Over a year has passed since Bellingham’s beloved non-profit creative reuse center and textile workshop, Ragfinery, caught fire in December 2024. After losing a decade’s worth of stock, fixtures, and electronics, Ragfinery successfully raised nearly $40,000 in donations and found a new space on Unity Street in Downtown Bellingham. They opened this new location on Jan. 9, allowing them to provide the community with affordable textile art supplies and job-skills training, keep textile waste out of landfills, and reunite an important local artistic collective.
In addition to finding a new spot that is walkable, busable, and has plenty of parking, part of Ragfinery’s fundraising allowed them to pay affected retail staff a month of wages, providing some stability for everyone involved in the store’s recovery and future operations.
Photograph by Griffin Ritzo
“We are just so excited to bring affordable access to textile art supplies and garments back to Bellingham. We truly hope everyone loves our new space and is as excited as we are to be back,” says Ragfinery Executive Director, Kate Stragis.
Unwavering community support for non-profit organizations like Ragfinery is paramount to maintaining Bellingham’s longstanding reputation as an artistic hub for people from all experiences.
The following is a Q&A with Ragfinery Executive Director, Kate Stragis
Q: How does it feel to finally have a new home for Ragfinery after such a long search?
A: We couldn’t be more excited to reopen, the search for a new space was extensive and even disheartening at times. We miss all of our staff, volunteers, and regulars so much! We can’t wait to welcome everyone into our new home.
Q: What made the new Unity Street location the right fit?
A: Staying in downtown Bellingham was number one on our wish list. We love being in the middle of the hustle and bustle, a place people stop by on their lunch break or while they’re out enjoying the rest of our little city. Downtown has been our home for over 10 years and it’s great that this location is close to other nonprofits, has ample parking, is walkable and busable, and that the space itself is attractive and has a unique feel.
Q: What’s been the biggest challenge since the fire, and how has the community supported you through it?
A: Our retail staff have undoubtedly struggled the most after losing their jobs for nearly a year. It was incredibly difficult for them to navigate, especially so suddenly. After the fire, we launched a fundraising campaign and the whole community really rallied around us. Thanks to their generous donations, we were able to fully pay Ragfinery’s retail staff an additional month of wages, ensuring a measure of stability, as well as to help get us through such an uncertain time to ensure a resilient future for our store and programming. People gave their time, messages of support, space to offer workshops, and so much more. It really meant the world to all of us.
Q: Can you tell me about the matching donation campaign and what it means for your reopening?
A: The matching grant fundraiser has been paramount to our reopening. An anonymous donor is matching every donation dollar for dollar up to $50,000 to help offset the significant costs of construction, replacing fixtures and supplies as well as restocking and supporting our staff rehiring. The wonderful people at the Whatcom Community Foundation have been the intermediary between us and the anonymous donor. We are so close to reaching our goal and are immensely grateful for every single person who has helped us. I honestly don’t know if we would be able to afford to reopen without it.
Q: What are you most excited for people to see or experience when you reopen?
A: Something really fun and unexpected is that our favorite local artist, Phoebe Wahl, graciously donated her time and talent to create new logos and the window decal artwork for the new shop! She really captured us in every way and it’s such a beautiful boost to draw folks into our new space. And we are just so excited to bring affordable access to textile art supplies and garments back to Bellingham. We truly hope everyone loves our new space and is as excited as we are to be back! 115 Unity St., Ste. 101, Bellingham, ragfinery.com
