Master craftsman aims to make Bellingham’s Champlin Guitars a ‘welcoming space’

On any given afternoon, Champlin Guitars might feel less like a retail/repair shop and more like your favorite musician’s living room. String instruments, tools and band memorabilia hang from every available surface. A rear wall is plastered with Polaroids of customers holding instruments, their names labeled with neon permanent marker. Most conversations are underscored with laughter and the gentle twang of guitars. This warm atmosphere isn’t by coincidence: Owner Devin Champlin is inten