Westlake Center

Westlake Center, at 400 Pine St in Downtown Seattle, Washington, is a compact urban shopping center built directly above the Westlake light rail station and beside the southern terminus of the Seattle Center Monorail. Its location, at the junction of Pine Street and the Westlake Park plaza, makes it one of the easiest malls in the city to reach without a car, since light rail, buses, and the monorail all stop at or beside the building. The center is not a large destination mall with several anchor department stores. It is a smaller multi-level building with a selection of national fashion, accessories, gift, and specialty retailers, kiosks, and a food court or similar set of quick-service counters, aimed at commuters, downtown office workers, and visitors passing through. The goods sold differ from generic shopping mainly through convenience: visitors can combine a transit connection with a short shopping stop, and the neighboring flagship stores along Pine Street, including Nordstrom and Pacific Place, are within a few blocks. Brand mix and tenant lists change regularly, so visitors should check the mall's website for current stores. Prices are fixed, as at any United States retailer, and bargaining is not part of the culture. Cards and mobile payments are accepted almost everywhere, and cash is rarely needed. The United States has no visitor tax-refund scheme, and sales tax of roughly 10 percent is added at the register. The atmosphere is busy and practical, with the heaviest foot traffic at commute times, lunch hours, and weekends, and relatively quiet periods in mid-morning on weekdays. Food options inside include quick counters and snack vendors, with a wider choice of cafes and restaurants in the surrounding downtown streets and in nearby Pike Place Market. Visitors using the monorail to reach Seattle Center and the Space Needle often pass through the building, which makes it a handy waiting spot in wet weather.