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Hidden gems: the B&I

Great finds lurk here

The giant sign for the B&I showcases the mall’s ragtag charm. Photo credit: Jackson Hogan

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Most shopping malls really aren't that different from each other. Sure, you can visit the Tacoma Mall and feed your Cinnabon addiction, but the mall doesn't do a whole lot to differentiate itself from any other successful, middle-class mall around the country. If you want a true, 100 percent Tacoma shopping experience (ignore the fact that it's technically in Lakewood), the B&I is your best bet.

According to the Tacoma Public Library, in the B&I's early days, the South Tacoma Way icon was a hot spot. The center was opened in 1946 by Leo Bradshaw and Earl Irwin, and it quickly became famous for attracting many celebrities of the time. The "Biggest Little Store in the World" received visits from legendary former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Lewis, TV actor Duncan Renaldo, and even the original Batman himself: No, not Michael Keaton, but Adam West.

Unfortunately, after the double blow of I-5's completion in 1960, which removed much of South Tacoma Way's traffic, and the construction of the more upscale Tacoma Mall in 1965, the B&I lost its shiny new feel. Irwin had to draw in customers somehow, so he used a very unorthodox method: a gorilla. No, this is not a Simpsons episode. From 1967 through 1994, the shopping center held Ivan the gorilla in a massive concrete cage near the arcade. Although he entertained visitors by giving "autographs" with a thumbprint and providing an up-close look at an exotic creature, animal rights groups stepped in. In fact, National Geographic's documentary, The Urban Gorilla, was inspired by Ivan, according to the Seattle Times. By 1994, Ivan was sent to Zoo Atlanta to finish his life surrounded by his kind.

Today, the B&I is a completely different place than it was back in 1946 or even in 1967. There's no gorilla. There's no Batman. What is there? One of the most unique shopping destinations in the Puget Sound. Unlike most retail areas, even smaller ones, the B&I has absolutely no chain stores. Everything you see is a stand-alone, locally operated business. One of the best parts about this is that most things you'll see at this emporium can't be found in your average store.

The range of products you can find wandering through the B&I's corridors is endless. Want retro Nintendo games circa 1986? You got it. Reasonably priced prom dresses? Not hard to find. A pet store with more varieties of fish and lizards than your average Petsmart? Absolutely. The B&I also earns points for its inexpensive yet genuinely multicultural food court, with Mexican offerings, Korean foods, and more.

Its massive arcade section is the perfect place for families to have fun. Not only are there many more modern choices, but also some absolute classics, including some wonderfully dated pinball games from the 90s. Remember the 1994 Alec Baldwin vehicle The Shadow? The B&I does!

Sitting in the middle of the arcade section is an old-time carousel, which has become sort of a symbol for the B&I in its post-Ivan years. The concrete cage where the gorilla once sat is now another store, but you can still feel his presence throughout the building.

B&I Public Marketplace, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (6 p.m. Sundays), 8012 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.584.2056

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