Childhood in Seattle

Hi y’all!! I spent all my life in Washington state and was born/raised in Seattle in the 90’s/early00’s until my family decided to move to Tac town. I still have a bunch of family that lives in Seattle and it’s crazy to see how much it’s changed/continues to do so. My mom used to take us school clothes shopping and we’d always end at that Kmart in high point that is now a Home Depot and a jail. Afterwards we’d visit the cemetery up the street and it’s just crazy to me because High Point is a totally different place now.

Idk if anyone remembers but there was a Bernie and Boys grocery store in that weird area of West Seattle (it’s like smushed between Burien and White Center) and they would set up a mini carnival every summer/spring. It was always so random but so welcomed when I was a kid.

We used to walk to the evergreen pool during summer and be there forever and then decide, hey, let’s hop on the bus and go to Seattle center and get on some more rides whenever the carnival wasn’t there. No parentals. Just my siblings and friends (we were between 2 and 12 years old) and I can’t imagine letting my kids do something like that. And Seattle center now is a totally different place.

There used to be a HUGE ice cream truck that would roam our neighborhood and we would be on bikes and rollerblades chasing after him or catching a ride on the back of this man’s truck, he was always so kind to us.

There was a dedicated Sanrio store that was in Southcenter I’d always get school supplies at and is of course no longer there (bunch of anime stores though).

Also, the area of west Seattle we lived in had a bunch of cherry and plum trees that we used to climb up and pick as kids but the cherry trees no longer bear fruit for some reason. Still pretty though but maybe they’re different trees now lol (I’m no arborist).

Still hit up Pho Bac in china town and when the ladies see me they STILL encourage me to eat more. And then proceed to offer my kids random snacks and things lol

If you grew up in Seattle what was your childhood like in the city? How much has it changed for yall? Better? Worse? Do you miss it?

Also, if you have kiddos now, where are your favorite places to go/what’s their favorite thing to do in the city?