Bring Your Business Outside

To help businesses stay in operation, the Seattle Department of Transportation has relaxed some of its rules on conducting business in the sidewalk and street space. The Downtown Seattle Association is committed to supporting the wide variety of businesses across our downtown neighborhoods and is here to help you navigate and take advantage of these changes.

Table with two chairs (green icon)

Outdoor Dining

If you operate a restaurant or café, you can now provide seating for direct service or take-away dining similar to a sidewalk café or streatery.

Shopping bags (green icon)

Merchandise Display

If you are in retail, you can now display and sell your merchandise with the point of sale outdoors.

Food truck (green icon)

Food Trucks + Carts

If you have a food truck or cart, there is now more flexibility on where you can vend and for how long.

Right-of-way Options

In addition to the new rules on what kind of business can happen outdoors, there are now expanded options about where things can happen.

Business on a sidewalk

Sidewalks

Two restaurant-workers putting up a banner to block off traffic on Capitol Hill

Full Street

Visitors at a restaurant in a parking lane in Pike Place Market

Parking Lane

Nail salon in a parking lot

Parking Lot

How Can We Help?

There’s a lot to sort through and an urgency to support our local businesses, so DSA has gathered information and resources to support you, including:

  • Navigating the permit process
  • Gathering neighbor support
  • Acquiring barricades and seating
  • Outreach to local shoppers/diners

Learn More by Contacting:

Seth Geiser
sethg@downtownseattle.org
206-708-0484