Shockingly nice thrift store! Not what I was expecting at all. Beautiful items, well displayed, at…read moregreat prices. And friendly, fun staff. What more could you ask for?

The ladies at the Assistance League of Bellingham rock! They are friendly and knowledgeable and…read moresupport some great causes. I was impressed with their selection and prices, will definitely go back. We need more volunteer-directed charities like this. Way to go!

It pains me to write this review of what used to be one of my favorite stores. And I was a sad as…read moreanyone when I saw they had to close over a year ago due to a fire. And just as happy when they announced they'd found a new space and were planning to reopen. I have to say, having visited there a few times now, I'm pretty disappointed. The new space is still downtown, but a few blocks west of their previous location. Where parking was free at that spot, it's metered at this one. When I think of all the vacant retail spaces in town, many with parking lots or at least free street parking, it leaves me perplexed. And the new space itself is so incredibly small and disjointed. It's separated into multiple, small rooms. Their inventory is but a shadow of its former self. And the prices have gone up. Wayyyy up. Perhaps most perplexing is the complete lack of classroom space, which they'd gone to so much trouble to add in their own space. Combined all of this with semi-surly, N95'd employees and well... to put it simply...I don't see the appeal in returning here anytime soon. For now, I miss the old Ragfinery and hope they turn things around.

Great place to browse. Great prices on recycled items!! Well organized and uncluttered areas make…read moreit easy to find what you are looking for and finding things you didn't know you needed

This is a member-driven organization with regular hours. However, twice a week, on Sundays and…read moreMondays they open to the public for tours. At the moment, tours are held Sundays from 2-2:30 pm and Mondays from 6-6:30 pm. They also host the Bellingham Repair Cafe once a month on the first Sunday of every month from 3-5 pm. This is entirely volunteer-driven and the public is encouraged to bring a small household item (e.g. lamp, small kitchen appliance, etc.) requiring repair for inspection and possible on-the-spot repair (first come, first serve).

A FANTASTIC resource for makers of all ages in Whatcom & Skagit counties. 3D printers, laser…read morecutter, wood shop, CNC, screen printing, much more. Plus classes to teach you how to use them.

I have never seen so much green! In its 11th year, this…read moreevent is a well-oiled machine After checking out the beautiful raffle prizes and gift baskets, I eagerly scanned the room for my favorite game-roulette. Oh no, I was told they didn't have it this year, but I quickly found solace at the Craps table. Even though I had no idea how to play, I rolled the dice anyway. I made the festive table happy by throwing winning numbers after winning numbers. Now it was time for the highly-anticipated raffle dash (and you really must dash) for all the wonderful prizes-massages, restaurant, hotel stays, car repairs, coffee...something for everyone! Each game table was sponsored by a local business, the hotel prepared the tasty appetizer buffet and Costco provided the desserts. The MC shared some personal stories from the kids and what Blue Skies is all about. A fun evening out for a great cause. This event is suitable for couples as well as singles. The only thing missing was an Elvis impersonator. He would have felt right at home at this mini Vegas in Bellingham!

So much fun! What a great evening and fun event! Playing black jack, winning prizes, and sharing…read morelaughs with friends, all for such a great cause to raise money for foster kiddos in need here in our community with Blue Skies for Children. This event was so well organized, decorated, and had the funnest and friendliest staff to help us win big and have a great time for such a great cause! There were St. Patty's Day necklaces and headbands for fun to wear to add green to your outfit, delicious appetizers and desserts, full no host bar, and awesome volunteers making this event so much fun! The games tonight were Black Jack, Poker, and Craps. And I can't forget to mention the raffle dash! So many amazing prizes, gift certificates, wine & beer to run up and grab if your name is called. They also had big prizes for the top 5 "high roller winners" of the night. I had luck in winning a pair of free tickets from @Yelp Bellingham, who was also a sponsor for tonight's event. Thank you to Jennifer Jones for Yelp being a sponsor for this great event and for the raffle to win a pair of free tickets! This was so much fun and absolutely plan to go again next year! #yelpbellingham #blueskiesforchildren #helpingourcommunity

The Food Bank in Bellingham is a wonderful resource for "Hamsters". Because they depend on…read moredonations the items vary from week to week but there's always fresh milk, eggs, and toilet paper. It's not a grocery store so wait times can be long. But food is expensive and some of us don't have a large budget and it's great. The volunteers are so helpful with assisting customers so it doesn't feel like you have to pay a lot for food to get great service and groceries. Kudos to everyone who donates or volunteers.

The Bellingham Food Bank ("Feeding our community since 1972") has helped me out more times than I…read morecan count. When you're unemployed, broke, and the food stamps have run out, this is the place to turn to. Bring a postmarked piece of mail to show you are a Bellingham resident, and it's best to bring a few empty grocery bags as well, because they tend to run out of boxes. Be prepared to wait in line an hour or more. They are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12:30-3:00 and Wednesday 5:00-7:00. Fridays towards the end of the month are always busiest. If you come earlier in the day, the line is longer, but the selection is better, too. Later, on towards 3 o'clock, the line is shorter, but the selection of food is less. Lots of grocery stores in Bellingham (Haggen, Trader Joe's, Price Chopper) donate their just-expired or just-about-to-expire bread, pastries and such to the Food Bank. A thousand praises on the volunteers and staff who keep this place running!

West along with the whole crew is always looking to help in anyway possible, whether it's cashing…read moreyou out for your old goods or making expert repairs or alterations on items that just need a little love, madrona wear continues to exceed my expectations and provide an excellent experience every time i walk in the door.

Madrona Wear is a gem in Bellingham! I picked up a skirt, a shirt, and some awesome hiking…read morepants--all at great prices. I also couldn't resist one of their custom Madrona Wear t-shirts and a super cool ink patch made by a local artist. The shop is full of unique finds and creative energy. What really stood out was the story behind the business--starting in a garage and growing into a full brick-and-mortar store. You can feel the passion when you walk in. While I was there, they were actively working on custom shorts and pants right in the shop. You can tell they're the real deal. They also offer repair services and can fix just about anything--so cool to see that kind of sustainable, skill-based work happening locally. If you're in Bellingham, this is definitely a spot worth checking out.

In addition to shopping here, please consider donating to Wise Buys Thrift Store on State Street…read more(1224 N State Street -- near Rudy's Pizza and Old World Deli) as part of your support for Lydia Place (http://lydiaplace.org), a women and children shelter established to help get women back on their feet and into a permanent job and housing. The Wise Buys Thrift Store is also a great place to shop. I almost always see a great bargain whenever I'm there dropping off donations.

O M G…read more Purses, food, cocktails, entertainment, a beauty bar, and an amazing fashion show...and it's all for an incredible cause. What is NOT to love about Handbags for Housing!? I was honored to attend this year as a VIP and I gotta say, the bonus perks were nice. We received a HUGE goodie bag with tons of cool schwag - including (bonus!) a tiny bottle of bubbly. Plus we had front row seating for the phenomenal fashion show, which featured local shops and boutiques putting together fun outfits to match a gorgeous handbag. After each walk-down-the-runway that particular handbag was auctioned off to the crowd. One of the bags (a Kate Spade beauty if I recall correctly) went for nearly $700! While the live auction was a little rich for my blood, I did enjoy the endless rows of gorgeous purses attendees had donated, which were marked anywhere from $5-50 depending on their label (and believe me, there were some VERY well-known labels to be found). There was also a silent auction featuring some of the more high-end bags, so basically there was literally something for everyone, in every budget category. (And if you really like a bag bargain, stay until the very end, wink wink.)

What a blast! Handbags for Housing was such a fun event; high energy, lots of beautiful, upcycled,…read moreunique, and great priced purses, great food and wine/cocktails, entertainment of the "Booty and the Beat" ladies, fashion show, auction, and so much more! What a great idea and event to help raise awareness and proceeds for Lydia Place and helping our community! A lady can never have too many purses - and it's for a great cause....Genius event! :)