An editorial was ran in the Sunday Seattle Times by Lynne Varner, which spoke to the growing strength of the Eastside cities in comparison to Seattle. Lynne begins by stating that there is a different mood in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah and Renton. She calls it the “Jimmy Choo effect.”
Jimmy Choo is a high end shoe boutique that will be opening at The Bravern. A pair of shoes at Jimmy Choo runs well over $500. The editorial goes on to use this store opening as an example of the Eastside’s economic status.
The local per-capita income on the Eastside is estimated this year to be $47,356, which is 19.7% above the national average. Nine of the top 10 wealthiest zip codes in the Puget Sound are located on the Eastside.
A large portion of the article speaks to Downtown Bellevue’s growth, although the article is supposed to be about the Eastside as a whole. She defends her facts very well and makes a great case for why the Eastside cities are not dueling, but are “two powerhouses working together.”
