New restaurant stories dominated the list of the most-read stories on the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ website, tcjournal.biz, in 2016.

News about Sterling’s Famous Steak & Salad Bar, Panera Bread, LU LU Craft Bar & Kitchen, Dupus Boomer’s and The Original Pancake House were among our most popular online stories.

But it wasn’t all about food. A new Kennewick night club, a new business featuring a gathering space for creative workshops and a list of Tri-City holiday bazaars also proved popular with our online readers.

Here are the top stories of 2016, according to readers of tcjournal.biz.

1. New Kennewick night club opening in old TS Cattle Co. building (http://bit.ly/RumorLoungeKenn): The August story about Joey Casados and Elias Correa’s new night club easily topped our list. The business partners overhauled the old TS Cattle Co. steak restaurant on Clearwater Avenue into an upscale lounge and bar featuring luxe white leather couches, trendy wire fixtures and blue and pink lights.
2. New Kennewick business encourages Tri-Citians to drink, gather, create (http://bit.ly/BlankSpaceSouthridge): The August story about BlankSpace, a new business featuring a juice and tea bar, natural light studio and gathering place for creative workshops, ranked No. 2 for our most-read stories.
3. Richland welcomes Dupus Boomer’s, Taco Time, Go Green Salads (http://bit.ly/DupusBoomer): Journal of Business readers love new restaurant news, as evidenced by this story about three new restaurants at the corner of Jadwin Avenue and Swift Boulevard in Richland in this March story.
4. New restaurants to serve up breakfast all day in Kennewick, Richland (http://bit.ly/pancakehouse): The Original Pancake House plans to open restaurants in Kennewick and Richland. The 4,500-square-foot Kennewick eatery will open in early 2017 near Bob’s Burgers & Brews, Hampton Inn and Trios Southridge Hospital off Highway 395. The August story also indicated the franchise owners were close to securing a location in Richland.
5. New Columbia Point restaurant to open in a few weeks (http://bit.ly/LULUCraft): Restaurateur Cindy Goulet’s latest project, LU LU Craft Bar & Kitchen, was just weeks away from opening when we ran this March story. The restaurant at 580 Columbia Point Drive in Richland overlooks the marina and Columbia River.
6. Panera Bread, Party City coming to Richland (http://bit.ly/paneraRichland): Construction on the chain restaurant known for its fresh bakery items, soups and sandwiches is set to begin in March. It will be located next door to Kentucky Fried Chicken at the corner of Queensgate Drive and Duportail Street in Richland. Also coming to the busy Vintner Square development is Party City, which sells birthday and theme party supplies, baby shower favors, Halloween costumes.
7. Young entrepreneur gives new retail life to old sneakers, sports clothing (http://bit.ly/GetInWhereYouFitIn): Travis Higbee and business partner Mike Rorie opened Get In Where You Fit In at 3311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite D214, in Kennewick. It sells sneakers, old sports jerseys and other clothing.
8. Holiday Bazaars (http://bit.ly/TCbazaars): Tri-Citians loved our online list of area holiday bazaars to plan their holiday shopping.
9. Richland’s Queensgate commercial center seeing another growth spurt (http://bit.ly/Queensgategrowth): Readers care about the growth in the Queensgate Drive area of Richland. This April story announced the opening of Ross Dress for Less, a new car wash and Home2 Suites by Hilton
10. Sterling’s to start construction on new restaurant on George Washington Way (http://bit.ly/sterlingsGway): This March story announced that construction was expected to begin in April on a new Sterling’s to replace an aging building on George Washington Way. The new restaurant is at the east end of the current parking lot to take advantage of the view of the park and river.