Kirk WilliamsonImagine yourself facing a busload of people all wearing masks. You’re wearing one, too, of course.You were tested for Covid-19 on arrival. You’ve been introduced to the bus driver, and you’ve helped the first 45 guests from the American Empress cruise boat board the bus.You take a deep breath....
Washington’s 19th American Viticultural Area becomes official on Aug. 2.Goose Gap AVA, which lies within Benton County and two existing AVAs, offers winemakers the opportunity to identify it as the source of their grapes on labels under federal rules.The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved the newest AVA...
A third-generation rental store owner isn’t looking to the future with the fear she felt a year ago.Today, she’s planning with Covid-19 in mind. And it appears so are her customers.“Right now, customers are booking with the mandates in place, so they know what they’re dealing with. Last year, they...
Managing principal, A-1 Hospitality GroupNumber of employees you oversee: We have over 300 employees across our portfolio of nine hotels.Taran PatelBrief background of your business: A-1 Hospitality is a hotel development and management company headquartered in Kennewick. The company was founded my parents Vijay and Mita Patel in 1997, three...
Interestingly, while restaurants and airlines continue to be clobbered by coronavirus-related lockdowns, recreational vehicle sales and rentals took off. People have switched their travel preferences to minimize their Covid-19 exposure.Travel trailers and motorhomes are iconic symbols of campgrounds in our “Great Outdoors.” Meanwhile, outdoor recreation increased once the initial lockdowns...
As we enter the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have an opportunity to look back at what the last year has meant for the hospitality industry — and look ahead at how we can recover.The hospitality industry has been hit the hardest of any industry in the state, by...
Washington wine has experienced unprecedented growth over the past 20 years, adding an average of one new winery every week, doubling the vineyard acreage, and steadily turning into an $8.4 billion industry.And then 2020 happened – a year of turmoil, change at every turn, new restrictions and much uncertainty.It forced...
Terence L. ThornhillWith nearly 27 years designing homes and other buildings in the Tri-Cities under his belt, Pasco architect Terence “Tere” Thornhill is too diplomatic to call out a favorite.They’re all his babies, said Thornhill, who believes buildings should tell the story of what is happening inside.“I’m a believer in...
A Richland winery has opened a tasting room downriver from the Tri-Cities in hopes of expanding its customer base.Barnard Griffin’s new storefront joined a growing number of wineries setting up shop at The Waterfront in Vancouver, just across the Columbia River from Portland.“It’s been a long time in the planning,”...
The Port of Benton is seeking a new operator for Prosser’s Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center after the nonprofit that established the wine industry showplace vacated the property because of the Covid-19 pandemic.The port, which owns the taxpayer-funded wine and event center, pledged to move quickly to find a...
