Downtown Seattle retailers see hopeful signs as holiday shopping begins

SEATTLE — Downtown Seattle was abuzz as the city welcomed back the annual Westlake Tree lighting.

This is the first in-person tree lighting since the pandemic made it a virtual affair last year.

More people were in downtown Seattle for an event like this than any other in nearly two very long years.

Retailers that have struggled just to hold on are hoping this bodes well for this holiday shopping season.

It looks almost like Black Fridays of old. A bustle of people seeking some holiday cheer even in the gloom of this day after Thanksgiving.

“We moved here this summer,” said Nicole Martin, of Seattle. “I think it’s awesome to see everybody out.”

“I was excited to come in perfect Seattle weather,” said her mother, Kate McWhinney, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “It was rainy. It was gloomy. It was gray. It was wonderful.”

But the signs are there that this is not the downtown Seattle of old. See’s Candies is closing Saturday. These storefronts were once home to national retailers Banana Republic and Ann Taylor’s The Loft, a sad reminder that it’s not business as usual here.

“Oh, business is oh, I don’t know, 50%,” said Paul Duncan, an optician at Seattle Eye Docs, about how much business fell off during the pandemic.

He sees signs of change.

“Today, it’s nice, looking out there,” said Duncan. “There are people out shopping, people with children. It’s a long time since I’ve seen families down here. And you really miss that.”

The Downtown Seattle Association has installed light sculptures in place of the carousel that fell victim to the pandemic. And DSA spokesman James Sido sees a silver lining even among the vacant storefronts.

“Interestingly enough, 75% of the street-level businesses that were open pre-pandemic are back open in downtown,” said Sido. “There are some notable closures, no doubt. But maybe there is some opportunity within those storefronts to bring in new retail, or a new way to look at that street-level retail, for sure.”

Some visitors are already wowed.

“You have a gorgeous city,” said Brenda Christie, of Wilmington, Delaware. “I love coming here. I come here as often as I can.”

Seattle Police have their hands full, with the tree Lighting here at 5:15, the Apple Cup and a concert at Climate Pledge Arena.

But they say they are staffed to handle everything happening this busy Black Friday.

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