Wonderful place. Friendly staff and very knowledgeable. Went above and beyond to ensure we got the best quality.
My favorite store in the area, the prices (from my perspective) seem good and low, and the selection of natural and local artifacts is amazing! Where else can you get actual bear claws. Amazing selection of fossils at a great rate. Honestly wish I could purchase more if my budget wasnt so low during these times. I spend a few hundred here but got tons of great fossils and artifacts to add to my collection. In fact my lifelong fossil collection doubled as now half of it came from this store during 2 different trips.
Overview:Alaska Fur Exchange is like a cross between an antique shop and a museum, with prices to match. The shop is packed tight (reminiscent of many antique shops) with handmade art and jewelry constructed of various bones, stones, and leathers. Mixed among what I assume are locally made pieces are various commercial items as well. Some notable items I recall from my first visit include carved, polished animal statuettes, polished bone or stone earrings and necklaces, inscribed bone, inscribed and painted belt buckles, leather house slippers, fur/hide blankets, pocket knives, antlers, full animal hides for a variety of animals, and many cases of jewelry. I didnt ask but I suspect that each case and section of the shop carries items from different local sellers, as many cases appeared to be marked with shorthand names in the corners.The Details:This is not a place for the light of wallet. Some background on my part. I have been through dozens of antique shops in Maine, seen traditionally made goods at Ren-fairs in Minnesota, and browsed furs at SCA events in Arizona so I have a general expectation of what I might expect to pay. The prices here were way higher than I anticipated. Most (handmade?) jewelry pieces ran between $30 to $100, although there were some cheaper options like $20 lasercut wood earrings. Statuettes, started at $30 for very small pieces and easily ran over $400 for others. These are very clearly art pieces and priced as such.This place definitely has the feel of some antique shops Ive been in, where items are priced like the owner is quite reluctant to give them up. Some leather house-slippers caught my attention, fur lined, Im assuming genuine local leather. I know leather items can be pricey but the quality usually justifies the cost. The slippers certainly seemed to be of high quality but at $250, not for general use boots, but for house slippers, I find the cost hard to justify. I also checked the price on one of the leather blankets (I didnt check any others) and it was priced at $6,000.Furs seemed closer to what I might expect but I still found the prices quite high. Granted, the pelts on display all seem to be of a very good quality, but are priced more like display pieces rather than crafting leather. (Ex: $200 for a full red fox pelt, good coloring) I do not have experience with bone or antler pricing so I cant really judge the sticker prices on those.Note: I am not from the area (or anywhere else in Alaska). I did not have a bad experience at this location. These are just my observations and some context on my opinions.
It’s like a Alaskan museum in there with so many beautiful and unique things. More than just furs.
As an Alaskan- let me assure you, this place is ripping you off for fur (some other items were decent). Very arbitrary pricing, very rude ladies. Had the audacity to try to tell me the artists would charge ‘even more- $50 more’ but they are giving a price deal. Plus I had only asked a question and got a cold shoulder with ridiculous attitude! I’ve been working with fur and trappers in SE Alaska for over a decade. This is an embarrassment to us. Support ANYONE else regarding fur- or work with the artists directly.
So much stuff- you can find something for everyone here. Definitely worth the stop. Staff was friendly and very helpful!
Unique gift shop and authentic! Highly recommend.
I love this place so much, my mother drops off her sealskin slippers here. Amazing arts, regalia, carvings, pelts and more!
My favorite store in alaska!! The ladies working there gave me great information about some of the native artists and what makes their work so special. There are materials galore if you want to make your own jewelry or fur pieces. This shop has the most comprehensive collection of native jewelry and handicrafts in the state. The prices are competetive as well. Come here for one of a kind made in Alaska gifts!
Authentic Alaskan merchandise and very knowledgeable workers.
Great selection of unique items.
Beautiful, unique inventory and the best customer service. If you are in Anchorage, the Alaska Fur Exchange is one place you dont want to miss.
Wierd dude, beautiful craftsmanship! Odd people and great art go together I guess.
Oh my and WoW! You name it--- she has it! Lots of it. Enchanting ivory pieces, amazing earings (I even found the walrus whisker earings I was looking for.). Clothes of all kinds and Furs ... some just pelts or skins to use as you wish. The leather was beautiful also...Lots and lots of leather and fur slippers and gloves. Taxadermied small animals and a huge collection of bones and antlers. Many hand made Alaska animals and sea life. Can you tell I was impressed. If you like Alaska, you Will love the Fur Exchange!
Love it! Can shop for hours. Very interesting items for sale.
Great service and friendly staff.
This company is the best place to buy the best Alaskan stuff in Alaska hands down! They truly will take care of your purchases! When I visit Alaska it will always be my number 1 stop to shop for true Alaska cool stuff!!!!
Real Alaska Native art in all price ranges! If you are anti-fur stay far,far away, as traditional native art and subsistence living use every part of the animal/fish/plants available in Alaska. Fur admirers and the fur-curious will enjoy the vast selection, quality, fair price and great staff. Best real souvenir department store (well, sorta) in Anchorage. Something for everyone on your list thats better than an overpriced t-shirt made NOT in Alaska. Enjoy!
A nice little shop featuring a wide array of fossils, minerals, rocks, Alaskan native made crafts, claws, fur, and whatever you may want. A very large selection of fur and fossils specifically. They even had actual animal claws which impressed me. Really love this place.
Excellent, been to Anchorage for times but this was our first visit to Alaska Fur Exchange. Lots of Alaskan made items and furs. Love it & will go back again
Listen to me, men(with wives&gfs), other than AIH and Hardware Specialties(tool stores), THIS is the most interesting store in Anchorage! No disrespect, men just can’t focus when tools are around. I can’t tell you how great my experience at this store was, I’m only allowed 5 stars! I was out on a mission for a gf that turns 50...AND I’m in the doghouse BIGTIME...it only took an idea to walk into this store to find something she really liked, which is hard to do! I’m an artist and I’m going in on Monday for a DEEP investigation of this awesome store! ABSOLUTELY NO STAFF PRESSURE, NONE!!! Listen to me, I’m a local, you need to go to this place!
Excellent customer service excellent selection of furs great prices once you go here you will no longer go anywhere else furls
Friendly, helpful, and outstanding prices on their Inuit bone artifacts. I purchased a few items online and was very happy with the service I received. The shipping was quick, the items were packaged and arrived safely. I will be purchasing again from the fur exchange in the future.
Great selection of authentic Alaskan gifts & furs. I never leave empty handed with gifts for my down south friends
I used to shop here all the time, however my last experience left me uneasy. I was followed around by an older lady with long white hair always 2 feet from me and made it hard to shop and make decisions about what fur to buy as I need mine going as straight down as possible. This person almost breathing down my neck and asking me what Im making, what am I looking for, as I used to shop here for many years, now I will listen to fellow native artists I will not be coming back.
Awesome!
Enjoy this place!
Awesome shop! They had everything a person could want in there! Feathers, fur, beads, drums, sage smudge bundles, crystals, bone carvings, etc.! My new go-to store for my craft projects! Check en out!
Great place for fur and Alaskan souvenirs
Wonderful people One of the workers originally lived in a town 30 miles from where I am from Great store too Ill be stopping again before I have to leave
Very cool place not just furs there but they have tons of other stuff fossils and native art, and materials to do pretty much anything beads you just have to see it its fantastic.
My husband visited last year and brought some moose antlers home for our dogs. They finally finished what they had and I called to order some to be sent down to us in Georgia and they went above and beyond!! Will definitely order again.
It was a Fun Visit.. Enjoyed n very Helpful👍👍👍
Friendly staff, reasonable selection of fur. While I was there they gave A+ service and information to a kid even though they didnt sell what the kid needed.
Such a great place with eclectic and beautiful Native art in just about every medium imaginable. Its crowded with lots of opportunities to find little treasures.
Always very helpful and some of the best furs in town!
If you ever go to Anchorage, its a good shop to visit.
Helpful and nice staff when we went while living in Ak. My sons love the antler key chain and dream catcher.
Wow. Native made items. Terrific selection.
I love this store! Every time I go to Anchorage I have to shop there!
A wonderful and extremely varied offering of Alaskana
Great place for quality Alaskan gifts.
Great store
The ladies there were extremely friendly & very helpful 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
A large, high-priced store full of stuff. Crammed-tight aisles. We bought some jewelry and an Ulu knife. Smell of old cigars seemed to pervade the shop.
Very nice store respectful to me
Friendly staff and amazing items!
Very nice and friendly store.
Little spendy but pretty cool tourist shop
Has a wide variety of many things you wouldnt think you would see in there and many things that are just strictly Alaska I start says a lot about Alaska
A little piece of animal heaven!
UNFRIENDLY, EVEN THE CUSTOMER HAD TO TELL HER I NEEDED HELP
Great place to visit
Complete rude.
U are wonderful
NO!