Grand Reopening Celebration on Thursday, July 6

We moved! After seven years as a beloved fixture in downtown Seattle's historic Pike Place Market, we have moved our flagship store to a larger streetside location just across First Avenue from our old home.

Please join us Thursday, July 6, 2023 for a Grand Reopening celebration!

• 5:30pm - A traditional drummer and singer will share songs on the sidewalk outside of our new store location; enjoy the music outside our store or come inside for light refreshments and shopping 
• 6:00pm - Snoqualmie Tribe Chairman Robert de los Angeles and Eighth Generation CEO Colleen Echohawk (Pawnee, Athabascan) will make opening remarks in front of our store, followed by a ribbon cutting
• 6:15pm - Eighth Generation founder, artist, and educator Louie Gong (Nooksack) will give a short talk inside the store to share about his experience as a multicultural artist
• 6:25pm - Shop and enjoy light refreshments, and visit with Louie. Louie will sign prints, blankets, or any other artwork of his that you may have. This is the perfect opportunity to purchase one of his fine art prints and have him sign it just for you!

No RSVP is necessary: just come join us to welcome our community into our new home. We can't wait to see you there!

New location: 1406 1st Avenue, right across the street from Pike Place Market's main entrance. 

Eighth Generation's History in Pike Place Market

Stephanie Masterman (Tlingit), our first Retail Manager, helped run our store in Pike Place Market

Eighth Generation has been a staple of Downtown Seattle since 2016 when we opened their first brick-and-mortar store in historic Pike Place Market. Eighth Generation’s presence in the Market signified a return to a geographical location that Native people had conducted commerce on since time immemorial before colonization. The flagship store attracted global visitors and was a fixture of the Market; however we recently outgrew their store in Pike Place Market due to the massive increase in our product line. “There are almost 100 new products we are launching in 2023,” shares our CEO Colleen Echohawk (Pawnee, Athabascan). “This is huge for us, as it means we have 100 more opportunities to share real Native art with our global audience; and it’s huge for our artists, because each new piece means even greater income for them and a new way to tell their tribe’s story.”

Louie, Colleen, and other community members and tribal representatives successfully lobbied the Market's board and foundation in 2015 in order to open Eighth Generation in the Market. It represented the first Native-owned business ever to have a permanent storefront in the Market, reclaiming space in a geographical location that had previously been inhabited by Native Americans since time immemorial. 

Eighth Generation on First Avenue

Eighth Generation's new storefront at 1406 1st Avenue is steps from Pike Place Market and directly on a main pedestrian street

Our store's move to First Avenue is a step toward greater visibility and findability for tourists. Downtown Seattle is a tourist hotspot, with historic Pike Place Market attracting over 10 million visitors each year. One of the most frequent questions we received from visitors has always been "How do I find your store?" Our move from the Market's Atrium (which is lovely, but can be difficult for out-of-towners to find) to First Avenue means visitors can see us from the road, and we're much more likely to be "stumbled upon" by tourists looking for fun places to shop as they walk around downtown. Not only are we across the street from Pike Place Market, we are just half a block from the renowned Seattle Art Museum, putting us in the center of the downtown arts and culture scene. 

“Downtown Seattle is known for its varied and vibrant arts and culture scene," said Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO, John Scholes. "From small businesses and venues to internationally acclaimed museums, performance halls and galleries, downtown is the arts and culture hub for Seattle’s visitors and residents. It’s hugely important for our city to have Eighth Generation’s flagship store in downtown Seattle. Seattle’s authentic Native voice is critical to telling the complete story of our city. With Eighth Generation’s prominent new location on First Avenue, visitors from across the globe and residents right down the block now have a prominent, centralized spot to come to learn about our city’s original people, purchase real Native American art and home goods, and have an authentic connection to Seattle’s original people.”

Eighth Generation and the Snoqualmie Tribe

“The Snoqualmie Tribe purchased Eighth Generation in 2019 because of how firmly we believe in the mission to support Native artists, to build prosperity across Indian Country, and to bring authentic cultural art to a market that is clearly excited to purchase authentic Native designs,” said Snoqualmie Tribe Chairman Robert de los Angeles. “With Eighth Generation’s incredible success and growth year after year, we knew it was time for the storefront to expand to a bigger location while still remaining a part of Downtown Seattle’s fabric. We’re excited for the increased products and community events Eighth Generation’s new, larger storefront provides for, and are proud to share real American design with all of Seattle’s visitors and residents.” 

We hope to see you at our Grand Reopening on Thursday, July 6! Stay tuned for information about our August event, which we hope will include all five of our Inspired Natives Artists!