Molly Moon’s Waterfront Seattle ice cream shop, Washington commercial property, USA architecture

Molly Moon’s Waterfront in Seattle, USA

September 17, 2025

Architecture: Graham Baba Architects

Location: Waterfront, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Photos by Alessandra Brescia

Molly Moon’s Waterfront, Washington, USA

Set along Seattle’s reimagined central waterfront, the Molly Moon’s – Waterfront location brings the famous, locally made ice cream to the restored Washington Street Boat Pergola. The ice cream shop occupies less than 350 square feet, but meets the sweet-treat needs of the many visitors and locals flowing onto this newly busy part of town.

The shop is designed to fit within the existing historic pergola, an iconic structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built in 1920 by D.R. Huntington, the pergola served as a symbolic gateway to Seattle from Puget Sound and at one point in time housed the Seattle Harbor Master, as a landing for ferries and ships, and as the U.S. Navy’s shore-leave entry point.

By the mid-1970s, however, the structure had become vacant. With the recent larger transformation of Seattle’s waterfront, Molly Moon’s – Waterfront invigorates the waterfront and helps to reconnect the city to its shoreline with pedestrian spaces, parks, and improved access to the water.

GBA carefully integrated Molly Moon’s brand while honoring the material palette of the landing’s architecture. Historic ticket windows have been repurposed as service counters, creating a moment of continuity that ties past and present together. The pergola provides 850 square feet of covered outdoor space.

Given the venue’s scale and seasonal nature, thoughtful design solutions extend beyond the primary storefront. A pair of freestanding walk-in coolers, discreetly nestled under the protective pergola across from the main building, provide critical storage for ice cream and supplies.

They are scaled to blend seamlessly with the site, adding to the sense of enclosure and intimacy while framing views out to the water. In the off-season, the coolers serve as a hub for storage and distribution to other Molly Moon’s locations.

Navigating the complexities of preservation and modern use, the project balances respect for history with the practical demands of contemporary small business. The result is a welcoming neighborhood anchor and a new destination along Seattle’s developing waterfront.

Adjacent to the pergola and separate from GBA’s work, the city developed a new habitat beach to support the waterfront ecosystem, including enhancing the salmon corridor by adding rocks and nearshore vegetation.