{"id":1782,"date":"2025-06-21T07:56:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T07:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2025\/06\/21\/crazy-wisdom-bookstore-ann-arbors-bookstore-of-consciousness\/"},"modified":"2025-06-21T07:56:27","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T07:56:27","slug":"crazy-wisdom-bookstore-ann-arbors-bookstore-of-consciousness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2025\/06\/21\/crazy-wisdom-bookstore-ann-arbors-bookstore-of-consciousness\/","title":{"rendered":"Crazy Wisdom Bookstore: Ann Arbor\u2019s \u2018bookstore of consciousness\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.michigandaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mjb.STk_.BookStore.04.08.25.008-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"546071\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/business\/crazy-wisdom-bookstore-ann-arbors-bookstore-of-consciousness\/attachment\/mjb-stk-bookstore-04-08-25-008\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.michigandaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mjb.STk_.BookStore.04.08.25.008-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1705&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1705\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON Z 6_2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744133450&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;90&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.01&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"mjb.STk.BookStore.04.08.25.008\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Madalyn Braun\/DAILY.&lt;\/i&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/store.pub.umich.ed u\/michigan-daily-buy-this-photo\/ &quot;&gt;Buy this photo.&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.michigandaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mjb.STk_.BookStore.04.08.25.008-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.michigandaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mjb.STk_.BookStore.04.08.25.008-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\"><i>Madalyn Braun\/DAILY.<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/store.pub.umich.ed u\/michigan-daily-buy-this-photo\/ \">Buy this photo.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" width=\"780\" height=\"519\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-546072\" data-id=\"546072\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.michigandaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mjb.STk_.BookStore.04.08.25.054.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\"><i>Madalyn Braun\/DAILY.<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/store.pub.umich.ed u\/michigan-daily-buy-this-photo\/ \">Buy this photo.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>In an exploration of Ann Arbor\u2019s robust and diverse literary scene, The Michigan Daily\u2019s Business beat spoke with seven downtown bookstores. Each article in \u2018The literary culture of downtown Ann Arbor\u2019 project aims to capture each store\u2019s unique offerings and contribution to the community. Read the other articles here.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Located on South Main Street in the center of downtown Ann Arbor,<a href=\"https:\/\/crazywisdom.net\"> Crazy Wisdom Bookstore<\/a> serves the Ann Arbor community as a center for books about consciousness, ranging from holistic health and bodymind therapies to psychology and spiritual practices. Owners Bill Zirinsky and Ruth Schekter bought Crazy Wisdom from its founder<a href=\"https:\/\/www.auraglaser.com\/read-me\"> Aura Glaser<\/a> in 1989, who actively practiced<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sakya.org\/resources\/intro-to-tibetan-buddhism\/\"> Tibetan Buddhism<\/a> and was deeply interested in women\u2019s spirituality.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Zirinsky wrote in an email to The Michigan Daily the store used to be a small shop on North Fourth Avenue until he and Schekter relocated to a building on Main Street in 1999. Under the new ownership, the Zirinsky and Schekter renovated the much larger space and won an award for their historical preservation efforts. He wrote the bookstore is well-known in the downtown area and houses a wide variety of books about spiritual traditions around the world, trinkets and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCrazy Wisdom\u2019s tagline has always been a \u2018bookstore of consciousness\u2019,\u201d Zirinsky wrote. \u201cWe specialize in books about all the spiritual traditions of the world, psychological growth, holistic\/integrative medicine, sustainability, and conscious living. In addition to books, we also have lovely jewelry, statuary, cards, tarot decks, incense, and candles.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Zirinsky described the bookstore\u2019s atmosphere as one of happiness and excitement, commenting on the positive feedback they receive from customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur customers really love Crazy Wisdom,\u201d Zirinsky wrote. \u201cWe get told that each and every day. From all over. When we announced we were going to close for a time, after the pandemic, the local Ann Arbor News put us on their front page, with the headline: \u2018Iconic Bookstore Downtown to Close.\u2019 That was lovely to be called iconic, to have grown from a tiny little \u2018new age store in 1982\u2019 to a unique and iconic institution in this city. That was a success story!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with The Daily, Chandra Mitchel, Crazy Wisdom\u2019s general manager and merchandise buyer, said the bookstore is a part of the niche shopping selection that downtown Ann Arbor used to be known for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel like we are a throwback to how or what Ann Arbor was known for, which was more unusual, quirky, different shops, and a lot of that has gone away or just people have moved on,\u201d Mitchel said. \u201cSo, we get a lot of that (from customers) that, \u2018We\u2019re so happy that you guys reopened because it just reminds us of how Ann Arbor used to be\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mitchel said Crazy Wisdom has created a space for the Ann Arbor community to showcase local offerings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve always been supportive of the community and helped in different ways to support community events and be involved in the community in whatever ways that might be,\u201d Mitchel said. \u201cWe have a community bulletin board, so we allow people to come in and post their events in town. Right now, in our front window, we have the children\u2019s artwork from Ann Arbor, so we do participate in community events as much as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zirinsky wrote Crazy Wisdom\u2019s recurring customers come from all across Ann Arbor and are often affiliated with the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Concordia College and Washtenaw Community College. In addition to college students, Zirinsky said Crazy Wisdom appeals to all age ranges, offering<a href=\"https:\/\/crazywisdom.net\/live-music\/\"> live music<\/a> and more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor many years, we had a \u2018fairy tea\u2019 up in our Tea Room, and our customers were 3 and 4 year old girls for those teas,\u201d Zirinsky wrote. \u201cWe closed the Tea Room during the pandemic, but we still have a really lovely space upstairs for events, meetings, classes. Plus, we have live music every Friday evening upstairs, plus drum circles, our \u2018death caf\u00e9,\u2019 and author events and talks.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>LSA junior Avalon Ring, employee at Crazy Wisdom, said her time working at the store as an undergraduate student has been a rewarding experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI liked the idea of Crazy Wisdom because my parents have always been into the metaphysical aspect of a bookstore,\u201d Ring said. \u201cThey\u2019ve always been into that sort of stuff, so it felt very familiar, and in a way, I was kind of at home in that sense.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ring said the local community members she encounters at the bookstore are her favorite part about working there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really do like the sense of community at the store and I really do like my co-workers and my manager. They\u2019re all very nice and accommodating, and it\u2019s just been a very good experience working there,\u201d Ring said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to Zirinsky, Crazy Wisdom supports a welcoming community for not only their staff, but for their customers and the impact the store has on them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have gotten oodles and oodles of wonderful feedback through the years,\u201d Zirinsky wrote. \u201cHere\u2019s one quote from a customer: \u2018Your bookstore led me to some of the most deeply profound changes in my life and the best experiences of growth, as a result of the books I have bought in your store<em>.<\/em>\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Daily Staff Reporter Alexis Spector can be reached at <\/em><a href=\"mailto:alexissp@umich.edu\"><em>alexissp@umich.edu<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\/news\/business\/crazy-wisdom-bookstore-ann-arbors-bookstore-of-consciousness\/\">Crazy Wisdom Bookstore: Ann Arbor&#8217;s \u2018bookstore of consciousness\u2019<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandaily.com\">The Michigan Daily<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Madalyn Braun\/DAILY. Buy this photo. Madalyn Braun\/DAILY. Buy this photo. In an exploration of Ann Arbor\u2019s robust and diverse literary scene, The Michigan Daily\u2019s Business beat spoke with seven downtown bookstores. Each article in \u2018The literary culture of downtown Ann Arbor\u2019 project aims to capture each store\u2019s unique offerings and contribution to the community. Read [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[242,1990,1989,1991,1474,1988],"class_list":{"0":"post-1782","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-ann","9":"tag-arbors","10":"tag-bookstore","11":"tag-consciousness","12":"tag-crazy","13":"tag-wisdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1782"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1784,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1782\/revisions\/1784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}