Rob Smith

Foot Traffic Rises Again in Downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle Association: Slow recovery continues
Nearly 1.9 million visitors came downtown last month. Downtown averaged 85,000 daily workers, a 16% increase from February 2023. That, however, is only 57% compared to the same period in 2020, right before the pandemic.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Been to White Center lately? How about Everett or Edmonds?
Seattle’s neighborhoods — suburbs included — are as varied as the landscapes that surround them. Each has its own character and charm. The city’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity fuels that sense of belonging, and fosters a shared responsibility for the well-being and growth of each community.
Illustration by Martin Haake

Their Spirits Were Not Broken
Ballard’s only distillery finally opens after years of setbacks
Covid caused multiple delays in the fabrication of their stills in Germany. A 140-day concrete workers strike created more chaos during build-out, as did city permitting issues. Much of their equipment burned to the ground in a Kent warehouse fire…

Seattle’s Neighborhoods: Creating Purpose and Place
The March/April issue, out now, highlights why the city is such a special place
In more than three decades as a journalist, I’ve never yelled “stop the press.” But I will say “hot off the press,” which leads me to the new issue of Seattle magazine.
Illustration by Martin Haake
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