Harry Dearth sits on a cushioned stool in his Gig Harbor waterfront bookstore, surrounded by his passion. Stacks of books line the shelves from floor to ceiling: biographies, travel books, children’s books and cook books.

When Valla Wagner and Melissa Tennille opened their toy store, Teaching Toys, Too, in Uptown Gig Harbor, they already had quite a following.

Barbara Graham wants to give her clients something more than just great graphic designs.

Peninsula Insurance in Gig Harbor has added muscle to its insuring power by merging with the Fournier Group, another long-standing area agency.

The general contractors at Latitude 123 in the Finholm district of Gig Harbor want building, remodeling or decorating a home to be as easy as 1-2-3.

In January the two Gig Harbor branches of ACE Hardware added Tom’s Secret Formula products to their shelves.

When Lane Scelzi visualized “Sip at the wine bar & restaurant,” he wanted to offer something for everyone. And from the way business has been since it opened March 26 in Uptown Gig Harbor, it looks like he’s hit his mark.

Morford’s Hallmark at Harbor Place on Point Fosdick Drive recently celebrated its 31st anniversary with a remodel. At the end of February, the store closed for three days and got a fresh coat of paint, new carpet, rearranged displays and added new features.

Tenants began to move into new office buildings off Wollochet Drive at the beginning of this month. Mallards Pointe Professional Center is located on Wagner Way behind Mallards Landing. The two-building professional center has been under construction for a little more than a year.

Gloria Metcalf’s business is all about making people feel comfortable in bed. Metcalf makes fitted sheets from her home in Lakebay out of the “best fabric there is for sheets.”

The YMCA, Costco, St. Anthony Hospital and Uptown Gig Harbor all have one thing in common: Every piece is coming to serve a specialized niche in the ever-growing Gig Harbor community and will be finished by 2009.