The University of Washington's Seattle campus has its own shop in the Husky Union Building (HUB), but most student shopping happens just off campus. To the west is University Way NE, known as The Ave, home of the main University Book Store and a string of casual places to eat. Just east of campus is University Village, an open-air center that mixes national brands with Seattle independents. Two Link light rail stations, University of Washington and U District, connect campus to the rest of the city.
University Book Store (4326 University Way NE) was founded by students in 1900 in a cloakroom next to the UW president's office and has been on The Ave since 1925. It carries textbooks and course materials, school and art supplies, officially licensed and exclusive Husky gear, gifts, home goods and Pacific Northwest merchandise, and it runs an author-events program. Since summer 2025 Barnes & Noble has operated the general-books department inside the store, while University Book Store still runs textbooks, supplies, Husky gear and gifts; Boon Boona Coffee runs the cafe.
A second store is on campus in the HUB (G03 Husky Union Building, 4001 E Stevens Way NE). Hours change with the season at both, so check ubookstore.com before you go.
Safeway (4732 Brooklyn Ave NE) is the full-service supermarket in the U District, a short walk north of U District station's NE 45th St entrance. On the east edge of University Village, QFC (2746 NE 45th St) is a large grocery with a pharmacy, handy when a grocery run and U Village shopping go together. Check each store's website for current hours.
Shopping Just East of Campus
University Village (2623 NE University Village St) is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 11am to 6pm, with holiday hours that vary. Apple University Village has the Genius Bar for laptop and phone help, Paper Source covers cards, journals and gift wrap, and Crate and Barrel has two floors of furniture, tabletop and kitchen goods for setting up an apartment.
For Seattle-made gifts, Fireworks features Northwest artists and stays open until 9pm Monday to Saturday, glassybaby sells the locally owned company's colored glass votives, and Ravenna Gardens, founded here in 1998, has plants and pots for dorm-room greenery. Fran's Chocolates, the Seattle chocolatier making handmade chocolates since 1982, and The Confectionery, a family-owned candy shop, handle sweets, while Pasta & Co. sells ready-to-heat soups, salads and entrées made daily.
On The Ave. Cafe Allegro (4214 University Way NE), tucked in the alley, was founded in 1975, lays claim to Seattle's oldest espresso bar and roasts its coffee in small batches on site. Thai Tom (4543 University Way NE) is a tiny, busy Thai counter with a flame-filled open kitchen and cheap, spicy plates; expect a wait.
With parents. Din Tai Fung at University Village, the chain's first Seattle location, is a reliable sit-down dumpling dinner after shopping; it is open Sunday to Thursday 11am to 9pm and Friday and Saturday 11am to 9:30pm. Near U Village, Mamma Melina Ristorante (5101 25th Ave NE) is an Italian restaurant with a big bar, and on Portage Bay Agua Verde Cafe (1303 NE Boat St) serves Baja-style fish tacos with a popular waterside deck. Check their websites for hours.
Light rail. Link has two UW stops. University of Washington station (3720 Montlake Blvd NE at NE Pacific St) is in the Husky Stadium lot next to UW Medical Center, with a bridge over Montlake Blvd into campus and to the Burke-Gilman Trail. U District station is underground on Brooklyn Ave NE, with a north entrance by the Neptune Theatre at NE 45th St and a south entrance at NE 43rd St, a block from The Ave. Both are on the 1 Line and the 2 Line, which since March 28, 2026 has run across Lake Washington to Bellevue and Redmond. Westlake station downtown is about 7 to 8 minutes away and SeaTac/Airport about 45 minutes.
Bus. King County Metro routes include the 44 from Ballard and the 45 from Loyal Heights to University of Washington station, the 49 and 70 between the University District and downtown, and the 31 and 32 west through Fremont.
Parking. University Village has free parking in three garages off 25th Ave NE, and bike racks off the Burke-Gilman Trail.
