In this episode of Bellevue Bound, host Megan Adams sits down with Jennifer Leavitt, Senior Vice President of Marketing for The Bellevue Collection, to explore why this iconic destination has become one of the most successful and beloved shopping centers in the nation. 🏙️✨

What quickly becomes clear is that The Bellevue Collection is about far more than retail. Spanning shopping, dining, entertainment, events, and placemaking, it’s where Bellevue comes together—and where visitors experience the city at its most vibrant.

From 1946 to Today: A Legacy of Vision and Growth

The Bellevue Collection’s story begins in 1946, when it first opened as a modest, open-air shopping center, years before Bellevue even became a city. Built, owned, and operated by the Bellevue-based, family-owned Kemper Development Company, the Collection has grown alongside the community it serves.

Today, it spans 5.5 million square feet across three interconnected destinations:

  • Bellevue Square – one of the top-performing shopping centers in the country, anchored by a top-performing Nordstrom

  • Lincoln Square – home to upscale dining, entertainment, bowling, gaming, and cinemas. North and South Towers.

  • Bellevue Place – featuring a four-diamond Hyatt Regency hotel, offices, boutique retail, and fine dining

Together, these spaces form a walkable, mixed-use hub that defines downtown Bellevue.

Why Visitors Choose Bellevue—and The Bellevue Collection

Jennifer shares that people don’t just stumble into The Bellevue Collection, it’s often the reason they come to Bellevue in the first place. Travelers from across the region and around the world are drawn by:

  • Walkability and accessibility

  • A safe, welcoming downtown environment

  • An unmatched mix of retail, dining, hotels, and entertainment

  • Proximity to everything the Pacific Northwest offers

For visitors, it’s rare to find a destination where you can shop, dine, stay, attend an event, and explore the city, all without getting in a car.

Placemaking That Builds Community

One of the most powerful themes of the episode is placemaking, the idea that great destinations are designed not just for commerce, but for connection.

Jennifer reflects on unforgettable moments, including the famous bomb cyclone, when residents flocked to The Bellevue Collection for warmth, power, and community. Some even brought their own rugs, turning the space into a shared living room during a citywide disruption.

Moments like this highlight what the Collection truly represents: a gathering place in every sense of the word.

Celebrating Culture, Creativity, and Connection

Throughout the year, The Bellevue Collection hosts events that reflect Bellevue’s diversity and global spirit, including:
🌏 Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Bali Week celebrations
👗 Fashion Week and seasonal style events
🧘‍♂️ Fitness and wellness programming
❄️ Snowflake Lane, a beloved holiday tradition that has become a regional draw

From music and dance to fashion and food, these experiences transform the Collection into a cultural stage for the city.

More Than Shopping: A Downtown Experience

Dining, nightlife, entertainment, and hotels are seamlessly woven into the Collection’s design. Visitors can enjoy everything from fine dining and casual eats to movie theaters, bowling, and live events, all within one interconnected destination.

As Jennifer explains, this integration is intentional. The Bellevue Collection isn’t just a place you visit, it’s a place you stay, linger, and return to again and again.

A Reflection of Bellevue’s Past, Present, and Future

Rooted in over seven decades of visionary thinking, The Bellevue Collection continues to evolve while staying true to its founding principles: community connection, thoughtful development, and long-term investment in Bellevue’s success.

As Megan and Jennifer discuss, it’s this commitment to people, place, and experience that makes The Bellevue Collection the true heart of downtown Bellevue.

🎧 Watch the Episode

Catch the full conversation on Bellevue Bound, and hear directly from Jennifer Leavitt about what makes The Bellevue Collection one of the nation’s most dynamic destinations.

🎧 Watch more episodes of Bellevue Bound

Explore More

🌐 Discover shopping, dining, and events: VisitBellevue.com
🌐 Learn more about The Bellevue Collection & Kemper Development Company:
https://kdc.bellevuecollection.com/

🎙️ Recorded and produced by Just Talk Studios — justtalkstudios.com