Michaels buys beleaguered Joann

Craft retailer Michaels is looking to woo the customers of former rival Joann, purchasing the bankrupt competitor’s brands and intellectual property.  

Texas-based Michaels announced its acquisition on June 5, noting that it will add more than 600 products to its offerings, particularly in expanding its fabric, sewing and yarn assortment, according to a release. Company officials say it all is in service of becoming a go-to destination for creative people and those celebrating special moments.  

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to welcome JOANN customers into our creative community and are committed to delivering the selection, value, and inspiration they are looking for at Michaels,” said David Boone, Michaels’ CEO, in a statement. “This acquisition allows us to better serve both new and existing customers, respond to rising demand across categories, and build on our momentum as the destination for creating and celebrating in North America.”  

Michaels, which has a store in Kennewick, was founded in 1973 and has 1,300 stores in 49 states and Canada. The company has wasted no time reaching out to Joann’s former customers. All traffic to joann.com now redirects to a dedicated landing page on Michaels’ website with a banner reading “Welcome JOANN Customers. We’ve got your go-to essentials & so much more!”  

The company said that searches for “fabric” and “sewing” on its website have increased 77% and 39%, respectively, over the past year. That’s led to decisions such as increasing fabric assortments in 680 stores in the coming months, with plans to do the same in 280 more stores.  

The retailer also will introduce new Brother and SINGER sewing machines and other specialty sewing products as well as bringing the beloved Big Twist yarn brands from Joann to its shelves.  

Michaels’ acquisition appears to not have included any of the roughly 800 Joann stores spread across the country, including its space at Columbia Center. All Joann stores have closed in recent months, including the Kennewick location.  

Joann moved into a renovated space at the Columbia Center mall in Kennewick about two years ago, taking part of the store previously occupied by Sears.   

Its closure resulted from Joann’s most recent bankruptcy filing, which was a year after the company first filed for bankruptcy protection and became a private company owned by some of its creditors.    

In court documents, Joann officially blamed “unexpected” and “acute” inventory issues, which took a big bite out of sales and put the company $615 million debt in an “untenable position.”

Port awards bid for rental car facility at airport

The Richland-based contractor working on the first phase of the Tri-Cities Airport’s latest expansion has another project to do while they’re there.

The Port of Pasco commissioners recently awarded a $7.6 million bid to Fowler Construction to build a facility to support car rental agencies based at the airport.

Called the Rental Car Quick Turnaround Facility, it will have four bays for washing vehicles and a fuel pump facility with vacuums so the agencies can get returned vehicles back into their fleets.

Also included in the project are overflow parking, radiant heating at the exits of the car washing bays and a high security fence.

The project is not part of the current expansion efforts. Airport manager Buck Taft said the project was in the works since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wake Up Call to build new location

A coffee shop has plans to keep commuters passing by the busy Gage Boulevard and Leslie Road corner caffeinated.

The city of Richland has issued a permit to Christopher Arkoosh of The Wake Up Call to build a drive-thru coffee shop at 590 Gage Blvd.

The project is valued at $94,929 for the 468-square-foot building, and Hummel Construction and Development is listed as the contractor.

Wake Up Call currently has five Richland locations, six in Kennewick and two in Pasco.

Another mixed month for Tri-City home sales

Fewer Tri-City homes were sold in April than in the previous month, even as the typically busy home-selling season gets underway, according to the latest data from the Tri-City Association of Realtors.

The association reported that 267 homes were sold in April, down slightly from 271 in March. That’s the second lowest number of area homes sold in that month since 2013.

The number of pending home sales also declined slightly from 360 to 355 during that same period.

The average sold price increased to $486,600 but is slightly below the all-time high recorded in February at $487,300.  

The median home price climbed to $445,000. Average and median days on market also declined, to 50 days and 20 days, respectively, which is comparable to past Aprils.

April’s mixed sales activity follows a March when the number of sales was the lowest for that month since 2015. The average sold price slipped to $479,500 after hitting a record high point in February. The median sales price dropped slightly to $430,600 and inventory hit the highest mark since last fall with more than 800 active listings.

Popular Mexican food chain closes Richland location

A popular fast Mexican food chain based in Utah has closed one of its Tri-City locations.

Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill permanently closed its restaurant on Gage Boulevard in Richland at the end of April, according to a social media post.  

No reason was given for the closure.

The post invited restaurant customers to still enjoy Costa Vida’s offerings, as well as use loyalty points and gift cards, at its location at 3015 Duportail St. in Richland.

The Tri-Cities is the only place where Costa Vida has stores in Washington state.  

The majority are located in Utah, though they are spread across 12 other states along with Washington state and have four restaurants in Alberta, Canada.

The other Tri-City locations are at 6627 Burden Blvd. in Pasco and 4309 W. 27th Place in Kennewick.

Costa Vida did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

New $1.2M pickleball courts to open south of Tri-Cities

Can’t find an open pickleball court in the Tri-Cities? Soon you can head to Hermiston to get your fix.

City officials along with those from Good Shepherd Health Care System will celebrate the grand opening of the new Good Shepherd Pickleball Complex at a public event at 11 a.m. June 14 at Theater Sports Park, according to a release.

The $1.2 million facility, built via donations and in-kind labor, has 10 individually-fenced courts with LED lighting, spectator seating and a championship court. Officials say it will also have the only fully accessible wheelchair courts in the Pacific Northwest.

Hermiston’s Theater Sports Park is at 1800 NW Sixth St.  

Open play will be available daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Tri-Cities Airport secures $7 million federal grant

The Tri-Cities Airport has secured federal funds that will help pay for portions of the terminal expansion it recently kicked off.

The Federal Aviation Administration will provide $7 million to the airport as part of its Airport Infrastructure Grant program, according to a release. U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray helped secure the grant.

“As passenger traffic continues to break records, this investment ensures the airport can meet future demand while supporting local jobs and economic development that benefit the region,” Cantwell said in a statement.

The Port of Pasco, which operates the airport, recently awarded a $13 million bid to Fowler Construction of Richland for the first phase of its latest expansion efforts. The primary portion of the project includes expansion of the baggage area for outbound baggage and improvements, including jet bridges, at two gates.

State forming new water management area covering half of Franklin County

State officials have taken the first step to designate a new groundwater management area where state- and federally-administered water sources mix, an area that has caused legal and regulatory headaches for decades.

The state Department of Ecology recently announced the proposed boundaries for the Pasco Basin, which would cover the western half of Franklin County along with the southern third of Grant County and western third of Adams County. If the area is formally established, it will allow the state to develop a co-management agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the area’s groundwater, resolving long-standing uncertainty and possibly allowing for new groundwater supplies to become available.

“For decades, water users in the area have relied on temporary water permits, which create uncertainty,” said Ria Berns, Ecology’s water resources manager, in a statement. “This boundary designation is the first step toward finalizing those authorizations and considering new water uses.”

Farmers, ranchers and other water users rely on groundwater in the Pasco Basin. While the state oversees those groundwater permits, some of that water comes from surface level irrigation as part of the bureau’s Columbia Basin Project. That co-mingling has made it difficult to determine who gets to use that water and what agency is responsible for it.  

The proposed boundaries are now open to appeal. The entire process to establish the Pasco Basin is expected to take until 2027.

Port completes railroad crossing improvements

The Port of Benton recently completed improvements to railroad crossings between Stevens Drive and Kingsgate Way.

The railroad crossing project included:

• Replacing the existing railroad crossing with new concrete panels.
• Repaving both sides of the crossing.
• Installing new track, ties and a rail signal cabinet.
• Replacing gate mechanisms.
• Upgrading crossing lights to energy-efficient LEDs.

The project was funded through an $865,000 National Highway Freight Program Grant via the Washington State Department of Transportation and $800,000 in port matching funds.  

Additionally, WSDOT will launch a separate improvement project along Highway 240 at its intersection with Hagen Road in June. That $8 million project will include the reconstruction and widening of the highway and signal modifications and is expected to wrap up in August.

Kennewick apartments sold to new owners

A Kennewick apartment complex recently sold to new owners in a $25.4 million deal.  

The Kamiakin Apartments at the southeast corner of West Metaline Avenue and North Arthur Street were built in 1975 and have 425 units, according to a release from Multifamily Mason, which facilitated the deal. The property is part of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, according to the release.  

CI Rennaker Family LLC sold the properties, which total 11.06 acres, to KN47 LLC on April 1 in two separate transactions. One set of apartments sold for $1.4 million, and the others for $23.9 million.  

The apartments consist of 20 buildings, a clubhouse and general office.