Hamann’s Gallery and Gift

Hamann’s Gallery and Gift has been in business in Bellingham for nearly 60 years. From the mom-and-pop shop on State Street, to its current location in modern Barkley Village, Hamann’s has stood the test of time. The store has worn many hats, specializing over the years in cabinets, art supplies and interior paint, and since the 1970s, custom framing. Julie Coull has been the owner of Hamann’s since 1993 after working in the store for a number of years. The store has gone through many evolutions, she says. In 1997, Hamann’s Gallery and Gift became the second tenant in the Barkley Village center. “It was a bit of a leap of faith at the time,” Coull said.

Customers can find a wide variety of frames and mats, cut to nearly any custom size. Price depends completely on size, frame and type of mat, Coull says. As more businesses moved into Barkley, Coull began to see the move pay off as foot traffic increased. New customers were given a chance to discover Hamann’s. Now, she said, the location works best for her business and has enabled her to move into the gift market. In addition to full-service framing, Hamann’s offers a wide variety of small gift items.

Customers can find local art, greeting cards, scarves, jewelry, pepper jelly, bath products, and pantry items like soup and scone mixes. When Coull is looking for new items for the store, she refers to her first instinct—her own taste, she says. Longtime customers also provide insight regarding what people are interested in.

Her most popular items include what she refers to as “funny clocks.” These bright, colorful clocks come in a variety of unexpected shapes like houses and roosters and are handmade in Colombia ($44). English artist Sam Toft is a favorite among customers for her whimsical paintings of her own cartoon world inhabited by the imaginary Ernest Hemingway Mustard. Customers can also find Toft’s work as greeting cards in Hamann’s. Unique to this shop is a small Scandinavian section of home goods, including dish towels ($6.95), candles, and rugs ($48–$74). Coull’s Norwegian heritage, in addition to the influence of her Scandinavian customers, has led her to have a particular interest in home goods from that region, she says. For the upcoming holiday season, the store will offer hostess gifts like sweet treats and seasonal greeting cards. Stuffed Scandinavian gnomes are also a popular item during the holiday, usually selling out before the season is over, she says. These cute, festive characters come in multiple sizes and can sit with accent pillows on the sofa or decorate bookshelves or media cabinets for a holiday touch.

2940 Newmarket St., Bellingham
360.733.8898 | hamannsgallery.com

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