SEATTLE RETAIL
If you’re preparing to test a new retail concept, you may want to locate in Seattle. Costco, Eddie Bauer, Nordstrom, REI, Starbucks, Sur la Table, Tommy Bahama and Zumiez all got their start in the Emerald City, so you’ll have good karma on your side.
And good company. Every retail sector is well-represented in Seattle, and there are more flagships, concepts and interesting independents than you can possibly explore in a three-day conference visit. Good thing there’s a Starbucks every 50 feet (only a slight exaggeration) for refueling.
We’ll soon post interactive maps of some of the city’s best locations for idea-shopping, as we’ve done for the past two IRDCs, in Atlanta and San Francisco. For Seattle, we’ve narrowed it to three:
Downtown Seattle's downtown area boasts some 1,800 retailers, thanks to a $2 billion construction boom and revitalization effort that began in 1995. Many worthy of a visit are within an easy walk of IRDC headquarters, the Grand Hyatt Seattle.
Aptly named and overwhelmingly successful, this open-air lifestyle center sits on prime real estate adjacent to the sprawling University of Washington campus. Catering to UW’s 35,000 students as well as young, affluent families, 
Seattle Retail / Architectural Tours
Following the day’s sessions on Thursday, September 4, IRDC attendees will spend the afternoon exploring two of greater Seattle’s most successful retail developments—Bellevue Square east of the city and University Village near the University of Washington campus—as well as architectural treasures in downtown Seattle.
Choose one of three, 90-minute guided tours when you register for the conference.