Category Archives: Stores and other places that sell you things

Grocery Outlet Bargain Market

9684492486_cbdeb411ee_bGrocery Outlet is a regional chain located in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Idaho and Nevada. The Tacoma Grocery Outlet is located at 6425 6th Avenue. It’s been a while since I’d been in and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they’ve expanded and that it was extra clean. The lady that checked me out was a peach too. They have a facebook page!

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The Wedding Bell on my anniversary

9571001337_734420a8e3_o(1)It is my wedding anniversary, so I was thinking about weddings. And thought brought me to The Wedding Bell at 2914 6th Avenue, Tacoma. Every time I drive eastbound on 6th Avenue, I admire the lovely dresses in their windows. My photos don’t do them justice. To see many of the beautiful dresses, go here. I read in the local paper that The Wedding Bell will be relocating nearby in the near future.

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Buy Your Fireworks Here

sun July 4thDear husband and I were on our way to a movie in Puyallup’s South Hill area when we passed this delightful display! Fireworks are illegal in Tacoma (not that that seems to stop folks), but there are stands surrounding the city and this is one of the larger ones.

McLendon Hardware has a perfect house in it

9082718072_dd024b0951_b(2)Model homes invite folks to imagine a different, more orderly life and this one at McLendon’s Hardware, 1015 N Pearl St  Tacoma, WA 98406, is no exception. I was pleased when McLendon’s decided to open its 7th location and their first new store in 13 years in Tacoma. They are well known for having unusual stock and a can do attitude! Although they didn’t have the specialty item I was seeking, they searched all over to find it for me. McLendon’s website is here.

The building was constructed as a Pay n Pak, then became a Ernst, then a Saar’s (groceries) and now McLendon’s.

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Pip & Lola’s Everything Homemade

9093885598_3aaf02b973_bPip and Lola’s Everything Homemade in Freighthouse Square, 430 East 25th Street, Suite 40 is full of quality handmade items — clothes, soaps, art, etc. I went to visit to pick up some of their great soap which they make right there. When I checked in with FourSquare, my phone chirped at me that I’d earned a bonus and I was pleased to receive a darling heart shaped rose scented soap 🙂 Their Facebook Page is here.

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Boehm’s Candy

BoehmsI was driving around Issaquah looking for something interesting and was pleasantly surprised at my choices — a root beer drive in, a restored vintage gas station, cute stores, etc. The day’s winner was Boehms Candy at 255 NE Gilman Blvd. Issaquah, WA 98027. The company began in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood in 1943 and in 1956 they moved to their current location. The store is located in the “Edelweiss Chalet”, the first Alpine chalet in the Northwest. In addition to the store and the candy manufacturing facility, there is a replica of a 12th century chapel near St. Moritz, a fountain, a statue of William Tell, a park area with a decorative fountain and an enthusiastic water fountain (water is life).

To order learn more about Boehms or to order candy, click here

It occurs to me that I know nothing about William Tell except he has a theme song. I learned he was a folk hero of Switzerland. Looking over Wikipedia, I remembered that he is know for shooting an apple off his son’s head.  The statue shows Tell and his son, Altdorf and is (I assume) a replica of the original statue by Richard Kissling in 1895.

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No dinosaurs today at Bell Square (The Bellevue Collection)

Bell SquareI don’t really much like malls. They just make me want to buy stuff I don’t need. But there I was up in Bellevue and Coldwater Creek was having a 50% off everything sale. I did need a pair of khakis. So, I stopped in. Out of all of the malls in the area, Bell Square, which I guess is now called the Bellevue Collection, at 575 Bellevue Square is one of my favorites.

When my daughter was little, about 4, we took her here on her birthday. The shopping center has a life size dinosaur collection as a temporary exhibit and dear daughter was going through her Little Foot phase. Little Foot is a series of kid’s dinosaur movies. We were on the second floor when we got to the two story atrium with a life size T-Rex with a moving head and tail. Dear husband was a little ahead of us and went over to have a better look. When the kid and I came around the bend and saw the huge dinosaur, her eyes went big and she ran to her father as fast as she could. Then she grabbed his hand and tried to drag him back to safety screaming Sharp Tooth! Run, Papa, run!

Movies to Go

8947932567_0ba2097437_bMovies to Go at 9630 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 is closing as of June 30, 2013. The store opened in 1987. The ultra modern building was constructed in 1955 as a Hogan’s Food King Store.

Top Foods, Tacoma

8907122123_90a65c59b0_bWhen I think of grocery stores in Tacoma, sometimes TOP Foods at 3130 South 23rd Street (Tacoma Central Shopping Center) slips my mind because its not on my daily route. TOP Foods is a small chain of 10 supermarkets, all of which are located in Western Washington. The Tacoma location has a Starbucks, pharmacy, US Bank, Chef Express, bakery (including gluten free) and DVD rentals. Haggen operates both TOP Foods and Haggan Food & Pharmacy and including the Haggan stores there are over 30 locations, making it the largest independent grocery chain in the Pacific Northwest. Haggen is based out of Bellingham, WA and began operations in 1933. In 1989, Haggen became the first grocery store chain to have an onsite Starbucks.9466906601_bcd717f030_b

I picked up a huge, locally grown tomato plant for less than $3!

Update: 8/8/13 I went past Top Food today and noticed that they were closing 🙁