When he was young, Tim Krantz wantedto be a doctor so he could take care of people.But that dream never came true for theRichland man.Instead, Krantz has spent the last 22years working in the restaurant industry, taking care of his employees andcustomers.As the director of operations foreight Olive Garden restaurants...
By D. Patrick JonesNearly allcommunities want to be popular with visitors. The sentiment has sound economicsbehind it since visitors bring new dollars into the local economy. Their visitscatalyze economic transactions that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Thereare, of course, other, non-monetary reasons to embrace visitors, such asintroducing the outside world to...
By Robert HarringtonA cohesive and well-researched strategy for a wine andbeverage list is a key component of a successful restaurant, bar or tastingroom. This approach entails defining and assessing competitors,identifying targeted customers and what sort of menu approach is likely to bemost successful. Once these aspects are identified, better decisions...
Brief background about your hotel:The late Tom Drumheller, with Escape Lodging of CannonBeach, Oregon, worked on the Lodge at Columbia Point hotel project for morethan 12 years. He finally broke ground on his dream in September 2015. He grewup in Walla Walla and had the vision for a boutique winery-themed...
Visit Tri-Cities recently unveiled a new website to promote the national park in our backyard.The new, independent website for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park will provide more educational resources and tour information to the public, as well as unify and jointly promote the park’s three distinct segments as part...
The colorful train that delights kids and adults on weekends in Columbia Park during the summer is in need of volunteers and a new home.Dick Nordness, chairman for the J&S Dreamland Express Committee, oversees the mighty but modest volunteer team which collects the tickets, drives the train and mans the...
A group of Tri-City entrepreneurs hope to cash in on their new venture without traditional money.Their online virtual pet store allows customers to buy cartoon pets using digital currencies called cryptocurrencies.The crypto pets in the TricitiesCrypto store, called Tron Dogs, can be used as characters in an online game called...
Few people can say their career took off by making unicorns.Paul Labrie credits the thousand or so sculpted glass unicorns he made while in college to help cover his school expenses until he began working full time as a glass artist. Today, his work is featured in galleries across the...
Brief background of your business: Visit Tri-Cities is one of the Tri-Cities’ most significant drivers of economic development. Formed in 1969, we are a local nonprofit that aggressively promotes tourism to create a diverse economy for our region. Number of employees you oversee: 14 How did you land your current role? I believe...
The Tri-Cities’ only flamenco, ballet and martial arts school is open for business and accepting new members.Find Your Center’s mission is to make dance and martial arts accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability or background.A Pasco retiree said she feels more graceful and balanced after taking ballet classes created...
