Saugatuck, MI

Population: 963

I love Saugatuck. It is both beautiful to look at and beautiful to experience. The people, the art, the food, everything is amazing. Remember when I said that if a few of the towns I visited came close to being as amazing as Yellow Springs I would be really happy? Well here you go, this is one of them. Saugatuck, you have my heart, and I'll be coming back for it some day. 

Sunset on Kalamazoo Lake

When I first pulled into town the boats I saw in the harbor led me to expect another tourist trap like I found in Put-in-Bay. I have never been more wrong. The town is an artist commune and haven for creativity and high spirits. If you go to Saugatuck, which you should, take a minute to talk to the shop owners. More often than not they are also the artists of the work inside.

The People of Saugatuck (from left to right starting with top row)

Gina - She has been visitng Saugutck ever since she was little. Her grandfather, and then father, boated over from Chicago with the family for vacation. After she retired she moved here with her daughter to open the Tea Party and Cafe, two sister stores that opperate next to each other. She specializes in organic tea blends and loves to make new friends with the tourists. Be sure to stop by the Tea Party (not affiliated with the political group, she promises) and then go next door for a cup of the best tea in Saugatuck. 

Dan - Having grown up in Pakistan and attended an English boarding school in India, Dan now calls Saugatuck his forever home. When most people hear "T-Shirt Shoppe" they think tacky and tourist. The truth is that Dan's shoppe couldnt be further from it. He hand silk screen prints every T-shirt in his shop, and each one is a piece of art. He has lived in Saugatuck for 32 years and loves it because "you can be anything you want to be, except a jerk," so don't be a jerk and go say hi to Dan in Saugatuck. 

Janice - Originally from the UK, Janice is a self taught painter that works with water colors. She was offered a full-ride scholarship to an English art school but turned it down to go backpacking throughout the European continent. It's a good thing she turned the school down, because she met her future husband while on that trip. They came to Saugatuck 12 years ago after moving from Ft. Wayne where her husband originally lived and worked. With him having passed recently, Janice still puts on a smile for every customer as bright as her water colors. 

Philippe & his Mom - Having moved to the United States to make his fortune, Philippe feels that Saugatuck reminds him of France. He has been a shop owner in Saugatuck for 8 years and loves every minute of it. His mom recently came to visit for 45 days. She doesn't speak a word of English but loves having her photo taken. Philippe is incredibly proud of the space he's cultivated over the years, and loves when new people come into his store. 

Chieko - Being born in Tokyo, Chieko came to the area to be a student at Holland, Michigan's Hope College as an exchange student. She dabbled in painting while she was at school and sold her first painting while attending college. She moved home to Japan because she missed her family, but soon found herself missing the Saugatuck area. So she packed up and moved, that was 12 years ago. Although the sign behind her says "Life is Crap," she loves living in Saugatuck and all it has to offer. 

Mark & Cindy - This husband wife duo own and operate the gallery Cindy's of Saugatuck. Mark works the store while Cindy creates her art in the studio in the floor above which also acts as their home. She makes paintings and jewelry, and also features a few other local artists in her shoppe. Every day after closing Mark tells Cindy a story from his time working the store. He's been telling her stories for 7 years now and still hasn't run out. If you're ever in Saugatuck stop by Cindy's and ask Mark to dance, he loves to cut a rug with his customers!

Saugatuck, MI

This is the part of the post where I  try and convince you to go visit. But if I haven't done that already, then I don't know what else to say. Saugatuck is a one of a kind place that has more to offer than most cities ten times its size. As I write this I am three weeks into my trip, and wish I had stuck around in Saugatuck longer. So go visit it for me, and tell them Luke says hi.