Serving Lynnwood
Free business help as Lynnwood grows
Lynnwood is south Snohomish County’s retail hub, with Alderwood Mall, the Highway 99 corridor and a new City Center growing around its light rail station. As a women’s business center for Lynnwood, WCWB helps women start and grow businesses with free one-on-one advising, practical classes and a community of women owners.
CountySnohomish County
Population43,070
WCWB advisingFree, by phone or video
Our officeLacey, Washington
Where business happens
Business districts in Lynnwood
- City Center. Lynnwood’s planned downtown around the City Center light rail station: the Northline Village mixed-use project (homes, retail, offices and entertainment) will anchor a City Center Promenade along 198th St SW, which will also connect to a redeveloped Lynnwood Event Center.
- Alderwood. The area’s retail and entertainment hub, anchored by Alderwood Mall. The area has recently added apartments (including Avalon, on the mall’s former Sears anchor space), and a West Alderwood light rail station is planned for 2037.
- Highway 99 corridor. Mostly strip commercial and auto-oriented: car dealerships, shopping centers and professional offices, plus ethnic businesses and markets.
Good to know in Lynnwood
- Lynnwood’s city business license is an endorsement added through the state’s Business Licensing Service. Home businesses need a home occupation license, with zoning review by the Planning Department.
- Lynnwood has no city B&O tax. Some Lynnwood mailing addresses are outside city limits, so check the city’s boundary map before you apply.
- The city’s Small Business Development Program offers workshops, help finding lenders, marketing support and one-on-one appointments.
- Looking for a storefront or office? The city’s Locate Commercial Space form asks its economic development team to look for properties that fit your needs.
Not sure what applies to you? An advisor can walk you through it.
A retail hub with a new downtown
Lynnwood sits where I-5 meets I-405 and calls itself the retail hub of south Snohomish County: the 1.3-million-square-foot Alderwood Mall, regional stores such as Costco, Fred Meyer and Target, and the auto dealerships along Highway 99. The city lists retail trade, accommodation and food service, health care, education and professional services as its top industries, counts nearly 6,000 businesses, and is home to Zumiez’s headquarters, Edmonds College and 11 hotels in its City Center and Alderwood area. Since Link light rail reached Lynnwood City Center on August 30, 2024, the city has been steering growth there: its City Center + Alderwood plan (adopted June 2025) targets about 30,000 jobs in that area by 2044, up from about 15,700 in 2020.
Retail
The city reports more than $467 million in retail sales and describes Lynnwood as ‘the retail hub of south Snohomish County’; Alderwood Mall is a 1.3-million-square-foot center with a mix of retail, entertainment and dining.
Hotels, events and visitors
The City Center + Alderwood area has 11 hotels, which the city says makes it one of Snohomish County’s premier tourist destinations, with rooms about 40% cheaper than in Seattle and a light rail ride to Seattle events. The Lynnwood Public Facilities District plans to redevelop the 13-acre Lynnwood Event Center site with an expanded event center, a hotel, retail and housing.
Auto sales and service
Highway 99 is lined with new and used car dealerships (the city’s corridor plan names Acura, Audi, Buick/GMC, Ford, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mercedes, Lexus and Volvo) and treats auto dealers and service businesses as a ‘desirable niche business’ for the corridor.
Business and professional services
Offices and business parks in City Center + Alderwood house small local businesses, tribal offices such as the Tlingit and Haida WA Chapter, Pacific Lutheran University and larger finance-industry companies, and the city expects remote workers in new housing there to make the area an informal hub for business services.
Health care and education
Health care and education are among the five top industries the city lists, and Edmonds College, a four-year college, is in Lynnwood and offers training for local employers.
Your women’s business center for Lynnwood
Whether you sell on Highway 99, open near the light rail station or run a business from home, here’s where WCWB fits in.
Free one-on-one advising
Shape your plan, check your numbers or prepare for a loan with an advisor, by phone or video, at no cost.
Find the right space
Before you lease near Alderwood or City Center, an advisor can help you work out what you can afford and how much you need to sell.
Learn the fundamentals
Intro to Business is a free self-paced online course on business planning, legal requirements and funding.
Meet other women owners
INSPIRE, our women’s business conference each May, brings owners from across the region together for keynotes, sessions and networking.
More help in Lynnwood
Alongside WCWB, these Lynnwood organizations support local businesses. Each link opens their own website.
City of Lynnwood Small Business Development Program (Development & Business Services)
A step-by-step start-up guide plus consultations with the city’s economic development team (425-550-4891) to connect you with permits, lenders and other resources.
Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce
Networking events, referrals and education, a member business directory, and representation of business interests with city, county and state government.
Economic Alliance Snohomish County
Snohomish County’s economic development organization and the city’s partner on the Business Builder Expo; it runs business events and offers free programs such as Washington APEX Accelerator help with government contracting.
Washington SBDC: Lynnwood office at Edmonds College
No-cost, confidential one-on-one business advising from the Washington SBDC’s Lynnwood office in the Maltby Building on Edmonds College’s North Campus (7020 196th St SW).
Sno-Isle Libraries: Business resources
Free with a library card: the Small Business Reference Center, Data Axle (ReferenceUSA) for market research and sales leads, and LinkedIn Learning, plus one-on-one ‘Book a Librarian’ help. The Lynnwood Library also hosts the city’s small business workshops.
Questions from Lynnwood business owners
I want to open a business near the new light rail station. Can WCWB help me plan?
Yes. An advisor can help you research the market, estimate your startup costs and build a plan, and the city’s economic development team can help you look for space.
I run a family business on Highway 99. Can WCWB help us grow?
Yes. We work with established businesses too. An advisor can help with cash flow, marketing, a second location or getting ready for a loan.
Does WCWB have an office in Lynnwood?
No. We meet by phone and video, so we can work with you anywhere in Washington State. Our office is at 4220 6th Ave SE in Lacey.
Who can work with WCWB?
Anyone who is starting a business or growing a small to medium-sized one. We focus on women-identified business owners in Washington State, and our services are open to everyone.
Your Lynnwood business can go further
Free advising by phone or video, with no up-front commitment.