The Broadway Building is about to fill its last ground level retail space and, thanks to an eagle eye CHS tipster, we can tell you what will soon be neighboring the newly opened Yogurtland. Thanks to a photo from Jeff — and confirmation of plans filed with DPD — we’ve learned that the final piece of the Broadway retail puzzle in developer Michael Malone’s building will be an outlet of the global video game chain, GameStop.
It will be the sixth GameStop store in the Seattle area including one in the lower level of Pacific Place and one of nearly 7,000 worldwide for the publicly traded company. It joins Panera Bread, Zpizza, Emerald Smoothie, Genki Sushi and the aforementioned Yogurtland in the Broadway — each a chain business. Such is the reality of a post-economic slump world. In an article from 2008 posted to his Hunters Capital Web site, Malone said he hoped not to rent to chains:
Malone said that it’s too early to say what sort of retail tenants will occupy the finished building. But he vowed to create a balance and help provide businesses the neighborhood needs.
“We’re not going to rent to national chains,” he said. “We won’t go there. The goal is to create spaces that are an asset to the neighborhood.”
Come 2011, the GameStop global chain is about to join the Broadway retail mix — though company representatives have not yet confirmed the new store with us, we have found records with DPD indicating GameStop as the responsible party for work now being done in the retail space directly across the street from Seattle Central Community College.
GameStop touts itself as “the world’s largest multichannel video game retailer.” CHS recently reported that Spin Cycle, perhaps one of the world’s smallest multichannel used game, video and music retailers, is set to open on Broadway on May 1st.
Our own little slice of “the Commons at Federal Way.” Do these businesses actually research where they plan to open stores?
They probably did do their research and realize they were directly across the street from a community college.
I hope the local community has the good sense to buy their video games online AND we have enough friendly shoplifters to drive them out.
Gamestop is a regular fixture on the consumerist’s worst company in america contest.
what makes games stop such a bad company ?
They couldn’t find a single non-chain to move in there? Craziness.
From my perspective the character of the businesses there (chains) is a direct result of the following:
1) type of building: new buildings cost a lot to build, even in the recession, and therefore the commercial space is way more expensive than the old buildings on broadway. only chains can afford these spaces. malone was probably a little too hopeful in getting “local businesses” to exclusively occupy that kind of space.
2) location: directly across from seattle central provides a built in market of lower-income younger people (not all, but most) which means that this location directly appeals to places like Panera. And you know what, it is ALWAYS packed. kids have disposable income to spend on quick cheap food and video games.
3) recession: whether we like it or not, it is tough times for mom and pop retail and restaurants. the types of businesses that can sign 5+ year leases have big bank accounts, i.e. national chains or local businesses with bid investor-backers (poquito’s, barrio, etc.)
I am less concerned about chains in this kind of space than I cam about the disappearance of the other, cheaper spaces in older buildings, which is slowly happening up and down Broadway. I think this is one of the reasons Pike Pine and 12th are taking off – because these districts still retain a lot of older quirkier stock, or have landlords like Liz Dunn that prioritize local in her buildings.
Ha – I guess all those principles go out the window when the bank starts sweating you for their money back! I don’t know when you’re seeing Panera always packed. It always looks empty to me. With their high overhead I doubt they’ll make it. The SCCC kids are NOT a good target market for businesses as they really don’t have much money – and even less so these days. If you walk through their cafeteria you see big lines at the microwaves.
I guess you don’t know much about being a kid, because there is always money for video games!
Where else does one buy video games on the hill? I’m a pretty casual gamer myself (haven’t bought anything new since Mario Kart Wii) so I may have missed something, but I can’t think of a place within walking distance where I could buy games.
I could understand the anti-chain sentiment if there was a mom and pop video game store in danger, but the nearest place I can think of is…the Gamestop downtown by Nordstrom’s…
I appreciate the choice of a physical store within walking distance. With used games, even.
It’s too bad Hunters and Malone were not able to live up to their promise, but as far as chains go, I think the Broadway Building ended up with a good collection of them. There’s also still lots of vacant space in older buildings in the area, which hopefully will be more affordable to small businesses.
Panera is always busy during the day (especially when SCCC is in session) and is probably the closest thing to a bakery we have on Broadway. Blick has a great selection of stuff. Emerald City Smoothie and Z-pizza are both franchises, both with very friendly (local) owners. Genki is…well… very cheap, and also popular with students. I haven’t had a chance to try Yogurtland yet, but am a big fan of similar pay-by-weight yogurt stores in San Francisco and elsewhere.
From what I’ve heard, this GameStop replaces the one that was kicked out of Westlake Center by Nordstrom Rack. I never understood why they needed two stores downtown, anyway.
Hooray! Broadway is one step closer to becoming a strip mall!
No wonder people are smashing windows of businesses on the Hill.
i want a job here! how do i apply?