During the first month of Amazon’s mandate for workers to return to the office five days a week, a report by the Downtown Seattle Association found a significant jump in foot traffic on Mondays and Fridays – previously the most popular remote work days.
Compared to December, the Amazon-focused Denny Regrade and South Lake Union neighborhoods saw 22% greater foot traffic, a jump of 36% over January 2024. The weekday average of 46,000 people in those neighborhoods still represents only 74% of the average in January 2019.
Across all downtown neighborhoods, foot traffic rose by 9%, bringing overall activity to 57% of pre-pandemic levels.
Jon Scholes, President and CEO of DSA, highlighted the positive impact of Amazon’s return-to-office policy, noting that “[c]offee shops are full, lunch spots are buzzing and there’s more activity in the area.”
