"It's a wrap!" That was how Marie Harris began the Instagram post announcing that Veritables would close, according to Downtown Bellevue Network. Veritables had been at 10220 Main Street for 18 years and was a regular stop on the Old Bellevue wine walk. It closed on Oct. 15. Harris said the building's owners had decided to redevelop the property and the decision was out of her hands. She also wrote, "This is not the last chapter."
Two doors down, Glassybaby has already moved. Matcha Magic's last day at 10246 Main Street is this Sunday, Nov. 1. All three storefronts sit on one parcel, and it is slated for a single eight-story building. This year the city adopted temporary rules for Main Street. Those rules govern doors, cornices and how far apart storefront entries can be. They do not mention who rents the space behind them. The design rules for the street and the shops that gave it its feel are now two separate matters, and the shops are the ones moving.
Three Addresses, One Building
The project is Vander Hoek Corporation's North of Main, at Main Street and 103rd Avenue Northeast. The plans call for 176 market-rate apartments, 10,363 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 154 parking stalls. The site covers about 0.71 acres, and every building on it will be removed.
Here is where the block's best-known tenants stand going into November.
| Business | Main Street address | Time on Main Street | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glassybaby | 10230 Main St | Since October 2009 | Reopened Oct. 1 in a larger store at Design Market, 1048 116th Ave NE |
| Veritables | 10220 Main St | 18 years | Closed Oct. 15; owner plans pop-ups and is scouting a new location |
| Matcha Magic | 10246 Main St | Since May 2022 | Closes Nov. 1; operator is looking for another Bellevue location |
When the project went through design review in 2025, coverage also listed Lavender Spa and Araya's Place among the businesses on the site. LA REE Boutique, another longtime Main Street retailer, closed on Sept. 25, 2025, after 20 years.
Glassybaby's new store sits between California Closets and Marci Jewelry in the Design Market complex, across the street from Overlake Hospital. Its space is larger than the Main Street shop, with more room for the collection. If you used to pick up a candle holder on a Main Street stroll, it's now part of an errand on 116th.
Matcha Magic's departure is a little different because Main Street is where the brand began. Founder Rachel Barnecut opened the plant-forward matcha bar in the former Jujubeet space in May 2022. Since then the brand has added cafes in Redmond, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union, New Orleans and Tempe, Arizona. Its operator is Conscious Hospitality Group, a Bellevue company that invests in and grows food and beverage brands, including Just Poke, SUGO Handroll Bar and HAPS Burgers. The company told Downtown Bellevue Network that Matcha Magic is looking for a new Bellevue location. No address or reopening timeline has been announced.
The Permits Are Already Issued
This block is further along than a proposal. Bellevue's permit records show the timeline.
- Aug. 26, 2026. The city issued the demolition permit, 25 124743 BE, for 21 103rd Ave NE. It covers demolishing four structures and removing utilities, pavement and surface features within and beyond the property line.
- Sept. 10, 2026. The city issued the Phase 1 building permit, 24 103602 BB. It covers below-grade parking and the retail and residential podium. The upper floors are assigned to a later Phase 2 permit.
- Still pending. A separate site and frontage permit, 25 116197 FD, covers frontage and access-easement improvements and utility connections.
The permit records don't give a demolition start date, and they don't list any lane, sidewalk or on-street parking closures on Main Street. They do record pavement removal and planned frontage work, so expect the sidewalk along this block to change at some point. You can check the permit search for updates.
Rules That Arrived After the Project Was Filed
In February 2026, the City Council adopted an Interim Official Control for Main Street, a temporary land-use measure that takes effect right away while the city drafts permanent standards. Downtown Bellevue Network reported that the council acted after development activity in Old Bellevue, including the Vander Hoek proposal. North of Main had already vested under the existing zoning, though, so the control does not apply to it. It applies to other Main Street properties that had not yet started permitting. In July, the council extended the control through February 2027.
The amended ordinance covers Downtown-Old Bellevue parcels along Main Street between 100th Avenue and Bellevue Way. For new first floors facing Main Street, it requires:
- An accessible door
- Doors no more than 30 feet apart
- Solid vertical elements no more than 30 feet apart
- Alignment with adjacent buildings
- A cornice
Owners who want to demolish, or significantly change the facade of, a building more than 50 years old must first document it. That includes its construction year, past uses, style, materials and photographs taken before any work. Owners who choose to preserve a facade or historic features can earn 100 bonus points under the city's amenity incentive program for every $1,000 of documented construction cost.
The control does not require developers to keep existing businesses or tenants. As Downtown Bellevue Network reported in February, current land-use rules don't let the City of Bellevue require property owners to keep specific commercial tenants when they redevelop. Future rules could address building size, scale or design, but they would not make developers keep current retail tenants. The same report noted that none of the properties in this stretch has formal historic landmark status.
That gap explains why this fall feels the way it does. The rules can make sure the next ground floor on Main Street has frequent doors and a cornice line that matches its neighbors. Who opens those doors is up to the market. If you own property on this stretch, this post is general information and not legal advice, and a land-use attorney is the right person to confirm how the control applies to your parcel.
The Same Pattern at Bellevue Way
At the east end of the corridor, two more businesses closed this summer at the southeast corner of Bellevue Way SE and Main Street. The block is moving toward demolition for a 376-unit apartment building. Shri Krishna Bhavan, the South Indian restaurant at 13 Bellevue Way SE, and the 7-Eleven in the strip mall next door at 100 Bellevue Way SE had both shut by late August. Shri Krishna Bhavan had opened at that corner only in January 2026. A restaurant that lasted about seven months shows how short a lease can be on a site that's waiting for redevelopment.
The Events Run on Host Shops
Old Bellevue's best-known neighborhood events depend on the businesses that host them. The Fall Wine Walk on Sept. 17, 2026, brought together 22 Washington wineries and 18 host businesses along the district. Veritables poured at the spring walk in May. Every host that leaves the block is one fewer pouring stop, whatever the new building's facade looks like.
The street is also adding businesses. Gin & The Banker is expanding into the former Lorelei Optical space next door, and construction was underway as of March. No completion date has been announced. In January, Indigo Cow and Machi Machi were announced as sharing a location at Main Street Flats, with Arctic Elevation also planned there. None of the three had announced an opening date.
This weekend, the Old Bellevue Merchants Association hosts Little Monsters on Main Street, a free Halloween event, on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 1 to 3 p.m. That's also the last Saturday Matcha Magic's original cafe will be open.
Where the Permanent Rules Are Being Written
The temporary control is meant to buy time for permanent standards, and those are being drafted through the city's Downtown Livability 2.0 Land Use Code Amendment. One of its stated goals is to "promote historic development patterns on Main St. in Old Bellevue." Other goals include keeping downtown's focus on open space, supporting the Grand Connection and continuing to encourage downtown housing. The council started the project on May 5, 2026. The Planning Commission held a check-in on May 27, and the city hosted information sessions on June 15 and 17.
The city scheduled the commission's study session for Wednesday, Oct. 28, as its first chance to review the draft code. The first draft is posted on the city's project page. The city says the community can weigh in through several avenues as the draft moves forward, and staff are available to meet with residents who have questions.
If one of the shops on this block was part of your weekend, there are a few ways to keep up. Glassybaby is now at 1048 116th Ave NE. Veritables plans pop-ups while it looks for a new home. And Matcha Magic has said it intends to stay in Bellevue.
If you're weighing how changes like North of Main might shape the blocks around a home you own or are considering in Old Bellevue, I'm happy to talk it through with you. Andrea Korican keeps a close eye on these Main Street projects, and you're always welcome to reach out. Let's Connect.
