Take 5 Oil Change plans Kennewick location

A Louisiana-based oil change business with a Pasco location is constructing a Kennewick shop.

Take 5 Oil Change is building a new 1,544-square-foot oil change station at 151 Ely St. in Kennewick, in the parking lot facing CVS Pharmacy and REI.

The building is valued at $132,830, according to a permit issued by the city of Kennewick in late June. It will include three service bays, an office, a storage room and a bathroom.   

The company has locations across the country and seven in Washington, including the Pasco location at 5822 N. Road 68.

Benton County Fairgrounds opens renovated grandstands

The newly renovated grandstands at McDaniel Arena in the Benton County Fairgrounds are now open, just in time for the fair in August.

The updated grandstands have doubled the seating capacity, expanding from 3,000 to 6,000. Other improvements include updated restrooms, improved access to amenities, enhanced air and sound quality, and the preservation of the historic south-side “over the chutes” structure.   

The project was funded by county economic development funds designated for projects that stimulate local economic growth and was estimated to cost $12 million, the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business reported in June 2025.  

The newly reopened arena hosted its first major event, the Monster Truck Insanity Tour, in July.

Winery fully acquires prized Horse Heaven Hills vineyard

A Snohomish-based winery has acquired full ownership of one of the more coveted vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills.

Quilceda Creek Winery has announced it has purchased the 21% stake it did not already own in Champoux Vineyard, giving it full control of the source of grapes for its flagship Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Champoux has noble tannin that creates a suave texture so unique to the site that it cannot be replicated. We are honored and humbled to take care of this special piece of land,” said Paul Golitzin , in a statement president and director of winemaking.

The vineyard resides within a microclimate of the Horse Heaven Hills growing region, with it being cooled by air falling from the hills above it each evening, moderating the area’s overall warmth during the growing season. Champoux was recognized by the editors of Wine Spectator in the magazine’s October 15, 2024, cover story, “The World’s Greatest Vineyards.”

This is the Golitzin family’s second major vineyard purchase in the last 12 months. In September 2025, they acquired a 16.8-acre vineyard on Red Mountain, planted to Bordeaux varietals at 1,100 feet in elevation and originally established under the guidance of renowned vineyard manager Dick Boushey. The vineyard is now known as Ad Astra.

Plans in works for West Richland McDonald’s

Plans are in the works for West Richland’s first McDonald’s restaurant, according to documents filed through the State Environmental Policy Act.

The fast-food chain submitted a proposal to build a 4,150-square-foot drive-thru restaurant at 145 Belmont Blvd., West Richland, just off of West Van Giesen Street. The site will also be home to a future gas station and coffee shop.

Unity Partners LLC, which owns the TA Grandview travel center where a joint Applebee’s and IHOP opened earlier this year, submitted plans for the Belmont Boulevard gas station earlier this year.

The plans filed for the McDonald’s restaurant indicate that after the plan is approved, construction is expected to take five months, with the start date yet to be determined. The project would include improvements to the 1.24-acre site’s accessibility, supporting utilities, parking, sidewalk and landscape.

Pasco’s beloved park namesake honored with statue  

The city of Pasco recently installed a new statue at Peanuts Park honoring the late Noburo “Peanuts” Fukuda.    

The park is named after Fukuda, a retired railroad worker and community icon. For decades, he rode his tricycle through Pasco, picking up litter and handing out candy and peanuts to children.   

Peanuts Park at 426 W. Lewis St., home to the Pasco Farmers Market and Cinco de Mayo festival, was dedicated in 1977. Fukuda died in 1993.   

The new bronze statue celebrates Fukuda’s legacy of kindness and service, the city said.   

The statue is the first major public art project commissioned by the Pasco Arts & Culture Commission and is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to revitalize historic downtown Pasco.   

The commission put out a call for art in 2022 that received nine proposals, and artist Seth Vandable was selected in 2023 to create the sculpture.     

The sculpture was unveiled July 25 at the park.

Kennewick day care location to close  

A day care organization will be closing the doors to two of its day camp and drop-in centers in August, including one in Kennewick.

Goose & Rev, which has locations throughout the Tri-Cities, is permanently closing its Kennewick Clubhouse at 5601 W. Grandridge Blvd. on Aug. 31.  

The business also closed its Ellensburg Clubhouse and Play Co. on Aug. 1, according to Goose & Rev’s website. “We thank you for your support and memories over the years,” the website announcement reads.

“Small businesses don’t survive without community support, and while we’ve worked tirelessly to create something special for Ellensburg, we’ve ultimately decided it’s time to close this chapter,” Goose & Rev said in a Facebook post about the Ellensburg location closing. No post has been made about the Kennewick location.  

Goose & Rev has several different models of center, from Goose & Rev Academy, which is more like traditional day care, to Clubhouse, which is a day camp and drop-in center for kids 2-and-a-half to 12 years old, to Play Co., which is a drop-in play space rather than a childcare service.  

Goose & Rev opened a new Academy at 2885 Bombing Range Road in West Richland this spring, and it has a Richland Academy as well. Goose & Rev has a Play Co. at 6501 Crosswinds Blvd. in Kennewick.  

Goose & Rev’s owner, Kylee Sullivan, declined to comment on the closures.

DVS buys Benton City property to expand housing access

Domestic Violence Services of Benton and Franklin Counties has bought a Benton City property to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for survivors of domestic violence and other households experiencing housing instability.  

DVSBF bought the 0.5-acre property, including two multifamily buildings, for $2 million in May.   

“The property represents another step in DVSBF’s continued commitment to addressing the critical housing needs in Benton and Franklin counties by combining affordable housing with supportive, trauma-informed services,” said Lizzet De La Mora, DVSBF program director, outreach and prevention team, in a statement.  

DVSBF was established in 2003 and has served thousands of individuals and families. Housing was a natural extension of DVSBF’s mission, and the organization began moving into housing ownership and management in recognition that safety and stability are key to healing and success.

Newhouse building honored for green design

An Olympia building named after a late congressman has won another award for its energy-efficient design.   

The Irving R. Newhouse Building in Olympia’s West Capitol Campus has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Project Excellence Award for Washington state. The award honors a project that represents significant advancement in green building design. The Newhouse building was one of 28 projects recognized and the only in Washington to receive the Project Excellence Award.  

The building was named after Irving Newhouse of Sunnyside, who served in the 15th legislative district for 34 years, in the House from 1956-80 and in the Senate from 1980-99. He also is the father of current Congressman Dan Newhouse, who represents Washington’s 4th congressional district.  

The building, completed by the state Department of Enterprise Services in 2024, replaces a 90-year-old building. Already, it has earned a platinum certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the highest level of certification for green buildings.  

The building uses materials salvaged from the original building, helping contribute to sustainability while also preserving history, and solar panels on the roof meet 20% of the building’s energy demand. Other sustainable materials were also used in the building’s construction.

Hear talk from state architectural historian

Ever wondered why buildings look the way they do? Join Washington state Architectural Historian Michael Houser for a free Lunch and Learn presentation exploring how buildings take shape, how to recognize common building forms and what those designs reveal about a structure’s architectural history.

Architectural historians have spent decades studying why people build the way they do. Their research has created a rich typology that helps identify and describe building forms and better understand the stories they tell.

The Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation host the virtual presentation at noon Aug. 19 via Zoom. Go to: bit.ly/building-form-talk.   

New spot for your chicken fix is open in Pasco

Another fast-food restaurant specializing in southern-style chicken has opened in the Tri-Cities.

Slim Chickens opened July 27 at 5115 Road 68, a building formerly home to an Arby’s restaurant.

The menu features a variety of chicken offerings, touting its southern-style buttermilk marinade and light breading. On offer are wings, tenders, tender bites, tender mac bowls, sandwiches and wraps, as well as chicken and waffles.

The chain also has devoted fans who love the layered jar desserts in flavors including key lime pie, strawberry cheesecake and chocolate brownie pudding.

Wings of Fire LLC, registered to Justin and Sara White, is the restaurant franchisee. A building permit filed with the city of Pasco estimates the cost of the restaurant remodel at $1 million.

Slim Chickens is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The Pasco restaurant is the second Washington location for the Arkansas-based chain. The other is on Joint Base Lewis-McChord on the west side.

Go to: slimchickens.com.

Local food truck makes its home in Richland

A Tri-Cities food truck that has dished up dogs at Parade of Homes’ Chefs on Parade has now made its brick-and-mortar home in Richland.

Doggie Style Gourmet is setting up shop at 624 George Washington Way in Richland, a space formerly occupied by Popcorn Northwest, which closed in December 2025. The suite is in a small commercial center near Howard Amon Park, home to shops like Graze, Fleet Feet and Tulipe.

Doggie Style, a gourmet hot dog food truck, announced in a Facebook post that it would be opening in the new space in the coming weeks, though it didn’t have an official date just yet. Until then, the food truck can be found at the food truck hub near the Ace store on George Washington Way.  

Shop known for custom ice cream creations opens in Richland

Richland has a new reason to scream for ice cream.

Cold Stone Creamery has opened at 2560 Queensgate Drive in a strip mall home to Kadlec Express Care and Sake Express Sushi & Teriyaki, near an STCU branch and Spanky’s car wash.   

The shop, known for its handcrafted ice cream made fresh in-store, allows guests to customize endless combinations of mix-ins, signature creations, shakes, smoothies and ice cream cakes – all prepared on Cold Stone’s signature frozen granite stone.

“Cold Stone ice cream starts with the highest quality ingredients and ends with our signature process of crafting a custom Creation on a frozen granite stone,” said Jay Takhar, owner of the new Richland location, in a statement. “We’re in the people business. Our goal is to make ice cream that brings joy, sparks imagination and creates memorable moments for every guest who walks through our doors.”

Cold Stone Creamery also is known for its energetic singing crews behind the counter.

A $150,000 permit was issued for demolition of interior walls, plumbing, HVAC and electrical to prepare for a remodel. A permit valued at $369,063 was issued to convert the location from a beauty salon into an ice cream shop. The space formerly belonged to illume Beauty Salon.  

The Cold Stone Creamery brand operates nearly 1,500 locations globally in about 30 countries worldwide with shops in Spokane and Leavenworth, in addition to several shops on the west side of the state.  

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, the company is owned by parent company Kahala Brands, a franchising company with a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands with about 3,000 locations in 35 countries.  

Richland store hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 

Go to: coldstonecreamery.com.