Pioneer Square Works
SUPPORT FOR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND NON PROFITSIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE LOVE
For more than a decade, Quinn Thomas has called Pioneer Square home, and we’re fortunate to work alongside the shops, restaurants and community organizations that make this neighborhood what it is.
Our team has always been committed to pro bono work that advances the important work happening in our community. This year, as we welcomed a record number of visitors to our neighborhood, we wanted to take a different approach. Local businesses are what make our city special, but many don’t have the ability to focus on marketing and communications between limited staff, operational needs, and other factors. As small businesses face rising costs and other pressures, resources are even more limited.
Today, we’re launching Pioneer Square Works, a pro bono initiative that pairs Quinn Thomas with independent Pioneer Square businesses and nonprofits to help them tell their stories, reach new audiences, and grow their impact. Through the program, we’ll provide strategy, creative, communications, and marketing support at no cost to our partners.
The idea is simple: use the skills we bring to our clients every day to support the businesses that help give Pioneer Square its character.
Why Beguiled?
When we started thinking about our first partner, Beguiled felt like a natural fit.
If you’ve spent any time in Pioneer Square recently, you’ve probably heard people talking about it. Since opening its doors, Beguiled has become a destination for readers across Seattle and beyond. Our team loves checking out their selection and beautiful window displays. But what stood out to us wasn’t just the books, it was the experience.
People don’t stop in for a quick errand. They plan visits around it. They bring friends. They ask for recommendations. They linger. And they leave feeling like they’ve discovered something. The store has built a community around reading, curiosity, and connection. Those are exactly the kinds of businesses Pioneer Square Works was created to support.
The Campaign
Over the last several months, our teams have worked together to better understand what makes Beguiled special and how to introduce the store to readers who may not see themselves as “romance readers.”
One thing became clear: romance is far more diverse than people realize.
Whether you love mystery, fantasy, adventure, historical fiction, or contemporary stories, there’s probably a romance novel waiting for you.
That’s the idea behind the campaign: Whatever genre you love, you’ll find it in romance.
Interestingly, as data shows overall rates of reading declining, rates of bookstore openings and sales at independent shops across the US are on the rise. Bookstores provide an “analog” space in an increasingly digital world where people can gather and carve out some rare screen-free time. The work is a timely representation of this trend, celebrating Beguiled’s expertise in helping readers find books that feel personally chosen for them. It’s less about selling books and more about helping people discover stories they’ll genuinely love.
What’s Next?
Beguiled is our first partner, but they won’t be our last!
Our goal is for Pioneer Square Works to become a lasting way for us to support the businesses and organizations that make this neighborhood what it is. Being part of a community is about more than having an office here. It’s about investing in the people, places, and stories that make Pioneer Square special.
That’s how we make it matter.