Where to find Bellingham-inspired gift ideas? A new downtown shop provides options
A new gift shop is coming to downtown Bellingham and it will have a very local feel to it.
Bradley Lockhart and Kevin Misiuda are planning to open Northwest Corner Goods in the Hotel Leo building at 1230 Cornwall Ave. Lockhart is aiming for a Monday, June 14, opening. That opening date is apropos for Lockhart because June 14 is Flag Day and he designed Bellingham’s official flag.
Along with his flag, Lockhart will be selling around 100 other products he’s designed in recent years, including bumper stickers, T-shirts, pins and even a board game that’s on a bandanna for hikers who want to bring a lightweight board game into the woods. All the products have a Pacific Northwest theme and many of them depict Bellingham. One of the more popular items Lockhart created is the Acid Ball pin, which is one of those designs that locals quickly recognize.
After it opens, the owners are also planning to feature other local artists in the store.
Lockhart said while the products are popular with local residents, he also thinks they will appeal to tourists, which is one reason they chose the space that’s in the hotel. Artwork about specific locations have become popular in recent years as technology has made it easier to take a design and put it on bumper stickers or T-shirts.
Lockhart’s products will continue to be available at other stores around town as well as online at nwcornergoods.com.
More recent retail activity
▪ Northwest Corner Goods is taking the space formerly home to Champlin Guitar Co. That business recently moved to 1121 N. State St., near Depot Market Square. According to its website, Champlin plans to reopen in its new space later this month.
▪ It appears a longtime local business won’t be going out of business after all.
Last week Hilton’s Shoes announced that it was beginning a retirement sale on Monday, June 7. During the second day of the sale, a company approached the owner, Joe Hilton, and offered to purchase the property.
In a voicemail message left on Friday afternoon, June 11, Hilton said they were currently in negotiations with the fifth-generation shoe company and was optimistic that the store would stay open.
HIlton’s is a family-run business that’s been in Bellingham since 1924 and is at 113 W. Magnolia St. Details about the business can be found on its website.
▪ Bantam 46 on Railroad Avenue will be closed for a few weeks as it prepares to reopen with dine-in service. According to posts on social media, the restaurant will reopen on Friday, July 16.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to the city to put in a seasonal Spirit Halloween costume store at 8 Bellis Fair Parkway, formerly home to DSW Warehouse shoe store in the mall.
▪ A city building permit was also submitted to put in a restaurant/taphouse at 954 N. State St., near where the Stateside student housing building is being built. According to the permit, the name of business is Time & Materials Taphouse.
▪ Salish Wealth Management, a Bellingham-based financial services firm managing more than $300 million in assets, moved into a new space in the Barkley District.
The firm is now in the Washington Federal Bank building at 2122 Barkley Blvd., Suite 200.
“Barkley Village is our favorite part of town and we worked hard to find a way to stay here,” said Scott Hume, company president and founder, said in a news release.
For more information, call 360-671-5900 or visit SalishWM.com.
▪ The Black Cat restaurant in Fairhaven is expanding its hours beyond its evening dinner.
Starting Monday, June 14, the restaurant is open for lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sunday it is adding a brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner starts each day at 3 p.m.
▪ With plenty of daylight hours now, Sirena Gelato in Fairhaven has expanded its hours. The gelato shop at 960 Harris Ave. is now open every day from noon to 9 p.m.
▪ Batteries Plus recently opened a store in the Bakerview Fred Meyer shopping center. Along with batteries, the store offers a variety of products including chargers, lighting and repair services. The store’s address is 1301 W. Bakerview Road.
▪ The downtown Bellingham bar Jack’s has expanded its hours and is now open 4 p.m. to midnight every day. According to a Facebook post, a new summer menu is also being introduced. The bar is at 219 W. Holly St.
▪ For those who haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine, North Fork Brewery, Pizzeria & Beer Shrine is offering a beer on the house to go with the shot on Thursday, June 17. Details about the event, which is at 6186 Mt. Baker Hwy., can be found on its Facebook page.
▪ Shopping on Thanksgiving Day continues to disappear across the U.S. According to a USA Today article Walmart, Target and Best Buy have all decided to stay closed that day but continuing to offer online shopping options. In past years three stores typically had some of the longest lines in Bellingham with the Thanksgiving openings.
This story was originally published June 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
