Bellingham Baby Co. latest to open in historic Lynden building

Another piece of the tenant puzzle is in place at the Waples Mercantile Building, with a couple more left to go.

Bellingham Baby Co. opened last week with plenty of local residents dropping in to check it out, said owner Shelly Allen. She said some of the visitors already knew about the business from the store in Bellingham’s Barkley Village, while others are learning about the store offerings, which include handmade gifts for newborns and toddlers.

The remodeled building itself is also a topic of conversation. At more than 100 years old, the building at 444 Front St. was nearly destroyed by a fire in June 2008 before being remodeled throughout much of 2015.

“There’s been an overwhelmingly positive response to the building remodel as a whole, and we’re so happy to be a part of it,” Allen said.

The Bellingham Baby Co. space is tucked away in the building behind Village Books, making it a little tough to find for those not familiar with the building layout. Allen said people can enter directly from the hotel entrance on 5th Street or walk to the back of the Village Books store and through the lobby. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The store is still trying to decide its Sunday store hours, so call ahead at 360-778-3249.

Two more tenants are expected to open in the coming weeks. According to its Facebook page, Overflow Taps is putting together its customer tables and bar. It doesn’t have an opening date yet but is aiming for early February. Avenue Bread is also putting in a cafe but hasn’t announced an opening date.

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 3:10 AM with the headline "Bellingham Baby Co. latest to open in historic Lynden building."