The best book, hobby & craft shops in Whatcom County

Bellingham Wind Works is the local HQ for instruments and know-how, with new and used gear, print music, and accessories plus rentals that include in-house maintenance. Their techs actually fix the squeaks and rattles, then help you find the thing that makes practice feel fun again.

From the Bellingham newsletter, October 14, 2026

Friendly-staffed retailer for standard, high-quality, and hard-to-find art supplies.

Art and Happiness - Stampadoodle is that magical spot for open-stock paper, quirky custom stamps (yes, even of your pet), and monthly Make-N-Take projects they’ll walk you through this week. Swing by for free community art clubs or book a fairy-fueled party when you need a little sparkle.

From the Bellingham newsletter, October 7, 2026

Whether your shelves need more Bowie or you just want to flip through something weird and wonderful, Ritual Records keeps Bellingham’s long-running record-store tradition alive with over 5,000 square feet of new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, turntables, and posters. Got extras? They’ll buy your stash too.

From the Bellingham newsletter, October 28, 2026

Chain retailer carrying art & hobby supplies plus home decor (most offer classes & custom framing).

Chain music store selling guitars and other musical instruments, including amps and keyboards.

Apple Yarns is Bellingham’s go-to for squishy inspiration, from Apple Fiber Studio’s local hand-dyed skeins to favorites like Malabrigo, Madelinetosh, and Rowan, plus patterns, notions, and classes that actually de-mystify things.

From the Bellingham newsletter, September 24, 2026

Champlin Guitars is the downtown, locally owned, community-minded music shop where the walls flip weekly, with vintage and new guitars, basses, ukes, banjos, pedals, synths, and records you can actually try.

From the Bellingham newsletter, September 30, 2026