Articles by Wendy Culverwell
UPDATE: MOD Pizza coming to Kennewick this summer
MOD Pizza confirms it will open its second Tri-City location this summer. MOD, specializing in made-to-order pizza and salads, will be one of three businesses housed in a new strip mall taking shape in the parking lot of Columbia Center mall, the region’s largest retail center. Charlotte Wayte, spokeswoman for Seattle-based MOD Pizza, said the chain will lease 2,500-square-feet and…
Kennewick marijuana retailer wants to professionalize the CBD industry
Steve Lee is probably the only small business owner in the Tri-Cities who isn’t complaining about government regulation. Well, he’s not complaining about the rules governing his newest venture, Green2Go Wellness, the CBD retail and delivery business he opened in the former Franz Bakery Outlet, 419 W. Columbia Drive, in December. That’s because Lee and his wife, Jessie, also operate Green2Go Recreational, a legal cannabis retailer with stores in…
Employers brace for ‘monumental’ changes in 2020
Employers might be tempted to take a wait-and-see attitude toward Washington’s new overtime rules that will dramatically increase pay for some salaried workers. Unlike the new minimum wage rate and paid family leave, which took effect on New Year’s Day, the overtime rules don’t change until July 1. Between now and then is the short…
$20 million clinic shows what’s possible at Vista Field
Architect to respect Italian stylings on exterior of Yakima Valley Farm Workers’ newest clinic The Tri-Cities’ newest health clinic will respect design standards of the Port of Kennewick’s neighborhood on the outside. On the inside, the newest Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic will offer state-of-the-art medical services to its patients. The nonprofit broke ground this month…
Meet the architectural gems of the Tri-Cities
Michael Marley recalls when Tri-City school officials cautioned architects to avoid anything fanciful in their designs for new buildings. Districts need voter approval to raise taxes to build and remodel schools. They feared “fancy” would come across as “wasteful.” Decision-makers relied on plain buildings to convey stability and frugality, said Marley, principal with CKJT Architects, a Kennewick firm focused on public sector projects. It’s an ethos that informed much of the region’s…
Kennewick, Richland accounting firm merge for growth
A Kennewick accounting firm has sold itself, a move that ensures continuity for the 500 or so clients who depend on Marple & Marple CPAs to manage their books and prepare their taxes. Richland-based PorterKinney PC bought Marple & Marple on Nov. 14. The move dramatically expanded PorterKinney’s footprint, giving it a new Kennewick office…
Astria Health closing Yakima hospital in bankruptcy deal
Sunnyside, Toppenish hospitals to remain open Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima is closing this month. Its parent, Astria Health, announced that it failed to secure new financing for the 214-bed hospital this month as part of a larger bankruptcy deal that keeps hospitals open elsewhere in the Lower Yakima Valley. The closure affects 463 employees, according to…
Kennewick developers plan up to 600 homes on Pasco waterfront
A pair of Kennewick homebuilders will construct 500 to 600 townhomes and condominiums on the Pasco waterfront after buying the former Harris Farm. Ruslan Gorbatyuk and Peter Strizhak, who own Infinity Homes, Pro Made Construction and several other businesses in Kennewick, formed SG Land Management LLC to buy most of the farm at a November auction. The duo, backed by investors, paid $4.5 million for 39 acres…
2 bidders buy Harris Farm property for $5M
A prominent west Pasco farm will sprout homes after an unnamed developer bought the land at a recent auction. The 45-acre Harris Farm sold for $5 million at a Nov. 14 auction conducted by Musser Bros. Auctions. The property at 11530 W. Court St. was sold in four parcels to two separate buyers. A private…
Experienced new owners buy Brazilian steakhouse
Kennewick’s Boiada Brazilian Steakhouse will remain open after a seasoned operator bought the unique restaurant from its founders. Helia Vieira, a 20-year veteran of Fogo de Chao chain of high-end Brazilian restaurants, and his partner, Josiane Ballin, bought Boiada from its founders for $64,000. The deal includes a five-year lease for the 6,000-square-foot restaurant, as…
