength in the tug-of-war competition, while pumpkin bowling, face painting, carnival games, and seasonal treats keep the merriment going.

Christmas time in Blissfield is particularly spectacular, with a host of events to ward off the Midwestern chill by bringing festive cheer. An annual celebration for more than 50 years now is the Yuletide Festival at the start of November, a beloved local tradition. Taking place over the weekend, Santa Claus himself arrives in town to help light up the Christmas tree and take passengers on horse-drawn carriage rides through the streets, while the Yuletide Market invites holiday shoppers for a peek at the goodies. Next comes the Wassail Fest and the Parade of Lights in December. Based on medieval English yuletide traditions, Blissfield residents take a stroll around the local businesses downtown to sample their homemade wassail, a type of mulled cider with spices, or sometimes Christmas-themed cocktails. Twinkling lights and live music bring the festive cheer to a crescendo during the Parade of Lights, a great way to end the year.

Find antique treasures in Blissfield's downtown and find places to eat

Head to Blissfield during the quieter moments between festivals to soak up the village's relaxed vibe. Treasure hunters will be able to take leisurely strolls through the downtown streets and explore the antique emporiums scattered around. Right on the corner is the Blissfield Antiques Mall, tucked inside a pastel Italianate edifice. On the opposite end of the block is the Vintage Treasure Store, while a short walk down the street is The Blue Onion Antiques Gifts & Collectibles, which offers everything from home decor to children's toys. At the Divine Treasures Boutique, retro collectors will find jewelry, clothing, and old-school memorabilia.

When shopping leaves you feeling hungry, head over to Blissfield Coney Island, a classic American diner squeezed inside the red-brick façades downtown. Serving all-day dining, patrons can tuck in to comfort specials like grilled cheese sandwiches and hot dogs, along with breakfast burritos, burgers, and salads. "Large portions, good quality grub", wrote a satisfied diner in a Google review. For an assortment of sweet treats, head to Emmy's Kitchen, a local bakery operating out of a clapboard cottage that looks almost like a gingerbread house. Take your pick of donuts, cupcakes, and even ice cream.

Caffeine lovers and beer enthusiasts can find high-quality sips at the Starling Lounge, which shares space with the Four Keys Brewing company. Order espresso in the afternoon and enjoy a pint of craft beer to top off the evening after a fun day of exploring. Travelers extending their stay should book a room at the H.D. Ellis Inn, a cozy Italianate mansion dating to the 1880s. Anyone looking for more Michigan excitement can drive just 20 minutes away to Tecumseh, a charming town with historic streets and friendly vibes.

Kyle Whittingham brought this player over from Utah during the transfer portal window

In January, new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham made a key addition during the transfer portal window by bringing over All-American EDGE rusher John Henry Daley from Utah.

While the connections to Whittingham and his staff are obvious for Daley, there were still some questions about the Wolverines that needed to be answered before he joined the program coming over from the West Coast.

Plus, Daley also had other schools on his radar other than Michigan, as he kicked off his visit schedule with a trip to Notre Dame before coming to Ann Arbor for a visit.

Initially, Daley had other school he was set to take a trip to, but those never happened as Daley made up his mind that he was going to be a Wolverine after the trip to Ann Arbor.

When speaking to On3's Ethan McDowell from The Wolverine, Daley described his process to Michigan as a "very spiritual experience."

Daley on being a Wolverine

“Obviously, Michigan was on the list (of schools Daley was considering), and I had a lot of other schools as well,” Daley said in the interview with The Wolverine. “I said, ‘Okay, I really want to receive an answer for this, so God, can you please answer my prayer?’

"I named a couple specific things I want to see happen if it was meant to be Michigan. And sure enough, the next morning we got a call, and everything that I prayed about the night before, all of it was answered that following morning, and I just knew that it was the right spot to be.”

Daley told McDowell his reasons for choosing the Wolverines were "extremely personal," but once he received the answers he was looking for to his questions, he decided to shut his recruitment down and make his commitment to Michigan.

"They told me that they know what they’re building over here and what we’re going to be able to accomplish as a team this next season, and they were super, super pumped to have me be a part of that,” Daley said.

Daley, who was ranked as the No. 9 player nationally in the transfer portal, said his time in Ann Arbor is off to a fantastic start, telling The Wolverine he is enjoying different aspects of campus and the city of Ann Arbor itself.

"I’m sure glad to be here at Michigan,” Daley said. “Man, it’s everything that they say and more. It is fantastic.”

Daley added that the Michigan staff, which includes defensive ends coach Lewis Powell, who coached Daley at Utah, is full of men who are preaching the right messages.

"We’ve got fantastic leaders who go out there and do everything that needs to be done,” Daley said. “Whether they want to or not, doesn’t matter. They’re doing it regardless because that’s what they expect out of us as well.”

Daley totaled 48 total tackles last season, including 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks before an injury sidelined him toward the end of the year.

He told The Wolverine he views his success last season as a great foundation and something he can build upon heading into 2026.

"I feel like that’s the floor—not the ceiling— of what I’m going to be able to do,” Daley said. “Obviously, I just need to keep on attacking my rehab and doing everything that’s necessary, but I’ll be back, and I won’t be back to where I was, but I’ll be better than I’ve ever been.”

Seth began writing on Michigan athletics in 2015 and has remained in the U-M media space ever since, which includes stops at Maize N Brew and Rivals before coming onto Michigan On SI in June of 2025. Seth has covered various angles of Michigan football and basketball, including recruiting, overall team coverage and feature/analysis stories relating to the Wolverines. His passion for Michigan sports and desire to tell stories led him to the sports journalism world. He is a 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University and is the former sports editor of the Western Herald, WMU's student newspaper.

ANN ARBOR, MI — A Michigan-based chocolate and confections shop will bring sweet treats back to an Ann Arbor storefront.

Ferndale-based Quix Chocolate has announced plans to open its third location at 107-109 E. Liberty St. downtown. The storefronts are the former location of Kilwins, a chocolate and ice cream shop that closed at the end of 2025 after 42 years.

With the closure of Kilwins, “it’s almost like it was written in the stars,” David Ogloza, Quix Chocolate’s founder, said.

“It sounded like a good opportunity to not pass up on,” Ogloza said. “Ann Arbor is great for boutique shopping and small, independent places. It’s just such a nice, vibrant community, and hopefully people will enjoy what we have to offer.”

He said he hopes to continue bringing “joy” to the Ann Arbor community like Kilwins did.

Quix Chocolate produces its own line of Michigan-made Belgian chocolates and confections. They also sell Illy-brand coffee, Guernsey ice cream, milkshakes and hot chocolate.

Ogloza knows Belgian chocolate. He was born in Belgium and his family owned Chocoladhuis Quix, which they founded in 1949 and operated until the early 1980s in Lanklaar. Quix is a family name on his mother’s side.

“We’re using Belgium recipes and the Belgian way to make our filled bon-bons,” he said.

Belgium is known as one of the chocolate capitals of the world. Ogloza said that is thanks to the preparation process.

“You grind the cocoa beans to finer specification. You have a much milkier, creamier taste once you eat it. And then, because of the ingredients they add to it, your mouth feel, you’ll actually taste the chocolate longer even after eating it,” he said.

Fillings contain ingredients like heavy cream or fresh fruit. They make their own ganache.

“That combined with the chocolate just makes for a very rich and decadent chocolate,” he said.

The store’s expansion to Ann Arbor is not part of any larger expansion plan but a sign of how the company has grown “organically,” he said. “I felt like we could grow a little bit further.”

The original Ferndale location opened in 2022, and a second retail store opened in 2024 at Detroit Metro Airport’s North Evans Terminal.

Quix Chocolate-brand products are also carried in 56 grocery stores in Michigan, including 45 Meijer locations.

They are currently gearing up to remodel the Ann Arbor storefront with the intention of knocking down the wall between two storefronts that Kilwins previously occupied.

“I think we’ll continue with same look and feel,” as the Ferndale location, Ogloza said.

The remodeled space could feature wooden cabinetry, chandeliers and other features that would make it “feel like Belgium, home for me,” he said.

He hopes to have the new shop up and running before this summer.

“If I could open next month, I would do it,” he said, explaining that he is currently working to obtain building permits from the city. “I’m hoping by Mother’s Day or shortly after.”

More details and hiring announcements are expected to come as the project moves forward.

Kilwins had its last day on New Year’s Eve. The closure ended a long journey for owner Chera Tramontin and her family. Tramontin’s mother Karen Piehutkowski opened it in 1983 as the first franchise store in the Petoskey-based company’s history.

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