'Downtown core is devasted': Seattle restaurants and shops fight to survive pandemic

[LisaM]

3. This started before the pandemic.

The pandemic hasn't helped, but downtown was already going dark. Macy's had closed. Other businesses on Third Avenue had closed because of crime. The tech workers flooding the city shop online and don't do things like go to the theatre, so the theatres were having trouble too. The pandemic was just one more (and worse) blow to a downtown that was already reeling. I work in downtown Seattle and the contrast between now and ten years ago is stark. I counted 23 spots where I used to be able to get lunch that were gone forever, and that was last year.

I don't know what vision the mayor and city council have for Seattle - I don't think they know, either - but it doesn't include a vibrant retail scene.