Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

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marshd1000
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Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by marshd1000 »

While I have not seen stories in other Seattle area media, it looks like Sak's Off Fifth is headed to Downtown Seattle's Westlake Center. This is a post on their Facebook page. This is the only place online I can find any information on this!

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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by Brian Lutz »

They haven't publicized this well, as I wasn't aware of anything until I went to the food court and found the entire thing closed. It seems they are gradually trending in the direction of turning into an outlet mall, with what used to be the Metro level turned entirely into a Nordstrom Rack store, and now this. Pacific Place seems to be doing a much better job of attracting the usual hgher-end mall tenants (they feature such brands as Coach, Tiffany, BCBG, Victoria's Secret ant others) while Westlake Center has generally had a fair number of long-term vacancies (I don't think the space that used to be the Brentano's Bookstore was ever reoccupied after that closed), and has consolidated a number of spaces into larger stores and eliminated the former atrium to use it for retail space. These days there isn't much reason to go there unless you're riding the monorail.
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by marshd1000 »

I tend to agree that it is becoming a small downtown outlet mall. I am hoping that on the east side of the top floor, that there will be a mini food court. All that is left in terms of food in that mall is PF Changs, Starbucks and Auntie Anne's Pretzels. If you include the parts of the mall that are owned by others, there is Subway, Flying Tiger Pizza, Taco Del Mar, and Dilletante Chocolate Mocha Cafe. But these are all scattered around the mall.

You are right about the Brentano's space. I think that has been vacant about 15 years maybe? The story I have heard is that there was supposed to be a spa to go into that space then they backed out. So the supposed problem is that GGP does not want to take out all that plumbing!

I would love to see the current owner of Pacific Place, Madison Marquette buy Westlake! GGP has had too many problems in recent years. They ought to sell Westlake and concentrate on Alderwood!
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by Brian Lutz »

Based on information I've found, it appears that GGP attempted to sell off Westlake Center in 2008 but never found a buyer for the mall property. The office tower on the property was sold off in 2011.
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by marshd1000 »

I wished that the Brentano's space would have become a Apple Store. But from what I understand about Apple, they are pretty particular. They want to be on ground floor (I think). As for a mini food court, I think it would be great if Washington's first In and Out burger could open there. It would get great traffic from monorail patrons and tourists! I know I am probably dreaming! Or how about a 5 Guys?
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by Brian Lutz »

The Bellevue Square Apple store is on a second floor, but they also occupy one of the largest non-anchor spaces in that mall, and customized the space heavily (including the addition of a very large skylight in the ceiling.) There currently isn't an Apple Store anywhere in downtown Seattle, the closest one would be University Village.

As for In-N-Out, I know there's been speculation about them for years, but it doesn't seem likely anytime soon. And if they do open one up here I suspect it would probably be a freestanding location. Given the ridiculousness of the first Chick-Fil-A locations that opened last year (Bellevue in particular still had cops directing traffic outside the building on weekends six months after it opened, although that situation was exacerbated by a severe lack of available parking) I have to imagine an In-N-Out opening in Seattle (or the surrounding area) would be an absolute madhouse.
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by SamSpade »

I was surprised this summer after visiting Westlake after a significant hiatus how much the space has changed. It was definitely still as awkward as ever, but it does have some stores that are unique to the Seattle region, at least for now - Zara, Lush for example.

I am sure that Nordstrom made a decision to have Rack located so closely to their signature store. So the top level is becoming Sak's off-price store? Seems like a good compliment to Rack.

Where was Brentano's space? That is unfortunately before my time, but I've always been curious about this awkwardly configured downtown mall (which is tied to the other downtown retail via the Metro tunnel).
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Re: Westlake Center Announces Sak's Off Fifth

Post by Brian Lutz »

a Zara store opened at Bellevue Square early this year (Taking up about half of what used to be the top floor of the JCPenney store), and Lush has been in Bellevue Square for years. The Brentano's space at Westlake was on the second floor at the "back" of the mall (relative to Pine Street) near the escalators. I bought a number of books there when I worked in Downtown around 1996 or so.
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