Articles by Laura Kostad
Growers report good volumes despite chilly spring
It’s hard to say how 2022 will play out for Washington’s cherry growers. “It’s always a weather-vulnerable crop, and there are many ways the cherry crop can be sabotaged by weather,” said Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. “The joke is that cherry growers don’t have to travel to Las Vegas…
Apple industry renews focus on domestic market
As summertime approaches, consumers begin to look to local markets for the parade of fresh fruits, and apple orchards buzz with preparations for the late summer harvest. Last year, 122 million bushels were harvested in Washington, the nation’s leader in apple production. It was a moderate crop compared to past years that have seen totals…
Richland pharmacy redefines customer service
Doctor’s Pharmacy has been making steady inroads within the Tri-City community through its customer service-focused business model since opening last year. The pharmacy, at 65 Columbia Point Drive in the strip mall adjacent to Winco, joins only a handful of other privately-owned pharmacies in the area. Over the years, privately-owned pharmacies have given way to…
New franchise owners want to bake joy into their Bundt cakes
Tri-Citians need a little more cake. That’s what Julie Zirker believes. She’s the co-owner of the first Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise in the Tri-Cities. It’s opening at 110 Gage Blvd., Suite 200, in Richland at the end of June. “We need a little more joy and a little more cake. They’re interchangeable,” she said. Zirker…
What is the state of recycling in the Tri-Cities?
Though each of the Tri-Cities offers curbside garbage service, each handles recycling differently. Pasco, West Richland and greater Benton County (including Finley, Burbank and other Tri-City burbs) are serviced by Basin Disposal Inc. (BDI) of Pasco. Richland facilitates its own solid waste disposal program and sends its recyclables to Clayton Ward Recycling (CWR) in Richland…
Modern-day alchemist helps customers find their signature scent
A small shop in the Uptown Shopping Center helps customers create their own signature scent. Shannon Franklin is a fragrance alchemist who offers custom fragrances as a way to “help our customers to express their uniqueness while indulging in a bit of luxury,” she said. She opened Atomic Alchemy at 226 Williams Blvd. in December.…
Owners of Pasco’s oldest restaurant plan to retire
Pasco’s oldest continuously operating restaurant has been serving the Tri-City community for 58 years. Chinese Gardens at 1520 N. Fourth Ave. has been a Pasco cornerstone since late founder Jack Lee opened it in 1965. The building is hard to miss with its mashup of pagoda-esque midcentury brick architecture and flamboyant, dragon-flanked neon signs. And…
Sculpt Wellness opens second location in emerging Pasco wellness mall
Business is booming for Sculpt Tri-Cities Wellness Center, with the March opening of a second location at Broadmoor Park off Sandifur Parkway in Pasco. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, “people are just valuing their health more,” said owner Lindsay Kirby. “There’s definitely been a huge shift in what consumers are seeking and how…
Popular Kennewick doughnut shop lives up to its name
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 page, and it’s…
Tri-Cities’ first dedicated electric bike shop opens in Richland
A California couple sold their home and moved to the Tri-Cities to open an electric bike shop in Richland. The empty nesters wanted a new adventure after their daughters grew up and left home, so they began scouting places to launch a Pedego e-bike franchise. Troy and Erin Franzen had never been to southeastern Washington…
