Retail commerce is--to put it politely--limited in Pullman. Most of it is clustered along or near three streets: Main, Grand, and Bishop Boulevard. The nearest Walmart is seven miles east in Moscow (though the more limited Shopko at Grand and Bishop can be a handy alternative for some items), the nearest Costco is forty minutes south in Clarkston, and the nearest Target is an hour and a half north in Spokane. But hey, we've got the same access to the Web and mail-order as everybody else.

And there are some definitely cool businesses in Pullman. I'm going to single out just a few of my favorites.

For used textbooks, try the WSU student bookstore; but for other used books, Brused Books is a great place to shop. Since Pullman has a highly educated population of avid readers, a lot of good stuff gets recycled here.

The punning store name was influenced by the first name of its founder, Bruce Calkins.

Location of the nearest Walmart

Location of the nearest Costco

Location of the nearest Target