It's always been a fairly gritty, working-person's neighborhood. Today, trendy restaurants, shops and recreation such as kayak rentals and floatplane rides have replaced much of its rugged industry.
Boaters can pull up at the cove's guest moorage and visit a number of restaurants for a quick bite.
It's now Yale Street Landing, a waterfront complex that's home to an I Love Sushi restaurant, the Bluwater Bistro and TGI Friday's. A boardwalk invites visitors to stroll along South Lake Union's shores, soak in the views, fantasize about owning one of the many brokerage yachts moored at its marinas or pop in for a sandwich at one of the restaurants. On a dock behind Yale Street Landing, Jim Clark stands in the doorway of his tiny, cluttered office. He owns Moss Bay Rowing and Kayak Center, which rents kayaks to outdoor enthusiasts. Clark remembers buying Halloween costumes at the old thrift store when he was a college student.