Souk and ye shall find at Tacoma's Moroccan Treasures

On the way to Morocco last July, I told my husband with a straight face, "I'm not going to buy a bunch of stuff there. We need to clear things out." That was before I realized I was traveling not only to a wonderfully exotic country with amazing architecture, fantastic food and kind people, but to the land of bustling souks and beautifully made crafts.

The narrow alleys of the souks (markets) in Marrakech and Fez are crammed with tiny shops selling fruits, vegetables, spices, chickens, nougat candy, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather goods and more.

We filled an extra duffle bag with a giant tagine (a heavy clay pot) for making Moroccan stews, a silver teapot and Moroccan tea glasses, two leather handbags, a silver necklace, a fossil embedded with multiple trilobites and a few pairs of leather Babouche slippers embellished with sequins and rhinestones. I looked longingly at Berber rugs, wood and leather furniture, and mosaic tile fountains, but I had no way to get them home.

Back in Seattle, I attended the Arab Festival at Seattle Center, and between bites of pita bread and baba ganouj, I happily discovered the booth of Tacoma shop Moroccan Treasures.

Owned by Heather Tucci-Jarraf and her Moroccan husband, Youssef Jarraf, the store, which opened last February, is a treasure trove of handcrafted items from Morocco. The Jarrafs' space features graceful scalloped arches, mosaic tilework, fossilized marble-topped counters and an intimate Moroccan-style seating area.

You'll find everything here to create your own little slice of Marrakech: massive, hand-carved wood furniture inlaid with silver, coral and camel bone (seating sets range from about $1,600 to $4,500); fossilized marble fountains, sinks and vanities designed by Youssef Jarraf; decorative and functional tagines of every size ($75-$165); colorful pottery decorated with silver (starting at $39); silver teapots and tea glasses; reversible textiles suitable for upholstery, drapes and pillows; whimsically shaped lighting made with color-saturated goatskin; traditional-style Berber carpets; and mosaic tiles for any home design project.

The couple adheres to fair-trade practices and works directly with the artists to ensure that the craftspeople are paid appropriate wages for their crafts. And they hope to bring awareness of Morocco and its culture to the Puget Sound region at special events throughout the year; for more information, call or visit the store and add your name to their mailing list.

Moroccan Treasures is at 906 Broadway in Tacoma; 253-552-4000. Visit the store online at www.finestmoroccantreasures.com.

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