Compiled by Steve Hiller with assistance from the shopping guide put together for the American Association of Law Libraries annual conference in Seattle July 2003.

Downtown Shopping Areas

The main retail core in downtown Seattle is between 1st and 9th Avenues and James and Stewart Streets.

Downtown Big Two

City Centre
1420 5th Ave.
A collection of shops and Palomino restaurant. Chihuly glass sculptures on display.

Westlake Center
Located between 4th & 5th Avenue and Pine and Olive Streets.
A four story collection of specialty shops and eateries; also the home of The Monorail Station which connects with the Seattle Center.

Pacific Place
Located between 6th and 7th Aves. And Pine and Olive Streets.
A four story collection of specialty shops and eateries as well as a movie multiplex.

Pike Place Market
Located between 1st and Western Avenues and between Pike and Virginia Streets.
Farmer’s market, local craftspeople, restaurants, open-air stalls and multiple highly individual businesses and restaurants populate the Market. Labyrinthine multi-storied configuration insures a surprise every time. Home of flying fish and the very first Starbucks.

Still Downtown but Outside the Retail Core

Pioneer Square
Located between 2nd Ave. and the waterfront from Cherry St. to King St.
Most of the 3rd Ave. buses go to Cherry St. and all the tunnel buses stop at the Pioneer Square station.

Historical area with art galleries galore as well as specialty shops and restaurants, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park and the starting point for the Underground Tour. Shopping opportunities include Elliott Bay Book Company, Laguna Pottery, art and antiques along with a good measure of souvenirs.

Seattle Waterfront
Just keep walking west! Alaskan Way from Pier 52 to Pier 70. Waterfront street car at your service.

Souvenir and import shops, ferries, restaurants and the Seattle Aquarium. The waterfront itself has some funky shops but the real deal here is found on the s tairways leading up and down to the waterfront from the Pike Place Market aka The Pike Street Hill Climb and from 1st and University aka Harbor Steps. These two pedestrian promenades are chock-a-block with interesting shops and eateries.

International District
Tunnel buses stop at the International District Station and most 3rd Ave. buses stop at James St.

The International District is just west of the Football/Baseball stadiums between 4th Ave. S. and I-5 and between Yesler Way and S. Dearborn St. A truly pan-Asian district with numerous opportunities to shop and munch your way around the Asian continent. Don’t miss Uwajimaya Village, an Asian grocer, gift shop, book store and Hello Kitty central! Visit Higo Variety Store, Choy Herb Specialist and Piece of Cake for a little international flavor...

Belltown
Between Stewart and Cedar Streets and Western and 4th Avenues. Metro bus #1, 2, 13 Hip, chic, condoland. A great visit to a close-in urban neighborhood. Walk up and down 1st, 2nd and 3rd Avenues and drool over the fabulous finds at Eggberts, Paperhaus, Patagonia, The Endless Knot. If the drooling gets out of hand stop at Macrina Bakery or Le Pichet for sustenance and a cup of tea. Finish your walk off with a laugh at the windows of Baby & Co. and a sigh of envy as you peruse the beautiful architecture tomes at Peter Miller Books.

Further Afield (but Easily Reachable by Bus)

Capitol Hill
Just east of downtown core between 9th and 23rd Avenues and between E. Union and E. Roanoke Streets. Metro bus 7,8,9,10,12,14.

Young and urban, food and fashion galore, center of gay Seattle too. Home of Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park, Broadway Market, first run movie houses, Value Village thrift store, Dilettante Chocolates, and tons of great restaurants.

Queen Anne Hill
North of downtown and Belltown, between Denny Way and Nickerson Street and Between Westlake Ave. N. and 15th Ave. W. Metro bus #1,2,13, 34

Arts galore. This is the home of Seattle Center and all the performance spaces that go along with it. Queen Anne Ave. N. is the main drag for shopping and eating. Home of Dick’s Drive-In, a Seattle tradition for cheeseburger, fries and a shake. Beautiful views of Seattle and surrounding area from the top.

Fremont
North of Lake Union and downtown between the Lake Washington Ship Canal and North 50th St. and between Fremont Ave. N. and 15th Ave. NW. Metro bus #26, 28, 31, 74.

Known to its residents as "The Center of the Universe" Fremont attracts an eccentric population along with Adobe and other high tech workers. Along with books, bites and bits of this and that Fremont also features a Sunday Market where you will find the used and the useless as well as just the thing you never knew you needed. Public "art work" is a major feature of the area and includes "Waiting for the Interurban" by Richard Beyer with embellishments courtesy of the public. You can also visit the 7 ton bronze statue of Lenin rescued from a mud puddle in Slovakia and now holding court over in front of the Fremont Hemp Co. A visit to the Volkswagen-eating Troll under the Bridge is a must! People watching deluxe!

Ballard
Between Leary Way NW and NW 85th St. and between 15th Ave. NW and Puget Sound. Metro bus #44, 46.

Lutefisk Sold Here!! Of course, that’s in addition to librarian action figure and other kitschy items at world-famous Archee McPhee & Co. Traditionally the Scandinavian enclave of Seattle this neighborhood is currently the hot new neighborhood for shops and restaurants. Shop for skate-dude duds, hand-crafted greeting cards, wind-up toys, have your hands hennaed and stay in the evening for good music and dancing at places like the Tractor Tavern. A truly original mix of old and new worlds.

University District
The University District is north of Downtown and well-served by Metro buses #71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 which run every 10 minutes in the Metro bus Tunnel during the week and on 3rd Ave. on weekends.

The University of Washington . . . . and more. "The Ave" as University Way is known is home to the expected mix of coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, bookstores (including University BookStore, one of the best in the country) and Birkenstocks with a good mix of vintage clothing stores and used record shops thrown in. On the other side of the University to the north and east is University Village, a large, but not mega- outdoor mall with the usual assortment of upscale chain stores and as well as interesting local shops (try Fran’s chocolate).

Back to GSIS Seattle 2003 Meeting Page

lej 9/29/03
last update: 9/29/03