Everett Mall South Everett, WA

Until the 1960s, the neighborhood was a semi-rural area near Highway 99 on the outskirts of the city of Everett. After the Boeing Everett airplane manufacturing factory began operations a few miles west of the area in the late 1960s, it began a transition into a residential community. With the opening of the Everett Mall in 1974, commercial development along Highway 99 expanded, and the neighborhood became a primary shopping destination for the city of Everett and the smaller cities to the north and east. In addition to continued commercial expansion, in recent years the population density of the neighborhood has increased as single-family homes gradually transition to multifamily complexes.

Everett Mall South offers an abundance of dining options, primarily along Everett Mall Way, including a number of national chains such as Applebee's, Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse.

For fans of local beers, the taproom at the Lazy Boy Brewing Company, located inside the brewery, is the place to visit. The taproom features 10 of the brewery's own beers on tap and also sells kegs and growlers to go. Specialty brews include Norwegian Death, a pumpkin porter, and the 10.8 percent ABV Scotch Rye.

For another local experience, check out Hawaiian Sun BBQ for authentic Hawaiian fusion cuisine. With large portions and moderate prices, the restaurant dishes up barbecue ribs, beef, pork and a range of seafood platters, all seasoned with island spices and sauces.

If you're looking for a quick meal on the go, consider Hot Dog Stop, where New York-style dogs are loaded with toppings. Specialties include the Pizza Dog, which is topped with pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese, and the signature Nimmerdog, an incomparable dog topped with chocolate, peanut butter, bacon and whipped cream.

After dinner, head out to one of the many pubs in the area, catch a movie at Regal Cinemas, or gather some friends for a round of bowling at Glacier Lanes. On Friday and Saturday nights, the bowling alley features Rock N Bowl, a nightclub-inspired experience with music, fog, black lights and disco lights.

Driving is the most popular way for locals to get around The Everett Mall South neighborhood. Traffic congestion along Everett Mall Way is common, with shoppers heading to the area from miles around. The neighborhood provides easy access to Interstate 5, which connects Everett with Seattle and Bellevue, as well as to Highway 526, which leads to the Boeing Everett factory, the Future of Flight museum and the Mukilteo ferry terminal. Highway 99 connects the neighborhood with downtown Everett as well as commercial areas stretching south into Seattle and beyond.

Everett Transit and Community Transit provide bus service, connecting throughout the city and Snohomish County. The Community Transit Swift bus line runs on Evergreen Way at the western edge of the neighborhood, connecting the neighborhood to downtown Everett and King County. Multiple park-and-rides are located a short distance from the neighborhood along Interstate 5 and provide commuters convenient connections to downtown Everett, Seattle, and Bellevue through Sound Transit. Seven miles to the west, commuters can board the Sounder commuter train to downtown Seattle, while travelers can catch the Washington State Ferry to Whidbey Island and the Olympic Peninsula.

For bicyclists, walkers and joggers, the Interurban Trail runs through the neighborhood. The trail, which runs along the old route of the Seattle-to-Everett interurban train, provides a paved path free of automobile traffic.

The Everett Mall South neighborhood does not have any parks. The Interurban walking and cycling trail runs through the neighborhood, but for open spaces residents travel to adjacent neighborhoods. Nearby parks include Silver Lake Park to the east, on the other side of Interstate 5, which includes a swimming beach during the summer, and Kasch-Loganberry Lane Park a few miles to the west, which include wooded trails, an off-leash dog area and a variety of athletic fields.

The cost of living in the Everett Mall South neighborhood is slightly below average for the Puget Sound region but slightly higher than average for the city of Everett. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $930.83. The price of a pint of beer in the neighborhood ranges from $4 for major label beers to $6 and up for local micro brews.

Everett transit fares run $1 per trip, and Community Transit fares range from $2 per trip for local routes to $5.25 for the longest commuter routes. Sound Transit fares average $2.50 for most commutes. Multiride trips on all three services are more expensive when paying cash as opposed to using the regional Orca Card transit pass.

As you would expect from a neighborhood named after a mall, shopping options are plentiful in Everett Mall South. The Everett Mall features dozens of stores, anchored by Macy's, Sears and Burlington Coat Factory. Large chain stores, from Best Buy to Petco and Toys "R" Us, stretch along Everett Mall Way. A number of local shops specializing in everything from apparel to hot tubs to board games are also available.

Gamers of all sort enjoy a visit to one of the most unique stores in the area, a tabletop game store called GameShire. This is the go-to place for trading card games, including Hordes, Lord of the Rings and Magic: The Gathering among others, as well as miniature war games and other specialty board games. The store's custom gaming tables draw daily crowds to come and play, plus there are scheduled events, such as paint competitions and tournaments.

Whistle Workwear caters to the clothing needs of industrial employees and uniformed professionals, carrying a large selection of boots, overalls, and rain and safety gear. And this small Northwest chain is the largest Carhartt dealer in the Puget Sound region.

Grocery shoppers in the neighborhood have a number of options, including large chains such as Costco, Trader Joe's and Grocery Outlet. During the growing season, the mall hosts the Friday Farmers Market in the parking lot next to Sears and Dave's BBQ, so locals can stock up on organic produce, baked goods and flowers.