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Saturday, November 25, 2006
A running Monorail puts holiday shopping on track
Amid the throngs of people at Westlake Center on Friday, there were smiles and sighs of relief among many merchants, especially those near the Seattle Monorail.
Their reason for joy: Months after stalling, the iconic Red and Blue trains were moving passengers again, just in time for the holidays.
While Black Friday and the Macy's Holiday Parade drew people inside the downtown shopping center, several merchants said the Monorail's reopening this month contributed to more people showing up.
"When the Monorail doesn't empty people into our escalators, we have fewer pedestrians," said Roger Fredericksen, the owner of Millstream.
"It's much better when you have an extra push."
He knows firsthand. When the Monorail was shut down in summer, he said, sales at his store, which specializes in Northwest gifts, dropped about 20 percent.
And last year, on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend, the Monorail trains brushed each other, knocking the system out of commission for holiday shoppers.
By December, buses were moving people daily between the shopping center and Seattle Center.
But things were different Friday. Adults, teens and children boarded and left the Monorail and crowded the top floor of the Westlake Center.
Their conversations filled the air.
"They immediately see us, and they'll come in," said Channa Dela Paz, manager of Butter London.
The nail and massage store, which opened in October, is next to the Monorail. Before the trains started running Friday, about 60 people were waiting outside her store to buy tickets.
So the staff offered samples of hand lotion to the potential customers, she said.
Minutes after she stepped off the Monorail, Marysville resident Linda Kinder said she liked the convenience of parking near Seattle Center and boarding a train to downtown Seattle.
"I was excited to see it working again," said Kinder, 49, who came downtown to celebrate her 30th wedding anniversary.
At Seattle Center, a steady stream of people exited the trains early Friday afternoon.
But not enough headed to the Fun Forest gift shop, said Maureen Marasigan, an employee.
The store, which is next to the Space Needle, sells sweatshirts and souvenirs.
"Just a little bit," she said, when asked whether business had picked up since the Monorail reopened.
Where do you plan to do your holiday shopping?
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