Giraffe, Vashon’s popular shop for fair-trade housewares and gifts, has expanded off-Island. Last month, shop owner Priscilla Schleigh opened another Giraffe store in Tacoma.

“We decided to go ahead and take the jump,” Schleigh said.

Schleigh said she’s been thinking about opening another shop for some time, as customers from off-Island frequently tell her they wish there was a shop like Giraffe closer to them.

Giraffe Tacoma, owned by Schleigh and managed by her sister Peggy Schleigh, is located in Tacoma’s Theater District. It’s a big space, she said, and carries more or less the same merchandise plus a large selection of furniture.

“It’s a larger, more open warehouse feel,” she said, adding that the new store could benefit Vashon shoppers, as items not in stock on the Island could be brought over from the Tacoma shop.

So far Giraffe Tacoma has had a good reception, Schleigh said, and a few Islanders have even stopped by to check it out.

“It’s a great location; we loved the neighborhood, and people who had the shops on either side were very encouraging,” she said.

For hours and location, see its website, www.giraffetacoma.com