3 Best Places to Shop in Seattle, Washington

Seattleites are sometimes scorned for their fashion sense (polar fleece, sport sandals, and socks—oh my!), but as the city has grown and enough money has percolated through the ranks of retail, the city's style barometer has made a steady creep upward. Bibliophiles, foodies, wine aficionados, and design-centrists will also find plenty of shopping opportunities—Seattle is a hotbed of unique, independent shops stocking one-of-a-kind treasures.

Shopping in Seattle is something best done gradually. Don't expect to find it all in one or two days worth of blitz shopping tours. Downtown is the only area that allows for easy daylong shopping excursions. Within a few blocks along 4th and 5th Avenues, you'll find the standard chains (The Gap, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Anthropologie, Sephora, Old Navy), along with Nike's flagship store, and a few more glamorous high-end stores, some featuring well-known designers like Gucci . Downtown is also where you'll find department stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, and Barneys New York. Belltown and Pioneer Square are also easy areas to patrol—most stores of note are within a few blocks.

To find many of the stores that are truly special to Seattle—such as boutiques featuring handmade frocks from local designers, independent record stores run by encyclopedic-minded music geeks, cozy used-book shops that smell of paper and worn wood shelves—you'll have to branch out to Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and northern neighborhoods like Ballard. Shopping these areas will give you a better feel for the character of the city and its quirky inhabitants, all while you score that new dress or nab gifts for your friends.

And don’t forget about Seattle’s culinary bounty, which includes the stalls at Pike Place Market; the flagship Sur La Table, which stocks every kitchen gadget known to man; and the city’s various weekly farmers' markets, where you’ll find enough locally made, artisanal offerings to fill a suitcase or two.

The Bellevue Collection

In this impressive trifecta of shopping centers, you'll find just about any chain store you've heard of (and some that you haven't). Bellevue Square's wide walkways and benches, its many children's clothing stores, kid's hair salon, and first-floor play area make this a great place for little ones, too. A variety of local restaurant groups and national chains serve quick, good casual food, and you can park for free in the attached garage. Take the sky bridge to Lincoln Square to catch a flick at their 16-screen cinema, organize your life at the Container Store, or sample an assortment of other retail outlets. Eat at one of the several high-end restaurants, the famous Din Tai Fung, or the upscale food court. Bellevue Place, across from Lincoln Square, hosts a variety of stores, restaurants, and a Fonte Coffee Roaster. From Black Friday through Christmas Eve, thousands of people line Bellevue Way between the shopping centers every night at 7 pm to experience the festive and free Snowflake Lane extravaganza.

The Shops at the Bravern

If you have some serious cash to burn, the sleek, upscale Bravern might be the Eastside spot for you. With high-end shops like Moncler, Hermès, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Leica, it's tempting to empty your wallet—but save room for a spa treatment at the Gene Juarez Salon & Spa or a meal at luxury Chinese hot-pot spot the Dolar Shop. Valet and complimentary parking (with validation) are available.

University Village

University District

This upscale, open-air mall has "University" in its name because of its location, northeast of the UW campus, but you won't see a lot of students here. Clientele are mainly residents of the well-to-do surrounding neighborhoods, drawn by a long list of familiar chains (Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, L'Occitane, Sephora, Warby Parker, H&M, Madewell, Apple, Anthropologie, Kiehl's) mixed with some local favorites (including candy wonderland The Confectionery and artsy gift shop Fireworks). There are also good dining options, including the enormously popular international dumpling chain Din Tai Fung. Overall, it's a pleasant shopping experience, but a bit conventional by Seattle standards and a whole different world from the rest of the U-District.

Seattle

Seattle

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