826 National, co-founded by author Dave Eggers, is a fantastic nonprofit dedicated to helping students, ages 6 to 18, with expository and creative writing. Their work is based on the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

They have workshop/learning centers in 7 cities, each fronted by an unusual and richly imaginative concept store to help raise funds, inspire creativity, and advertise their programs. I knew about some of the stores but I didn’t realize they were all part of the same organization, or that they had a super-fun robot shop in Michigan, my home state!

If you happen to live near one of the following locations, you’re in for a real treat!

• The Pirate Store (San Francisco, CA)
• Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company (Seattle, WA)
• Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. (Brooklyn, NY)
• The Boring Store (Chicago, IL)
• The Echo Park Time Travel Mart (Los Angeles, CA)
• Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair (Ann Arbor, MI)
• Bigfoot Research Institute (Boston, MA)