Editor’s note: This article was published in Grand Traverse Scene magazine’s Holiday 2025 issue. Pick up a free copy at area hotels, visitor’s centers, chambers of commerce or at the Record-Eagle building on Front Street. Click here to read GT Scene in its entirety online.
Holiday gifts don’t have to put a dent in your wallet or dampen your holiday spirit, especially if you head to the quaint town of Cadillac, where dozens of retailers work to keep prices low and spirits high.
Serendipity Boutique on the main downtown strip of Mitchell Street, boasts great prices with a warm, cozy atmosphere. The slogan of the store is “Hygge” — a Danish word that emphasizes coziness and contentment.
“We blanketed serendipity with things that we love,” said owner Michele Bosscher. “Everyone who walks in the door is offered a coffee or a beverage.”
For her, it’s about building relationships with customers and making sure they can buy bags full of gifts that don’t break the bank.
“One of the things that we move a thousand and one of is called our JT bracelets. They’re 5 for $12. They’re mix and match. They’re something we constantly restock,” Bosscher said.
Sweaters, jackets, coats, jewelry, candles and more lines the shelves, including a new jewelry line they just started selling called E Newton.
The same hospitality can be found up the road and across Mitchell street at Blossom Boutique that also houses Intermission Healthy Skin Care. Jamie Dack owns Blossoms and her good friend Amy Bizzigotti owns Intermission, which is a spa in the back of the retail store.
“My whole thing is about the old movies and how they looked really beautiful without all the botox,” Bizzigotti said, highlighting that all her facials are named after old movies.
“Gone with the Wind” is her signature facial and “Days of Wine and Roses” is a Rosacea facial. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a facial and a full body treatment, and customers can easily see old movie posters throughout the space. The spa also has a Japanese head spa.
“You’re literally getting a facial for your scalp, and it’s so relaxing,” Bizzigotti said. The head spa runs around $155. She sells a few different skin care lines with her most popular being Eminence, which has been around since the 50s and uses only organic ingredients.
At Blossoms, Dack sells jewelry for $15 to $30 and her sweaters start at $30 and go up to $80.
“Traverse City people love to come down because the prices are so reasonable, so affordable,” Dack said. “Downstate people… it’s a must for them to come in on their way through.”
Thoughtfully placed jeans, blouses, sweaters, cardigans and more are dispersed throughout the retailer.
Also on Mitchell Street is Toy Town — Cadillac’s big toy store that welcomes Santa on small business weekend, which is right after Thanksgiving.
“That’s typically our biggest weekend of the whole year,” said owner Thaddaeus Gommesen. “We run some pretty big specials.”
The store has something for everyone, with old vintage collectables from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to an NFL Cabbage Patch Doll to whoopee cushions.
“I sold out of whoopee cushions twice last year, so I’m trying to make sure we don’t sell out this year,” he said. “We do a lot of classic toys. I do buy a lot of collections, so mixed in with all the rest of the toys, I have a lot of vintage (toys).”
Kites, puzzles, stuffed animals, lava lamps and more are available throughout the store.
“We do free gift wrapping, everyday… all day,” he said. We do that all year, but that really gets taken advantage of at Christamas time. Sometimes 10 to 20 packages for one customer. It keeps customers in the store too.”
Also located on Mitchell Street is Wexford Jewelers. Sales associate and administrator Keith Terwilliger said the store offers a wide array of jewelry.
Christmas, we always do some sort of secret promotion that we don’t reveal to the public until just before Black Friday.
“We always offer everything in a broad spectrum, so we’re not a normal jewelry store,” he said. “We work hard to have something in everyone’s budget.We offer low ticket items. So you can walk out of here with a gift right around $30. Or we have people come in that spend thousands upon thousands on something custom made.”
The smaller items make great stocking stuffers he said, as do higher priced gifts. The store also has fine diamond and gemstone cases and a bridal bar where women can try on various rings and match them with their dream stones.
If you head to Cadillac this holiday season, dozens of stores line the Mitchell Street and are also sprinkled throughout town.