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December 2023 by S Adair
I am very sad to post this. Went there today (12/16/23) and the whole place - outside and inside - is sad. Dirty outside and very very cold and damp inside. Smells of damp. Hardly any holiday cards. Dimly lit and no heat. No festive atmosphere at all. The lady was very helpful. She told me that two printers had quit and their stock is very low. It was just plain sad sad sad. It would have been “better” had no one tried to carry on traditions - and kept the good wonderful memories Gwen deserves. We won’t be back.
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September 2023 by Que Sra
I personally knew Gwen and I have a house full of her artwork and books. I love her designs and cherish my memories of chatting with her every summer, starting when I was a little girl visiting the store with my grandmother. I have mixed emotions about the shop as it is today. They have a beautiful display about Gwen, which is a lovely tribute. The presses are still printing, and they have a very nice selection of her work. The prices are reasonable, and the staff is pleasant. Unfortunately, the overwhelming smell of damp that pervades is unpleasant. I wish they would cut back a lot of the overgrowth that surrounds the building so it would dry up some. I do appreciate that they have kept the mini pond and the letters to Gwen from around the world.
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August 2023 by Marsh Jones (MNSwamp)
This is a painfully difficult rating. We have been stopping at Gwen Frostic's for many, many years, but haven't been there in perhaps 10 years. We even made our wedding invites from her card stock. It's still mostly the same, they still have her prints in a variety of media, but the feel is quite different. I couldn't put a finger on it, other than the persistent smell of mildew was very present. Hoping that somehow they can perhaps get a grant to preserve/remediate the building, and some marketing to expand the audience for her incredible prints.
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August 2023 by Chris A
A magical place nestled in the woods filled with enchanting pieces of original art. The building invites guests to explore it's many nooks and crannies where they encounter a wonderful variety of items to purchase. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. This is a must visit if you are in the area. They also have an online store, but there is no substitute for a visit to Gwen Frostic.
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August 2023 by Marsh Jones
This is a painfully difficult rating. We have been stopping at Gwen Frostic's for many, many years, but haven't been there in perhaps 10 years. We even made our wedding invites from her card stock. It's still mostly the same, they still have her prints in a variety of media, but the feel is quite different. I couldn't put a finger on it, other than the persistent smell of mildew was very present. Hoping that somehow they can perhaps get a grant to preserve/remediate the building, and some marketing to expand the audience for her incredible prints.
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August 2023 by L Dobkowski
An absolute must see of the area. Please anyone considering going here, donate and make purchases to help them maintain this amazing historic place. It's a hallmark of my childhood and as an adult I still make it a point to visit and patronize the shop every chance I get.
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July 2023 by Kristin Walker
Beautiful, natural art prints that have stood the test of time in a unique building that almost seems to have grown from the landscape. Great, quality stationery and printed products. A destination for art lovers, architecture buffs, and conservationists alike.
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July 2023 by Raini Gilmore
Like the architecture of the building, the prints and the story, but it smells moldy and feels unhealthy to be in that building. In the former living area I saw a bucket filled with algae which looked to be catching a leak from the thatched roof. Anyone with respiratory issues and allergies should steer clear.
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July 2023 by Jean Morin
Lovely shop to purchase cards and other gifts. A sentimental classic stop in Michigan.
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July 2023 by Anne T
This must have been an amazing place at one time. You can see it was. But it is falling into disrepair. One end of it was blocked off and you could see at least one beam broken.
We went into her once fascinating office and you couldn’t even see out the window at the pond she loved so much. The overgrowth blocked everything . The walkways outside were over grown and the railings broken.The whole place smells of mold and mildew. It is so intense I had to leave the office.
Actually the whole place smells of same. I am shocked that in a place that has so much fine paper and so many books and depends on this for income has not one dehumidifier or air purifier. It is actually criminal to allow an artists work to molder away with neglect.
I bought a book of poems and was treated as though it was a hassle to take care of me. Then when I got it home it reeked so much of mildew I am airing it out page by page in the sun with hopes of being able to actually read it without sneezing.
Shame on the owners/board or whomever is responsible for this Michigan treasure because they clearly are letting it decay away. I left this state of affairs with a feeling of sadness and impending loss.
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June 2023 by Michelle Hammond
Have been coming here for years. I love the natural setting, the grass covered building, the friendly staff in that shop that treat you like long time friends. In side this rustic building you’ll find a small waterfall going into a pool of fish and frogs. You will also find the original printing presses okay maybe not the original but vintage.They have few small room that sell other people’s crafts that would interest kids or grandparents. However the majority of the building is dedicated to Grew Frostic Prints cards for many occasions, blank note cards, that you can buy as a set or pick out your own. Spiral bond notebooks, recipes cards, and so much more.Plenty of parking here. Be aware the is a down hill slope to the parking lot and it is one way.
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June 2023 by Jennifer Lindsley
Gwen Frostic has been a tradition with my family when we get a chance to come to Northern Michigan. I love her work and had the privilege to meet her briefly when I was six. Her gorgeous earthy studio and absolutely old school print making matching and designs always make me happy. I love this art!!❤️
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October 2022 by Nicolaus “Nico” Isco
Beautiful place! Unfortunately they have a serious problem with mold. The shop has an intense smell of it. Parts are already closed due to water damage and if there is nothing to prevent this further the store will slowly rot away. Wear a mask not because of Covid but because of the mold
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September 2022 by Eric Alstrom
Still the same great place it was years ago. Lots of Frostic prints and cards to purchase as well as other "up north" gifts. The best time to go is when the presses are running (during the week I think).
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August 2022 by reviewsfyi
This was the home and studio of the( late) artist, Gwen Frostic. The business has recently been sold and the 11 acre site declared a National Historic one. This, following many years of the place slowly decaying. Visibly. Terribly.
We've visited Gwen's for over 40 years, especially enjoying times when she was working and we cold watch her. This time, we came away feeling very saddened at what we found. The disrepair is evident. None of the presses were running (it was a weekday). But, of course, her work is still lovely because her linotype blocks are still used.
The biggest surprise was the three women behind the counter (there used to be one, and only one). Once they stopped talking to one another about Netflix movies or TV show plots or their social activities and we had their attention, they were incredibly rude. I guess we interrupted their party.
What a shame. An absolute shame. Gwen Frostic was, and is, a Michigan treasure. We didn't find a treasure but lumps of coal.
The business has a website and orders can be placed if its Gwen's work you want. It isn't necessary to actually go there any longer.
