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UPDATE: Westwood Village Barnes and Noble closing in January

October 14, 2018 3:15 pm
|      101 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 3:15 PM SUNDAY: The Barnes & Noble bookstore chain has struggled for years and is currently reported to be in a “strategic review”. Rumors of its Westwood Village store closing have arrived in our inbox now and then. This time, it’s no rumor. After Lynne e-mailed us to report hearing via social media that the store is closing in January, we went there to ask. The on-duty store manager confirmed to us that the company headquarters has indeed informed them the store will be closing in January. No further comment; we’ll follow up with company HQ and the firm that manages Westwood Village, Madison Marquette, tomorrow. The 26,000-square-foot store opened in October 2005. While Westwood Village has more than half a dozen retail spaces listed publicly as “for lease” right now, so far as we can find, this is not (yet) among them. The next-closest B&N is at Pacific Place downtown.

ADDED 3:09 PM MONDAY: We asked B&N corporate media relations for comment on why the store is closing and what would happen to its employees. They’re not commenting on either of those questions and said this statement is “all they have”:

“We will be closing our Westwood Village, Seattle location in January. It has been our pleasure serving this community over the years, and we will continue to serve our valued customers at our stores at South Center (Tukwila) and Downtown Seattle.”

-Jim Lampassi, VP of Real Estate Development at Barnes & Noble

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101 Replies to "UPDATE: Westwood Village Barnes and Noble closing in January"

  • m October 14, 2018 (3:26 pm)

    I’m sad about this though I knew it was coming. There are so many empty spaces in Westwood Village.

    • WSB October 14, 2018 (3:37 pm)

      The link where I mention “listed for lease” shows most of them – from past stories I recall that the site map is updated every few months and there’s at least one more than it shows (Giannoni’s).

  • KD October 14, 2018 (3:47 pm)

    😡😡😡 I predict that in future all of Westwood will close.. too much crime and people not wanting to shop there. Maybe QFC, Target and Mc Donald’s stay open, but it’s a struggle for most of the others. Too bad about B &N. Comforting place to go.

    • JeffK October 15, 2018 (6:31 am)

      The whole site could be redeveloped with residential above retail to get a critical mass of built-in shoppers.

      • Inthewest October 15, 2018 (9:51 am)

        That’s a great idea Jeffk!
        I don’t fully understand why this area is so… undesireable. You would think it would transition upwards given the amenities that are/were there. Transit, shopping, etc.

    • Preppy6917 October 15, 2018 (5:58 pm)

      I’m relatively new to the area, so I can’t speak for Westwood Village’s history, but I frequent the center now (several times per week), and it’s routinely busy.

  • Graciano October 14, 2018 (4:01 pm)

    They should bring back Red Barron and Sea Galley.

    • John October 14, 2018 (4:28 pm)

      Yeah,
      And while we’re at it let’s bring back Ernst Hardware and before that the bog.

      • Sodokid October 14, 2018 (4:55 pm)

        Don’t forget Pay-n-Save and for the old timers Santa’s House

      • Raised in WS October 14, 2018 (5:42 pm)

        Yeeesssss bring back the bog

        • Tadpole Greg October 15, 2018 (6:53 am)

          We brought home jars of tadpoles from that bog when I was just a tadpole. The original West Seattle Bog!

  • book lover October 14, 2018 (4:11 pm)

    This is not a surprise. I was never a fan and even when i tried to give them the benefit of the doubt because I needed soemthing
    with more urgency than crossing the WS bridge could afford, nine times out
    of ten they didn’t stock what I was looking for. Sure, if you wanted commonplace items or titles from Oprah’s bestseller list, that wasn’t a problem but anything beyond mainstream wasn’t there and the employees didn’t strike me as well read
    enough beyond bestsellers to know much. That’s just my opinion and I don’t frequent large chain bookstores but I always thought it was limited
    in its scope.

    • L October 14, 2018 (4:53 pm)

      It had nothing to do with their sales; the employees I’ve spoken with said they weren’t able to negotiate a lease for the upcoming year but the company itself is doing fine

      • Raised in WS October 14, 2018 (5:44 pm)

        That’s not what I’ve been reading lately

        • L October 14, 2018 (6:49 pm)

          Cool, pretty sure the employees of the actual store are going to know better than speculators though

          • Raised in WS October 14, 2018 (8:06 pm)

            If you don’t believe me look up “Barnes & Noble” in recent news

          • L October 14, 2018 (8:45 pm)

            I have seen the news, and I’m telling you it’s completely unrelated to this one particular store being unable to reach an agreement for a new lease. Same with the U Village store; they had their rent raised and they left u village but it wasn’t because the company was struggling

          • Kram October 15, 2018 (8:51 am)

            That makes no sense. Westwood Village needs these businesses especially with their vacancy rates. Employees are commonly not in the know as it may seem.

          • Preppy6917 October 15, 2018 (6:00 pm)

            No, the local employees of a large retailer are not going to know the specifics of strategic business decisions. That’s just foolish.

    • East Coast Cynic October 14, 2018 (5:53 pm)

      My big problem with the Westwood branch as well–just the common place and best selling books, but nothing much as far as cult and off the beaten past books–which you could get at the gone but not forgotten University Village B&N.

  • ACG October 14, 2018 (4:59 pm)

    NOOOOOOO!

  • Gargamel October 14, 2018 (5:11 pm)

    If they bring back lamonts…..we all win

  • D De October 14, 2018 (5:18 pm)

    Westwood Village has always had a huge vacancy rate since the 1980s. They need to redevelop like Northgate is about to do. The strip mall is going the way of the do do bird!

  • just wondering October 14, 2018 (5:19 pm)

    And the sandwich and soup place Dutch Cup (?)

    • miws October 14, 2018 (5:46 pm)

      Just Wondering, I was just about to say the same thing but was also struggling with the name, and then it hit me; I believe it was Holland House. Just as long as long as it doesn’t oust Toshi Teriyaki.

      And yes, please keep Target. They are what I call my “one corporate guilty pleasure” since I try to patronize locally-owned mom-n-pop type businesses as much as possible, and other than Target, try to limit my large corporate business patronage. Target simple has some items I need at good prices and sizes that I can’t usually get elsewhere. Although, they don’t seem to be as discount-oriented as they used to be. Several years ago when they introduced “Up and Up” as one of their store brands, a friend remarked that the only thing that went up and up were the prices. :-) And I agree with her! —–Mike

      • Chris Stripinis October 14, 2018 (9:54 pm)

        I heard that Target has a separate lease and isn’t technically part of Westwood Village.

        • AMD October 15, 2018 (2:05 pm)

          Target owns the land it sits on and some adjacent parking lot.

      • just wondering October 15, 2018 (7:25 am)

        MIWS My husband and I also came up with Holland House but weren’t sure. I just remembered a windmill in the decor! And wonderful broccoli cheese soup!

    • Westwood Native October 14, 2018 (5:48 pm)

      I believe it was called the “Holland House”
      While we’re at it, let’s bring back The Fashion Bug and Video Encounters.

  • Bonnie October 14, 2018 (5:22 pm)

    Let’s also bring Lamonts back.

  • Graciano October 14, 2018 (6:06 pm)

    Might as well bring back Winchell’s Donuts and Pedal Pushers bike shop.

  • HS October 14, 2018 (6:07 pm)

    That’s interesting. So they weren’t able to renegotiate their lease… That area is one of West Seattle’s “urban villages” slated for development so I wonder how it will be changing.

  • Michael Waldo October 14, 2018 (6:11 pm)

    I go there to buy CD’s. Yes I still like to listen to CD’s in my car. And books, my yearly calendar, and a music magazine from England. I will miss them. Every time I buy something, they ask me to buy a rewards card. I never have the heart to tell them I am not go to buy something with no future. In the future there will be only Amazon and Walmart. Sad.

    • Trickycoolj October 14, 2018 (8:21 pm)

      Easy Street sells CDs still as well and you can get better prices on the used ones, but they also have new. I still occassionally pick something up since it’s cheaper to buy the disk and put it on my ipod than it is to buy online.

      • RL October 15, 2018 (2:01 pm)

        Heck, you get better prices on the new ones at Easy Street, as well. And, their CD shopper card is free and actually makes your patronage worth something .

  • Graciano October 14, 2018 (6:43 pm)

    King5 is saying the end of Sears is going to happen this week.

  • WGA October 14, 2018 (6:44 pm)

    It was only a matter of time. Goodbye to the sterile, limited stock, big box Borders and B&Ns of the world. I drove by the U Bookstore last week and was glad to see it there (among all the other new buildings on the unrecognizable U Way! Thankful that U Bookstore and Elliot Bay are still around-and smaller specialty shops too. They are still a nice place to spend a chilly weekend day.

  • sm October 14, 2018 (6:54 pm)

    Let’s face it Amazon, (their Kindle), and Audible.com have decimated “the book shop” . I took my mother to B&N a few months ago and was staggered at the price of a new Fiction Hardback. $46.00. I didn’t check but I bet Online would have been much cheaper even with delivery?

    • Kate October 14, 2018 (7:40 pm)

      You’re right about amazon destroying “book stores”. Amazon is able to discount their books so steeply because they’re able to make up their losses on their multitude of other products. Book stores are stuck selling books at the price the publishers set because they don’t really sell that much other stuff to make up losses on

  • gxnx October 14, 2018 (8:05 pm)

    Oh no….no books!!

    this reminds me of the movie Fahrenheit 451
    “In a future society where books are banned and burned…..”
    Go watch the movie , pretty depressing.

    • Yma October 14, 2018 (9:50 pm)

      @gxnx. The book is even better!

    • Mitch October 14, 2018 (9:59 pm)

      Great movie, but the exact opposite what’s happening here and now. Because of online book sales and ebooks the publishing industry is experiencing a true renaissance, and more people have more access to more written words than ever before in history. Books are wonderful, but this is a better way to distribute them. Ask any author.

  • Trickycoolj October 14, 2018 (8:20 pm)

    I noticed a lot of vacancies last time I was there. Pretty much everything between Ulta and BB&B was empty. I’d love to see Target get a little bit bigger of a footprint. I enjoyed using their pharmacy at Northgate but had to move to Costco when I moved to WS.

  • 1994 October 14, 2018 (9:08 pm)

    Sad to see people lose their jobs, B & N would order a book for you if they didn’t have it. All the little people will miss the train table.

  • dcn October 14, 2018 (10:05 pm)

    This makes me very sad. Their cafe has been our go-to place to get a treat or snack since my son was 2. He son loved the train table when he was younger and I could sit and browse books while he played. It’s also where he would pick out books for himself, which you can’t do with Amazon.

    I’ve heard several times from people who’ve worked in various stores at Westwood Village that their rents are exorbitant. For some reason, the owners don’t seem to care that so many stores sit empty.

  • Rb October 14, 2018 (10:25 pm)

    I believe the management at Westwood has something to do with it. I called them a couple of times trying to rent one of the sleeves but they never called me back. And I heard from multiple people that renting from them takes years.

  • Jort October 15, 2018 (12:02 am)

    But they have so much parking! I’ve been under the impression that parking is the only way a business can be successful in West Seattle and Westwood has more parking than you could ever fill! Confused…

    • Sarge October 15, 2018 (9:54 am)

      LOL good one Jort

  • Kendra Williams October 15, 2018 (2:50 am)

    I know there are other smaller used bookstores in West Seattle, and Easy Street for CDs, but nothing with as large a selection as B&N. They also do so much with children’s reading circles and special events. I love the huge selection of journals and the interesting tables (like the Harry Potter stuff all in one place). Yes I’m guilty of buying ebooks on Kindle rather than the Nook. I think because of name recognition. I try and support all my local business. We may soon become even more of an Island when the viaduct comes down, and we have to swim to downtown. There will be one less place to spend a few hours lost in the land of books, CD’s, movies, coffee, calendars, children’s books, cool misc section, and suggested reading. All this change is very difficult for the over 50 crowd. I wonder if every generation feels like this?

  • West Seattle Hipster October 15, 2018 (6:18 am)

    Very disappointed to read about B&N closing. It was a very convenient place to buy books, vinyl, and their magazine selection was extensive.
    I spend a lot of time at Westwood Village and I do not see the crime that other people see. I do see many vacant storefronts and wish that there were more viable businesses there.

    And I agree, bring back the bog!

  • RayWest October 15, 2018 (6:29 am)

    I was bummed when Pier 1 left, now B&N. Will Bed, Bath & Beyond be far behind? Westwood Village just can’t seem to find it’s niche in the community. The layout needs a total overhaul. My issue is the parking. Not that there isn’t enough but I tend to move my car if I go from Target to BB&B because I know I’ll have a large number of heavy bags to tote. Frankly, I wish Ross Dress For Less would leave or else a better quality clothing store moved in somewhere nearby. I have to admit I didn’t shop much at B&N, but loved the atmosphere inside, browsing, and having a mocha. Didn’t care much for their pre-packaged cafe food.

    • RCS October 16, 2018 (2:23 pm)

      Bed Bath & Beyond as a company isn’t doing so hot…

  • Josh October 15, 2018 (7:17 am)

    A major loss for West Seattle, especially as the viaduct is coming down – we will all feel it.

    Barnes and Noble even had a WAY nicer Starbucks than the actual one by QFC.

    There must be some “upside” to Westwood owners to have all these vacancies. I know from several of the business owners that the lease rates are far too high. Just think of all the places that couldn’t make it there in the last couple years – Pier 1, Jamba Juice, Carters, the pizza place, vitamin place…

    Add to that the difficult retail landscape – Mattress Firm is having difficulty and Bey Bath & Beyond is in the news for not being profitable/having difficulties. They may be next. That entire section of the complex will be vacant (note the clientele for the woman’s clothing shop is likely similar to Barnes and Noble – how much longer until they give up too?)

    Why can’t Westwood accommodate decent eating? A cafe or pub at the very least? The Teriyaki and Thai are great, but they are both closed on Sundays. There’s a deck (outdoor seating) above the clinics, couldn’t that be a cafe of sorts?

    Barnes and Noble is a huge space, that once empty, will add to the sad/declining vibe of what should be a vibrant place. What will that place become next? Likely something not as nice,

    The entire place is bad. Look at how unkempt the landscaping is around Target, McDonalds, and the Post Office – these places are not under the Westwood leases. They need to clean this place up! Yes, the bus situation added to the declining atmosphere (at times) yet I can also see a benefit to all the buses as well – management just needs to tackle the situation. Somehow University Village can do it – why can’t we?

    It would be great to have Westwood owners/management be more of the community. This could be a great place – a much needed place for so many of us on the peninsula.

    I hope Westwood owners would read/see this, but like I said, it’s clear there is some benefit to them by keeping all these places vacant (like tax benefits).

    A major turn in the backwards direction for our area.

  • anonyme October 15, 2018 (9:47 am)

    Another vote for the bog. I used to work near Westwood Village, and left (in part) due to crime and drugs. I also agree that the layout is difficult, the businesses uninspiring, and management poor. Which is all unfortunate, as this is the only retail hub near the south end of West Seattle. Arbor Heights has zero amenities, nothing within walking distance, and WV is the only somewhat nearby option. It’s also odd that the businesses are somewhat competing: BB&B vs. Target, QFC vs. Target grocery. A redesign would make more sense in terms of usability, with added security. Maybe even an enclosed mall? I’d think a food court would do a booming business in this area, if you could keep out the drug addicts.

  • Peter October 15, 2018 (9:48 am)

    Westwood is long overdue for redevelopment as a mixed use community, and they have ample land that could be developed as housing. The suburban mall is a failed business model, they will either evolve or perish.

    • Sarge October 15, 2018 (10:01 am)

      100% agree, they need to redevelop, it’s really getting to the point that it’s completely underutilized – only going to lead to more crime and problems. What’s the story with the management, if they don’t want to actually manage maybe they should move on!

    • HS October 16, 2018 (12:02 pm)

      I mostly agree. There are some interesting re-uses of urban malls that I keep reading about. The same thing happened at UVillage when they started the big redevelopment push… I seem to recall that it had a huge hardware store, a grocery store a just a smattering of other retail. Then a weird period of empty storefronts as they planned redevelopment per building. I will argue that the income bracket for this area has increased, I’m just north of the area and a lot of new neighbors bought their homes in the $679-800k range within the past year. I think the area is going to be redeveloped.

  • Vanessa October 15, 2018 (10:09 am)

    I really miss the other other restaurant that closed, Eats. Where the chicken wing place is now. Eats had great soup and sandwiches and matzo ball soup and breakfasts too.

  • Reader October 15, 2018 (10:25 am)

    Just wait until all the bookstores are closed. Do you really think Amazon won’t raise their prices because there’s no competition??

    • Peter October 15, 2018 (12:42 pm)

      Remember when Barnes & Noble was the one being blamed for the demise of bookstores?

      • newnative October 15, 2018 (2:19 pm)

        That was my first thought, Peter. Shopping at Barnes and Noble was like shopping at WalMart. I like the one downtown for browsing and the information desk is friendlier than Elliot Bay Bookstore. Never found anything at the Westwood store and never any employees around.

      • RayWest October 16, 2018 (11:20 am)

        Peter – Just like Toys R Us was blamed for the demise of small toy shops. Now Sears and Kmart are on their way out. It seems to be the nature, or rather evolution, of business with Amazon.com coming out the big winner and Walmart coming in second.

  • JRR October 15, 2018 (10:46 am)

    Another hand raised for a whole redevelopment of the mall. Mixed income housing. Retail. Cafes. Bus hub. It’s all possible.

  • Dawson October 15, 2018 (12:35 pm)

    Finally a location for a gluten-free, wood-fired pizza and teriyaki restaurant.

  • daPuffin October 15, 2018 (1:12 pm)

    Eternally hoping there will be a movie theater @ WWV

  • Mike October 15, 2018 (1:26 pm)

    55 responses and only 1 reference to employees losing their jobs. THEY are the ones suffering the biggest loss.

  • Small biz owner October 15, 2018 (1:42 pm)

    Rents are too high and the management company is not interested in renting to small businesses. The big chains have clauses in their leases that prevent many businesses from going into WWV because they are viewed as competitors when in many cases they are not. I tried many years ago and was told by phone (agent I guess too busy to meet with me) they would not allow my business to go in. I have heard the same from other fellow business owners.
    At this point, to maintain the area (for fear of further decline, crime and graffiti moving in) Target should take over the space and remodel it into one of their giant stores with a full service grocery within. Other parts should have apartments and condos built above to create a Burien Town Center like space so the area can thrive.

    • Cecelia October 17, 2018 (10:29 am)

      That would explain the high vacancy rate I had heard that from someone who wanted to open a business there that they weren’t interested in local businesses.

      I’m very bummed about the BN leaving but I think that does make sense that Target should take over that space. I shop at Target weekly and one of my pet peeves is that if you need more than 2 of anything they don’t have it because they don’t have the space for it.

  • Susan October 15, 2018 (2:54 pm)

    I’ll be sad to see Barnes & Noble go. I’ve always found their staff helpful, as I’ve spent many hours there over the years trying to feed my children’s reading interests. You simply cannot replace the ability to browse titles in an online environment, or the satisfaction of having someone point you to a wonderful new title. I felt this acutely with the demise of video stores, and now, it appears with book stores.

    West Seattle used to have independent Square One Books in Jefferson Square, B&N, and two used books stores in the Junction. Now we will be down to just Pegasus used books (they are great, BTW!). I’ve loved each of these businesses for what they’ve brought to the community and have always sought to patronize them.

    I do hope that with B&N leaving, it might have the unintended consequence in creating a market for an independent bookstore opening in West Seattle again. Seward Park has a Third Place Books that is hopping. We should have an excellent bookstore too! For the short term, at least, I will be making regular field trips to Third Place.

  • Bette October 15, 2018 (2:58 pm)

    What a loss! Westwood management better get a clue!

  • DH October 15, 2018 (3:09 pm)

    I did like being able to pick up the occasional book there. I can’t use Amazon because of theft at my place. I’ll agree mixed use would be good. I’d love to bring the big back but doubt that is likely. It’d be nice if they could restore Longfellow Creek like they did with the creak at Northgate. The absentee management is getting old. I’ve been in the area since 1996 and they’ve had many empty store fronts almost all of that time.

  • Sad October 15, 2018 (5:16 pm)

    My daughter loved the art books (which you can thumb thru to know whether you want it), art supplies and the gifts (lots of Funko and anime figures and plushies). I liked their coupons and promotions. This will be a loss for us.

  • Valid October 15, 2018 (8:09 pm)

    Thank you WSB brainstorming group! Now, WWV MGT will take the most popular concept from those posed here, and move forward with development!
    Breaking soil next Monday!

    • Jort October 15, 2018 (11:32 pm)

      I agree! This is the perfect time for the city to utilize the new “Nostalgia and Feelings-Based Development and Land Use Policy” framework. (NAF-BDALUP)

      “Remember when this thing was a thing? We should go back in time to that thing.”

  • Greedygerty October 15, 2018 (8:15 pm)

    What I and the other vultures want to know is- when is the big clearance sale!!??

    • CAM October 15, 2018 (10:37 pm)

      You don’t have to wait for the store to close. B&N has a yearly sale online (used to be twice yearly) where you can get hardcovers, classics, random other books of all genres from the big name to the unknown for extremely low prices. Thinking back, before I switched to ebooks and used books for the environments sake, I think I’d get like 4 huge boxes of books for under $100 and it would last me the whole year. I found some of my favorite books that way. The prices on some were under a dollar. That’s probably not true anymore but they should still be substantially marked down.

  • Hungry in Westwood October 15, 2018 (8:21 pm)

    I still miss having drinks and appetizers after work at The Keg! (Where RiteAid is) A pub with dinner food would be great, preferably a local one! I can only eat so much Thai and Teriyaki.

  • Wild One October 16, 2018 (3:36 am)

    Turn Westwood back into a wetland. Maybe just preserve Target and QFC… On second thought, now that Target has upped their beer game I’d be fine with just Target.

  • T Rex October 16, 2018 (7:14 am)

    This shopping center is on life support. I do some business there, specifically Target. I was there Saturday and when I was leaving they now have a person that needs to check your receipt to make sure what is in your basket is what is on your receipt. This because of all the theft that they have been experiencing. I know the Starbucks decided to get rid of one of their doors during the remodel due to the same reason.

    I also know that the sub shop’s lease allows for them to be the only sandwich business allowed in that complex. I learned that from an owner of a Jersey Mike’s. He lives in West Seattle and approached the management about putting one there and they flat out said nope, can’t do it. I found that odd, but maybe that is normal.

    Sad to see things change and sad to see the crime appears to be getting worse.

    • CAM October 16, 2018 (4:39 pm)

      Every Target, Best Buy, Walmart (in a crisis when no other options are available), and numerous other stores I have been to in the last 10 years have been checking receipts at the door. That is not new. Also, the non-compete clause in the leases signed by some retailers for mall space are in common use around the country. Amazon ran into that problem when they bought Whole Foods and wanted the option to sell or distribute other items from those locations as well.

      • Valid October 17, 2018 (12:22 pm)

        It is the retailers that want non compete clause, not landlord- of course

  • loisadele1@icloud.com October 16, 2018 (8:33 am)

    Sad– While I shop at Chicos I send my husband to Band N. it has the best selection of books without crossing the bridge and keeps him happy while I enjoy Chicos.
    No place we like to eat since “eats” went out. Have to go down to Endolyne Joes for real food.
    Shop Bed, Bath etc.
    Appreciate the parking.

  • KM October 16, 2018 (9:05 am)

    Revamp Westwood Village to add housing, get rid of some of the underutilized parking. Off leash dog park between the post office and Bed Bath and Beyond where hardly anyone parks and everyone runs through the existing stop signs? Community gathering spaces? Basketball courts? Gardens? Outdoor stage/mini amphitheater for arts performances? Parklets?

    Westwood Village is such a awful mix of retail and parking lots, it’s time for a change. Let’s really make it an urban village!

    • J October 16, 2018 (10:16 am)

      I agree. All I want is at least one pub in there! But we dont get to decide. They are owned by a real estate investment company called madison marquette (also owns pacific place). They own properties all over the US and dont seem to put much weight on local business from looking at their lineup.

    • HS October 16, 2018 (12:06 pm)

      What great ideas KM!

  • Super Dummy October 16, 2018 (12:59 pm)

    Just tear down Westwood Village and build one big Wal-Mart. Problem solved.

  • Goddess Andraste October 16, 2018 (1:43 pm)

    Thanks to the couple of people who actually expressed concern about the human part of this closing. As a former BN employee, I can tell you that all of those employees will be out of a job. They may make some small effort to find the managers another spot, but even that is iffy. Try to keep that in mind while you’re all armchair quarterbacking as commercial and retail developers.

    • RayWest October 16, 2018 (3:05 pm)

      Goddess Andraste – I appreciate your concern for the employees who are losing their jobs, and I do feel bad for them, but I have read a lot of good ideas put forth here for making West Wood Village not just viable, but possibly thriving, and that translates into more available jobs. So keep the ideas coming folks, and hopefully the retailers and developers will listen.

      • Zadie October 16, 2018 (11:22 pm)

        Available jobs in the next 3 months? Cause that’s when the employees will be needing them, not a just a vague possibility of a job in the distant future. People got bills to pay and mouths to feed now

  • Cherable October 16, 2018 (3:53 pm)

    Years ago there was a proposal for a movie theatre in the empty space west of the post office. That would have been an asset to the mall in my opinion but it was dropped due to neighbors fear of unruly patrons, drinking, etc. Maybe it could be considered again?

    • Duh October 17, 2018 (12:12 pm)

      I don’t think anyone is building new movie theaters- they have to be dying almost as quick as bookstores

      • RayWest October 18, 2018 (4:48 am)

        Duh – Totally agree, and not only would a new movie theater fail at Westwood, it would probably kill off the Admiral Theater. There is not a big enough market for more than one movie theater in West Seattle.

  • optomisitic October 17, 2018 (12:42 pm)

    While I certainly feel for the employees losing their jobs, the current unemployment rate in Seattle is 3%, with no shortage of jobs in the retail/services sector. I think they’ll bounce back.

  • B October 17, 2018 (11:30 pm)

    Take a look at Renton’s landing and mirror that.

    • KM October 18, 2018 (3:37 pm)

      The Landing is really car centric, with housing relegated to the far corner of the development. I think WWV can do much better than that.

  • David October 18, 2018 (2:12 pm)

    This has little to anything to do with Westwood Village, but more about B&N which has been struggling for a while now. But yes, like Northgate it would make MUCH more sense to add density here (since a lot of people are moving south toward White Center and Burien) and make this more like the Clarendon Commons in Arlington VA where I used to live. Shopping below an apartment structure.

    https://regcorpweb.blob.core.windows.net/marketingassets/FeaturedImages/d4089d0b-edd6-46f2-95f9-b94ad4412548-full.jpg

  • Erin98126 October 18, 2018 (3:56 pm)

    Noooooooooooooooo. This is TERRIBLE NEWS. I LOVE going to this store. Darn it.

  • Pamela J Wallace October 19, 2018 (3:08 pm)

    I will truly miss you…I have shopped at your store many times…brought my grandchildren for story time on Saturday mornings and always have been welcomed warmly and openly! To me that’s what is important in these times of us people not knowing how to communicate with each other.

  • 1994 October 19, 2018 (8:14 pm)

    Could the ever increasing property taxes possibly be playing a role in raising lease rates at Westwood Village? The 2018 property tax bill for the almost 20 acre site is $905,552 as listed on the King County assessor web site.

  • Marie October 20, 2018 (10:34 am)

    When urban villages were proposed back in the 90s, the idea was that people could live and work in the same place. New development would feature commercial space at the street level, there would be housing above the businesses, and everyone would walk to work. This sounded great because traffic was already an issue in Seattle.
    What happened, though, was that the commercial spaces were filled with retail and food service businesses – which provide low wage jobs. Workers can’t afford the new apartments above the businesses where they work, so they commute to some area where rents are cheaper. Many of the people who DO live in the urban village apartments are commuting somewhere outside of West Seattle to higher paying jobs so they can afford the rents. And this has compounded the traffic problem.
    I’ve often thought that it would help if big companies, like Microsoft and Amazon, would open satellite facilities in neighborhoods like West Seattle. A lot of their employees live here and commute downtown or to Redmond every day.
    The problem is that for that to make any difference, each company would need office space for a couple hundred employees and none of the commercial space we have is big enough.
    However, if Westwood could be re-imagined to provide space for anchors like big tech companies, instead of retailers, there could be significant benefits. Fewer people would be on the WS bridge every morning commuting to work. It would be more convenient for employees because from their offices, tech workers could walk to QFC, Target, the post office, and the bank. That means fewer car trips. Other businesses would benefit, too. Restaurants and fitness centers would have a “built in” customer base. There’s plenty of parking available and, of course, lots of buses right across the street.

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