Rob Smith
World Cup in Seattle: Looking Back to Move Forward
What Seattle can learn from the 2024 Copa América Games as the 2026 World Cup approaches
If the economic impact of the 2024 Copa América Games is any indication, Seattle should prepare itself for an outright economic onslaught while hosting several 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. Data firm Placer.ai — which measures, among other things, foot traffic — says in a special white paper that the 2024 Copa América “provides a…
Seattle’s Urban Identity Index
Surveys reveal the character of our city and state
Diana Polk from WalletHub is nothing if not persistent. The communications director of the Miami-based personal finance website has flooded my inbox no fewer than 100 times the past six months with results from company surveys that are seemingly as numerous as stars in the sky. Many illustrate the ethos and culture of The Evergreen…
Zillow Searches: Strange, Odd, Weird
Haunted house? Roller coaster? Zillow reveals most popular and unusual home searches.
In Washington state, it’s vegetable gardens. In Nevada, it’s huge mansions, and in Michigan it’s laser tag. Seattle online home marketplace Zillow is having fun this holiday season by identifying popular and unusual home searches on its platform the past year. Many residents across Washington state are apparently interested in backyard vegetable ventures. The company…
Do People Really Want to Live in Downtown Seattle? Turns Out That They Do.
Residential growth exceeds that of peer cities
Downtown Seattle is increasingly becoming a destination place to live. Don’t scoff. The broader downtown area added nearly 2,400 residents this past year, bringing the total population to more than 108,000 people. The Downtown Seattle Association’s “Development Guide: 2024 year-end update” says Seattle has more residential units under construction than any other peer city, with…
Where Are The Most Affordable Houses in Washington State?
Even then, the cost is surprising
You’d have to live without urban amenities. The population is dropping, only 486 people. The entire town was evacuated in the summer of 2022 because of an approaching wildfire that destroyed 10 houses. But in Lind — 216 miles southeast of Seattle — you can buy a house for an average of just $183,774, making…
Blazing Birds: Why is Hot Chicken So Hot?
A friend and I were recently discussing the hot-chicken craze when he asked, “why do we need more chicken places? They’re everywhere.” It piqued my curiosity, and a little research uncovered some interesting tidbits. Thanks to Google, I discovered that the chicken wars began in earnest about four years ago, but its modern roots go…
From Dorms to Dreams
Seattle, Bellevue rank among top cities for new grads
If you’re a newly minted college graduate — or perhaps you know one, like your son, daughter, niece or nephew — Seattle is the place to be. College graduates across Seattle earn a median income of $90,159 annually, making it among the top cities in the United States to launch post-graduate careers. A CoWorking Café…
Saint Bread Nabs Top Bakery Honor
The New York Times lists the Portage Bay bakery as one of the best in the U.S.
The New York Times has named Seattle’s Saint Bread as one of its 22 best bakeries in America. It is the only bakery in Washington state on the list. “There are few places more pleasant in Seattle for baked goods than this spot tucked by the shores of Portage Bay,” The Times’ Brian Gallagher writes….
Seattle Central Library Seeks Writers-in-Residence
Program is open to dozens of writers
Becoming a writer-in-residence is wrapped in a certain romantic essence, in the allure of creativity and inspiration. If you’re a writer seeking a sense of purpose and the freedom to create, Seattle’s Central Library in the heart of downtown has just the opportunity. Each year, the library chooses writers for its Eulalie and Carlo Scandiuzzi…
The Hits Keep on Coming for Bartell Drugs
The last few times I was at Bartell Drugs, it was a sad sight. This was several months ago. Entire aisles were barren at both the Queen Anne and Ballard locations. Now, as the University Village Bartell Drugs is set to close late next month, I have to wonder what the future holds for a…
Nordstrom Goes Private
The Nordstrom family remains majority owner
Nordstrom has taken a huge step in reshaping its future in an increasingly competitive retail landscape by announcing plans to go private. The Seattle-based luxury department store has agreed to be acquired by Mexican retailer El Puerto de Liverpool for $6.25 billion in an all-cash transaction. The great grandsons of company founder John Nordstrom —…
Los Angeles Developer Buys Historic Fairmont Olympic
Luxury hotel recently underwent a major renovation
Seattle’s historic Fairmont Olympic Hotel is changing hands. Los Angeles-based Trinity Investments has acquired the 450-room luxury hotel in downtown Seattle for an undisclosed price. The 100-year-old hotel, which spans an entire city block, recently completed a $22 million renovation that included a new lobby, a new bar, and a reimagining of the famed Georgian…
A Camel, a Desert, and Some Quick Thinking
How an accident led to a $4 million company
Jensen Brehm just wanted to protect his eyes from the blazing heat of the sun. Brehm, then a student at the University of Redlands in California, was a top of a camel in a remote desert in India when his party stopped for lunch and a much-needed break from the 100-degree heat. Brehm sat down…
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