Combining resources and goods, four independent business owners have banded together to make it possible for Tacomans to go around the world in an hour.

Aamir Ahmad, Sharon Greenman, Amy McDonald and Clare Petrich all have backgrounds working as independent importers, many selling their goods wholesale to other businesses.

McDonald and Petrich previously operated the import shop Far and Wide a block off 6th Avenue for a short period of time. After that business closed, the two teamed up with Ahmad and Greenman to create a new retail space, specializing in fair trade, sustainable and environmentally-friendly handcrafted products from independent artisans, families and villages all over the world.

Located right on the 6th Avenue corridor, the year-old shop Laughing Lotus has proven to be a continuous surprise for customers, new and old, who visit daily.

Handmade bags of recycled newspaper from Indonesia, aluminum can earrings from Kenya, fair trade chocolate from Germany, and even some local artisan goods - like Scrabble-piece pendants from an independent crafter in Spokane - many of the items are made from re-used and re-purposed materials.

Laughing Lotus represents handmade goods, crafts, accessories, home decor, art and rugs from more than 25 countries and six continents.

And owners say every item has a story behind it.

“A lot of times, import shops are filled with manufacturer’s goods,” Ahmad said.

“The owner may know the sales rep but they don’t know the person who made the peice,” Greenman added. “There is a story behind all of the stuff in here. We might not know the story behind every piece, but we know a lot of them.”

The buyers who operate Laughing Lotus have managed to develop strong personal relationships with many of their sources abroad, and they insist on fair-trade transactions in order to provide the best wage to the artist, as well as the best price to the customer.

The prices at Laughing Lotus range from a few dollars for a set of handmade earrings, $25 for a sheer-knit patterned shawl, to about $100 for a handmade carved mirror, or more than $3,000 for an intricate hand-carved bed frame, which serves as a focal point of the store.

Because each of the items at Laughing Lotus are handcrafted by independent artisans, virtually every item purchased is unique, and new items arrive all the time.

“We want customers to come back and have them see something new,” Ahmad said.

Laughing Lotus offers gift certificates and gift registries for all occasions, and also hosts events such as travel talks for travelers to discuss and share their experiences abroad. Also, look to Laughing Lotus for opportunities to join in on guided trips to Indonesia as well.  

Laughing Lotus is open seven days a week (will be closed on July 4). Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Follow them on Facebook and visit their website at www.laughinglotustacoma.com. Located at 3013-B 6th Ave., (253) 627-0522.