Local Shopping Guide

By Tara Nelson

With gas prices at record highs, who needs to drive to Bellingham? Especially when there are many interesting places to shop with lots of unusual items such as the ones listed here:

Antiques and Curios
711 3rd Street
Antiques and Curios carries a selection of antiques, Asian novelties, toys, fine linens and vintage clothing. Antiques and Curios is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 332-1864.

Blaine Bouquets
625 Peace Portal Drive
In addition to fresh-cut flower bouquets, Blaine Bouquets sells a collection of Mosser glassware in a rainbow of colors and other cutesy house wares, including blown glass décor in a variety of fruit and vegetable shapes ($3.99 to $4.99). Also, check out their candy bouquets filled with lush peanut butter cups and fragrant gum drops ($24.99 to $29.99) – they make a unique gift. Blaine Bouquets can be reached at 332-6700.

Dollar and Less Store
Blaine International Mall (next to Cost Cutter
A quick trip to the dollar store at Blaine International Mall could save you a ton on holiday gift-wrapping supplies, tape, gift boxes, bows and ribbon (all $1). They also sell cards, kitchen and utensils (all $1).
Not all items are a buck, such as the bras and panties ($2) and t-shirts and sweatshirts ($1.59), but most are a good deal.
Blaine’s Dollar and Less Store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and can be reached at 332-5134.

Blaine Library
610 3rd Street
Books always make great gifts. The Blaine Library will be selling books donated from community members and removed from the library system December 1 through 3.
Admission is free but a suggested donation of $5 is welcome. Proceeds will benefit Friends of the Library.

Blaine Marina
Fisherman’s Wharf
Blaine Marina is one of Blaine’s only furniture and appliance store. And while they have a ton of plush recliner chairs and sofas, and stainless steel refrigerators, they also have antique replica rotary phones and 1940-style analog radio and compact disc players.
Blaine Marina is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-8425.

Blaine Marine Services
199 Marine Drive
Blaine Marine Services offers a variety of new and used boats, fishing poles, crab pots ($25 and up) and crab rings ($19.99 and up). For the ladies, check out their leopard print purse/jumper cable kit ($19.99).
Blaine Marine Services is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment and can be reached at 332-3324.

Bow Wow and Woofs
1733 H St.
Bow Wow and Woofs is tucked away next to the liquor store at Blaine International Mall and offers a variety of stocking stuffers for dog enthusiasts as well as affordable (and human-grade) dog food and accessories for the more practical pet owner.
Even if the fashionable red pleather doggie jacket seems a little much, you can’t deny the clever slices of peanut butter ($6.95/package of eight) or beef pockets specially designed as edible envelopes for your pet’s medicine.
Bow Wow also sells all-natural canned dinners that come several delicious flavors such as Thanksgiving Dinner, Venison Holiday Stew and Grammy’s Pot Pie (all $1.90), an almost appealing mix of whole pieces of human-grade chicken, red jacket new potatoes, fresh carrots, fresh snow peas and red delicious apples.
And, if your dog’s been especially good this year, you may want to consider Merrick’s “The General,” an almost 2-foot long bovine femur bone, measuring four inches in diameter and weighing several pounds ($11.55).
Bow Wow and Woofs is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-dogs (3647).

Goff’s Department Store
647 Peace Portal Drive
The Goff family opened Goff’s Department Store in 1915. Today, it is the oldest business in Blaine and still a great place to find fuzzy, warm hats, gloves and scarves ranging from $8 or less to $18. Goff’s also specializes in straight-forward clothing in that classic style – hooded sweatshirts, simple dress jackets, fleece and shirts of all kinds. They also sell knitting and sewing supplies.
Goff’s is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and can be reached at 332-6663.

Laura’s Treasure Chest
215 Marine Drive
Laura’s Treasure Chest sells quality second-hand maternity, infant and toddler clothes, as well as children’s toys and some furniture on consignment. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-4970.

Northern Meadows
684 Peace Portal Drive
Christy Lonquist, of Blaine, plans to open her wine store Monday, December 5. Lonquist, who is originally from eastern Washington, said she looks forward to supplying local and worldly wines as well as art from the entire state of Washington.
But also be sure to check out the unusual line of condiments, the likes of which include rosemary-mint or pinot noir jelly and pear balsamic vinegar with whole slices of pear floating inside the bottle.
Local wineries featured at the store include Pasek Cellars from Mount Vernon, and Mount Baker Vineyards of Deming.
Northern Meadows is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-4921.

Petal Attractions
477 Peace Portal Drive
This flower shop carries an assortment of seasonal wreaths and floral displays for the holidays. They also carry a selection of home and holiday décor, hand-made sequin handbags, plants, Victorian-style costume jewelry and beautiful centerpieces of pinecones, chestnuts and poppy globes made by a woman in Birch Bay ($24.99 and up).
Petal Attractions is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-2059.

Totally Chocolate
1855 Pipeline Road
Stop by the Totally Chocolate warehouse for engraved and personalized chocolate bars, special holiday chocolate items and more.
Also, check out their annual outlet sale now through December 4. Sale items include including chocolate ornaments and the popular champagne bottle, a full-size hollow chocolate bottle molded with milk chocolate and wrapped in green and gold foil.
Totally Chocolate is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. They can be reached 332-3900 or by visiting their web site at www.totallychocolate.com.

Treasures Etc.
1733 H Street
One can easily get lost in this eclectic store that sells antiques, locally made crafts and worldly items such as hand-woven Indian table covers, silk scarves from France and African black soap.
Treasures, however, specializes in rare antiques such as one 19th century reupholstered fainting couch. Also, check out their new silk and velvet girls’ holiday dresses starting at $15. Treasures Etc. is open daily during the holidays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-8318.

West Marine Express
439 Peace Portal Drive
With lots of toys for grown-up kids, West Marine is boat nut’s dream. But they have a ton of other fun stuff, including rechargeable spotlights ($25.99 and good for spying on your friends), fishing poles, boat stereo systems, high-powered binoculars ($39.99 and up) and inflatable kayaks ($199).
Their hottest item of the season, however, is likely the Garmin C330 StreetPilot vehicle navigation system ($699), with touch-screen navigation that comes preloaded with U.S. and Canadian streets and and voice-prompted directions. West Marine Express is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

NAPA Auto Parts
830 Peace Portal Drive
NAPA Auto Parts carries a selection of seat covers, hand lamps and tools but their most novel item is perhaps the DuraPRO self-powered flashlight ($34.99 for a set of two in case you want to keep one for yourself). NAPA also sells gift certificates.
NAPA Auto Parts is open from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-7018.

Wolten’s True Value
862 Peace Portal Drive
Wolten’s carries a variety of gift ideas from portable, 1,500-watt heaters ($15.99 and up) and the Weber Rapid Fire Chimney Starter, a cone-shaped barbeque accessory that allows for barbequing in less-than-perfect weather ($17.99).
Wolten’s True Value is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can be reached by calling 332-4077

Worldly Treasures
638 Peace Portal Drive
Worldly Treasures features unique furniture, bronze indoor sculptures and other imported items from around the world. Catch these items at 20 to 70 percent off during their final days closing sale. Worldly Treasures is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached by calling 332-9318.

Several Blaine businesses also sell holiday gift certificates. Those include Curves Gym, Whatcom Fitness, New Edge Hair Design and Bay Side Beauty, as well as most area restaurants.