Chick-Fil-A eyes second Tri-Cities location

Tri-Citians were excited when Kennewick became home to the area’s first Chick-Fil-A restaurant in June 2025. Now, the chicken chain is looking at expanding to a Richland location.  

Chick-Fil-A applied for a permit with the city of Richland in May to build a new restaurant at 3255 Duportail St., in the Queensgate area of Richland. While no permits have been issued yet, the application indicates that the restaurant would cost a little over $1 million to build and would be 5,087 square feet with a double drive thru.   

The land at the corner of Duportail Street and Keene Road is about 10 acres in size and currently owned by the Kennewick Irrigation District, according to property records. The property is set to be divided into seven new lots to be used for commercial development, according to documents filed under the State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA, earlier this year.

Les Schwab plans second Kennewick store

A new Les Schwab store is underway in the Southridge area of Kennewick.  

The 7,852-square-foot tire store is set for land at 3981 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick, just south of Southridge High School, according to a permit filed with the city of Kennewick. Valued at $1.6 million, the new store will be a one-story building with a retail showroom, six service bays and a tire warehouse.  

Once complete, the Les Schwab store will be the seventh in the Tri-Cities and the second in Kennewick.

The 1.85-acre parcel was purchased by WL Kennewick LLC for $1.8 million in December 2025 from Circle One Properties LLC.

WSU program releases new energy code tool for builders

Washington State University’s Energy Program has released a new residential energy code calculator, replacing an existing spreadsheet tool used by homebuilders to document energy code compliance efforts.  

The calculator, available on the WSU Energy Program website, streamlines energy code documentation for residential construction across Washington.  

“Our goal was to simplify residential energy code documentation,” said Jonathan Jones, energy program coordinator at the WSU Energy Program, in a statement. “By providing users with a web-based tool, we are making it faster and easier to submit permitting documents with built-in features for guidance – similar to bowling bumpers – to keep users on track.”  

The updated tool builds upon the WSU Energy Program’s technical support resources, replacing spreadsheet workflows with a user-friendly digital platform.

Its new functions include calculating window and door heat loss and overall building insulation performance; precise equipment sizing and check of mechanical system specifications; ability to save multiple project profiles and update compliance records; and generating reports required by local offices for building permit applications.   

Winery closing Walla Walla tasting room

Mark Ryan Winery closed its Walla Walla tasting room by the end of September.  

The closure was announced on one of the Mark Ryan social media accounts on Sept. 10. It had a closing celebration for its Dissident Club members on Sept. 27, which included a sale of the tasting room’s furnishings, artwork and more.  

“After 14 wonderful years, it is bittersweet to announce that we will be closing the downtown Walla Walla tasting room at the end of September in order to pour more of our efforts into what we’ve built at our Mark Ryan Winery Woodinville tasting room,” the post read.  

The winery will continue to operate its production facility in Walla Walla. Northwest Wine Report also reported Mark Ryan will continue to have twice annual release events at Drayman House.  

The winery began in 1999 in Woodinville and has grown to produce 100,000 cases of wine annually. Mark Ryan opened the Walla Walla tasting room in 2012 before moving its production there.   

Yakima taproom, pizzeria comes to Kennewick

A Yakima restaurant known for Pacific Northwest beer, wine and artisan pizzas has plans in the works for a Kennewick expansion.  

The Kiln Taproom is making plans for a second location at 2605 S. Williams Place in the Southridge area of Kennewick, near Café Magnolia. The Kiln Land Group TC LLC bought two parcels totaling 1.4 acres for $850,000 from Union Park LLC in mid-August.  

“We are still the same small, family-owned business that began in Yakima,” read a Facebook post from The Kiln announcing its second location.  

“We cannot wait to create another place where families gather, friends meet and memories are made over great pizza, beer and wine,” the post added.  

Permits have not yet been filed for the new taproom, but pre-application materials in Kennewick’s permit portal indicate that the restaurant would be about 4,500 square feet and would have outdoor seating.  

The Kiln first opened in Yakima in 2020.

Insurance company’s West Richland location underway

A building permit has been issued for an insurance agency planning to set up shop at the intersection of Belmont Boulevard and Keene Road in West Richland.  

Scott Smith Insurance Agency made plans for the acre of land at 6397 Keene Road in November 2025 after buying the land from the city of West Richland for $338,000.

A $2.1 million permit for new commercial construction was issued for the address in September.  

The insurance agency is one of several businesses setting up shop at the intersection. Plans are also in the works for La Bella Vita Kitchen and Bar, a Planet Fitness, and the future Mid-Columbia Children’s Museum.

Richland adopts new parks plan

A newly-adopted plan for Richland’s parks, recreation programs and open space calls for improving park facilities throughout the city, from playgrounds to Howard Amon Park’s Fingernail Stage.  

The six-year plan was built from the input of more than 2,000 community members and is aimed at maintaining current parklands while improving facilities and expanding recreation opportunities.  

Richland has more than 2,800 acres of parkland and nearly 92 miles of trails.

“As the community continues to grow, the plan will help the city balance the need for new amenities with the ongoing care and maintenance of its existing parks and facilities,” the city said in a statement.

Among the priority capital projects called for in the plan:  

• Playground renovations at Meadows East and Columbia Point Marina parks.  
• Restroom renovations at Leslie Groves Park and Columbia Playfield.  
• Development of a destination playground at Columbia Playfield.  
• Renovation of the Fingernail Stage at Howard Amon Park.  
• Development of a master plan for Tapteal Trail.  
• Improvements to the trailhead and parking area for Little Badger Mountain trailhead.  
• Shoreline stabilization of the Riverfront Trail.  

Go to: richlandwa.gov/PROSPlan.

Company settles with AG to resolve deceptive practices allegations

An Olympia-based company will pay more than $520,000 and cease operations to settle allegations it sought to deceive businesses across the state with what looked like bills from a government agency.  

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office began investigating Registrar Agency LLC after dozens of businesses reported solicitations it received from the company, according to a release.

The texts and emails in question resembled official government communications, including using an image of the state Capitol, and urged them to pay nearly $160 to renew their required annual report filings. That amount is nearly $100 more than the typical cost of that process.  

Companies that were victims of Registrar’s improper solicitations will be eligible for restitution through a claims process. More information about the process will be shared at a later date.  

“Our investigation helped stop these deceptive solicitations to Washington businesses,” Attorney General Nick Brown said.

Woodinville winemaker acquires Walla Walla winery  

A Woodinville winemaker has acquired a storied Walla Walla winery along with two of its vineyards.  

Gramercy Cellars of Walla Walla will continue operating under its own name and label after joining the Avennia wine family. The acquisition brings numerous strengths to Woodinville-based Avennia, from Gramercy’s highly rated wines and prized vineyards to one of the most loyal direct-to-consumer customer bases in the wine industry, according to a release.  

“We have admired this winery and its people for a long time,” said Marty Taucher, co-founder of Avennia, in a statement. “This is a stewardship decision as much as a business one.”  

Gramercy was founded by Greg Harrington 20 years ago after a career as a wine director at several prestigious restaurants. He has developed a strong reputation for the winery’s red and select white wines produced from its own vineyards and others in the Columbia and Walla Walla valleys.   

Avennia was founded in 2009 and produces Old World-inspired wines from premier Washington vineyard sites including Red Willow, Boushey, Bacchus and Dionysus. Its family of labels includes Liminal and Lydian.  

The two vineyards that come as part of the deal are Forgotten Hills Vineyard, located at the base of the Blue Mountains, and Gramercy’s interest in Octave Vineyard, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley.  

“Gramercy Cellars is one of the wineries that compelled the rest of the country to take Washington seriously,” said Chris Peterson, co-founder and director of winemaking at Avennia, in a statement. “Greg created and developed this winery with his own unique voice. Our job is not to change or re-invent his vision, but rather to provide him and his team with the resources and support necessary to continue taking this project to new heights.”

Builders between rock and hard place with labor force, materials costs

Demand for construction workers is at an all-time high across the country, driving up wages at the same time builders are wrestling with escalating construction materials costs.   

Construction firms added 22,000 jobs in August and the industry’s unemployment rate hit a record low of 3.1% according to the Associated General Contractors of America. Average hourly earnings for many onsite or office employees in construction increased to $39.36 per hour last month. That’s a 5% gain over the past year and 21% higher than the $32.53 average for all private-sector production employees.   

At the same time, the producer price index for inputs to new nonresidential construction is up 8.9%, with the largest price increases in petroleum products, with the cost of diesel up nearly 78%. However, metal prices have also increased by 20% or more depending on the metal.  

“Construction firms are being squeezed by tariff- and war-induced materials cost increases, even as they boost wages to attract personnel,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Those cost increases, according to our latest survey, are a major reason project owners are cancelling, postponing or scaling back projects.”

DOE launches new program to support builders   

A new program from the U.S. Department of Energy aims to help builders cut expenses and build more quickly at a time when the costs for construction labor and materials are skyrocketing.  

The Building America New Construction Support program will provide builders access to experts with DOE and at its national laboratories so they can receive technical support on all kinds of construction projects, according to a release. It comes at time when the cost and time needed to build everything from homes and retail buildings to data centers and power plants has created challenges.   

“This program will provide unbiased technical analysis and promote cost-saving innovations,” said Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson in a statement. “Our goal is to help builders, manufacturers and contractors scale production and meet demand for lower-cost, higher-quality buildings.”  

The program is open to all builders, who can request technical assistance through the Building America New Construction Support form on the Building America website. Requests will be reviewed, and DOE will attempt to match them with its resources. Findings from each engagement will be summarized and published on the Building America Solution Center.  

The program is an outgrowth of Building America, which has supported the construction industry for 26 years, and DOE’s Advanced Building Construction initiative, which has funded 29 projects validating off-site construction and retrofit technologies since 2018.   

Tri-Cities Airport receives $8.3M for deicing facility

A collection of recently-awarded federal grants is expected to allow the Tri-Cities Airport to improve operations and reduce delays for aircraft during the winter travel season.   

The airport has received $8.3 million through the federal Airport Improvement Program to expand its aircraft deicing facility and make other airfield improvements.  

Once completed, the expanded deicing pad will be able to provide deicing treatments to three planes at a time. The funding also will go toward construction of infrastructure for deicing runoff, two new taxiways and relocation of Federal Aviation Administration weather and navigational equipment  

“This project is another important investment in the future of Tri-Cities Airport, and we’re grateful for the support of our federal partners in making it possible,” said Buck Taft, the airport’s director, in a statement. “As passenger traffic continues to grow, it’s essential that we continue improving the infrastructure that supports safe and efficient operations throughout every season at PSC. Expanding our deicing capabilities and modernizing the surrounding airfield will allow us to better serve our airline partners and the traveling public for years to come.”  

Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2027 following project bidding this year.  

The project is the latest in a slew of improvements at the airport in the past several years. Recent improvements have included terminal modernization projects, new passenger boarding bridges and the shifting of a runway.

Architecture firm establishes Kennewick office

A Coeur d’Alene-based architecture firm has established its first Tri-Cities office. Architects West has hired a two-person team to operate in Kennewick.  

Melissa Hampton and Joseph Hampton both previously operated in Kennewick under MMEC Architecture & Interiors. They have established local relationships and knowledge which will help provide continuity, increased efficiency and expanded opportunities for regional clients.  

Architects West’s new Tri-Cities office will be at 7601 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 450 – the same office the Hamptons operated out of as part of MMEC.  

Spokane-based MMEC established its Kennewick office 14 years ago, and it announced in August that it would shut down its operations by the end of September, the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business reported.  

Architects West was founded in 1973 and is employee-owned. In addition to its Coeur d’Alene office, the firm has a Spokane office, which recently relocated to 204 N. Division St., Suite 301. The company has had a Spokane office since 2019, and its new office will provide additional space, Architects West said in a news release.