Two national chains are eyeing locations in busy Richland retail areas. 

Auto parts dealer AutoZone plans to build a 7,384-square-foot store at 2880 Duportail St. in the Queensgate shopping district. That project is estimated at more than $1.5 million, according to a recently filed building permit with the city of Richland. The city has not yet approved the permit.

The location is currently an empty lot at the busy corner of Kennedy Road and Duportail Street in the Vintner Square development – next door to Les Schwab Tire Center. 

That intersection is targeted for redevelopment as a roundabout by the city of Richland to address traffic concerns, particularly since Costco opened its newest warehouse just up Kennedy Road to the north. 

AutoZone currently has five stores in the Tri-Cities. It opened a distribution center in Pasco’s King City industrial area in 2017. 

TCAJOB map

Meanwhile, Taco Bell has been issued a building permit for a 2,284-square-foot restaurant at 2293 Gateway Ave., placing it near the Interstate 82-Dallas Road interchange and the growing Badger Mountain South residential development.  

The project is estimated at more than $444,000, according to records from the city of Richland. 

Only one other fast service food option is currently available near the interchange, a Chester’s Fried Chicken at the corner of Dallas Road and Trowbridge Boulevard. Specialty grocer Country Mercantile sits a little further uphill at 5015 Ava Way. 

Taco Bell currently has five standalone restaurants across the Tri-Cities with the one in the Queensgate area paired with Long John Silver’s while another in the Columbia Center area is co-located with a KFC.