Last year was a very good year for retail sales in the greater Tri-Cities. For the first time, taxable retail sales in the two counties breached the $6 billion mark, ending 2019 at nearly $6.4 billion, as the Benton-Franklin Trends graph shows.Taxable sales grew year over year by 9.8%. This...
When one door closes, another opens – in this case quite literally.The unexpected closure of a neighboring business and a spring surge in community donations prompted Community Thrift’s expansion.The 1½-year-old thrift shop at 303 Wellsian Way in Richland recently took over the lease of the storefront once occupied by Cascade...
The Covid-19 pandemic and a supply shortage could prevent a ban on single-use plastic bags from taking effect in Washington on Jan. 1.Gov. Jay Inslee signed a reusable bag bill — a plastic bag ban — into law in March after it passed in both the House and Senate. The...
By East Benton County Historical SocietyWhen the Golden Arches of McDonald’s first emblazoned across the skylines of Othello and Prosser, the glow dazzled the rural communities with pride and a turnout of civic and elected leaders sharing a first McDonald’s breakfast in their towns.What occurred in those communities and what...
The much-anticipated Grocery Outlet Bargain Market has opened at Richland’s Vintner Square, 2901 Queensgate Drive. The store debuted March 24 with 30 employees.The newly built store joins the Target-anchored shopping complex at Queensgate and Duportail Drive. It is the third Grocery Outlet in the Tri-Cities, joining sisters in Kennewick and Pasco. The new location is independently owned and operated by Nikki and Mike Sims.“This...
Columbia Center continues to welcome new tenants, hopes to fill vacancies around perimeter of propertyVintage advertisements once touted the Columbia Center mall as the “Manhattan of the Northwest,” and likened it to being like “Tahiti all year long,” where it was a balmy 72 degrees indoors, allowing shoppers to escape...
Donations made to Tri-City area Goodwill stores listed for nationwide salesA small team of employees spend their workday at Goodwill Industries of the Columbia sorting through unique instruments, collectible jewelry, antique artwork, vintage toys and often the unexpected—like framed animal teeth.“The teeth I can’t get out of my head for...
Washington Retail Association monitoring several key issues affecting retail sector this legislative sessionIt’s already starting to look a lot like Christmas as retailers rearrange their store layouts and offer new merchandise for the holiday season.With Thanksgiving a week later than usual—this year it falls on Nov. 28; in 2018 it...
By D. Patrick JonesThe sale of goods is big business in the greater Tri-Cities. As Benton-Franklin Trends data reveals, the retail sector has consistently ranked as the fourth largest employer in the area’s workforce. Over the course of the past 15 years, local retailers’ share of the workforce has stayed...
CEO/owner of Marla June’s Clothing Co.Number of employees you oversee: 10 Marla June BarnhartBrief background about your education: Associate degree, Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon.How did you find your current role? I became chief operating officer for Marla June’s Clothing in 2005, when I changed my career from...
