Rediscover Bellingham’s Mall: A Collaborative Community Destination | Bellis Fair

Northtown Mall in Blaine

By Kristen Boehm
March 20, 2025

THE SHOP

Bellis Fair has been Bellingham’s one-stop-shopping destination since the late ‘80s, but it wasn’t immune to the national dip in mall traffic that came with the rise of online shopping in the 2000s, followed by the 2020 pandemic.

In December 2022, 4th Dimension Properties swept in from the wings to buy Bellis Fair during an auction sale by its defaulted previous owners. These new dark horse owners went right to work reinvigorating Bellis Fair with a new approach.

THE ATMOSPHERE

“[4th Dimension’s] strategy is that retail is changing. A lot of the brands out there that have been mall staples for years are disappearing or changing their business models. As malls want to survive, they need to have a little bit more of a mix,” says Bellis Fair General Manager David Prince.

That means bringing in small businesses, nonprofits, and community-focused organizations alongside national retailers. By opening itself up to local businesses and providing access to resources, Bellis Fair has made itself a vital part of Bellingham’s ecosystem again. According to Prince, their occupancy rate has gone from 69% to around 88% over the past few years.

Small business owners like Stephanie Sherman of Cusp Creative, which moved to Bellis Fair from La Conner in 2024, benefit from the mall’s infrastructure, foot traffic, and location (which draws customers from not only all over Whatcom, but also from Canada). The Bellingham Public Library Bellis Fair Branch, which opened in April 2023, enjoys the ample parking their downtown location is unable to offer.

“One of the things I really like about [the Bellingham Public Library Bellis Fair Branch] is they’re a great partner in the community, because libraries are always a community hub. They bring in families for story time, and we’ve been able to partner with them to host their kids craft fair in a nice indoor environment,” says Prince. “It’s been a lot of fun to see the different ways that we can try and work with people.”

KEY SHOPS

You will, of course, find anchor stores like Target, Macy’s, Kohls, and JCPenny. Other popular retailers like Torrid, Buckle, Forever 21, H&M, Claire’s, Victoria’s Secret, and Vans have more than enough options to dress you from head to toe.

Lifestyle brands like Hot Topic, Spencer’s, and Earthbound Trading Company, plus hobby stores like our own Mount Baker Rock and Gem Club and Brick Island can help express your personal style.

Working on your image? Ulta Beauty has everything you need, or you could leave it to the professionals of Bellis Fair’s many small beauty businesses: Bellingham Braids, Maxx Hair Studio, Made Men Cuts, Sola Salon Studios (which hosts individual providers). There’s even Northwest Barber Academy, where new barbers earn their stripes!

Continuing the educational and community-focused offerings are Bellingham MakerSpace, Whatcom Intergenerational High School, and Whatcom Wrestling Academy. PawsWithCause is all about animal welfare, and Amy’s Place is the brand new hub of Dementia Support Northwest.

As for the food court, Bellis Fair boasts big name restaurants like Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, and Panda Express, plus local vendors like Seoul Kitchen, Tinto Coffee , Natalino’s Pizza, Roman Artisan Bake, and Cultured Harvests. Right next to the food court, you can also find IT’SUGAR, a candy store with prestigious locations in Times Square and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Another important part of the mall’s versatility is having offerings for all ages. In addition to the shopping, beauty, educational, and creative businesses, Bellis Fair is home to kid-friendly opportunities like indoor playground PlayDate, arcade The Ruckus Room, and Wishes Toys Books and Games.

“I love it, because I’ve got a 14-year- old and a 9-year-old. … As my kids get to be teenagers, [I’m] thinking about, ‘Well, where do I want them to hang out?’” says Prince. “It’s not the late ‘80s anymore. There’s other things that people do with their time now, but we still want to provide a good mix of options to shop and a fun place for people to go…. for you or your kids.”

1 Bellis Fair Pkwy., Bellingham, 360.671.5895, bellisfair.com