University Village, a ritzy outdoor mall great for strolling!

University Village, the very ritzy outdoor mall of the even ritzier Laurelhurst, has the feeling and atmosphere of a fancy mall, but is set on 24 acres of a beautifully landscaped and decorative outdoor venue. In between Laurelhurst, The University of Washington, Bryant, and the neighborhood that we now call Univeristy Village, it is a center so festive in the winter with holiday glitter and lights, and so inviting in the summer when moms, kids and families relax in strolling weather. Indeed, it feels like a quaint village on the outskirts of town at first glance, with coffee shops, book stores and specialty boutiques galore. But upon closer inspection, you realize that these are not you regular run of the mill mom and pop stores. These are the grandest of upper crust flagship chains, from Crate and Barrell, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, to Barnes and Nobles, Anthropologie, and Banana Republic.

Built in 1956 as a simple local mall atop what used to be wetlands and marshlands, University Village changed hands in the 1990's and metamorphised into a gleaming example of a metropolitan shoppers delight. No need for the elite of Windermere, Laurelhurst and Washington Park to make the long trek to the downtown department stores when their very own uptown mall resurrected just around the corner. It is definitely not the University Village of decades ago, when hardward stores and garden centers were the norm. Now, even the QFC flagship store looks shiny and new!

Stop on in before or after a game of football, basketball or other sports event at Husky Stadium. The University of Washington and Stadium is just a stone's throw away. And if you work up an appetite, don't miss the Zao Noodle Bar, Atlas Foods, and The Ram Cafe. Quick and student friendly places for comforting food. If watching sushi whirling around on a conveyor belt strikes your fancy, University Village has Blue C Sushi to amuse you. Fast and healthy, a good alternative to the common fast food choices. (We are not talking Toyoda Sushi in Lake City, but it will do in a pinch.) And for you chocolaholics anonomous, (of which I happen to be a proud member of) nothing quite compares to the velvetty rich, oh-so-delicate flavors of the handmade European chocolates at Fran's. They are not as sweet as American chocolates, but much smoother and more buttery. Thus, they are best eaten when fresh. Of course, if you must, Kidd Valley and Burgermaster keep good company with McDonald's nearby for the burger fixated crowd. Something for everybody at the new and glamourous University Village!

Helen Toyoda

Realtor
Helen@SeattlePowerSearch.com

206.383.8182