Trader Joe’s sees double
Yes, Virginia. There will be two Trader Joe’s in Bellingham. Not only does Trader Joe’s corporate website now list a new “Bellingham (North)” location at 4255 Meridian St., but a corporate spokesperson confirmed that “the new location will be an additional store” and TJ’s has no plans to close the existing spot on James Street. No specific opening date has been announced for the newer location but it will not be in time for Santa’s 2024 Jingle Jangle confection shopping. Both the website and spokesperson give the opening timeframe as “2025.”
Speculation about the new store began in June when a demolition permit was issued for the interior of the former Bed Bath & Beyond location, followed by a state liquor license application in September, both listing “Trader Joe’s #274.” No word on whether the “Bellingham (North)” designation means the store will primarily be for the many British Columbia shoppers from north of the city who fill the current store’s parking lot.
Mercedes dealership to move
Mercedes-Benz of Bellingham is moving one block down Iowa Street. Go Auto, the Canadian auto dealership chain that bought both the Mercedes and Toyota dealerships in the Roosevelt neighborhood in 2023 (its first outside of Canada) confirmed construction should begin in April 2025 with a target completion date of March 2026. Permits have been issued by the City of Bellingham for demolition of existing buildings at 1200 Iowa St., next door to the current shared Mercedes/Toyota building at 1100 Iowa St.
A Go Auto spokesperson said the planned 26,000 square foot, single-story Mercedes-Benz facility will allow Toyota of Bellingham to occupy the entire existing building.
PNWaffle Boutique wraps up
PNWaffle Boutique at 1230 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham is closing its doors at the end of November. The boutique, which its Instagram page said features “40+ local artisans with crafts” as well as locally sourced culinary provisions, was founded by Ruby Elvrom who also operates a sister business, Waffles in Paradise. Elvrom said the Waffles in Paradise booth at the Bellingham Farmers Market has already shut down and Nov. 30 should be the last day at the retail store.
Tulip Valley Farms wins international honors
Tulip Valley Farms in Mount Vernon was named the “Most Scenic U-Pick Tulip Farm in the World” and its founder, Andrew Miller, given the “Visionary Leadership Award for Agritourism” at October’s World Tulip Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, according to the company. The honors at the industry event come within two years of Tulip Valley Farms’ 2023 founding. Miller’s “vision for what tulip farms can offer — both as breathtaking destinations and cultural experiences — has sent a bolt of energy and enthusiasm into the entire industry,” said World Tulip Society Chair Ibo Gülsen in a news release.
National Parks Fund names CEO
Washington’s National Parks Fund, the nonprofit partner for North Cascades, Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks, appointed Steve Dubiel as its new chief executive officer. Dubiel replaced CEO Laurie Ward who retired in 2023. WNPF said in an announcement that Dubiel — who now has started in the position — held previous roles at King County Parks as well as EarthCorps, where he was executive director for 22 years.
Unemployment rises slightly
Newly released October 2024 unemployment rates from the state for Whatcom and Skagit counties appear in line with the previous two Octobers. Whatcom was at 4.4%, Skagit at 4.6% in non-seasonally adjusted unemployment, up 0.3% and 0.4% respectively from September. State data showed both counties had the same unemployment rates in October 2023 and were within a tenth of a percent of 2024’s rate in 2022.
Frank Catalano writes about business and related topics for CDN; reach him at frankcatalano@cascadiadaily.com.
