Drove out to Chalet in the Woods. When we arrived the sign said open by appointment only. The…read morewebsite says they opened at 11:00. What a disappointment. Luckily we were able to spend a delightful time in downtown Gig Harbor. To me it's not worth going back to the Chalet.

The Chalet is my go to place for clothes now... If you are looking for classic, well-made clothing…read morethat is made to last beyond a few wearings and a is styled to keep you looking beautiful for years, this is the place! I purchased a lightweight, classic, striped St. James dress (from France) for my honeymoon to Hawaii a couple years ago and wear and wash it CONSTANTLY. It looks as beautiful today as the day I bought it. The selection of Three Dots clothing (made in the USA) offered here is also fabulous and quickly becoming a wardrobe staple. If you're looking for dressier sweaters and skirts - check out her Oleanna of Norway selection - it's the best!! Laura stands behind the products she sells and is always looking for other quality clothing and house ware items to complement what is in stock. The inventory is always changing at the Chalet, but it's Laura and her well-informed and accommodating staff that make the Chalet a necessary stop.

The name drew me in! And so glad it did. I was on 6th Avenue for lunch, so decided to walk around…read moreand check out all the nearby businesses, which is when I spotted a huge, colorful sign with a narwhal wearing sunglasses. It was The Nearsighted Narwhal! Of course I had to check it out. The shop is small, but has a ton of fun and witty gifts and items, from local zines to buttons to prints. I spent a good amount of time, checking out all the different and detailed items. Specifically, I really liked the magnets they sell here, as they have clever sayings with a colorful background. In fact, when I was checking out, I asked the owner if there were any more and she mentioned that she was making more magnets and to stop by again for different sayings. One that I bought says, "Not today motherfucker." Now who wouldn't want that hanging at their office? The Nearsighted Narwhal is a great store to browse and shop local. If in the area, definitely pay this shop a visit and support the local artists that sell their work here here. Plus, ya gotta love the Tacoma pride found, as they sell many items from tees to magnets, expressing Tacoma is cool and Seattle drools. Hah!

Cute shop! We popped in twice while in town to have lunch at nearby Shakabrah. The owner arrived as…read morewe were admiring the cute vinyl decals through the window. She let us in and was very pleasant and helpful as we shopped for t-shirts, lotions and decals. The jewelry was amazing-very bold and wearable. Loved that the t-shirts were high-quality, soft, amazing colors, and in all sizes, not just small and mediums. We each bought a t-shirt and I got a pepper lotion to use on sore muscles- whoa, its very potent! But I think I like it. The book and zine section was cool. I wish I had more time to browse that section.

very nice owner/staff. love that they have cats in the shop. so many nice items, souvenirs,…read moreclothing etc. prices very reasonable. Highly recommend.

Such an array of affordable gifts and luxury products. The staff is joyous and welcoming. I…read moregot socks for my 12 year old and a work shirt for myself. We are definitely going back!

Lapis is awesome sauce! Nora was so patient and helped me find what I was looking for and gave…read moregreat recommendations. I also had an manufacturers issue with an earring months later and even when the maker wouldn't help with a fix Lapis took it back and made some very reasonably priced alterations with their bench jeweler and sent it back to me. Cannot recommend Lapis enough

What a beautiful store with the most helpful and knowledgeable staff. Overall, a wonderful…read moreshopping experience.

Staff were friendly enough and they offer a wide selection of toys, games, puzzles, etc. However,…read moretheir prices are a little ridiculous. Made the mistake of buying something for my toddler only to find it was literally half the price on Amazon. I understand how brick and mortar stores operate and the need to support local businesses, but charging $60 for something worth $30 on Amazon is as stated...ridiculous. Sorry, won't be shopping here anymore.

While we were having our taxes done, our EA suggested my wife visit this store. My wife owns a home…read moredaycare and planned to buy a birthday gift for one of the daycare kids. When we walked into the store, we were struck by the vast amount of stock on the floor and on the shelves for a relatively small place. But, my wife found the perfect gift for the child and at a very good price. She also found two sets of Magna Tiles, which are very popular with the older daycare kids--at prices that beat Amazon's. The ladies on duty were warm, friendly and welcoming. It's just a nice, no-stress place to shop with fair prices. Judging by how many customers filled the store, a lot of people feel this same way. My wife used to buy those birthday gifts here in town at a local supermarket that apparently will no longer sell toys. We are very glad of that decision and of our tax person's suggestions. We're going back this weekend to buy those Magna Tiles.

Kindergarten craft table, but for adults!... and kids.... But ADULTS!…read moreLike a an organized junk drawer... Which itself is a contradiction in terms. Like your grandparents craft room, and your parents retirement box. Best description... Tacoma's DIY Archie McPhee.

The pay by the bag thing was a total scam. I tried my best to navigate what was supposed to go in…read morebags and what was off limits but it was a mess. The smallest signs that said "not for bags" were written in sharpie on tape. I was sure I picked all the bag eligible items but when I went to check out every item was rung up. So instead of 7 dollars it came out to 23. In response to owner- I looked for the signs as best I could, I thought all these things I picked out were good to go. The signs are very small and not obvious so it's hard to tell what is individually priced and what's not. Everything in the store has a price on it. But yes next time I will triple read the signs to avoid paying 22 dollars for old pins and beads!:)

La Paloma is a community gem! Beautiful gifts, perfumes, thrifty finds. I love it here!read more

I am overwhelmed by the kindness of the owners. We are a non profit and they helped us with a…read morebeautiful framing job. Thank you from the PHS Class of 88

I brought in 5 very old etchings that I had inherited. Kim the owner, did a stunning job bringing…read moretheses pictures back to life. The matting, and framing we're amazing. He knows his stuff! A merchant that really cares about his customer satisfaction. I plan on bringing in another print for him to work his magic on. A great locally owned shop too!