The Village at Totem Lake
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA mixed-use shopping, dining, entertainment, office, and residential center in Kirkland, Washington.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Village at Totem Lake is a mixed-use retail and entertainment center in the Totem Lake neighborhood of Kirkland, Washington, United States. It occupies a prominent site near Interstate 405 and is the successor to Totem Lake Mall, a shopping center that opened in the early 1970s. The property has evolved from an enclosed and strip-mall complex into a more open, walkable development combining retail stores, restaurants, a cinema, offices, and residential communities. The original project was proposed in 1968 as the Totem Lake Center and was developed around the small lake historically known as Lake Watstine. Totem Lake, Inc. developed the mall together with nearby components of a larger district that included the EvergreenHealth campus and apartment properties. Much of the site was built on reclaimed wetlands connected to the lake. The original architecture used an Indian longhouse-inspired theme and Northwest Coast art elements, with design work attributed to Richard C. Bouillon & Co. and John Graham & Company. The first stores opened in May 1973, while the principal Lamonts department store opened later that year. An eastern section followed in 1974, and the adjacent Totem Lake Cinemas opened in 1980. The center initially contained several businesses associated with the Pay 'n Save Corporation, including Lamonts, Ernst Home & Nursery, Schuck's Auto Supply, Pay 'n Save Drug, and Sportsland. Over time, however, changes in regional retailing and the growing preference for larger, modern shopping centers weakened the enclosed mall. A 1988 renovation covered the original exposed wood façades with a white exterior finish that many local observers considered less distinctive than the original design. A major snowstorm in 1997 also caused a section of the lower mall roof to collapse, flooding the building and requiring replacement of its original parquet flooring. The property entered a prolonged period of decline from the late 1990s through the 2000s. Ernst Home & Nursery closed during the company’s 1996 bankruptcy, and its former space was divided among several retailers. Other departures included Rite Aid, CompUSA, Old Country Buffet, and Schuck's Auto Parts. Vacancies, deferred maintenance, leaking roofs, and the loss of interior-oriented tenants led the property to be widely described as a declining or obsolete mall. Earlier redevelopment concepts were repeatedly delayed, particularly after the 2008 economic downturn. A major change came in 2015, when Village at Totem Lake, LLC, a joint venture involving CenterCal and PCCP, LLC, acquired the property. In 2016 the owners announced a large-scale redevelopment that would replace much of the old mall with a mixed-use village. Demolition began with the lower mall in March 2016, while selected portions, including the former Ernst space occupied by Car Toys and Ross, were retained during the transition. New tenants including Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe's began opening in October 2017, and construction and tenant expansion continued afterward. The redevelopment plan included more than 800 residential units, office space, retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The current center is anchored by a combination of national retailers, grocery stores, dining operators, and entertainment uses. Major tenants identified in reference material include Cinemark, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Nordstrom Rack, Ross Dress for Less, and Barnes & Noble. In 2024, a Sweetgreen location became the brand’s first in the Pacific Northwest. The Village at Totem Lake therefore functions less as a conventional enclosed mall than as a regional mixed-use destination serving Kirkland and surrounding communities.
History
The property began as Totem Lake Center, a commercial development proposed in early 1968 near the newly constructed Interstate 405. Groundbreaking took place in June 1972. The project was part of a broader development around Totem Lake, historically called Lake Watstine, and was developed alongside the EvergreenHealth campus and nearby apartment complexes. Because portions of the site occupied reclaimed wetlands connected to the lake, the development became an important part of the area's later urban growth. Its construction also contributed to the annexation of the Totem Lake neighborhood by the city of Kirkland in 1974. The original shopping center used a Northwest Coast-inspired longhouse theme. Richard C. Bouillon & Co. worked on the exterior concept, while John Graham & Company designed the interior. The first stores opened in May 1973, followed by the rest of the lower mall later that month. Lamonts, a 40,000-square-foot department store operated through the Pay 'n Save Corporation, opened in October 1973. The eastern portion of the property was completed in 1974. Other early occupants included Ernst Home & Nursery, Schuck's Auto Supply, Pay 'n Save Drug, and Sportsland. Totem Lake Cinemas, located adjacent to the mall, opened in 1980. The center was subsequently divided in practical terms between an enclosed lower mall and an adjacent upper or eastern strip-mall area. During the late twentieth century, this format became increasingly vulnerable as consumers and retailers shifted toward larger regional malls, free-standing stores, and more convenient open-air retail environments. A 1988 renovation covered the original exposed wood façades with a white exterior insulation and finish system. Although intended to modernize the property, the change was criticized by some locals for eliminating much of the center's earlier visual character. Physical and commercial problems accumulated during the 1990s and 2000s. In 1996, Ernst Home & Nursery closed during the company's bankruptcy, and its space was divided among Ross, Famous Footwear, and Car Toys. A severe snowstorm in 1997 caused part of the lower mall roof to collapse, activating sprinklers and flooding the building. The original wood parquet flooring was subsequently replaced with ceramic tile. The property also retained remnants of its earlier signage infrastructure, including wooden poles that were preserved during redevelopment because of local sign-height rules, although the fate of the original hand-carved sign was uncertain. Ownership and redevelopment efforts changed several times. CalPERS sold the mall to Developers Diversified Realty in January 2004 for $37 million. DDR considered replacing the aging property with a multistory residential and retail complex, but no full design-review application had been submitted by early 2008. In 2009, the company postponed the redevelopment indefinitely because of the difficult economic environment and sought a buyer. By the late 2000s, the mall had lost many major occupants. Rite Aid left in 2006, CompUSA closed in 2007, Old Country Buffet departed during a Chapter 11 consolidation in 2008, and Schuck's Auto Parts, by then associated with O'Reilly Auto Parts, relocated in 2010. The economic downturn made a conventional mall revival difficult, and temporary uses such as flea markets and seasonal stores filled some vacant spaces. The eastern portion performed better because of Trader Joe's, the cinema, and specialty retailers, but the enclosed mall was increasingly viewed as obsolete and poorly maintained. Village at Totem Lake, LLC, a joint venture involving CenterCal and PCCP, LLC, acquired the property in 2015. In 2016 the owners announced a redevelopment budgeted at $200 million and planned to create a new mixed-use center. Demolition of the lower mall began in March 2016, with some existing retail space retained. The redevelopment ultimately introduced a village-style combination of stores, restaurants, offices, entertainment, and residential communities. Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe's opened among the earliest new tenants in October 2017, followed by additional retail, dining, office, cinema, and residential openings. The resulting property was renamed The Village at Totem Lake and now operates as a mixed-use destination rather than a traditional enclosed mall.
- 2024
Sweetgreen enters the Pacific Northwest
[1]The first Sweetgreen location in the Pacific Northwest opened at The Village at Totem Lake.
- 2017
Redeveloped Village begins opening
[1]Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe's opened among the first major tenants in October as the new mixed-use center took shape.
- 2016
Mixed-use redevelopment announced
[1]The owner announced a $200 million redevelopment with retail, restaurants, entertainment, offices, and more than 800 residential units.
- 2015
New ownership acquired the mall
[1]Village at Totem Lake, LLC, involving CenterCal and PCCP, LLC, purchased the property.
- 2009
Redevelopment postponed
[1]Developers Diversified Realty indefinitely delayed its redevelopment plans during the economic downturn and sought a buyer.
- 2004
Property sold to Developers Diversified Realty
[1]CalPERS sold the mall to Developers Diversified Realty for $37 million.
- 1997
Snowstorm damages lower mall
[1]A major snowstorm caused part of the lower mall roof to collapse and flooded the building.
- 1996
Ernst Home & Nursery closes
[1]The anchor retailer closed as part of the company's bankruptcy, and its space was later divided among multiple stores.
- 1988
Exterior renovation changes the mall's appearance
[1]The original exposed wood exterior was covered with a white exterior finish intended to modernize the buildings.
- 1980
Totem Lake Cinemas opens
[1]The adjacent cinema began operations, later becoming an important traffic generator for the eastern portion of the property.
Products and positioning
A redeveloped, open-air mixed-use destination combining shopping, dining, entertainment, offices, and residential living in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland.
Shopping · 2017
Retail stores
The center hosts a broad collection of national and specialty retailers across apparel, footwear, books, groceries, home goods, and lifestyle categories. Major identified tenants include Nordstrom Rack, Ross Dress for Less, Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods Market, and Trader Joe's.
Dining · 2017
Restaurants and food venues
Restaurants and prepared-food operators form a significant part of the redeveloped center's village-style format. The property also became the first Pacific Northwest location for Sweetgreen in 2024.
Entertainment
Cinemark
Cinemark provides cinema entertainment within the mixed-use destination and continues the site's long association with movie theaters, which began with Totem Lake Cinemas in 1980.
Mixed-use development · 2017
Office and residential communities
The redevelopment added office space and on-site residential communities, making the property a mixed-use district rather than a conventional enclosed shopping mall.
Brand decisions
2016
Conversion from enclosed mall to mixed-use villageStrategyBackground
The former mall had suffered prolonged vacancy, deferred maintenance, and declining relevance as a conventional enclosed shopping center.
Action taken
Village at Totem Lake, LLC announced a large redevelopment involving demolition, new retail and dining space, entertainment, offices, and more than 800 residential units.
Aftermath
The property reopened in phases under The Village at Totem Lake name, beginning with major tenants such as Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe's in 2017.
Announced redevelopment budget. $200 million (2016 announcement)
2004
Sale to Developers Diversified RealtyM&ABackground
The aging shopping center required a new ownership and redevelopment strategy after losing tenants and facing increasing competition from newer retail formats.
Action taken
CalPERS sold the property to Developers Diversified Realty for $37 million.
Aftermath
DDR considered a multistory residential and retail replacement, but the plans were later postponed and the company sought a buyer.
Property sale price. $37 million (January 2004)
Sources2 sources
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