With the holiday shopping season arriving, here’s an update on events and reopenings
Here’s a roundup of recent retail activity around Whatcom County:
▪ With last week’s flooding, the ongoing pandemic and everything else going on these days it has probably slipped the minds of many that the holiday shopping season arrives this week.
Black Friday is no longer the national retail event that it once was, with many stores opting for a hodgepodge of holiday sales events that started mid-October. Many retailers, including Bellis Fair mall, are opting to be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but still extending hours on Friday, Nov. 26.
For those looking for a festive holiday experience, there are options. Fairhaven kicks off its annual Winterfest on Nov. 26, with a variety of events including horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday markets and tree lighting on Saturday, Nov. 27. Downtown Bellingham will also have a variety of events, including shop small business events on Saturday, Nov. 27. Allied Arts has its annual holiday festival already under way at 1411 Railroad Ave., near the WTA downtown station.
▪ With 2021 being such a difficult year for local businesses dealing with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, heat waves and flooding, the holiday season is a chance to show support through the Think Local First gift cards program.
Put together by Sustainable Connections, the cards can be used at more than 270 local businesses in Whatcom County. The organization has also started a “pay it forward” program where participants can donate gift cards to essential workers. Sustainable Connection’s Sasquatch will be making gift card deliveries throughout the holidays.
Details can be found at the thinklocalfirst.org website.
▪ A See’s Candies store is back in Bellingham for its seasonal holiday run. The store is in Sunset Square at 1145 Sunset Drive, Suite 120. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The store will be open until Dec. 24.
▪ A state liquor license application was submitted to reopen the Beach Store Cafe on Lummi Island. The applicant is David Voggler. The cafe, one of the few eating spots on the island, closed at the end of September.
▪ The Heliotrope restaurant in Glacier is now open for the winter season. According to a Facebook post, hours are noon-7 p.m. Thursday through Monday.
▪ The Lynden Tribune reports that the Lynden Dutch Bakery is set to reopen on Monday, Nov. 22. The bakery closed to the public in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but did provide baked goods for the owners’ other business, Just Desserts.
According to the article, owners Chad and Julee Simmons used the time to remodel the bakery, which is at 421 Front St. The Simmons second business, Just Desserts, is at 1724 Front St.
▪ A building permit application was submitted to put in a taproom at 1225 Roeder Ave., Suite 101. That’s the new building that was recently built near All American Marine.
▪ Bakerview Square announced that two businesses will be arriving soon at its retail center: Bellingham Body Art and Prism Tattoo. Bakerview Square currently has 35 tenants.
▪ A consumer loan company has opened a new branch in Bellingham.
Lendmark Financial Services recently opened at 4285 Meridian St., Suite 103, near Best Buy. It’s the 11th branch in Washington state, providing household credit and consumer loan solutions, according to a news release.
According to its website, services include personal and auto loans as well as debt consolidation plans.
