For my husband's retirement, I wanted to get his father's Bible repaired. His dad, who passed in…read more2001, had been a minister, and his Bible had started to come apart; the front cover was completely separated from the rest of the book, and the binding was beginning to degrade. The cover of the Bible had a unique design on it. So, I took it to Bison, and Kevin did a great job of incorporating the original cover into a new cover. I can't wait to present it to my husband at his retirement party!

Stumbled into this place when I also happened to stumble upon a local yarn store next door and…read moreBison Bookbinding is so charming! I love love love stationary stores and this store made me all giddy with their cute supplies, notebooks, stickers, pens, etc. It took everything in me not to buy everything. And the person at the cashier (maybe owner?) showed me pics of her dogs and cats

This is a very cute little toy store in Fairhaven. The rag dolls in the window glass display caught…read moremy attention. The toy store has toys for all ages from board games to new born dolls. The staff was very friendly. It was definitely a joy to look at some of the toys in the store. The store itself is not big but has a lot of items for sale. Also I liked that it is not too crammed.

I confess that I--a childless adult--do have a few stuffed animals around the house. But I've…read morealways felt a bit self-conscious about this. Why? I do not know. No good reason at all. If something good makes you happy, go for it! That said, when my partner and I were wandering around Fairhaven recently, he spotted Fairhaven Toy Garden and said with enthusiasm, "Let's go!" I kinda pulled away. "Really!?!?" I probably rolled my eyes. But I love him and like to indulge him and make him happy. OMG! Well, I am just going to have to get over my ridiculous stuffed animal inhibition, because now I have a house-full. I follow my partner inside and lo! He points a lop-eared rabbit puppet at me which is so life-like that, despite my brain saying it isn't real, my hand naturally reaches out to pet it. (I'm sure it was a sneaky ploy on his part to get some petting himself.) I was awestruck. One gift to me later (I have a very sweet man, but we now have to surmise that there is a wee bit of calculation in him), and I'm buying up half the store. I cannot comment much about the store as a whole as they very wisely put all their plush friends right smack-dab in the entry so that you cannot move for at least two hours as you explore and play with them all. I was very impressed with their offerings of Folkmanis puppets and Wild Republic and Ecokins stuffed animals--beautiful! My long-limbed vervet monkey now hangs from the pantry knob where I keep my pet food and where it can protect it from my very real cat who, otherwise, continually claws at the door to open it. Having accomplished that, I now have a little raccoon friend, made from recycled plastic water bottles (you'd never guess this!), to hang out atop my delicate printer so said real cat will no longer jump up on it, risking its destruction in seeking a shorter leap to my window sill. Fun, charming and practical too. Who knew?!?! The staff were wonderful, at the ready to help and smiling the whole while, watching us with amusement. (They probably have some of the happiest jobs in the world.) Highly recommended, and see if you can get past the animals to see what other delights might be inside.

We love to see a bookstore thriving!! This is so much more than just a bookstore (and adjoining…read morepaper/confectionery/novelty shop). Its a community hub! I recently moved to Bellingham and Village Books (and paper dreams) actually really swayed me to move here. Its a book palace, 3 stories of well organized selection. The front facing books are well chosen, and the used books are interspersed with the new books. There are quite a few staff picks sections, all of which are super interesting and worth looking over. Three days before Christmas 2025 I was there trying to pick out a horror book for a friend of mine. Horror is not my genre (more of a fantasy and literature gal myself), so I for sure needed guidance. The shop lady spent so much time reviewing the whole horror section with me . When we couldn't find the main book we decided on me buying, she spent the time looking everywhere for it. She enlisted the help of two additional staff members. When she was needed for another task, she made sure one of the other shop ladies had me covered. I ended up ordering the book, which came in a few days and they texted me when it arrived. Easy peasy! I will never forget that experince, especially as the store was jam packed with x-mas shoppers. Village books in fairhaven is the spot! My only note is that their bookclubs could be better. The bookclubs are during the day and don't have different genre selections (they are mostly nonfiction). There is a silent reading bookclub that I might try. They could be cultivating different types of communities (ie book clubs geared towards romantasy, sci-fi, literature, etc.), but maybe that will come with time.

I really wanted to love the store. I'm long time book lover and one who worked in the book…read moreindustry for over 20 years. This store seemingly has it all; great selection of books, both knew and used, lots of old wood, and a staff that seems knowledgeable if a little bit unhappy. The last part can explain why the vibe is just off. It just doesn't feel comfortable nor welcoming, and if I had to put my finger on the cause, I would say it is likely due to management. I witnessed firsthand how the store manager ignored customers in line waiting to pay because he was on the phone. You never ignore the customers who are right in front of you. I wish the store all the best, but I'm gonna take my book shopping business elsewhere.

I love this boutique-Mila (the owner) has excellent taste in her selections of bath and beauty…read moreproducts and home goods. I got myself some fancy matches and a travel size of one of my favorite perfumes here and enjoyed her conversation.

This is the best shop in town to buy gifts and home items!! They have things in every price range…read moreand the owner does a wonderful job choosing beautiful, unique items that you won't find anywhere else. Mila, the current owner, is also one of the kindest women I've ever met. She has the best eye and has been so helpful with finding the perfect gifts or working with me to pick out the most beautiful new dinnerware pieces. They carry all my favorite lines including Simon Pearce and Vietri. I stop by the store at least once a week and there is always something new. Honestly, the hardest thing is walking out without buying everything! Can't say enough wonderful things about this shop. If you are in Fairhaven it's a MUST visit!!

Really cool comics / games shop, incredible selection plus a little bit of merch. Staff were really…read morefriendly and everything was just really well organized. I like that there are staff recommendations and info posted around the shop. Great place!

The new space is fantastic! Gaming tables, pinball, board games, D&D, a huge selection of Indie…read morecomics and an ever expanding Manga section in addition to all the Marvel and DC. You can find something for everyone in the old Retro location as well. I found a couple of figures I've been considering on-line for the past year. Well worth the stop. The staff is friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. Been looking for something specific? New to the scene and need recommendations? They got ya covered.

Surroundings is an incredible gift shop with a great selection of everything from jewelry, candles,…read morecustom floral, prints and more.

Wonderful shop! They are decorating for Christmas and the store is full of faith-based goodies -…read moresigns with bible verses, nativities and family oriented home decor. Prices ranged from inexpensive to moderate. The folks working there were very nice and the overall feel of the store did a lot to jump-start my Christmas spirit.

When I'm in town this is a must stop for me. They seem to always have a new selection of items…read morewhenever I stop in. The prices a good, better than anything in the Seattle area. Parking isn't the greatest but worth the walk. The staff is helpful and the gentlemen downstairs are hilarious. Stop in but don't take all the good stuff.

The store itself is very nice, and they have tons of cool antiques, vintage clothing, and various…read moremerchandise to look through. However that being said, a few member of their staff are literally just so rude it makes me never want to return because of how unpleasant they have been. And not only have I experienced this behavior, but I've also just seen the way they speak to other customers who are only just asking basic questions about items or just general information and are met with condescending and just flat out rude responses-acting so annoyed and surprised that someone would dare to speak to them or god forbid ask them to do their job. Once again, I love searching through the items the store has to offer, and it is quite an impressive array. However some of the employees could seriously use some help with learning some basic customer service skills and maybe pull out whatever is stuck so far up their butt.

This adorable little Fairhaven boutique has been on my radar for a while now, and I was so excited…read moreto stop in on a recent Saturday. They carry everything from clothing to jewelry to bags and accessories, a really nice wide range of items in a variety of sizes. The prices were on the scale of a boutique, although I did enjoy the sale rack in the back of the store. I was especially excited about the handbags. They carry so many colors and styles to choose from. This would be a great place to go shopping for a gift for that someone special. Like my mom, who always loves a new handbag.

Small shop filled with quality options. I love the Mer Sea travel wraps, Lysse leggings and all the…read moreother specialty items in this shop. I try to keep my money local and this shop is my go-to in the Bellingham area.