Places & Things is updated regularly throughout the month with new business openings, closings and changes.
Tuesday, July 25
Daiso appears on its way to opening in Bellingham’s Sunset Square. The global discount chain, which originated in Japan and claims thousands of stores worldwide, recently posted openings for a store assistant manager and store sales associates in Bellingham. Signs promoting the jobs were seen pasted on the windows on Thursday, July 20 at 1145 E. Sunset Drive, suite 110, the former Tuesday Morning location. Daiso is also listed as “coming soon” on a Sunset Square leasing map from First Western Properties. Emails sent to Daiso’s corporate office led to a response, but not any confirmation or details.
Spirit Halloween is preparing to open its seasonal store at Bellis Fair in Bellingham. A large banner is now up above an exterior-facing storefront at 8 Bellis Fair Parkway next to Buffalo Wild Wings with an “Opening Soon” sign in the window and, as of Thursday, July 20, lots of boxes visible. The company’s website said the Bellingham store will open in August. Its seasonal Burlington store, at 151 Cascade Mall Drive next to Planet Fitness near Cascade Mall, is listed as opening in September.
And for those wondering: Halloween City hasn’t yet posted when its Bellingham location will open. Or even where. (Insert your favorite “ghosted” pun here.)
Mains Hair Studio is open in downtown Bellingham at 109 Prospect St., currently by appointment only. Co-founder and Creative Director Marcus Johnson said the official opening will be Tuesday, Aug. 1 and appointments can now be booked online. “Mains is a direct reflection of who Heath and I are as individuals,” said Johnson, “taking from our personal experiences and curating the culture and service that feels most authentic to us.” Owner Heath Sowers was earlier at Honey Salon at 1211 Granary Ave.
Gene Juarez Salons and Spas plans to open in downtown Bellingham at 1411 Railroad Ave. in August, according to its company website. In a Facebook post, the regional chain said the new location will operate Tuesdays through Saturdays. The company said the Bellingham spot will offer “salon services, skin care, waxing, lash and brow services in a luxe modern facility,” and it’s hiring for positions now.
Maxx Hair Studio, a new independent salon, will open inside Bellis Fair next to GameStop in early September. Manager Alyssa Hammons said it will offer cuts, color, waxing and barbering and be a “full service family salon.” And no, mall management and the salon confirm, the new hair studio is not related to any earlier Bellis Fair stylist chain with “maxx” in its name.
Gallery Syre has a new name — Cordata Gallery. In an announcement on Friday, July 21, the gallery at 465 W. Stuart Road in Bellingham said that “the gallery is growing and we want to be more connected with the neighborhood.” Cordata Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, “Fresh Perspectives,” opens on Saturday, Aug. 5 and will feature artists of the Women Painters of Washington, an all-female arts organization founded in 1930.
Oddities at 4182 Cordata Parkway in Bellingham’s Cordata neighborhood is for sale. The organic coffee shop and novelty gift store said in a Facebook post on Friday, July 21 that, with the “owner retiring” due to health issues, there is an opportunity to “own the coolest coffee shop/gift store in Bellingham.” A Craigslist ad doesn’t list the price but calls it “a well decorated and designed store” that’s been operated by its owner for four-and-a-half years. Oddities said it will remain open throughout the sales process.
Tuesday, July 18
Gold Fern Wine Bar & Bottle Shop has opened in the Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham. The shop, at 1201 11th St., suite 101, posted on Instagram that it features “wine by the glass and hundreds of bottles of wine for home” as well non-alcoholic beverages and “tons of cute retail items and gift baskets.” Up next, according to the owners, is a wine club that begins in August with at least three different options. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Blue Abode Bar has new owners. The neighborhood bar in Bellingham’s Barkley Village at 2925 Newmarket St., suite 104, went up for sale earlier this year because co-owner Katy Hartmaier said at the time they had “a growing family and need a career change.” The new owners — Kate & Donny Fraser and Roger & Adrienne Flanders — said they will be “updating decor” and promised extended summer hours starting Tuesday, July 25, with a refreshed menu and added weeknight themes.
Youngstock’s Nursery & Produce has wrapped up its seasonal pop-up at 2237 James St. in Bellingham’s Sunnyland neighborhood, as planned. The last day open was Monday, July 17. It expects to re-open in November for Christmas trees and again seasonally early next April. The shorter spring/summer pop-up, which followed the owners’ retirement in June 2022, featured cut flowers, an expanded nursery and a selection of produce.
The Lucky Monkey shut its doors on Sunday, July 16 after an extended closing sale. The downtown Bellingham gift shop at 312 W. Champion St. announced June 5 that it would close “after nearly 20 years of Monkey business” with a two-week closing sale; the sale ultimately went into mid-July. At the time of the initial announcement, the owner mentioned retirement.
Cafe Blue in Fairhaven has changed hands. A “grand re-opening” party was held June 17. New owner Micah Jones posted on Instagram about background “in the coffee industry and bhammie for over 6 years.” The previous owners of the cafe at 1319 11th St. in Bellingham wrote, in announcing the sale, that after “four years of having our energy solely directed toward the cafe,” they are “just going to take some time to live and reacquaint with ourselves.”
Desert & Pine Homes opened Thursday, July 13 as a “one-of-a-kind boutique real estate group” with an office at 523 Front St. in Lynden. In a news release, the group — with ties to blu.ink/eXp Realty — said its niche is its ability to serve clients in both Washington state and Arizona, “helping clients buy and sell in Washington” and working “with Washingtonians and Canadians who want to realize their dreams of owning real estate in Arizona.”
Tuesday, July 11
Holly’s Meat Pies is closing its Everson location at 128 Main St. and consolidating in Bellingham’s Hannegan Square at 4073 Hannegan Road. The savory hand pies business said it will wrap up, after almost 12 years in its Everson kitchen, on Saturday, July 15. Owner Holly Bevan-Bumford also said she’ll expand the hours for frozen pie sales in Hannegan Square starting Tuesday, Aug. 1 so the store will be open Tuesday through Saturday. Hot pie sales are expected to follow sometime in August. In May, Holly’s closed its downtown Bellingham location in favor of the new spot in Hannegan Square.
Empress Tattoo is moving and expanding in Ferndale. Saturday, July 15 marks the grand opening of its new location at 5682 3rd Ave., essentially downstairs and next door from its second-floor former address of 2046 Main St. where it had been since April 2022. Co-owner Rebecca Xczar said the move will allow for a lobby that “will be an art gallery and oddities shop,” something that is “a new feature for us and for downtown Ferndale.” Todd Bruce is the tattoo artist and other owner, and Xczar said the space will allow them to shift from only appointments to regular hours of 12–5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, starting Tuesday, July 18.
Chuckanut Bay Distillery opened its Penny Farthing Bar & Restaurant at 1309 Cornwall Ave. in downtown Bellingham for lunch — for the first time — starting Tuesday, July 11. The lunch menu includes salads, soup, wraps, sandwiches and pizza and is served from 12–3 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Meanwhile, a distillery representative said the new rooftop bar and event venue directly below the new bar is likely to have a soft opening in August.
Thursday, July 6
Larrabee Lager Company is opening Friday, Aug. 4. The brewery, beer hall and pizza place at 4151 Meridian St. in Bellingham — near Community Food Co-op’s Cordata location — made the announcement on its Facebook page. That keeps it on target for the “summer 2023” opening that it predicted in April. The brewery said its grand opening weekend will include “slinging cold lagers and pumping out delicious pizzas.”
Maple Market, a new convenience store with a selection of items from grocery to first aid, opened Saturday, July 1 at 200 E. Maple St. #102 in downtown Bellingham. The store, across the street from the location of the Bellingham Farmers Market, shares owners with the Indian family restaurant Naan & Brew next door. The sign outside promises “beer, wine, smokes, deli, dairy.” Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except holidays.
Ramble Tamble opened in late June at 1313 N. State St. in downtown Bellingham. An Instagram post said to expect “awesome PNW beers, tasty natural wines and some ace cocktails to pair with an assortment of snack plates and deluxe grilled cheese.” Also: “groovy songsters and spinners to set the soundtrack for your nights.” The bar opens at 4 p.m., and closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Island Pulmonology will start seeing patients on Wednesday, July 12 on the campus of Island Health in Anacortes at 2511 M Avenue. Western Washington Medical Group, whose physicians staff the new pulmonary and sleep medicine clinic, said in a news release that it provides the only pulmonary outpatient services available in Skagit, Island and San Juan counties. Island Health operates primary and specialty care clinics in Anacortes and on Orcas Island.
Tuesday, July 4
Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress is opening a second location on Bellingham’s waterfront. A Saturdays pop-up stationery shop began Saturday, July 1 on the bayside patio at the Granary at 1211 Granary Ave., with the full location “coming fall 2023” according to a window sign. Bison’s main location is at 112 Grand Ave. and is open seven days a week. The company bills itself as “a letterpress print shop, bindery and stationery store” that also features music and events.
Quality Sewing & Vacuum in Bellingham is moving, but not far: from 1125 E. Sunset Drive to 1115 E. Sunset Drive, both in Sunset Square. The reason for the shift is a bigger space that a moving sale mailer said will have “better selection, bigger classroom and more fabric.” The new location, starting Tuesday, Aug. 1, will be next door to Goodwill.
Natural Splendor, a naturopathic medical practice, opened Saturday, July 1 inside the F Street Clinic at 1707 F St. in Bellingham’s Lettered Streets neighborhood. In a social media post, Dr. Vika Brewster said she is now accepting new patients for “integrative health care for the mind, body and soul.”
Magdalena’s Bistro and Creperie, which has had varying hours after initially saying it would close in August 2022, is now for sale. The restaurant at 1200 10th St., suite 103, in the Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham posted on social media that the asking price for “the fully outfitted restaurant” is $150,000. The owners said in Facebook comments that they plan to retire, and the restaurant will remain open through the sale process for its summer schedule hours of Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Read Places & Things: June 2023.
A previous version of the July 6 item about Island Pulmonology incorrectly stated which outpatient services were the only ones it uniquely offered in the area due to information provided by email and later revised by Western Washington Medical Group. The story was updated on July 10, 2023, at 10:32 a.m. to reflect this change. Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.
