Saving Historic Movie Palaces Like Bellingham’s Mount Baker Theatre

You're one of the family at Mount Baker Theatre. Photo credit: Damian Vines Photography.

Each generation has the responsibility to balance embracing the new while preserving the old. But how do we decide what is worthy of saving, restoring and renovating, and what is to be replaced? The historic movie palaces built around the world between the 1910s and the 1940s are an important example of this dilemma. Bellingham’s Mount Baker Theatre (MBT), opened on April 29, 1927, is a stunning example of how history can be preserved while serving the demands of modern, continuously changing society. But it is also the only survivor of five movie palaces built in Whatcom County.

The original iconic tower can still be seen from around the city. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
The original iconic tower can still be seen from around the city. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

Over the years, MBT has evolved into the civic historic home to a premiere Pacific Northwest cultural tourism destination that also sustains the regional community through its arts education programs and substantial economic impact. Around the world, citizens and municipalities continue to work hard to save the remaining historic movie palaces born of that time.

The Historic Movie Palace

Around 1900, silent motion pictures became a small part of the live entertainment offered in vaudeville theatres. Bellingham enjoyed an ideal location on the well-worn Pacific Coast vaudeville circuit. Small storefront theaters and Nickelodeons developed across the country in the 1900s and 1910s, catering affordably to the lower and middle-classes. But there were real concerns over the physical safety of the Nickelodeon theaters as they were often cramped with little ventilation and the nitrate film stock used at the time was extremely flammable. The upper-class was used to more refined viewing typical of the opera. But as more sophisticated, complex and longer films featuring prominent stage actors were developed, the upper-class wanted to attend the movies and that desire paved the way for the opulent movie palace.

The historic marquee has been restored and continues to announce each of MBT's performances. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
The historic marquee has been restored and continues to announce each of MBT’s performances. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

The first elaborately decorated movie palace opened in Harlem in February 1913. Between 1914 and 1922, over 4,000 movie palaces opened. The late 1920s saw the peak of the movie palace, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930, including MBT in 1927.

With a population of 35,000 and a well-deserved reputation as a ‘theater town’ (14 theaters were listed in the 1914 City Directory), Bellingham was targeted by West Coast Theatres—controlled by William Fox of 20th Century Fox Studios—as an ideal site for an addition to their growing network of movie palaces.

Three architectural design types were chosen for movie palaces of the time: the classical style movie palace (with luxurious architecture), the atmospheric theatre which has an auditorium ceiling that resembles an open sky, and the Art Deco theaters that became popular in the 1930s. MBT is an example of the classical style, advertised at the time to “make the average citizen feel like royalty.”

It takes a committed team of ushers, volunteers, board members, staff and patrons to keep MBT running successfully. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
It takes a committed team of ushers, volunteers, board members, staff and patrons to keep MBT running successfully. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

The signature look was extravagant ornamentation, creating a feel of eclectic exoticism where visual styles collided wildly with one another. French Baroque, High Gothic, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Spanish Gothic, Hindu, Babylonian, Aztec, Mayan, Orientalist, Italian Renaissance, and (after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922) Egyptian Revival, were all mixed and matched. Many offered amenities such as larger sitting areas, air conditioning and even childcare services.

When it was built, MBT incorporated the most modern reinforced concrete building techniques with architect R.C. Reamer’s imaginative Moorish-Spanish motif and elaborate interior. The building was completed after only one year, employing several different contractors and over 80 craftsmen experienced in stone masonry, carpentry, and plaster casting. Equally well-equipped to show motion pictures, MBT had the latest in projection room equipment and gadgetry, a flying screen and a top-of-the-line Style 215 Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that remains today.

The Decline

Significant effort has been invested to preserve the elements of the original movie palace's Moorish-Spanish style. Photo credit: Damian Vines Photography.
Significant effort has been invested to preserve the elements of the original movie palace’s Moorish-Spanish style. Photo credit: Damian Vines Photography.

Following World War II, the widespread adoption of television and the migration to the suburbs caused a rapid decline in movie ticket sales. Most movie palaces owned by Paramount Pictures closed as a result of a lawsuit in 1948 and many more independent theaters could not continue to operate on the low admissions sales of the time. The ones that survived were converted to multiple screen venues or performing arts centers that operate as regular theaters, showcasing concerts, plays, and operas.

Mount Baker Theatre was to be one of the last grand vaudeville/silent movie palaces built in the entire Pacific Northwest. Later in its opening year (1927), The Jazz Singer became the first talking motion picture to show widely, eventually leading to the end of the vaudeville era. In addition, the Great Depression began in 1929, abruptly ending investment in lavish movie palaces.

Saving the Historic Movie Palace

The historic stage at the Mount Baker Theatre was recently covered by patrons' signatures. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
The historic stage at the Mount Baker Theatre was recently covered by patrons’ signatures. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

Citizens and municipalities around the world today continue to raise funds and build partnerships to preserve the surviving movie palaces. Our own community works together to keep MBT accessible to future generations.

In 1978 the MBT was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register. But by the 1980s it was in need of significant repair and was slated for demolition. In 1984, the community rallied and saved it by developing a partnership between the city, county, and the community that resulted in a city-owned facility managed by the Mount Baker Theatre Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Since then, taxes have funded the Theatre’s management and private support has provided over $14 million in capital improvements including significant restoration and remodeling that concluded in September of 1996. Those efforts transformed MBT’s three venues that currently support more than 400 events and 110,000 visitors annually.

The elaborate architectural design that was originally meant to create a fantasy environment—attracting moviegoers with spectacle and allowing them to escape to another world for a short time—still remains as a major asset to the MBT experience.

MBT Today

Mount Baker Theatre patrons became a part of history by signing the stage at the MBT summer event. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Mount Baker Theatre patrons became a part of history by signing the stage at the MBT summer event. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

MBT’s 90th birthday is being celebrated in 2017:  a year-long acknowledgement of this building that represents the power of hope and community collaboration. If the building has touched your life in any way consider becoming an MBT Member and take your place as a part of the building’s rich history. Individuals and businesses also make MBT’s work possible through sponsorships and one-time or recurring donations. MBT’s Stars volunteers are integral to keeping the organization alive, and are a small army of do-gooders who make the Theatre their second home and each other their second families—consider joining them! In a given year the work of 250-300 volunteers equals the work of six full-time employees!

Those highly-invested in the future welfare of MBT will be gathering to raise their glasses and their paddles to say “Cheers to 90 Years” on the building’s actual birthday, April 29.  If you are interested in attending, contact John Purdie, Development Director.

Experience the Theatre

Of course you can celebrate MBT’s birthday at any of next year’s hundreds of public events, such as one of these shows that go straight to the heart of our preservation mission: the Silent Film Series with Live Scores: Hamlet on January 8, and Ben-Hur on May 14.

While not generally allowed, some patrons got to live out a life-long dream of launching a paper airplane from the balcony at MBT's free public event. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
While not generally allowed, some patrons got to live out a life-long dream of launching a paper airplane from the balcony at MBT’s free public event. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

These landmark films from the 20s are displayed on the big screen surrounded by the Theatre’s opulence and accompanied by MBT’s amazing organ—considered one of the top ten in the nation! Hamlet features an actress years before her time portraying Hamlet as a princess in disguise, with added classical concert scoring on harpsichord, piano, and the vocal stylings of mezzo-soprano Melissa Plagemann. Ben-Hur is the original action movie. See the scene that is the father of all other chase scenes, while sipping mid-afternoon wine from an in-theatre concert cup. Cheers!

Mount Baker Theatre Resident Ghost Judy Helps with Your Holiday Gift List

we banjo 3
We Banjo 3 will play with the Irish Rovers on February 26. Photo credit: Yvonne Vaughan Photography.

I have been floating through the ornate halls of Mount Baker Theatre (MBT) since it opened in 1927. Everyone calls me Judy. I wouldn’t really say that I ‘haunt’ the Theatre. I’m more of a friendly spirit. I like puttering through the dressing rooms and balcony, and people-watching the interesting visitors, which lately have been about 110,000 each year.

Everyone is talking about ‘giving the gift of experience.’ That got me thinking. Seeing a show at MBT is an amazing event! So, to keep you from getting the vapors while shopping your holiday gift list, I put together a little list of MBT’s upcoming 2017 shows.

Each one offers something different. You can pick the show that’s just right for each of the friends and family on your list. Then, when they come to MBT, I’ll get to see their eyes widen and the spellbound looks on their faces! They’ll have ‘the gift of experience’ they’ll never forget!

For Guitar Lovers 

we banjo 3
We Banjo 3 will play with the Irish Rovers on February 26. Photo credit: Yvonne Vaughan Photography.

I’ve seen many guitar players over the years at MBT and these are some of the best yet.

  • Jesse Cook sounds so intriguing. He was born in Paris, raised in Toronto, and he’s traveled the world studying and performing. His art is influenced by classical, flamenco, jazz guitar. He’ll be here January 26.
  • International Guitar Night is February 24. It’s a touring guitar festival full of acoustic solos, duets, and quartets. And, they are from Italy, Brazil, and India and have invented new techniques even I haven’t seen before.
  • I’m also so excited to hear The Irish Rovers with We Banjo 3 on February 26. This crew of talented—and handsome—young Irishmen will play traditional Irish, folk, Irish American, and Celtic tunes from their award-winning albums. If only I could stomp my own boots during the show. Perhaps I’ll push cups off the shelf in concessions or jingle the crystal chandelier instead.

For Fans of Big Musicals 

  • pirates of penzance
    The Modern Major General will be at MBT on March 12. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

    Fame– The Musical will arrive January 18. Based on the 1980 hit film, this gem is about the struggles, fears, and triumphs of the final class of New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts, from auditions to graduation. I can’t wait to sing along with the Academy-Award winning title song and hear new catchy pop numbers. And oh, the dancing!

  • The Pirates of Penzance will arrive on March 12 to take me away to another swashbuckling time. I bet the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players who will perform it will be just dreamy.
  • Midtown Men will be here on May 18. Four of the stars of Broadway’s Jersey Boys form this group who will perform all my favorite songs from the 1960’s by groups like the Beatles, the Four Seasons, and Motown. That sure was a great decade to be a ghost.

For the Wee Ones

I’ve always loved how many children get to experience a show at MBT. More than 17,000 come with the education program every year. Exposing kids to the wonder of live theater is a precious gift. I make sure not to scare the little ones.

  • mount baker theatre
    Shaolin Warriors will arrive February 3 to the Mount Baker Theatre. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.

    Shaolin Warriors will be here February 3. These kung fu masters trained from a young age. Their choreographed movement will have the kids speechless.

  • I’ve also always been a fan of the ballet. The touring part of the 4th largest ballet company in America, Houston Ballet, will be here April 1. The graceful excerpts from the classics like The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake plus some modern work will have me dancing around the balcony late into the night.

Maybe in the new year I’ll help our guests enjoy the shows just a little bit more. I’ll choose that perfect moment to give them goose bumps. Or will it be a tingle down their spine. Or, just maybe, I’ll put a flutter in their stomach. They won’t even know it’s me.

Mount Baker Theatre
104 North Commercial Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: 360-733-5793
Tickets: 360-734-6080
www.mountbakertheatre.com

Sponsored

Bellingham Weekend Events Calendar

bellewood acres
BelleWood Acres staff deck the halls for a truly festive shopping experience while you search for the perfect, locally-made gifts. Photo courtesy: BelleWood Acres.

As temperatures drop, there’s nothing I’d rather do than curl up with a nice hot cup of cocoa and one of my favorite Christmas movies. If I’m feeling particularly indulgent, I might call for food from one of my favorite restaurants. I don’t even have to change out of my pajamas thanks to Viking Food delivery.

But eventually all this laziness gets old and it’s time to go out and play. Fortunately there are lots of fun things to do around Whatcom County this weekend. Here are a few highlights exciting enough to get anyone up and off the couch. Don’t forget to check our calendar for a full list of all the fun happenings.

  • Take the whole family out to the Holiday Festival of the Arts. There will be art workshops for the kids, live music and lots of amazing handmade items perfect for thoughtful and sustainable giving.
  • Check out the latest innovations in the Cannabis trade at Satori Cannabis Boutique’s grand opening.
  • Go for a ride on the Santa Train at the Miniature World Family Fun Center. In this 20-minute long adventure you’ll see over a million lights! Santa will be waiting to meet passengers with cocoa and candy canes.
  • Get lost in the post-World War II story of Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. The dazzling score features 17 Irving Berlin songs, including well-known standards Blue Skies, I Love A Piano, How Deep Is the Ocean and the perennial favorite, White Christmas.
  • Spend some time with jolly old Saint Nick at BelleWood AcresYeagers and the Sheraton.
  • Stop by Whatcom Museum’s Deck the Old City Hall festivities. The building will be decorated in garlands, wreaths and sparkling lights. It will feature more than 20 themed, decorated trees. In addition to the festive decorations, the program will feature visits with Santa, a pop-up shop and a signature cocktail party to kick-off the holidays.
  • Experience the fun and whimsy of Harry Connick Jr’s “The Happy Elf” at the Thomas Theatre. This production tells the tale of Eubie the Elf as he goes on a musical mission to bring Christmas cheer to a town on Santa’s naughty list. Or be delighted by the classic antics of the mischievous Pippi Longstocking at the BAAY Theatre.
  • Witness the holiday magic and majesty of The Nutcracker. The season simply isn’t complete without this holiday classic.
  • Fall into the world of Hugo, a wily and resourceful boy on a quest to unlock a secret left to him by his father. Watch “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” at the Pickford Film Center.
  • Shake off the winter blues, get outside and stretch your legs with one of these beautiful winter hikes.
  • Swing by one of these great local establishments for a cup of something to warm your hands and your heart.
  • Get into the holiday spirit with these great Christmas music playlists from the Mount Baker Theatre.

WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.

The Portland Ballet Dancers Perform in the Dominican Republic

The Portland Ballet Dancers are set to perform in the Dominican Republic. Photo courtesy: Portland Ballet Dancers.

Submitted by: The Portland Ballet

Members of The Portland Ballet will travel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in a cross-cultural exchange to teach and appear as special guests in Ballet Concierto Dominicano’s production of “The Nutcracker.” Performances are Dec. 16-18. Travel dates are Dec. 11-22.

The Portland Ballet Dancers are set to perform in the Dominican Republic. Photo courtesy: Portland Ballet Dancers.
Dancers from The Portland Ballet are set to perform in the Dominican Republic. Photo credit: Blaine Truitt Covert.

Nancy Davis, founder and artistic director of The Portland Ballet, will lead classes as a guest teacher and accompany two dancers, Lauren Kness and Henry Winslow, who will perform “The Arabian Dance.” The piece, a divertissement in the traditional holiday ballet, was choreographed specially by John Clifford, an artistic advisor at The Portland Ballet. This “Nutcracker” production will have new costumes and sets, and will also feature special guests from the Ballet Nacional Dominicano.

Lauren and Henry are both in The Portland Ballet’s top-level Career Track program, which trains students for professional dance careers. They recently performed in leading roles in “The Enchanted Toyshop” and “Gift Box” in the company’s holiday show in November, which was mostly sold out. The Arabian Dance that Clifford designed for them is a sweetly seductive pas de deux that starts off somewhat seriously and becomes more playful as Lauren teasingly flourishes and drops scarves to entice Henry to follow her.

cascanuecesposter
Lauren Kness and Henry Winslow will perform “The Arabian Dance” in “The Nutcracker” which will also feature special guests from the Ballet Nacional Dominicano.

Carlos Veitía, artistic director of Academy Ballet Concierto, extended the special invitation after visiting The Portland Ballet in the spring 2015 and observing classes and rehearsals. Academy Ballet Concierto is a training ground for young dancers in classical ballet, modern, jazz and contemporary dance.

Davis said, “This is a wonderful opportunity, especially for pre-professionals to perform, and we’re hoping it will lead to more. This will be a great thing for our dancers to have on their resumés. We haven’t finalized plans yet, but we look forward to reciprocating and bringing Carlos and a couple of his dancers to Portland to teach and perform.”

The Performers:

 

Lauren Kness, 18, from Hillsboro, Oregon, is a senior at Wilson High School. She has been studying ballet for 13 years and this is her fourth year at The Portland Ballet. She has participated in summer programs at The Portland Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Milwaukee Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Houston Ballet.

Henry Winslow, 17, from Bellingham, Washington, is a high school senior at Whatcom Community College through the state-run Running Start program. He has been studying ballet for seven years and this is his first year at The Portland Ballet. He participated in Juilliard’s dance program last summer. He has trained at Britt Burton’s The Dance Studio, Western Washington University and Bellingham Repertory Dance. He’s also performed with Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth and Mount Baker Theater Summer Repertory Theater.

Nancy Davis founded The Portland Ballet in 2001 with her husband, Jim Lane. She has served on the faculty at Oregon Ballet Theatre and Northwest Academy, been a frequent guest teacher for Saint Louis Ballet, and done numerous teaching stints in California, Oregon, and Hawaii. She began studying ballet at age six with Natalia Clare of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She continued her studies at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York City under a Ford Foundation scholarship. At 18, she joined the National Ballet of Washington, DC, touring extensively and dancing solo roles in classical ballets such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Swan Lake” and “Giselle.” In 1974, Davis returned to her Los Angeles home to become a founding member and principal dancer with John Clifford’s Los Angeles Ballet.

John Clifford is best known as the founder and artistic director of the original Los Angeles Ballet, and as a principal dancer and choreographer with the New York City Ballet. He is widely considered to be George Balanchine’s choreographic protégé. He has staged Balanchine works and choreographed for ballet companies around the world, including The Portland Ballet since 2003.

The Portland Ballet, led by artistic directors Nancy Davis and Anne Mueller, nurtures young dancers from age three to 22. TPB students are trained with professional intent by a faculty that includes some of the nation’s finest dancers and choreographers, with experience at companies such as the National Ballet, the original Los Angeles Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Trey McIntyre Project and BodyVox. Professionally produced performance experience is at the core of TPB training and TPB is well known for its annual Thanksgiving Weekend production. TPB graduates have gone on to professional dance careers with companies such as Grand Rapids Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Houston Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Batsheva, LEV, Ballet Memphis and Ballet West.

Satori and The Center for Mindful Use Open in Bellingham

Satori and the Center for Mindful Use are committed to expanding cannabis knowledge. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

Submitted by: Satori Cannabis Boutique

As the movement to legalize cannabis progresses, a new Bellingham organization wants to help those who choose to use the plant to do so mindfully. Bellingham’s Forum de Freedom will host its first official event on Monday, Dec. 12 at 5:55.

The Satori Staff on a recent farm tour. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.
The Satori Staff on a recent farm tour. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

The Center for Mindful Use (CMU) kicks off programming in its new home with a free talk on “The Importance of Set and Setting” by Glenn Girlando, executive director of Breathwork Northwest. Mike Hiestand, the co-founder and director of the Center for Mindful Use, hopes the new free speech forum — which was once a charter school gym — will be a place to speak freely on cannabis use and the issues confronting the new and growing industry.

Cannabis, even researching and talking about it, has been forced into the shadows for the last century, Hiestand says, and the information has tended to be pretty one-sided. “Cannabis is ready for new spokespeople,” Hiestand says. “The Center for Mindful Use will be a place for those speakers to say what they need to say.”

Hiestand says the center’s mission is not to advocate cannabis use, but to provide a place to freely and safely gather to share reliable, truthful information. “Cannabis is not for everyone,“ Hiestand says, “and we’ll talk about that. But some people say they have found it helpful to their lives and it’s high time to hear from them as well.”

CMU’s list of planned programs includes social, political, artistic, medical, spiritual, cultural, recreational, legal and historical topics. He hopes speakers will contribute to a more honest and open dialogue about cannabis and the “best practices” for its reintroduction into modern society. “’Just Say No’ was largely based in fear,” Hiestand says. “We’re more about ‘Just Say Know.’”

Owner Quinn Sharp made the first ceremonial purchase at Satori from General Manager, Joshua Besecker. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.
Owner Quinn Sharp made the first ceremonial purchase at Satori from General Manager, Joshua Besecker. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

As a former journalist, a longtime First Amendment and Press Attorney and recipient of the 2014 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award in Education, Hiestand looks forward to providing a platform not only for cannabis-related issues, but for free speech generally, which he believes is needed now more than ever. The opportunity to create a place like the Forum de Freedom has been a lifelong dream for Hiestand.

Cannabis and the drug culture played a significant role during the 1960’s but it wasn’t always positive, Hiestand says. Timothy Leary’s message to “turn on, tune in, drop out” was, as Leary himself later acknowledged, too often misinterpreted as “get stoned and abandon all constructive activity.”

“Our message is that if you choose to use cannabis, you can also choose to do so mindfully, so it enhances your life and the world,” says Hiestand.

The Center’s first speaker, Glenn Girlando, has helped create positive, supportive space for thousands of explorers of consciousness. Much of his work has been guided by Dr. Stanislav Grof, one of the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology and a researcher into the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness for purposes of exploring and healing the human psyche. Girlando will provide tips about how to create a safe and welcoming physical space or setting when using cannabis as well as tips for entering the experience with a positive, intentional mindset that helps build the essential foundation for mindful use.

Space for the Forum de Freedom has been donated by Satori Cannabis Boutique owner and CMU co-founder Quinn Sharpe. He says he created Bellingham’s Satori store, whose grand opening is Dec. 9, in part to help change the image of cannabis. That goal is evident from the minute you walk into the store, which is bright and well-let, thanks in part to the antique, crystal chandelier that hangs from the vaulted ceiling.

The "Drugs" sign is registered and its story told in the national Heirloom Registry. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.
The “Drugs” sign is registered and its story told in the national Heirloom Registry. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

Don’t expect blasting hard rock, Satori General Manager Joshua Besecker says. You’re just as likely to be greeted by classical jazz and a “budtender” ready to compare cannabis strains, farms and growing techniques much like a sommelier in a wine store. Besecker says that most Satori’s “budtenders” took part in a 2-week orientation, which included cannabis classes and visits to various dispensaries and cannabis farms.

Sharpe says it’s all part of Satori’s effort to give their customers a different and meaningful experience. “We call it a cannabis boutique for a reason,” Sharpe says. The store is located in the front half of the historic Bellingham Foundry building, one block from the downtown Bellingham Farmer’s Market. The Center for Mindful Use occupies the rear half of the building, which was most recently used by the Anything Grows charter school.

Sharpe’s team undertook a major renovation to restore and preserve its past. Historic photos of the building, built in 1904, line the shop walls. Forms, molds and other material taken from the building’s basement are on display. Also on display is a giant “Drugs” sign, rescued – “and repurposed,” Sharpe laughs, from Spokane’s landmark Altamont Drug Store. The sign is registered and its story told in the national Heirloom Registry.

Satori and the Center for Mindful Use are committed to expanding cannabis knowledge. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.
Satori and the Center for Mindful Use are committed to expanding cannabis knowledge. Photo courtesy: Satori Cannabis Boutique.

Sharpe says he’s delighted to help support the Center for Mindful Use. “CMU and Satori are on the same page. We both want grandmothers to feel safe and comfortable in this new world.”

Satori Cannabis Boutique’s grand opening will be held Dec. 9.

The Forum de Freedom is located directly behind Satori cannabis boutique at 100 E. Maple Street, site of the Old Bellingham Foundry. The entrance to the Forum is on Commercial Street. You cannot enter the Forum through Satori. Seating for the Center for Mindful Use talk on Dec. 12 is free, but space is limited. More information about the event is available here. For more information contact Mike Hiestand, Co-founder and Director of the Center for Mindful Use, 360-393-8916, mikehiestand@gmail.com or Quinn Sharpe, Owner of Satori Cannabis Boutique, 360-746-8478, quinn.sharpe@SatoriMJ.com.

 

P.E.T.S. Program Provides Therapy Dogs at Bellingham Airport

airport dog therapy
A volunteer dog team with the Whatcom Therapy Dog Program, right, visits with a passenger at Bellingham International Airport. The PETS, Pups Easing Traveler Stress, program launched earlier this month at BLI. Photo credit: Marie Duckworth, courtesy Port of Bellingham.

Submitted by Port of Bellingham

airport dog therapy
A volunteer dog team with the Whatcom Therapy Dog Program, right, visits with a passenger at Bellingham International Airport. The PETS, Pups Easing Traveler Stress, program launched earlier this month at BLI. Photo credit: Marie Duckworth, courtesy Port of Bellingham.

Whatcom Therapy Dogs has partnered with the Bellingham International Airport to provide a new stress-relieving program: Pups Easing Traveler Stress, or PETS, in the commercial air terminal.

Registered therapy dog teams will be in the terminal on a weekly basis to provide passengers and staff with a furry, stress reducing experience. PETS teams will be wearing ID tags and vests that invite travelers and staff to say ‘hi,’ and visit with the therapy dog teams.

More information about Whatcom Therapy Dogs can be found at www.whatcomtherapydogs.org.

Peek Inside the Lynden Home of Village Books Founders Chuck & Dee Robinson

lynden home
Settling into their new home, Chuck and Dee Robinson say they didn't move 'away' from anything but rather 'to' something. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

Chuck and Dee Robinson moved to Bellingham in 1980, having left their Illinois home and careers in education to explore the country. They traveled via motor home, sussing out the perfect spot to start the next chapter of their lives.

Anyone familiar with Whatcom County knows they landed in Fairhaven and created Village Books, now one of the country’s most beloved independent bookstores. Two years later, they opened Paper Dreams, and a second store in downtown Lynden in late 2015.

lynden home
Chuck and Dee Robinson moved to Lynden in June 2015 after living in Bellingham for more than 30 years. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

Chuck and Dee lived in a condo they designed above the Fairhaven store from 2004 until earlier this year, when they happened upon the perfect next home – in Lynden.

(You can read WhatcomTalk’s feature about their Fairhaven condo here).

Making Their Move

“We’d been coming up (to Lynden) for the new store and started to really fall in love with the place,” says Chuck. “It’s very much like the places where we grew up in the Midwest.”

On top of feeling like it might be the right time to move, it was also a smart economic decision.

“This house, even though it wasn’t inexpensive, would cost a whole lot more in Bellingham,” says Chuck.

“And it was a lot less expensive than we could sell our condo for,” adds Dee.

lynden home
The home, built in 2009, was previously lived in, but the couple loved the finishes and made almost no changes before moving in. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

The new home is 3,500 square feet, more than twice as large as their condo.

“We tell a lot of our friends, ‘Wait, did we misunderstand and you’re not supposed to upsize when you get older?’” Chuck says with a laugh.

Why go bigger?

“That was never the intent,” Chuck explains. The couple was looking to the future, and wanted an option to live on one level; this home’s master bedroom, kitchen, and great room are all on the main floor. “In our worst-case scenario, we can live in this part of the house, which is pretty close to the size of our condo.”

“Also, we simply looked at this house and fell in love,” Dee adds. They moved in late June.

They’ve fallen hard for the neighborhood, as well; a cluster of 10 homes built between 2004 and 2009 on a private road just one block off of Front Street.

The pastoral scene outside the back of the house gives a peek of the Nooksack River and includes grazing cows and a horse, as well as magnificent Mount Baker views.

lynden home
The first-floor master bedroom, seen here from the kitchen, was a big selling point for the couple, who wanted to have an option for one-story living as they grow older. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

“We’re really right in town,” says Chuck, “but it feels like we’re in the country.”

The couple knew their neighbor on one side, Ron Polinder, before moving in. After dropping Ron home after a meeting they’d both attended, Chuck spied the for sale sign.

The couple had been thinking about a move since early spring, and were exploring Lynden with help from longtime friends and realtors Bliss and Dan Goldstein.

“We didn’t think we were in any hurry,” says Dee.

And then Chuck found the soon-to-be-theirs home.

The Fairhaven condo sold in just two days, with an open house so jam-packed they had to station Dan at the door to control foot traffic.

The couple has no regrets about the move and still spends plenty of time in Fairhaven and Bellingham. But now Lynden is home.

House Tour

“We didn’t change a thing,” says Dee, as we start a tour of the home. “We liked the paint colors. In fact, the walls are pretty much the same color as our condo, except for a couple of accent walls.”

lynden home
On clear days, a view of Mount Baker looms on the horizon outside the couple’s great room windows. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

As we climb to the second floor, Chuck chimes in with a related anecdote. “The other owners had a Ruthie V. painting on one wall and we joked that they could just leave it, because we don’t own one,” he says. “They told me, ‘Well, you’re kind of going to live in a Ruthie V. painting, because she chose the colors.’”

The artist’s day job was as a colorist and she had been hired to select the paint colors throughout the home.

Chuck stops to tell another story on the stairs: “All of these paintings and prints are by Susan Bennerstrom. When Dee posted a picture online, Susan said, ‘I like my corner of your house.’” They both laugh.

Upstairs is a guest bedroom, bathroom, and lofted landing area that overlooks the great room below. Half-height built-in bookshelves curve around a wall at the top of the stairs.

“It’s a nice little space,” says Dee of the mezzanine. “Particularly if you have guests and somebody wants to get up and read; it’s really private.”

One can stand in the loft and look across the open great room through the windows above the French doors leading outside. “Right here is one of the best views of Mount Baker when there aren’t clouds,” Chuck says.

lynden home
A loft area upstairs includes a guest room and bath, as well as a casual seating area. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

Back downstairs, Dee shows me her cozy office, tucked off of the dining area of the great room, with a built-in desk along the back wall. A comfortable chair with a book and blanket resting on its arm faces a bank of windows. A hummingbird feeder hangs outside where Dee keeps tabs on a frequent flying visitor.

“He just went by,” Chuck exclaims.

Two soft, overstuffed gray couches – purchased from Samuel’s Furniture after the move – sit in front of the fireplace and its dark wood mantel and surround of black, gray and white tiles. An oversized red leather ottoman stands in as coffee table, a house-warming gift from friends.

Exposed wooden beams cross high above the vaulted two-story room, which is open to the kitchen, where the same honey-toned wood comprises a lowered ceiling of planks and beams. The countertops are stone, while the oversize island is topped in rich wood.

The couple’s Frank Lloyd Wright-style dining set, which worked perfectly in their previous home, is equally wonderful here, melding with the similar fashion of kitchen cabinetry. “It’s a style we’ve always liked,” says Chuck.

lynden home
The home includes a magnificent view of Mount Baker. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

The master bedroom, just steps from the kitchen, holds the couple’s favorite new piece, a prairie-style headboard and bed frame, also from Samuel’s.

We make our way down to the finished basement, greeted by an expanse of beautiful built-in bookcases in the large, open family room.

The couple hired John Blethen’s New Whatcom Interiors, creator of all the cabinetry in their Fairhaven condo, to fashion them. “He does fantastic work,” Chuck says.

On the opposite wall from the bookshelves is a substantial cabinetry piece left by the previous owner, which Chuck and Dee added to with a bar and high stools. The wall above this area shows off what Chuck dubs their “tribute to Fairhaven,” with framed photographs and artwork related to the neighborhood.

A basement bedroom has been converted into Chuck’s office, its walls lined with more photographs. “We have a lot more memorabilia up than we did in the condo because we have more space,” says Dee.

lynden home
Chuck and Dee Robinson added high stools to this room flanked by bookshelves. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

“When we moved out here I got myself this desk, which I dearly love,” Chuck says, pushing a button. The desk quietly rises to standing height.

Storage space abounds downstairs, with one area that was never converted into a bedroom now doing double duty as storeroom and exercise space.

“I have my bike here and earphones so I can do workouts or a spin class,” Chuck says, motioning straight ahead through the family room, where a large flat-screen TV hangs on the wall. “I can watch anything while I’m on the bike, which is pretty great.”

With no television on the other floors, the couple often enjoys the family room at the end of the day, streaming shows and watching movies.

They also love their new outdoor spaces. A covered area between the garage and house includes a grill and outdoor dining table. “It’s nice and sheltered, so you can use it year-round,” says Chuck.

lynden home
The Robinson’s welcome visitors to the outdoor space at their Lynden home. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

The covered back porch, off the great room, can be used nearly year-round as well, though it’s ideally situated for sweltering summer days. Pointing primarily east toward Mount Baker, it’s shaded in those long afternoons and evenings.

“We were out here most afternoons this summer,” says Dee, nodding to two comfy-looking outdoor chairs. “We use them nearly every day for cocktail hour.”

“Our deck in Fairhaven faced west and you felt pretty exposed to the world up there,” says Chuck of the wrap-around condo balcony that overlooked the village green.

“Here we can sit and talk to our neighbors across the lawn, and we do, but we don’t feel like we’re on display,” he says. “In the summertime, people do kind of wander through the back yards and you end up visiting and having drinks.”

Settling Into New Surroundings

The couple has felt incredibly welcomed into their new community.

“The people up here are so nice,” says Dee.

lynden home
Chcuk and Dee Robinson feel very welcomed by the Lynden community. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

They already have several favorite spots, from The Mill and Drizzle to the Jansen Art Center and Claire vg Thomas Theatre.

“The Jansen is just a treasure here,” says Chuck. “And The Inn at Lynden has added a lot.”

“People out here say, ‘It’s farther from Bellingham to Lynden than it is from Lynden to Bellingham,’” Chuck says, with a laugh. “And everybody in Bellingham will say, ‘Oh, you’ve got to go all the way out there?’”

But there’s little traffic, he contends. It takes only five minutes more to get to Whatcom Community College from their new home, and if there’s traffic at all in the Bellingham corridor, the Lynden trip is quicker.

lynden home
Settling into their new home, Chuck and Dee Robinson say they didn’t move ‘away’ from anything but rather ‘to’ something. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

Several months into their new lives as Lyndenites, the couple still gets asked why they moved. Many assume they left Fairhaven for a specific reason: noise, crowdedness, or some other perceived negative change.

“There wasn’t anything we didn’t like – we loved it,” says Chuck. “Dee finally hit it on the head one day when she said to someone, ‘We didn’t move away from anything – we moved to something.’”

Learn how Village Books came to be at WhatcomTalk, and more about the stores’ new owners here.

Skating Academy Brings the Fun of Skating to Whatcom County

skating academy
With experienced instructors, young skaters are introduced to the sport of skating in a fun environment. Photo courtesy: Keri Ferguson.

Keri Ferguson, Director of the Skating Academy at the Bellingham Sportsplex, fondly recalls her long career as a figure skating coach. “I have coached babies who now have their own babies skating,” Ferguson says.

Ferguson arrived at the Sportsplex in August of 2015. She may be new to Bellingham, but she is not new to the sport of ice skating. Her 30-year coaching career included time in Portland and Tacoma. Some of her students have progressed to great professional success in Olympic and International coaching.

skating academy
The Skating Academy Skate Camps provide a great opportunity for kids to learn the basics of skating. Photo courtesy: Keri Ferguson.

“Being in this position is like coming full circle,” Ferguson says of her work with the Skating Academy. “It’s the cherry on the cupcake!”

From beginning skating skills to more advanced training, the Skating Academy provides an opportunity for anyone wanting to experience the sport and the beauty of figure skating. With a staff of highly qualified instructors, the Skating Academy teaches students figure skating skills certified under Learn to Skate USA, a nationally recognized organization.

Skating Academy instructors are all certified through the Learn to Skate USA program as well. Each holds at least one gold medal in their field of testing, making them highly qualified and accomplished as skaters and instructors. Many of the instructors are from Western Washington’s Figure Skating Team. Some are even students of Ferguson’s former students.

The Skating Academy began offering a new Summer Camp in 2016. “We are continuously moving in a forward direction,” Ferguson says. “Summer is the perfect time to be on the ice. It keeps the kids involved. Each camper leaves with a great experience.”

skating academy
With experienced instructors, young skaters are introduced to the sport of skating in a fun environment. Photo courtesy: Keri Ferguson.

Both the summer and upcoming Winter Camps are designed to teach basic skills associated with skating. Participants in the camps learn these skills both on and off the ice. They practice and then perform in a show. At the end of their experience, they are given a certificate. For those beyond the introductory level, a Junior Skate Camp and an Advanced Skate Camp are also available.

Throughout the year, the Skating Academy offers weekly classes teaching both basic and advanced skills. The Academy also offers a Basic Skills program teaching boys and girls the basics of skating. Students can then choose to continue with figure skating or hockey.

“We get a huge amount of support from the hockey director and the Sportsplex, as well as the Skating Academy participants,” Ferguson says. “I’m truly lucky to be here.”

The Skating Academy works directly with the Bellingham Figure Skating Club, which Ferguson is a member of. Many members of the Figure Skating Club began in the Skating Academy where they first fell in love with the sport of figure skating, often at a very young age.

With over 100 skaters, the Skating Academy continues to grow as the community discovers the sport of figure skating. Ferguson often finds herself on the ice teaching with the other instructors. “I love it,” she says. “I have a great staff. We all start this sport because it’s fun. My goal is that people have a great experience here.”

skating academy
Each young skater that comes to a camp leaves with a great experience. Photo courtesy: Keri Ferguson.

Part of that experience involves providing opportunities that fit the needs of the community. With the “Home School Skate” program, home schooling families have an opportunity to participate in skating in a meaningful and convenient way. The new “Moms and Tots” program will be specifically designed for moms who want to skate with their young children during the day.

Ferguson, the Skating Academy and the Sportsplex work to support the Figure Skating Club’s many activities by providing instructors and ice time. This year, Ferguson is the Artistic Director for the upcoming show “North Pole Express on Ice” which will be at the Sportsplex on December 9. It’s the Figure Skating Club’s largest ice show and fundraiser. It also supports the Toys for Tots program.

See what skating has to offer by coming to one of the Bellingham Sportsplex’s public skate sessions with your family. Put on a pair of skates and take a spin around the rink. You might be surprised at the amount of fun you have on the ice.

For more information and a Skating Academy schedule, please visit the Bellingham Sportsplex website.

Sponsored

STAY CONNECTED

17,793FansLike
8,644FollowersFollow
3,763FollowersFollow

Business

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap