I live in Eastlake. These businesses are more than conveniences. They help shape and define the Eastlake community. Community retail brings people to the street - not just to the store. The Pike Place Market is a well-established community.
Regular patrons walk from nearby apartments, greeting neighbors as they go.
Further east, at 12th and Jackson, a thriving retail hub has emerged to serve more recent immigrants. Both examples sparkle with the lively, colorful bustle typical of this multi-ethnic community. These and other discrete or home-grown examples demonstrate that retail outlets can transcend simple commercialism and provide the synergistic glue that reinforces community character. When the Port of Seattle announced plans to build a new mixed-use terminal building on the south shore of Salmon Bay, the fishing community reacted with alarm. They worried that the Even small parking lots disconnect store and street.