Seattle Growth Podcast 7.1: the pandemic’s effect on real estate and restaurants

Seattle Growth Podcast host Jeff Shulman (foreground) at a safe distance from guest Jacob Weaver.

Jeff Shulman created the Seattle Growth Podcast in 2016, a time when Seattle was in a state of profound transition while experiencing unprecedented economic and population growth. Shulman, the Marion B. Ingersoll Professor of Marketing at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, wanted to bring diverse voices together for a constructive dialog about where Seattle has been and where it’s going.

Fast forward to the fourth quarter of 2020. We find ourselves again in a time of transition—this time driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has sent Seattle into a period of great certainty and anxiety.

Will Seattle continue to be a desirable place to live, work and do business? Will it continue to grow?

Season 7 of the Seattle Growth Podcast will explore these questions through interviews with a wide array of leaders and influencers. “This season is an unfiltered view of how our leaders and neighbors are responding to the challenges we all face,” says Shulman.

Episode 1 considers the current state and future challenges of real estate and restaurants in Seattle.

Shulman with Daniel Wasielewski of Din Tai Fung Restaurants.

David Wasielewski, managing partner at Din Tai Fung Restaurants, discusses how he has navigated his restaurant group through this challenging time and shares his perspective on what we can expect for downtown Seattle in the coming months and in the long run.

Jacob Weaver, co-founder of the Weaver Byrne Group, explains whether it is a good time to buy a home and whether you can expect to see more construction of “McMansions” in the days ahead.

In addition to hosting and producing the award-winning Seattle Growth Podcast, Shulman is also the co-director and producer of On the Brink, the acclaimed documentary of history, hope and determination to save Seattle’s vanishing Central District.