Shop 49th...

This COVID-19 pandemic is being particularly difficult for the businesses that rely on the summer cruise season here in Alaska.  Many of the shops and restaurants all along the coastline of Alaska were especially hard hit when the cruises were canceled last year.  This year, while some cruises looked like they were going to happen have now gone down the tubes when Canada closed their ports to cruise ships.

You see, any cruise ship leaving a US port and coming to Alaska... if they are under a foreign flag (and most all of them are not flagged in the US) must stop in Canada before coming to Alaska. They cannot just come from their ports in the lower 48 and go directly to Alaska!!

This is even affecting the tourist industry here in Fairbanks.  Many of the cruises were considered "Land and Sea" cruises.  They either started here in Fairbanks with activities on land, continued down the way via train to Denali, and would finish in Anchorage or other ports along the coast for the sea portion of the cruise.  There was also the reverse starting with the sea and ending here in Fairbanks for their flights home.

We are hoping that some of the tourists will be returning this year as there have been additional airlines being set up to fly into Fairbanks so people will have more of a chance to come and see this magnificent and unique state for themselves without the benefit of a cruise.  United, American Airlines, and Delta are either coming to Fairbanks for the first time or expanding the number of flights.  We also have Alaska Airlines that have long been the best way to get to Fairbanks.

As you may or may not know, I have become a huge fan of YouTube videos.  I have many interesting things that I look at daily.  I follow a Philipino celeb who vlogs daily and is quite entertaining.  I have several Alaskan folks that I watch and started watching even before I moved here.  Rob and Kate have gotten me hooked on Kitten Academy where I can enjoy the antics of litters of kittens that are being fostered by a couple who usually have two litters going at a time. 

One of the Alaskan couples that I follow is the Leggs on their YouTube channel Legglife.  They live in Anchorage which is way south of me, but it gives me a chance to see how different life is in Anchorage as opposed to Fairbanks.  I enjoy watching them as they are some of the most genuinely kind and loving people.  They are generous and thoughtful and... when the Canadians closed their ports for 2021 to cruise ships, they knew it was going to make it a hardship on many of the small shops all over Alaska.

Adam and Sherri decided to try to help out these folks by starting a campaign to assist the small local shops by setting up a website to highlight some of these shops so they might be able to survive COVID and be around when the cruises become normal again.  They created a website called Shop49th.com and on the first of each month, they highlight 5 shops and one non-profit organization so that we can be aware of these shops and place orders at these shops to help them say alive.

It started in February and I ordered from a shop called the Cellar.  They had all manner of unique items.  I ordered some small jellies that were delish on English Muffins and sent some out to family members as gifts. I also some Kelp Pickles.  I have my jar of Kelp Pickles in the fridge.  I have not tried them yet, but they look interesting.

This month I ordered from a couple of the stores.  My first box arrived today.  This was from the Klothes Rush and I was really impressed with the items I got.

I ordered the Alaska journal with many blank pages.  It is going to be waiting for my first visitor who wants to keep a record of their trip to Alaska.  It will come with a pen to write with that represents Alaskan gold which is still being found all over the state in large and smaller mines.  The mug is adorable.  It is a whimsical long-legged moose and Alaska written across the bottom.  I am adding this to my ever-growing mug collection.  I really did not need another mug, but it was too cute to pass up, so I guess I will get rid of one or more of my mundane mugs to make room.

I am awaiting candles from the Love Bear Candle Company.  They make soy-based candles in their shop with very unique scents that are very Alaskan.

I tell you all this in hopes that one or two of you will go visit the Shop 49th website and look at some of the shops.  Christmas is not far away and I am sure there might be a birthday or two that you would like to find something unique and different to give to someone.

And, even if you do not, it is just fun to see the different things that are sold in Alaska.  Enjoy!!!