Seattle's downtown shopping district is a compact collection of major department stores, upscale urban shopping malls, and world class shops and boutiques. Like pilgrims to a holy land, only with shopping carts and credit cards, serious shoppers flock to the corner of Pine Street and Fifth Avenue.
From there, the urban landscape is dominated by megastores such as Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Barneys New York, Coach, Gap, Max Mara, and Niketown. Two upscale malls, Westlake Center and Pacific Place, feature local and international home designers, food consortiums, and movie theaters.
For the world class shopper, Rainer Square (bordered by University and Union streets) offers ambient upscale shopping (think Louis Vuitton and Brooks Brothers).You'll still find a few local independents in the area as well. But don't be surprised if you eventually find them in your hometown. After all, Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer, and REI all got their start here in Seattle.
