A white fiberglass polar bear stands guard outside the entrance to Polar Bear Gifts on Fourth Avenue. This shop has occupied the space for decades, operating as a clearinghouse for Alaska Native arts, ivory carvings, and fur products. In the nineteen eighties, the bear became a local landmark, drawing tourists who wanted a photo with the oversized predator. Even as downtown Anchorage has seen storefronts come and go, the bear remains, watching the steady stream of cruise ship passengers and locals pass by.
Polar Bear Gifts
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