The Ulu Factory
The Ulu Factory
4
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Neighborhood: Downtown
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
738 reviews
Excellent
241
Very good
268
Average
182
Poor
38
Terrible
9
Mark H.
Wyoming6 contributions
Jul 2022
Interesting to see components being made through a viewing glass. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. City transit doesn't provide front door service but not much of a walk from tourist/downtown area. Their products are sold in gift stores around town for the same cost, just beware the cheaper versions are knock-offs made overseas. Loaded up on Ulu knives for family gifts and they provided flat rate USPS shipping which was a nice convenience. Also, as a side note, these knives can't fly home in your carry-on luggage. Checked baggage ok.
Written August 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
L B
Tinton Falls, NJ797 contributions
Jun 2021
Went here to get an authentic Alaska Ulu knife. Glad we did. They have inexpensive to expensive knives.
They also have very nice cutting boards. We got both a knife and a board (FYI, the knife cannot be packed in carry on baggage).
They also do engraving of the blade and wooden handle.
FYI, a short walk from the factory is a fishing bridge where they fish for salmon when the salmon are running. We saw a lot of fisherman when we were there but no salmon.
They also have very nice cutting boards. We got both a knife and a board (FYI, the knife cannot be packed in carry on baggage).
They also do engraving of the blade and wooden handle.
FYI, a short walk from the factory is a fishing bridge where they fish for salmon when the salmon are running. We saw a lot of fisherman when we were there but no salmon.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ferg42995
Texas404 contributions
Jun 2020
What a fun place! Of course, you can shop for a HUGE variety of ulu knives including many which are true works of art. But you can also watch on both "ends" of the store the factory where they are making them. There are windows into the factory from inside the store and different parts of the manufacturing process happen at each window so be sure and check them both out. And be sure when you are shopping (even if not here), that you shop for one of the originals that are made here. Some in other shops are imported fakes from China.
Written June 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tyler A
18 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
The Ulu Factory was less of a factory and more of a gift shop that specializes in Ulu knives. I was disappointed to learn that this business isn’t Alaska native owned/operated, but profits off the culture of indigenous communities. There also wasn’t much information available about how the knives are made - just a brief video played on a small TV that seems like it was produced in 1998. It may have been the fact that we went on a weekday morning but there were no tours or explanations about what was going on in the factory. I bought one Ulu as a souvenir and did feel that it was priced fairly, but overall I wouldn’t recommend this.
Written July 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Derekanddoc
Odessa, TX171 contributions
Jul 2021
Was suggested by a friend to see the factory. Well worth it, as the gift store is huge, the factory is small and between the 2 it was a great hour! Not 25 yards from the factory is the river where fisherman are spread out to get a surprise of catch of the day. We saw one fisherman catch a nice fish and return it back to the river. Very cool. The store has plenty of "tourist" items but also good usefullkitchen items as well.
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael G
Crawfordsville, IN8 contributions
Jul 2019
AT first glance you enter what seems to be tourist trap selling souvenirs. But someone greets you as you enter and directs you to watch the making of certain Ulu objects of interest. You can hear and or watch on video, the Ulu history. Very informative.
Written March 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NPT1999
Commack, NY206 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Perfect place to purchase souvenirs that are made in Alaska. You are able to watch Ulu’s being handmade. They ship if you are not checking luggage when returning home. They have native Syrup in sizes that can be brought through security at the airport. Beautiful handcrafted cards, post cards, and jewelry as well.
Written April 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BigTool
Chicago vicinity454 contributions
Jun 2019
I sure hope that I used the proper plural form for "ulu." We arrived late in the day, but one worker hung around to finish an ulu. They aren't making ulus, the sales staff will demonstrate their product, so it helps to bring an appetite. Prices here seemed a bit lower than in the gift shops elsewhere, and they shipped to the lower 48 at a competitive rate.
Written May 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
veryuniquetraveler
NEBRASKA578 contributions
Aug 2022
Yes, it is a bit of a tourist trap, but seriously, everyone just has to take one of these home, and makes a great souvenir or gift. It would have been better if we could have seen them making the actual knives, but we were there shortly before closing time and got to see them sanding and polishing the bowls and packaging the items. Lady by entrance was demonstrating the use of the knives.
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yisroelf
Miami Beach, FL171 contributions
May 2021
Not a lot to see but it was very interesting. We bought few gifts from the #2 rated items. That was great and a great price for the same quality items just not as cosmetic appealing as the regular items. Beware, I bought some salmon jerky. We later found it cheaper at gift shops on 4th Ave and even at the airport.
Written May 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When does the factory operate? We have a couple of days we could possibly go and would like to go when the factory is operating
Written November 29, 2019
Weekdays - we went on a Saturday and it wasn’t operating that day.
Written November 30, 2019
Can you ship your purchase back home from the store? We don't want to have to put it in our luggage
Written October 27, 2019
You absolutely can! We sent a couple of things back, they take care of it right there when you purchase the items.
Written January 11, 2020
When we visited the ULU factory, all the staff appeared to be native Alaskans and gave us that impression. How do you know that the people making the ulu's are not also native Alaskan's?
Written August 18, 2019
The two staff were not native when I was there.
Written September 29, 2019
We are here now and it's open
Written October 20, 2018
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