Tiffany Diamond is especially proud of her specialty piercing studio in Commerce Township.

“I think a lot of people do it because they really love the jewelry,” she says. “I just loved the idea of having another spot where I could put a diamond or gem. The first time saw a tongue piercing, I was like, ‘You can put jewelry in your mouth?’ Until then I had only seen a gold tooth or a gem in the tooth.”

Another reason to put your trust in Diamond is that DV8 stocks only the finest jewelry. “My studio carries only high quality, American-made, nickel-free jewelry, with genuine gemstones and diamonds,” she says. “I’m one of a few stores in Michigan that does not carry any lower-end stuff.”

The sort of piercings Diamond offers wouldn’t work so well if the jewelry hadn’t evolved with the times. Though punks in the 1980s might have sported a safety pin in the ear, contemporary designs are softer and sexier, more evocative than provocative.

“Piercing jewelry has come a long way,” Diamond says. “They’ve come up with a lot of different things you can do. Thirty years ago, it was hard to find ornate piercing jewelry with diamonds and gold. These days, I sell gold and diamonds every day. It’s not just putting spiky stuff in people’s ears anymore.” —Michael Jackman

901 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 313-961-0622; kingsbooksdetroit.com

While big box bookstores shutter by the numbers and mom-and-pop operations struggle to compete with Amazon and, well, the fact that most people these days seem to digest information in 140 characters or less, one iconic Detroit establishment is king — John K. King Used & Rare Books, that is.

If you're headed downtown on the freeway, it's hard to miss this literary giant. Since 1965, John K. King has become a labyrinthian treasure trove that houses a collection of 1 million books in more than 900 subjects. Upon entry, visitors are greeted with a map detailing the contents of each of the four stories. While you may go in with a list of must-find titles, the more seasoned bookworms will tell you that titles will find you.

More than the collection itself though, what John K. King offers is an experience. From the coveted old-book mustiness, and the charming handmade cardboard aisle descriptions and illustrations, to the walkie-talkie equipped staff who are ready to assist you in even the most impossible of searches, when you visit John K. King you are bound to leave with something special. —Jerilyn Jordan