Sales Were Up at Pike Place After Pedestrian Pilot. Is That...Bad?
Seattle is buzzing these days thanks to increased activity from the FIFA Men's World Cup, with pedestrian-oriented places across downtown and the broader city seeing major influxes of crowds. With new vehicle-deterring barriers now in place along Pike Place Market on match days, weekends and for major events, the Market has been a major magnet for locals and out-of-towners alike.
The pedestrian pilot in effect on Pike Place right now will shape decisions around what comes next, ahead of a deadline to approve permanent regulations this fall. But as Market advocates, business owners, and city officials all start to forge some sort of consensus about the long-term future of vehicle access through the 119-year-old market, a prominent Market group is throwing cold water on recent sales data within the historic district.
The Urbanist reported in late April on the news from the Pike Place Public Development Authority (PDA) showing commercial tenant sales within the Market shooting up by 6.5% in 2025 compared to the prior year, with restaurant sales seeing a 10.2% jump during the Market's busiest season between May and September. The news was seen by many as vindication, proof that pedestrianization isn't harming Market businesses – quite the opposite.
But Friends of the Market, an advocacy group that's been in existence since 1964, had a different take. The group has long opposed Pike Place pedestrianization efforts, and appears to be mounting a last stand as the pilot program turns in early results that appear strong to most observers.
https://www.theurbanist.org/sales-were-up-at-pike-place-after-pedestrian-pilot-is-that-bad/?ref=daily-articles-newsletter
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