Century-Old Seattle Lighting Store Closes, Homeless Shelter Planned in Crime-Plagued Area

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After more than a century in Pioneer Square, Seattle Lighting has permanently closed its flagship location at 222 Second Avenue Extension South, ending a 109-year run in the same neighborhood. The property was purchased by Bread of Life Mission for $3.3 million, and they are exploring plans to redevelop the site into a homeless shelter, chapel, addiction recovery services, and mental health programs.

Why it matters

The closure of Seattle Lighting's historic Pioneer Square location marks the end of an era for one of Seattle's longest-running family businesses. The planned redevelopment of the property into a homeless shelter raises concerns about the impact on the surrounding crime-plagued area near Lumen Field.

The details

Seattle Lighting first opened in 1917 as the Seattle Lighting Fixture Company, founded by Walter Funsinn and Joseph Schomer. The Pioneer Square showroom became the company's original home and remained its historic anchor for over a century, even as the business expanded throughout the Puget Sound region. The property, which includes two historic buildings built in 1906 and 1946 along with a side lot, was purchased in December 2025 by Bread of Life Mission for $3.3 million. Preliminary designs from SMR Architects show Bread of Life Mission is exploring a redevelopment that could include a homeless shelter, chapel, addiction recovery services, and mental health programs.

• Seattle Lighting first opened in 1917.
• The Pioneer Square showroom became the company's original home and remained its historic anchor for over a century.
• Seattle Lighting permanently closed its Pioneer Square location on February 15, 2026.
• The property was purchased by Bread of Life Mission in December 2025 for $3.3 million.

What’s next

Bread of Life Mission is expected to finalize its redevelopment plans for the former Seattle Lighting property in the coming months.