Retail

If you own a retail store or restaurant - bring it to Burien. The City has been named one of the most walkable cities in Washington and the Seattle Times wrote about taking a trip to Burien’s ‘eat streets.’

The culture of downtown retail and restaurants has attracted visitors from throughout the region and travelers arriving or department from Seattle - Tacoma International Airport. We are looking for additional businesses to become part of the culture that draws them in.

Burien is the anti-mall, something that's truly unique. We have the true downtown character that invites people to park, walk and explore. For small businesses, that’s the ideal environment to attract new customers and build a loyal following. Classic Eats is just one of Burien’s success stories. “Burien is a homey town and everyone knows everyone. We have a cult following among the locals. Plus, this is a destination location so people from Tacoma, Everett and the East Side are coming here,” said owner Tony Hayes. Beka Atwood, owner of The Shoppe Seahurst agrees, “We draw customers from Seattle, West Seattle and Tacoma who like the old-town feel that Olde Burien offers.” As for locals, Alfredo Covarrubias said this of starting ISP Computer, “It was easy to get customers. The Hispanic community was very supportive.”

Our small retailer presence is strong, but we are still experiencing a retail leakage, creating significant opportunities for businesses in the home improvement, apparel, furniture, electronics, home and sporting goods to open locations within the city. Site consultants are encouraged to contact our economic development team for help finding sites.

“We like our mom-and-pop stores here and that helps to attract people and make Burien a destination. Our small-town vibe is one of the reasons that people visit to eat at our restaurants and shop at the local stores."

— Tony Hayes, Owner of Classic Eats