It’s been empty for three years, but this Fairhaven space will soon have a gift shop
Here’s a roundup of recent retail activity around Whatcom County:
▪ A gift store is coming back to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. San Juan Cruises reached an agreement with the Port of Bellingham to open a store called Salish Trading Post in the former Inside Passage gift shop space.
The store is expected to open sometime in May and will feature a variety of Northwest products as well as basic essentials for people taking a cruise, Sean Berry, marketing manager for the company, wrote in an email.
The space has been empty since January 2017 when Inside Passage closed.
▪ Antler Baking Company is taking a break. The bakery, which is in the Flatiron building with Woods Coffee, is closed until Wednesday, March 11, while owner Veronica Stendahl recovers from ankle surgery, according to a Facebook post.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to put in a Kaiser Permanente pharmacy at 189 Telegraph Road., near the Denny’s restaurant. There’s also an application to put in a 6,200-square-foot commercial building at 2800 Meridian St., in the parking lot near Haggen.
▪ When it comes to marijuana, Bellingham is near the top in terms of per capita retail shops.
Bellingham has 8.8 dispensaries for every 50,000 people, according to a study by Verilife. That ranks 20th in the U.S. and is highest among the major cities in Washington state.
While Bellingham’s per capita total is big compared to other Washington communities, it is much lower compared to similarly-sized cities in Oregon. Medford ranks second in the U.S. with a per capita total of 17, while Salem ranked eighth at 13. Bend, Oregon ranked 10th at 12.3.
▪ A new horse boarding facility is opening near Lynden. Northern Hollow Stables is planning a Sunday, March 1, opening day celebration, according to a Facebook post. Along with boarding, the equestrian center will offer lessons and training services.
▪ Electric Beet Juice Co. did a series of soft openings last week at its new spot at 1422 Cornwall Ave., near Pure Bliss Desserts. As it gets into its regular hours, the company will offer breakfast and lunch options along with fresh juice and smoothies.
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
