As we might suspect from our own travel, tourism took a huge hit in 2020.The Benton-Franklin Trends metric on direct travel and tourism spending makes this painfully clear.Total estimated spending in the two counties plunged from about $496 million to $345 million, or a drop of 30%.What has been affected?...
A gaming lounge at Columbia Center is closed with a handwritten note in the window: Closed because of staffing issues.It’s one small sign that the Great Resignation is in full force in the Tri-Cities, disproportionately affecting the hospitality and visitor sector. As Michael Novakovich, CEO of Visit Tri-Cities reports, local...
First stop – Kennewick. Followed by the remainder of the Tri-Cities, every college town, and then the rest of America. Chris Corbin’s dream for his food truck pavilion has no bounds – and why should it?He’s already overcome a huge obstacle by cementing private financing for the $3.5 million development...
The owners of CG Public House are buying Uncle Sam’s Saloon, a popular 21-and-over sports pub with an Old West vibe near Columbia Center mall.Kyle Simmons, together with his sister, Stef Simmons, and parents, Steve and Shirley Simmons, expect to close on the two-part deal March 28. Terms were not...
A Kennewick business that frequently sells out of its tasty, doughy treats lives up to its name.Popular Donuts at 101 N. Union St. serves up daily a variety of shapes and unique flavors, frequently selling out toward week’s end.“All hours listed are until sold out,” it warns on its Facebook...
There came a time during the pandemic when Jubert and Theresa Javonillo knew they had to save their restaurant, Dagupan Grill, in Kennewick.“At the beginning of the pandemic, it was really scary,” Theresa said. “We had to shut down. It was like a nightmare. So we were really scared in...
Trampolines, arcades, laser tag and maze, golf simulators and more plannedA group of five families with plans to create a string of all-ages entertainment centers is starting in Kennewick, where it is about to break ground on Quake, The EpiCenter of Family Fun, near Cottonwood Elementary School.Quake is the group...
A well-connected Tri-City trio is building support to give the iconic cable bridge a glittery update.Karen Miller, Kathy Lampson and Deb Culverhouse want to replace the sodium vapor lights that illuminate the cables with programmable LED ones that change color with a few taps on a computer.“Simply put, our lights...
A Tri-City film company is making a name for itself producing short movies featuring local actors, crews and scenes.The semi-retired partners behind 2047 Productions say they have not made a dime on the undertaking, but they hope to eventually cover the cost of producing one to two short films per...
The Uptown Shopping Center, Richland’s quirky midcentury retail hub, is being transformed into a living gallery courtesy local artists and business owners.Gallery in the Alley is a city-supported initiative of the Uptown Business Improvement District to clean up alleys and bring in professional artists to paint murals.The district has a...
