Jeff N.
Yelp
The 1970's gave us David Bowie and ABBA, the SST Concorde with its sonic boom, VW Beatles were at their height, the first Earth Day was celebrated while the EPA began operating and Gilman Village was becoming a reality. Back in 1972 a couple from Issaquah had the idea to save some of the older rundown and unwanted buildings from businesses, farms and mines as well as homes in the Issaquah area. They took the time to have them renovated and placed them all together in an outdoor mall-like setting. They wanted to give the area a distinctive and historical collection of buildings but not as a museum. Even though it is an outdoor mall, it is also a part of the living history of Issaquah and the surrounding area.
They founders of Gilman Village wanted to create a hub for independent businesses in the area at a time when we were seeing the advent of large chain stores. Perhaps they were visionaries, sentimental or a bit of both, but their legacy lives on at Gilman Village.
As an armchair architecture enthusiast I am always looking for old buildings to admire and photograph. Gilman Village gave me the opportunity to do both as well as stroll through a different kind of mall experience. I think this is such a great idea to use old buildings for small independent shops and bring them all together. I'd love to see more of this done in our state.
The buildings are not placed in a uniform manner which adds to the charm of Gilman Village. Done parts are accessible from the parking lots while others are on a sidewalk or wooden boardwalk. In some areas of the complex it feels like you are strolling through a small town. There are some trees along the paths as well as a lake.
According to the maps placed around Gilman Village, there are about fifty businesses here. For kids and families there is a preschool at the Farmhouse School and music and movement classes at the Musik Nest. Madhouse pottery offers you the chance to create and paint your own pottery and White Horse Toys is a great independent toy store for both kids and adults.
There are eleven restaurants places throughout Gilman Village offering Indian, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Dim Sum, Coffee, Tea, Organic juices and pastries. Make sure to check the Yelp reviews!
For your home or garden there are eight shops offering a wide range of goods. There's Aubrey's Clock Gallery has a large number of grandfather clocks and watches that are interesting to look at even if you are not going to buy one. The Recology store is unique in that it focuses on reusable products which is something we could all stand to learn more about. Lucky Home, Studio Den and Lucky You have a selection of items for home decor, accessories and furniture.
Serenity, Suburban Soul and E & A offer women's clothing but sorry guys, there are no men's clothing shops here. Active Body Pilates and Village Green Yoga will help center you while Chromatique Salon and spa will relax you. There are also other professional services at Gilman Village including Kulik Chiropractic Healthcare, the Village Family Clinic and Wellness Center, two website designers, an agency that focuses only on overseas travel, a financial advisor, a public relations firm and even a business that focuses on non-invasive breast health products, bras and screenings.
I'd recommend coming on a day when most of the shops and businesses are open if your interested. The businesses are definitely more focused on female customers but it's still worth a visit guys.
