November 2020 Volume 19 | Issue 11
Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center seeks new operator By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
Retail
Surge in donations prompts Richland thrift store expansion Page A13
Business Profile
Epic Trust unites financial services under one roof Page A26
Real Estate & Construction
Goodwill Industries secures future Pasco store site Page B1
NOTEWORTHY “This industry is one of the highest contributors to state and local taxes that go back into our community.” - Christopher Martinez, executive manager, Audi/BMW of Tri-Cities Page A25
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 new partner to continue its mission. Diahann Howard, executive director, said the port is committed to fulfilling terms of the federal Economic Development Administration grant that helped build the $4 million center at 2140 Wine Country Road in 2011. If it does not, the EDA grant has to be repaid. Ten years remain on the contract. Greg Robertson, chairman of the Clore Center board, said the operator struggled to use the property as intended — as an educational showcase for the state’s wine industry. Washington wineries shipped 12.4 million cases of wine in 2019 and the industry was responsible for $8.4 billion in economic activity in 2012, when the last impact study was conducted. The Clore Center had to compete with wineries themselves — most have private tasting rooms and event centers to tell their stories The center, named for the late Prosser winemaker considered the “father” of the Washington wine industry, is a 15,000-square-foot building blending educational displays with hospitable touches such as a tasting room, commercial kitchen and event center. By 2019 it was struggling. Robertson said there was reason to be optimistic about 2020. The center curbed costs and jobs, positioning itself for a rebound. By January, the virus that causes Covid-19 had spread across the Pacific, first showing up in the U.S. in the Puget Sound area. Scheduled events were canceled en masse. uWALTER CLORE, Page A3
Photo by Wendy Culverwell Eric Van Winkle, a Tri-City media executive and business consultant, is leading Friends of Red Mountain Event Center, a nonprofit effort to convert the former Tri-City Raceway in West Richland into an upscale event center.
Could Tri-City Raceway be West Richland’s Carousel of Dreams? By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
When the city of West Richland bought the former Tri-City Raceway in 2019, it saw a spot to build its new police station and a place to steer commercial development. But a team of fans, including the raceway’s former operator, see something different. Instead of tearing out the raceway and what is left of its grandstands and support facilities, a new nonprofit called Friends of Red Mountain Event Center wants to preserve and restore them. The all-volunteer effort helmed by Greg Walden and Eric Van Winkle aims to lease the track portion of the property from the city and restore it as a high-end event center for private and corporate events and even the occasional car race. Walden operated the raceway for 25 years and runs a raceway in Hermiston. Van Winkle
is a veteran radio and TV executive, business consultant and chairman of the Gesa Carousel of Dreams board in Kennewick. The Friends group would build on the mostly dormant property’s existing infrastructure, which the city estimates would cost $1 million or more to remove for more traditional development. The city council reviewed the proposal in October. Backers hope to secure a lease deal by the end of the year. The city bought the raceway property from the Port of Kennewick in late 2019 for its voter-approved police station. Final plans go to the city council in December and the police station project gets started in January. (See story on Page B3.) It will not encroach on the raceway portion of the site. Recycling the old raceway could give the Red Mountain plan a leg up on traditional de-
uRACEWAY, Page A30
New owners buy Marineland Plaza as legacy investment for $7 million By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
Marineland Village, the storied Kennewick shopping center known for its sea otter statue, marine theme and a landscape that once featured palm trees, has changed hands for the final time after 15 years. Vancouver-based Inland Ocean LLC, consisting of Jane Schmid-Cook and her partner and former husband, Rod Cook, promises to bring stable ownership to a shopping center that had its share of distress in the 15 years since the original developer, the late Warren Luke, sold it. Inland Ocean bought the Marineland Plaza complex at West Clearwater Avenue and North Edison Street in a $7 million deal that closed Oct. 28. The deal covers three buildings, including Shelby’s Floral,
adjacent the intersection. The couple, who are divorced, partner on real estate investments as Inland Ocean LLC. They are based in Vancouver and Portland and view it as a long-term investment. “We’re long-term relationship, community-based folks,” Schmid-Cook said. Schmid-Cook said the duo learned about Marineland after they sold residential real estate they bought for investment purposes in the Great Recession. They were looking for suitable replacement properties for a 1031 exchange, a mechanism to defer capital gains on real estate investments. The Northwest natives were drawn to the Tri-Cities for its Hanford-stabilized economy and the distinct cultures of the region. uMARINELAND, Page A8
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 WALTER CLORE, From page A1
uBUSINESS BRIEFS Horse Heaven wind, solar project seeks state approval
Boulder, Colorado-based Scout Clean Energy will apply for approval to develop an 850MW wind and solar farm in the Horse Heaven Hills to the Washington Energy Facilities Siting Evaluation Council, bypassing Benton County. Scout initially said it would apply for land use approval from county. It shifted to the state process, citing the growing complexity of a plan that includes both wind power and solar. The county and public will have an opportunity to participate in the process. It disclosed the move late in the afternoon on Nov. 6. The project has drawn sharp criticism for its potential impact on the physical environment, the local economy and hilltop views. Critics question the fate of the wind turbines after the 25-year lifespan expires. The wind farm will consist of up to 235 General Electric wind turbines, each 500 feet tall and costing about $4 million each. Scout has secured wind energy leases and easement agreements covering 60,000 acres in the Jump Off Joe area south of the Tri-Cities. Energy would be dispatched to customers via the Bonneville Power Administration system through an interconnection agreement.
Goodwill CEO joins Richland School Board
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The Richland School Board has selected Ken Gosney to fill the position vacated by Rick Donahoe, who moved out of state in August. Nineteen applied for the spot. Gosney is a former Hanford High School principal and current chief executive officer of Goodwill Industries of the Columbia. The seat is up for election in 2021.
“When Covid hit Seattle, I knew something could happen,” Robertson said. By February, all major meetings — the core of its business — were postponed or canceled. It hosted a handful of essential meetings. It was essentially closed when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order in March. Benton County entered a modified version of Phase 1 of the Safe Start program in late July, which technically allowed wineries to operate under Phase 2 guidelines, offering limited wine tastings. That could have opened the door to activity, but Robertson said area wineries did not return to the Clore Center. “We don’t have a sustainable operation at this point,” he said. In August, it announced it would close its tasting room. On Oct. 8, the board notified the port it would vacate the building and terminate its operating agreement by Dec. 31. Robertson and the board pledged to support the port to ensure the Clore Center remains an asset to Prosser and the wine industry. “We’re trying to be cordial about our exit,” Robertson said. “Nobody has any bad feelings about the port.” Howard praised the Clore Center board for communicating its financial challenges to the port. The Oct. 8 notice to vacate gave it ample time to plan. It will assess the building’s condition and do what needs to be done to ready it for the next operator. “That lets us explore other options to meet industry needs. We will hold the spirit of the Clore Center and fill it with a tenant to support the mission,” she said. One option is off the table: The Walter Clore Center is not for sale. Visit Tri-Cities, the region’s tourism marketing bureau, lamented the closure.
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Courtesy Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center The Port of Benton is seeking a new operator for the taxpayer-funded Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser after the pandemic forced its closure. The Clore Center at 2140 Wine Country Road features a tasting room, commercial kitchen and event center.
The Clore Center is a key part of the wine industry, which in turn is a key pillar of the region’s $500 million tourism economy and the 5,600 jobs it supports. But those figures are from 2019. Tourism is down about 40%, on par with the national average of 45%, said Michael Novakovich, president and chief executive of Visit Tri-Cities. “It’s pretty easy to connect the dots. When the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order happened, people stayed home,” he said. Novakovich looks forward to seeing the center reinhabited. It’s an integral part of the Lower Yakima Valley wine circuit. It greets visitors who stop in Prosser. It paints the bigger picture of Washington wine and introduces tourists to multiple wine brands. “That just primes the pump for visitors to keep coming down the Valley,” he said. The Clore Center made its debut in 2011 following years of planning. The
$4 million budget was funded with a combination of state and federal grants and fundraising by the volunteer board. The Washington State Wine Commission said the Clore Center served the industry well, bringing in countless trade and media groups over the years. “The center was a tremendous champion of the Washington wine industry, and a place to learn about our history, taste Washington wines and gather with friends and colleagues,” said Steve Warner, the commission’s president. He said the industry will carry out its mission. Miles Thomas, the port’s economic development director, is mindful that the Clore Center was built on the passion and financial support of the industry. He is reaching out to those individuals to map out a strategy to move forward. The port hopes to lay out a new vision by the first quarter of 2021. “We remain very optimistic about it,” said Howard, the port’s director.
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Franklin County has $600K in funding for businesses
Franklin County is providing $600,000 in coronavirus aid bill funds to businesses affected by government-mandated Covid-19 closures. The county partnered with the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce to administer the Rapid Response Business Grant Program, funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act. Go to tricityregionalchamber.com/ cares.html for eligibility requirements and application materials.
Badger Club forum explores election results
The Columbia Basin Badger Club will explore the Nov. 3 election results with Richland native and political commentator Peter Wehner at its last free forum of the year from noon-1 p.m. via Zoom on Nov. 19. Wehner worked as a speech writer for three Republican presidents and is a contributing editor for The Atlantic. His book, “The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump” was published in June 2019. Registration is required. Go to columbiabasinbadgers.com. There will be no Badger forum in December. Beginning in January, guests must pay $5 to attend.
Enrollment open for GET Prepaid Tuition
The 2020-21 enrollment period for Washington state’s Guaranteed Tuition program runs through May 31, with the cost of a “unit” set at $133. The state guarantees that a family’s GET savings will keep pace with in-state college tuition and state-mandated fees. GET and other 529 plans also can be used to pay for apprenticeship programs and some student loan repayments. GET is one of two options offered by Washington College Savings Plan. DreamAhead, launched in 2018, is an investment-based plan. Go to wastate529.wa.gov for information.
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UPCOMING December: Energy • Year in Review January: Legal • Architecture & Engineering The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, a publication of TriComp Inc., is published monthly and delivered at no charge to identifiable businesses in Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Kennewick, Prosser and Benton City. Subscriptions are $27.10 per year, including tax, prepayment required, no refunds. Contents of this publication are the sole property of TriComp Inc. and can not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent. Opinions expressed in guest columns and by advertisers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, other columnists or other advertisers, nor do they imply endorsement by staff, columnists or advertisers. Every effort will be made to assure information published is correct; however, we are not liable for any errors or omissions made despite these efforts.
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Tri-City nonprofits shift to online fundraising in pandemic By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Tri-City area nonprofits forced to cancel popular fundraising events are banking on supporters joining their online campaigns. Donations play a powerful role in helping organizations that help people face challenges and the need does not go away because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some of the virtual fundraisers taking place in November. Submit your event to editor@tcjournal.biz for inclusion in future editions.
Unions United Local unions are joining forces for a monthlong community drive to support United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties. The organizing committee set a goal of $10,000 during the month of November. The Southeastern Central Labor Council is the premier sponsor. All proceeds support United Way programs to fill gaps in local services to people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Go to unitedwaybfco.org/event/ Unionsunited. Donations are eligible for a match from All in Washington. Bid for Bottles, support WSU The Auction of Washington Wines is holding “Bid for Bottles – Holiday Edition,” an online auction to support Seattle Children’s and Washington State University Viticulture & Enology Research. The auction runs Nov. 23-Dec. 3 and features more than 100 unique wines. Bidders must be 21 or older. Go to b4bholiday. ggo.bid. Columbia Industries’ Evening of Miracles Columbia Industries will hold a livestreamed Evening of Miracles to support programs that serve people with disabilities. The event features live and silent auctions and more. It will be from 6-7 p.m. Nov. 18. Cost is $50 per person and includes a bottle of CI EmpoweRED merlot and a charcuterie tray provided through CI’s Opportunity Kitchen program. Go to bit.ly/ eom-2020 for details. Chaplaincy Health lights the path Chaplaincy Health Care will hold Lighting the Path, a virtual fundraising campaign through Nov. 20. Proceeds will support essential services
uBUSINESS BRIEF Missed the Diversity Summit? Sessions online
The annual Tri-Cities Diversity Summit had to move online in October, which is good news for those who weren’t able to participate in the live event Oct. 26-28. The sessions are now posted online by the Tri-City Regional Chamber. The summit featured five listening sessions covering racial equity, law enforcement, education and economic inequity and opportunity and a keynote by Skot Welch. Go to tricityregionalchamber.com/ tri-cities-diversity-summit.html for links to the sessions posted to YouTube.
to those facing end-of-life, illness, crisis and loss. The campaign is being held in lieu of Chaplaincy’s traditional breakfast event. Go to chaplaincyhealthcare.org/lighting-the-path for details or to make a contribution.
Festivals of Trees The third annual Festival of Trees to benefit United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties runs through Nov. 21 at The Lodge at Columbia Point in Richland. The event includes an online silent auction and a Golden Ticket drawing that lets the winner chose their tree before the auction begins.
Tickets $100 are at the United Way office, 401 N. Young St., Kennewick. Register to bid for your favorite tree at bit.ly/UnitedWayFestivalofTrees.
SIGN Silent Auction A weeklong silent auction to benefit SIGN Fracture Care takes place online through Nov. 19. Go to signfracturecare. org/auction to review the 100-plus items donated to support the Richland nonprofits global medical mission. Gesa Turkey Trot The Gesa Credit Union Turkey Trot to benefit the American Red Cross is being held virtually, with participants invited to run their 1 mile or 5K anywhere between
Nov. 23-29. The cost is $10 to $32, depending on if the participant wants a T-shirt. Go to bit.ly/GesaTurkeyTrot to register. The deadline is Nov. 20. The event includes prizes. The trot is cosponsored by Atkins, Basin Pacific Insurance and Benefits, Bechtel, Cascade Natural Gas Co., CO Energy, Kadlec and UA Local 598 Plumbers & Steamfitters.
Looking to help? United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties established a website, volunteertricities.org, as a one-stop shop to match supporters with organizations.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
DATEBOOK
VISIT TCJOURNAL.BIZ AND CLICK ON EVENT CALENDAR FOR MORE EVENTS
NOV. 12-19
• SIGN Fracture Care Silent Auction: Details signfracturecare.org/ auction
NOV. 17
• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx • Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Ask the Experts: Taking Advantage of the Change: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Details at web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events • Community Blood Drive: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. To schedule a donation, call 509-781-6753 or visit RedCrossBlood.org and use sponsor code "BentonREA". • Mid-Columbia Libraries’ Virtual Author Visit: Ryan La Sala: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Details: midcolumbialibraries. org/events • Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber Virtual Luncheon: State of the Regional Economy: Noon. Details at tchispanicchamber.com/events
• Southeastern Washington Future Workforce Summit: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Details: esd123. org/classes_workshops/future_ workforce_summit
NOV. 20
NOV.18
NOV. 21
• Columbia Industries’ Evening of Miracles: 6-7 p.m. Register: bit.ly/ eom-2020 • Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Virtual Luncheon Covid-19: “Is There an End in Sight?”: Noon-1 pm. Details at web.tricityregionalchamber.com/ events
NOVEMBER 19
• PTAC/SBDC - Government Contracts for Small Business: 9-10 a.m. Register: washingtonptac. ecenterdirect.com/events • Badger Club, “Analysis and Implications of the 2020 Election”: Noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Register: cbbc.clubexpress.com. • Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, “Understanding Youth Employment Rules in Washington”: 10:30 a.m. Details at web. tricityregionalchamber.com/events
• Chaplaincy Health’s Lighting the Path: Details at chaplaincyhealthcare.org/lightingthe-path. • United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties’ Festival of Trees: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Details: unitedway-bfco.com/festival-trees
NOV. 23-DEC. 3
• WSU Bid for Bottles. Details at b4bholiday.ggo.bid
NOV. 23-29
• Gesa Credit Union Virtual Turkey Trot: Register: bit.ly/ GesaTurkeyTrot
NOV. 24
• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php. • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.
NOV. 26
• Port of Pasco Commission: 10:30 a.m. Details at portofpasco. org/about-us/port-commission.
NOV. 28
• Small Business Saturday. Shop Small and support your favorite small businesses – both in store and online – all holiday season long.
DEC. 1
• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php. • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.
DEC. 3
• Port of Pasco Commission: 10:30 a.m. Details at portofpasco. org/about-us/port-commission.
DEC. 8
• Franklin County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.franklin.wa.us/ commissioners/meeting.php. • Benton County Commission: 9 a.m. Details at co.benton.wa.us/ agenda.aspx.
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Washington needs manufacturing to lead the economic recovery Kaitlyn Pype wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life, but she knew she enjoyed working on cars. She thought about a career in automotive repair, but a degree program in mechatronics at Clover Park Technical College caught her eye because it combined a variety of interests. “So, I went for it,” Pype said. After earning an associate degree, Kaitlyn not only landed a job in the industry, but she is also part of the school’s fouryear bachelor of science in mechatronics technology program. She shared her success story with me recently as part of Manufacturing Week Live, a streaming web program produced last month by the Association of Washington Business to highlight the role of the manufacturing sector in Washington’s economy. Kaitlyn was one of 84 people I spoke with about manufacturing over the course of the six-day series. The broadcasts were new for AWB, part of a year filled with change and disruption. Normally, our staff spends the first week of October on a bus, travel-
ing the state and touring shop floors to highlight the importance of manufacturing jobs. This year, because of the pandemic, we Kris Johnson couldn’t go Association of Washington inside dozens of Business manufacturing companies, so GUEST COLUMN we got creative. We built a mobile video studio and hit the road, setting up each day at a different manufacturing-related venue and streaming interviews with manufacturing leaders, elected officials and young people like Kaitlyn who are just beginning their careers. Even though the format was different, the goal remained the same: To highlight the vital role that manufacturers play in the health of our economy and our communities. Manufacturing accounts for 8.5% of
the state’s nonfarm employment and produces more than $63 billion in economic output — approximately 11% of the Gross State Product. There are more than 6,500 manufacturing companies across Washington, from big companies like Boeing to small, family firms that started in a garage or basement. Prior to the pandemic, manufacturing built our economy, providing Washingtonians with good-paying jobs to support families and communities and giving the world essential products, everything from airplanes and hand-sewn work gloves to apples, wine and electronics. In the early days of the pandemic, manufacturers responded to the call to make personal protective equipment for first responders. And when we finally emerge from the pandemic, manufacturing will no doubt lead the economic recovery. As we think about how to rebuild an economy battered by the coronavirus, it’s imperative that Washington’s leaders think about ways to support Washington manufacturers. Sustaining and growing
jobs must be a priority. We need to provide a regulatory environment that allows manufacturers to grow. We need to invest in infrastructure so manufacturers can get their goods to market and their employees can get to work. And we must continue to focus on workforce training to ensure that people who need jobs have the skills they need to fill existing job openings. Finally, we need to change the perception of modern manufacturing so that more people like Kaitlyn recognize the amazing career potential that exists. “You can do anything you want in manufacturing,” Kaitlyn said during our first web broadcast. “There are hundreds of directions to go in, you just have to pick one.” For more information and to view the streaming web series, go to MFGisWA. org. Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.
Rare order breaks China’s hammerlock on critical metals To the average American, China’s control of the world production, processing technology and stockpile of critical metals is not their concern. However, to our military and hightech leaders, it is a very big deal. Our government lists 35 metals it considers vital to our national economy and security. While 17 are classified as “rare earth” and are not commonly known, all are critical components of products such as smartphones, laptop computers, lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles jet engines, wind turbines, LEDs and sophisticated weapons systems. The U.S. currently imports 80% of its rare earth metals from China. China sits on 40% of the global deposits and currently produces 80% (120,000 metric tons) of the world’s supply. Australia is second turning out 20,000 metric tons. The only American rare earth mine is in California, but it has no processing plant. The single North American processing facility is Canadian. “Even if you can mine the minerals, China dominates the entire supply chain,” consultant Jack Lifton told the Wall Street Journal. “Chinese companies can do every stage of the process.” China has a technology advantage. President Donald Trump issued an emergency order under the rarely used Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic rare earth metals mining and processing. It also provides assistance to companies recycling lithium batteries, cellphones and computers rather than sending them to landfills. In specific, rare earth metals are important because of their unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties which make many technologies perform with reduced weight, emissions, and energy consumption. The U.S. Geological Survey adds:
“These special metals provide greater efficiency, performance, miniaturization, speed, durability, and thermal stability.” Don C. Brunell New Business analyst reprocessing technology is GUEST COLUMN coming online. Companies from Finland to Canada are focusing on recovering metals from lithium-ion batteries which have completed their useful life in electric vehicles. For example, Fortum, a Finnish energy company, uses low-CO2 “hydrometallurgical recycling” (leaching) process rather than melting batteries in a furnace. It has increased the recovery rate to 80%. American Manganese Inc., based in British Columbia, is piloting a similar process and recently announced it is extracting 92% of the lithium, nickel and cobalt from spent batteries from its test operation. Mining and processing rare earth metals is messy and has a darker side. Most countries don’t want to deal with the associated pollutants. Nowhere is the contamination more evident than in China itself. The giant Mongolian open pit mine in Bayan Obo is 75 miles north of Baotou, a city with 2.4 million people. The mine produces the bulk of the world’s rare earth metals and does so as a byproduct of iron ore mining. The ore is transported to Bautou’s outskirts where it separated, leached and purified using acid baths. The spent processing water is contaminated and pumped into a pond six miles long. The foul waters in the tailing pond not only contain all sorts of toxic chemi-
cals, but also radioactive elements such as thorium, which if ingested, causes cancer, London’s Guardian newspaper reported in 2012. Before those smelters were built, there were just fields of watermelon and tomatoes as far as the eye could see, Li Guirong, former secretary of the local Communist Party, stated. Part of weaning ourselves from China is to recover as much metal as possible domestically and not just send our used batteries, cellphones and electronics to landfills. Even with recycling we’ll need to find ways to better mine and process
critical mineral ores —ways that protect workers, neighbors and our environment. Hopefully, the funding provided in President Trump’s executive order will help break the hammerlock China now has when it comes to critical rare earth metals. Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at theBrunells@msn.com.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 MARINELAND, From page A1 “The Tri-City area is somewhere we’ve been interested in investing in. There’s tons of opportunity there,” she said. Even though they were looking for a multifamily opportunity, they viewed Marineland shortly before the Covid-19
Photo by Wendy Culverwell
Marineland Plaza sold in October to Inland Ocean LLC, a Portland- and Vancouver-based investment team that pledges to be long-term owners for the storied shopping center. The late Warren Luke developed the complex in 1986 at the intersection of West Clearwater Avenue and North Edison Street in Kennewick. It has been through multiple owners and a foreclosure in recent years.
pandemic took off. The market chilled but their interest did not. “The shopping center never left my mind. I was always interested,” she said. When they were satisfied that the owner and tenants were collaborating to ensure everyone remained on financially steady ground, they made an offer. It was not on the market. The seller was Clearwater Professional Suites, which acquired the property in late 2016 after it went into foreclosure. The locally-based group led by Manuel Chavallo replaced the façade, remodeled interiors, upgraded parking lot lights to LED and released empty space. Chavallo said the goal always was to rescue the centrally-located center and then flip or sell it. He is thrilled it was purchased by Northwest investors with a long-term view and interest in welfare of the tenants. They closed the deal with a mix of cash and debt. Schmid-Cook declined to reveal the capitalization, or cap rate, a measure of the anticipated return on the investment. She described it as “healthy.” Inland Ocean is retaining The Kenmore Team to manage Marineland Plaza. There is one vacancy. Changes will be mostly invisible to customers and the businesses they visit – The Village Bistro, Fresh Out the Box, Touchstone Jewelers, Lemongrass and Marla June’s Clothing Co., to name a few. “Nothing is going to change,” she said. Schmid-Cook said tenants are mostly local businesses owned by local business owners. “I like to work with people who are like that. My partner and I are like that. Your word is your word.” She did not define “long-term.” However, she said she and her partner are in their 60s with adult children. The investment could be a legacy for them, she said. Warren Luke bought the land for the development he called Marineland Village in 1986 and transformed it into a quirky ocean-themed development. Luke, who died in July at age 83, sold it to California investors 2005. The otters remain but the palm trees are long gone. By 2014, at least 14 storefronts were vacant, and the California investors lost it when their lender foreclosed. Clearwater Professional Suites LLC bought it in a trustee’s auction with a winning bid of $3.4 million in December 2015. Chavallo’s team updated the property, rechristened “Marineland Plaza,” with a new façade and other touches. Occupancy picked up almost immediately. Inca Mexican Restaurant is a prominent newcomer after relocating its Kennewick outlet in 2018. Schmid-Cook praised the updates and pledged to be an attentive owner through monthly visits to Kennewick. Inland Ocean plans to upgrade the center’s parking lot in the spring, she said.
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RETAIL State budget, data privacy are top priorities for retailers in 2021 By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
Washington retailers will be laser-focused on the state budget when the 2021 Legislature convenes in January. They also expect lawmakers to revisit a data privacy bill that passed in the Senate this year but not the House. It has been revised for 2021. Mark Johnson, senior vice president of policy and governmental affairs for the Washington Retail Association, said tax policy will dominate the Legislature and is the chief issue facing the industry. The association represents more than 4,000 retailers, from small shops to big box national chains. The industry employs 400,000, it said. Washington faces a $4.5 billion hole in the wake of the economic damage inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a September estimate by the state Office of Fiscal Management. It is a mixed blessing. As Johnson noted, the agency originally predicted a $9 billion hole over the next three years. The impact may be lessened, but lawmakers have little choice but to cut programs and raise taxes. Johnson said retailers are watching. They have a big stake in taxation. Sales taxes and gross receipts taxes (i.e., business and occupation taxes) generate about 38% of its budget. Raising it is an obvious target. Border communities such as the Tri-Cities can expect a sales tax exemption that encourages visitors from Ore-
uBUSINESS BRIEFS Amazon booked $10 billion in Prime Day sales
Chain Store Age, which tracks the retail industry, reports Seattle-based Amazon saw 2020 Prime Day sales soar 45% over 2019. Citing data from Digital Commerce 360, it said Prime Day sales on Oct. 13-14 totaled $10.4 billion in the 19 countries where Amazon held the annual virtual discount extravaganza, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada. Third-party Amazon Marketplace sellers sold $3.5 billion in goods during Prime Day.
Who is that masked man at the mall? Santa!
Santa isn’t skipping Christmas because of the pandemic, but he is making a few concessions as he prepares for his annual appearance at Kennewick’s Columbia Center mall. Santa pulls into town Nov. 27 and is available for photos from 1-7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday through Christmas Eve.
gon, Montana, Alaska and the provinces to shop in Washington to end. Currently, visitors can apply for refunds, a new system that proved expensive to manage. Killing it altogether will bring in $20 million to $25 million. “That’s huge for anyone along a border, including the Tri-Cities,” he said. “It’s low hanging fruit and the Legislature will probably approve it.” But it hardly closes the budget gap. It will take a big raise to get there. A temporary sales tax is another idea being “kicked around” in Olympia. Every half-cent added raises about $500 million. The state levies a 6.5% sales tax on retail purchases. Raising it to 7%-7.5% would raise $1 billion-$1.5 billion. “That moves the needle in the direction they need to go,” Johnson noted. The sales tax rate in Benton and Franklin counties is 8.6%, which includes the state rate as well as local public safety sales taxes, transportation and other items. Opponents argue the sales tax is regressive and falls heavier on lower-income households that spend a higher percentage of their wages. But Johnson said he has not heard as much discussion about raising property taxes, which represent about 17% of the state budget. Johnson said there is talk of a “split roll” that would shift higher taxes to commercial properties. The retail association does not view that favorably. It would be unfair to raise taxes on businesses that cannot operate New for 2020: Reservations are required, social distancing will be in effect and Santa and his helpers will wear masks to reduce the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. Go to simonsanta.com to make Santa photo reservations.
Richland High students celebrate DECA month
DECA chapters across the globe take the month of November to promote and celebrate DECA. The nationwide student organization works to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. Richland High DECA students attended the Western Region Leadership Conference Nov. 9-13, where they listened to keynote speakers, participated in workshops and competed in mock competitions. The chapter also performed community service projects, including a yarn and crochet drive with donations going to Union Gospel Mission, and plans to educate its chapter about entrepreneurship during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 16-22.
Courtesy state Department of Enterprise Services The Washington Retail Association will be keeping a close eye on several bills and the state budget when the state 2021 state Legislature convenes in Olympia Jan. 11.
at capacity because of the pandemic. Johnson said a capital gains tax is thorny as well. What level do you set it at — $250,000? $500,000? $1 million? Do you include primary residences? Vacation homes? Stocks and bonds? The capital gains tax, which the Washington Policy Center regards as an income tax, has been introduced in the past three sessions. Johnson said a capital gains tax could be harmful to family-owned businesses that own their real estate as a retirement
fund. Johnson said data privacy is the second largest issue for the coming session. A bill passed the Senate but not the House in 2020 over concerns about facial recognition software. Johnson said the retail association supports the 2021 version, which drops the facial recognition piece and preserves ethical uses that enable customer loyalty programs. The Legislature’s 2021 regular session convenes on Jan. 11.
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Retail sales face decline but likely less than elsewhere Total Annual Taxable Retail Sales & Annual Growth Rate 6,600.0
35%
6,000.0
30%
5,400.0
25%
4,800.0 20% Total Retail Sales (in Millions)
4,200.0 15% 3,600.0 10% 3,000.0 5% 2,400.0 0% 1,800.0
-5%
1,200.0
20 19
20 17
20 18
20 16
20 15
20 14
20 13
20 12
20 11
20 10
20 09
20 08
20 07
20 06
20 05
20 04
-15%
20 03
0.0
20 02
-10%
20 01
600.0
20 00
less than half (49%) of the total in the accompanying graph. The second largest component was construction, D. Patrick Jones accounting for Eastern 18% of total Washington retail taxable University transactions. GUEST COLUMN The third largest segment was the hospitality industry, dominated by restaurants, at 10%. The three sectors accounted for nearly 80% of all taxable retail sales. Within the “retail trade” category, the largest single sub-category has typically been the auto sector. Automobiles, new and used, as well as auto parts and the RV trade, made up 21% of the category in 2019. That was closely followed by sales at general merchandise stores (department and big box stores), at 18%. In a distant third place was the wholesale trade sector, at 6%. What has been behind the dramatic growth in taxable retail sales? If we just look at sales in Benton County, which have amounted to about 75% of the total over the past decade, we see that since 2015, taxable retail sales climbed by nearly $1 billion. It is no surprise that the three largest contributing sec-
Annual Growth Rate
Last year was a very good year for retail sales in the greater Tri-Cities. For the first time, taxable retail sales in the two counties breached the $6 billion mark, ending 2019 at nearly $6.4 billion, as the Benton-Franklin Trends graph shows. Taxable sales grew year over year by 9.8%. This is the second-best performance of the past decade, trailing only slightly behind the 10% growth experienced in 2015. Taxable retail sales in 2019 nearly doubled the 2005 level. And for the first time in several years, the pace of growth here exceeded that of Washington state. Over the past decade, taxable retail sales have climbed a cumulative 73% in the two counties. This result places the greater Tri-Cities second among all Eastern Washington metro areas, behind Grant County. Taxable retail sales in our state doesn’t cover all consumer transactions, or consumption, however. Notably absent are sales of food, medicine and many services. On the other hand, taxable retail sales are not restricted to retail; they cover some manufacturing and construction, hardly items we associate with consumption. To better understand where growth has taken place, let’s look at the components of this measure, using 2019 breakdowns. A first takeaway might surprise: “retail trade” transactions made up slightly
Benton & Franklin Counties - Taxable Retail Sales (in Millions) Benton & Franklin Counties - Annual Growth Rate Washington State - Annual Growth Rate
Courtesy Benton-Franklin Trends
tors make up the lion’s share (80%) of that $1 billion gain. Of particular interest is the disproportionately large share of the gain claimed by construction. While contributing 16% to total retail sales tax collections in 2015, it was responsible for nearly 26% of the gains from that year to 2019. It is no surprise then that the share of the tax total accounted for by construction ticked up to 18%. How is 2020 shaping up? As is typical for so many economic indicators, we do not have current information. The year started out well, however, as
the graph reveals. For the first quarter, taxable retail sales rose by 13.9%. Data for the second quarter will not be released until later this year. It will undoubtedly show a steep yearover-year plunge, if the Tri-Cities’ experience mirrors that of the state and nation. Economists at Washington’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, or ERFC, assumed a near 35% decline in second quarter national consumption. While our state economy has fared a
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Surge in donations prompts Richland thrift store expansion By Kristina Lord
publisher@tcjournal.biz
When one door closes, another opens – in this case quite literally. The unexpected closure of a neighboring business and a spring surge in community donations prompted Community Thrift’s expansion. The 1½-year-old thrift shop at 303 Wellsian Way in Richland recently took over the lease of the storefront once occupied by Cascade Sign & Apparel after it closed in September. The mid-September move into the nearby space meant the 4,175-squarefoot thrift store owned by Dustin Stordahl could expand. It was able to move its pricing and production room into the former 2,500-square-foot Cascade shop and turn the room behind the existing store into a kids’ toy and clothing section. The store also was able to expand its shelving 25% and doubled its clothing inventory, Stordahl said. It’s a critical move as the store has seen donations increase tenfold since the pandemic began, a sign that families have been cleaning while forced to stay home to prevent the spread of coronavirus. “We’ve been overwhelmed to be honest. We were working 16 hours a day,” Stordahl said of the spring donations. “It was a lot of work.” Stordahl, 35, said when the pandemic
forced the store’s closure in March, he was driving to the store 10 times a day to rotate out the 4X4 donation boxes outside the shop. “That was the challenge, we accumulated 1,500 boxes,” he said. Workers then ferried the donation boxes to a leased storage warehouse where they are stacked four boxes high until ready for sorting and pricing at the store. “If you don’t have new items everyday people can quickly get tired of your store. We try to put out several thousand new items a week,” Stordahl said. The store uses a color tag system and the discounts for each color change during the five-week rotation. It offers senior discounts (20% off on Mondays) and discounts for veterans (10% every day). Community Thrift closed for more than a month in March but reopened as many items it carries were considered “essential” under the state’s emergency stay-home order, though it wasn’t technically included on the state’s “essential” list. “We made the decision to open. We sell tools and office supplies like those that were on the essential list. We’re no different than what Walmart or Harbor Freight sells. We’re essential until they tell us otherwise,” Stordahl said. Stordahl said most of his customers were grateful the store reopened as some come from lower-income brackets and are unemployed. “They were thanking
Photo by Kristina Lord Owner Dustin Stordahl stands inside the recently expanded Community Thrift store at 303 Wellsian Way in Richland. He was able to move his production and pricing area into a vacant shop of the building so he could expand the store’s children and toy area.
us for being open,” he said. On a recent October day, Community Thrift’s team of 12 were sorting, wiping down and pricing items destined for the store shelves, hauling and staging boxed donations and tidying up the store for customers. Stordahl believes keeping the store organized creates a better shopping experience for customers.
Store origins About three years ago, when Stordahl was working as the information technology manager for Goodwill Industries of the Columbia in Kennewick, he learned the nonprofit was discontinuing its pickup service. He knew the community needed such a service and Community uTHRIFT, Page A14
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bit better than the national one in the pandemic, it has still endured unprecedented declines in economic activity. The Tri-City economy, while sheltered from this gale force storm by federal expenditures, has been hit by the same forces. Taxable retail sales will certainly show double-digit percentage losses in the second quarter. What about the second half of this year? Likely much better, if national trends hold. Automobile sales have been strong across the country, and construction has been far more robust than forecasters predicted at the start of the pandemic.
These sources of strength should show up locally in third quarter results. The ERFC has forecast a 23% increase in national consumption; this columnist’s hunch is that the rate of the state and the two counties will be higher yet. The fourth quarter may well be different, however. This is typically the quarter in which soft good retailers, jewelry stores and restaurants depend on to make their annual numbers. In a Phase 2 economy and one accompanied by winter, it seems highly unlikely that shoppers will be thronging to malls and dining establishments. The ERFC, for example, is forecasting an approximate 7% rise in consumption nationally.
So, 2020 will be a roller coaster year for taxable retail sales, starting strong, plummeting in the spring and early summer, while ending modestly positively. Yet, the result is bound to be negative for the year. 2021 should be considerably better, assuming a Covid-19 vaccine is deployed as currently planned and that people get vaccinated. D. Patrick Jones is the executive director for Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. Benton-Franklin Trends, the institute’s project, uses local, state and federal data to measure the local economic, educational and civic life of Benton and Franklin counties.
RETAIL THRIFT, From page A13 Thrift was born. Everything for sale in the store is donated from the community, he said. Stordahl spent six months designing the Community Thrift mobile app which allows customers to easily schedule donation pickups. Nontechnical savvy shoppers can get the same service – they just have to call the store. “The majority of donors want convenience to get rid of stuff,” he said. His long-term goal would be to open a Costco-size store in a central Tri-City location but he’s an entrepreneur and recognizes the need to be nimble, so he’s not ruling out other ideas, including a franchise model or operating multiple stores.
Funding community projects A larger operation would enable him to earmark profits into the nonprofit arm of his business with the goal of providing a self-sustaining revenue stream for large community projects, like a splash park or a water park, he said. “It’d be cool where we can do large community projects. It’s very optimistic,” he conceded. He eyes Goodwill’s model as he measures his progress. “If we see their level of their success, we could do cool projects every year,” he said. He’s already set up the 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Community Partners Inc. “My vision is that growing the store will create a domino effect and generate funding to do more projects,” Stordahl said. He hasn’t done anything with the nonprofit yet, though he has made modest donations to several Tri-City nonprofits, including Vibe Music Center, Beautiful Threads and Bethlehem Lutheran School. He doesn’t have a timeline for this vision, as he still is trying to get his feet under him. He’s invested $180,000 into the business and recouped $115,000. His monthly net revenue varies widely, and he’s keeping his eye on the long-term plan to build a multimillion-dollar enterprise to do multimillion-dollar projects, he said. “I want to reinvest for the long-term. That’s the end goal,” he said. He’s seeing signs of success with more than 3,400 Facebook followers and nearly 700 unique users who downloaded the store’s app and went through the account setup process. “We’ve done pretty well, but running a store costs more than people think,” he said. But operating a business isn’t cheap. He has leases, salaries, taxes and a $1,000-a-month trash bill as not every donation is fit to sell in the store. He draws his own salary to “sustain my own livelihood” (He and his wife have three children under 4) from his other job — he operates an IT consulting company, Innovative Enterprise Systems. “I do pretty well without the store,” he said. Community Thrift is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Community Thrift: 303 Wellsian Way, Richland; communitythrift.shop; Facebook; Instagram; 509-315-1970.
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Ban on single-use plastic bags takes effect Jan. 1, unless it doesn’t By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
The Covid-19 pandemic and a supply shortage could prevent a ban on single-use plastic bags from taking effect in Washington on Jan. 1. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a reusable bag bill — a plastic bag ban — into law in March after it passed in both the House and Senate. The state Department of Ecology is set to begin enforcing the new rules in the new year, though there could be pushback over supply chain issues and the Covid-19 pandemic. The governor’s office confirmed it expects the bill’s supporters to request a delay. That had not happened as of early November. A delay to July 1 or later is inevitable. Zero Waste Washington, an advocate for reducing plastic bags, reluctantly supports it, said Heather Trim, executive director. Zero Waste Washington is working with grocery and retail industry associations to figure out the best approach, she said “The environmental community is not thrilled about this, but we understand and are supportive of delaying implementation,” she said. The new rules encourage shoppers to use clean, reusable bags, a habit many abandoned when the pandemic hit, and reusable bags were suspected of helping transmit the virus. Research indicates they are not, if they are laundered between uses. The new rules also replace single-use plastic bags with paper ones made from at least 40% postconsumer recycled content or reusable plastic bags at least 2.5 mil thick. It is part of a larger plan to wean the state from nonrecyclable plastic by 2025. It applies to restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, convenience stores, farmers markets, food trucks, temporary stores and home delivery services. The law adds an 8-cent fee on bags, rising to 12 cents in 2026, when reusable plastic bags must be at least 4 mil thick to encourage reuse. Retailers keep the bag fees. It replaces 38 individual bag ban ordinances across the state, a welcome shot of consistency for cross state businesses tired of complying with so many sets of rules. The ban is a “sleeper” issue for retailers, said Mark Johnson, senior vice president of policy and government affairs for the Washington Retail Association. Its top priority is watching how lawmakers blend budget cuts and new taxes to manage a projected $4.5 billion budget gap in the 2021 Legislature. But the bag ban could create headaches. There may not be enough bags that meet the postconsumer recycled content requirement to go around. “There could be a bag shortage,” he said. Ecology is monitoring the supply issues, said Shannon Jones, materials
management coordinator and manager of the plastic bag program. Jones’ approach is part reassuring, part educational. Enforcement will be complaint-driven. When it receives a complaint, it will send a letter and steer businesses to resources to help them comply. It has launched a website to guide businesses. Under the rules, businesses have a year to use up their inventory of noncompliant bags. “We can work with them,” she said. “People don’t need to be worried that they’re going to be immediately levied a $250 fine.” The statewide ban simplifies compliance for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions. It was introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Mona Das, D-Kent. Locally, Reps. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick, and Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, voted to support it. Zero Waste Washington says Americans consume an average of 500 plastic bags per year, or 2 billion in Washington state alone. Bags find their way into the environment and are notorious for choking recycling machinery. It cites Ecology statistics that it can cost $1,000 per ton to remove plastic film — gags — from clogged machinery. There are exemptions. Compostable bags, which are tinted green or brown, are allowed.
Photo by TCAJOB Washington is set to ban single use plastic shopping bans on Jan. 1, but supporters expect a delay because of the pandemic and a possible shortage of bags made with postconsumer recycled paper.
Produce bags, newspaper bags and dry-cleaning bags are exempt. People who bring their own bags are not charged the bag fee, nor are those who use the State Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, or the state Food Assistance Program. The new rules serve as a reminder that reusable cloth bags are OK for shopping. Clean reusable bags are as safe as single-use plastic bags and don’t create
the pollution problem. The Centers for Disease Control acknowledges reusable shopping bags are acceptable in the pandemic, if allowed by local law and if they are cleaned before each use. Jones encouraged Washington residents to resume using laundered, reusable bags. Retailers and other businesses can learn more about the ban and their options under the new law at ecology. wa.gov/Waste-Toxics/Reducing-recycling-waste/Plastic-bag-ban.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 uBUSINESS BRIEFS
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Blue Cross Blue Shield settlement payments coming
Customers of Premera and Regency health plans in Washington could receive payments as part of a $2.67 billion settlement to solve antitrust charges levied against Blue Cross Blue Shield in 2013. The settlement in federal court Alabama affects the 36 Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers nationwide. In Washington, that includes Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, Regence BlueShield of Oregon and Regence BlueShield of Idaho Inc. They collectively covered 1.1 million Washington residents. The minimum payment to those affected will be $5.
Small PPP loans now easier to forgive
The U.S. Small Business Administration has simplified the application to apply to have small Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven or waived. The forgiveness program applies to loans of $50,000 or less. The government provided loans through the coronavirus aid bill to preserve jobs in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. The loans can be forgiven if the money was spent on employee pay and other qualified expenses such as rent. SBA began approving forgiveness applications and making payments to lenders on Oct. 2. Go to the PPP loan forgiveness application at bit.ly/StreamlinedPPPLoanApp.
Banner Bank reports $36.5M in third quarter
Walla Walla-based Banner Corp., parent to Banner Bank and Islanders Bank, reported net income of $36.5 million, or $1.03 per diluted share for the third quarter, compared to $39.6 million, or $1.15 per diluted share during the same period in 2019. The bank issued its quarterly earnings report on Oct. 2. It said its earnings reflect the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. For the first nine months, it reported $77 million in net income, or $2.17 per share, compared to $112.6 million, or $3.23 per diluted share in the same period of 2019. The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of 41 cents per share payable Nov. 12 to shareholders of record on Nov. 3.
Local hypercar grabs ‘Fastest Production Vehicle’ title SSC North America of Richland reclaimed the title of the world’s “Fastest Production Vehicle” with its 1,750 horse-powered Tuatara. Driver Oliver Webb set the record-breaking drive on Oct. 10 near Pahrump, Nevada, along Highway 160. The Tuatara delivered an average speed of just over 316 miles per hour. SSC first set the record with its debut car, the Ultimate Aero. SSC founder Jerod Shelby said the company will product 100 Tuatara vehicles in a release announcing the Nevada performance results.
Support kids in foster care with Christmas stockings
Heads Up Tri-Cities and United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties are organizing Christmas stockings for children living in foster care in the Mid-Columbia. To participate, contact the Foster Kids Committee at headsuptricities05@gmail. com. Let the organizers know how many children you want to sponsor and age or gender preference. The committee will assign children and coordinate stocking dropoffs. Participants buy age-appropriate toy and games for “their” children. Gift cards are allowed. Food is not. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Nov. 30-Dec. 4, at the United Way office, 401 N. Young St., Ste. B, Kennewick.
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LABOR & EMPLOYMENT Tri-City retailers are hiring even as holiday shopping heads online By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Tri-City retailers are staffing up for the holiday shopping season even as customers head online because of the pandemic. U.S. shoppers will spend more than $189 billion online during the holiday season, a 33% increase that represents two years’ worth of typical growth, according to the Adobe Analytics Holiday Forecast 2020. The report notes that online spending will surpass $200 billion if there is another round of federal stimulus payments or if physical stores are closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Washington Employment Security Department has not released retail projections for the 2020 season. Ajsa Suljic, regional labor economist, noted that retail jobs are thriving in the pandemic, with 500 more jobs now than a year ago. It has been a bumpy ride. The sector dropped 500 jobs in April, the first full month after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order took effect. By June, hiring resumed and by September it had surpassed 2019 levels. “Most of our retail is big box allaround shopping centers — Home Depot, Costco, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Lowe’s. That is what dominates retail trade in our community. They hire and have a lot of jobs,” she said. Retail is the third largest employer in Benton and Franklin counties and
Retail is the third largest employer in Benton and Franklin counties and represents 10.3% of all jobs when agriculture is included.
represents 10.3% of all jobs when agriculture is included. The average annual wage was $32,982 in 2019, up $400 from the prior year. Retail openings in Benton and surrounding areas posted to the state’s WorkSource system include positions in large and small firms alike. Some, such as J.C. Penney and Macy’s, post jobs to their own sites rather than the state one. Many are filling posts left vacant when staff did not come back after retailers were allowed to reopen under the state’s Safe Start plan. Suljic said it is unclear if hiring will match non-Covid years, but retailers need people for their growing pickup and delivery business.
“It looks like there are plenty of opportunities,” she said. As for shoppers, they increasingly shop on mobile devices and will seek out great deals. Mobile spending will account for 42% of online sales, according to the Adobe Analytics forecast. Thanksgiving Day sales are expected
to rise 42.3% to $6 billion, Black Friday by 39% to $10.3 billion and Cyber Monday by 35% to $12.7 billion. Small businesses will see a 107% holiday season revenue boost while large retailers will see an 84% boost. The report noted the best days to buy as well. Black Friday is the best day to buy appliances and TVs. Nov. 28 is the best day for computers, while Nov. 29 is best for furniture and toys. Dec. 13 is the best day for sporting goods. Dec. 18 is tops for electronics, and Dec. 26 is the best day for tools and home improvement. More than half of shoppers said they will support small and local retailers on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28. Go to bit.ly/HolidayForecast for more information.
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Labor & Employment
Small manufacturing firms, jobs continue to drive state’s economy Local manufacturing businesses and jobs have experienced a resurgence in recent years that needs to continue for our state’s livelihood and connection to the global economy. Before the pandemic, the manufacturing sector employed 11.6 million workers in the United States. During the past three years, about 500,000 manufacturing jobs were added to the economy. In 2018 alone, 264,000 manufacturing jobs were added, the most created in any single year in more than two decades. Locally in Washington state, there were nearly 263,000 manufacturing jobs. Of those, 42% were employed by
small firms. While manufacturers have not been immune to the hit we’ve seen many sectors take during 2020 due to the pandemic, we’re Jeremy Field U.S. Small Business already seeing Administration the manufacturing sector start GUEST COLUMN to rebound. In fact, 29,000 manufacturing jobs were added in August
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2020 alone. This is both encouraging and necessary for our region as consumers worldwide are increasingly seeking “Made in the USA” products and services. On a macro level during the past couple decades, U.S.-manufactured goods that are exported to other countries have quadrupled. Plus, nearly six in 10 U.S. export dollars come from manufacturers, establishing them as a crucial component to our role in the international marketplace. In North America specifically, the passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) earlier this year has and will continue to drive job creation and strengthen manufacturing in Washington. And since the USMCA establishes a committee on small business issues for the first time in any U.S. trade agreement, it will ensure small manufacturing voices are heard. As local manufacturers are pivoting and innovating to operate in a new environment – and in some cases, switching production to support critical needs of medical equipment and Personal Protective Equipment – it takes public and private entities working together for small manufacturing firms to succeed. The federal government is clearing red tape out of the way for small manufacturing firms by reducing regulations. During the past few years, federal agencies have issued multiple deregulatory actions for every new significant
regulatory action, saving businesses billions in regulatory costs. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, many federal regulations have been temporarily lifted; and, regional advocates from the SBA Office of Advocacy are talking to businesses to explore opportunities to permanently clear some of these regulations if they have been burdensome to small firms. In the span of a week this past spring, the SBA rolled out one of the largest economic recovery programs the country has ever seen. Financing programs like the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and traditional SBA loan programs have preserved Washington jobs and infused approximately $17 billion into Washington small businesses in 2020. With federal programs, local government, and industry and business organizations working together — combined with the ingenuity of Washington small businesses — the manufacturing industry will prevail and ultimately thrive. Jeremy Field is the regional administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration Pacific Northwest Region which serves Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses with resources to start, grow, expand or recover.
Labor & Employment
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To keep key executives, it pays to pay One goal for employers is to hire and then incentivize the brightest talent available to remain with the employer and grow the business over time. So, what are the components of a compelling compensation package that keeps the prized executive employee with the company? The most recognizable component of the executive’s employment compensation is salary. The salary must be competitive for the industry and skill set the executive brings to the organization. But the salary is just one component. Often the executive has other interests the employer can address.
Ownership, near-ownership One common tool to incentivize the employee to stay is to offer the employee ownership (stock for corporations or ownership units for limited liability companies) in the organization. This gives the executive a real stake in the success of the company. And ownership can be paired with work longevity requirements. When a company uses regular equity stock to incentivize employees, it usually does so through direct stock compensation or through stock options. The “stock option plan” (also known as the Incentive Stock Option or Qualified Stock Option or Restricted Stock Option) is where the employer allows the employee to buy stock at a value that is the current fair market value, but it remains locked in for later purchase at the original option price. The hope is that the stock appreciates, and the employee then gets to purchase at the discounted locked-in price previously established. This option is generally not taxable, but the tax is assessed when the employee sells the stock for which he previously exercised the option to purchase. At exercise, the employee needs cash to buy in to own the stock. Importantly, with the stock option, the company gets no tax deduction for the stock options offered. Similarly, the employer may not offer “real” ownership in the form of stock but might instead offer some of the benefits of stock ownership through
“phantom stock.” It is not real stock ownership. Instead, it is simply the contractual relationship Beau Ruff between Cornerstone employer and Wealth Strategies employee that GUEST COLUMN gives the employee stocklike rights when it comes to income and even to the proceeds upon the potential sale of the business without incurring income tax to the employee upon receipt of the phantom stock. For example, an executive might be given the right to 5% of the employer’s net income (as if he owned 5% of the company). Phantom stock doesn’t provide the employee with actual stock ownership rights which can simplify organizational requirements (one less stockholder to be concerned about).
Tailored benefits Benefits can be tailored for specific key executives. An employer might choose to use a new or existing 401(k) or other qualified retirement product to incentivize the executive. These plans must meet nondiscrimination rules designed to not favor highly compensated employees. Still, there are some lawful tweaks that a plan can make. For example, perhaps the employer has a short vesting schedule for its qualified plan (say, six months of employment). The employer might revise its plan to a five-year vesting schedule (with 20% vesting each year) to further incentivize longevity with the employer. And, if the employer includes a profit-sharing component to its qualified plan, it can pass more qualified funds to the key executive subject to the same vesting rules. Deferred compensation Sometimes the executive is especially concerned with retirement income.
A typical qualified plan may not be able to infuse enough cash for the executive to accommodate his or her lifestyle at retirement. Because qualified retirement plans have the built-in limitations of non-discrimination, it becomes necessary to use non-qualified (regular ol’ taxable income) to solve for the executive’s retirement needs. This kind of deferred compensation is called a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, or SERP. The SERP offers a solution to the executive’s concern about retirement. It is a planning strategy that provides for additional retirement compensation for the executive. It is usually structured as a non-qualified payment stream to the executive at retirement. As such, it neither qualifies for any special tax treatment (as true IRAs or 401(k)s can) nor is constrained by the limitations imposed on qualified plans (as traditional retirement plans are).
The payment is only a promise. That means that the employer is promising to pay a certain amount of money on an agreed basis for an agreed amount of time. But, if the employer faces hardship (think bankruptcy), the executive might find that the employer’s promise to pay takes a backseat to creditor claims. The bottom line is it is not a guaranteed payment. But really what is guaranteed these days anyway? By using one or more of the tools considered here (sometimes individualized for the executive), the employer can present a compelling package to entice the executive to stay and grow with the company. Beau Ruff, a licensed attorney, is the director of planning at Cornerstone Wealth Strategies, a full-service independent investment management and financial planning firm in Kennewick.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
uBUSINESS BRIEFS Grants support higher ed ambitions
The GEAR UP program at Washington State University Tri-Cities received two $20 million grants to support more than 7,000 students who plan to continue their education past high school. The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs is a federally-funded effort to support students from middle school to their first year after high school. The first grant is from the One Vision Partership and serves middle and high school students in the Pasco, Kiona-Benton City, Prosser, Mabton, Finley, Columbia and North Franklin school districts.
The second is a Harvest of Hope grant which will serve middle and high school students in the Kennewick, Touchet and Walla Walla school districts.
State makes Covid funds available to immigrants
The state of Washington is providing up to $3,000 in assistance to Washington residents who have been affected by the covid-19 pandemic but are unable to access federal stimulus program and other social support because of their immigration status. The state dedicated $40 million in federal funds to the Washington Covid-19 Immigrant Relief Fund. It was developed with input from immigrant rights and social service
Labor & Employment
advocates. While active, the program will award $1,000 to eligible recipients, up to $3,000 per household. Go to immigrantreliefwa.org for application information.
Future Workforce Summit goes virtual
The Southeastern Washington future Workforce Summit will be conducted online from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 17. The event is organized by the Washington State STEM Education Foundation and Educational Service District 123 and covers strategies to prepare students for careers in this region. There is no charge to attend. Go to bit.ly/FutureWorkforceSummit to register or for more details.
WSU Tri-Cities offers tuition break to Umatilla County
Washington State University Tri-Cities is inviting students from Umatilla County to attend at the in-state tuition rate. The university is inviting Oregon students to cross the state line without paying a premium under a new program called the “I-82 Advantage.� In-state tuition is $11,144 per year, compared to $26,087 for out-of-state students. Applications are posted at tricities. wsu.edu/apply. Go to tricities.wsu.edu/ admissions/i82advantage for more information. ACT and SAT scores are not a factor for admissions decisions through spring semester 2022.
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Labor & Employment
Expanding preschool enrollment is critical and Head Start can help The Covid-19 pandemic has shed light on the many holes in America’s social safety net — workers in fields deemed “nonessential” are struggling to make ends meet across Eastern Washington. Many of those deemed essential find themselves in harm’s way. Fortunately, there is one resource that working families in the Tri-Cities can depend on, even during a pandemic — preschool provided through Head Start and their preschool partners. Data collected by Benton-Franklin Trends, a project of Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis, shows that the percentage of children enrolled in preschool in Benton and Franklin counties is well below both the statewide and national average. This isn’t a good sign for the future of our children. According to a study by the Brookings Institute, research on preschool has shown it improves outcomes for children across a number of important quality-of-life metrics: higher school attendance rates, fewer failing grades, a higher likelihood of graduating from high school and less involvement in criminal activity. The good news is that we can fix this trend by enrolling more children in preschool, even during a pandemic.
Just like K-12 education, Benton Franklin Head Start has moved online and parents can now ensure that their children get access to Russell Shjerven activities and Teamsters Local 839 materials that GUEST COLUMN promote and enhance language and literacy skills, motor skills, social skills and more, all from the comfort of home. If your child needs special attention due to developmental challenges, that won’t be an issue. Head Start has specialists and partners with area school districts who will work with your kids to ensure that their needs are accommodated. No internet? No problem — Head Start will loan you a hotspot and a tablet for your child to use. Head Start services don’t stop at remote learning, either — families who enroll their children in Head Start also have access to free health care services, family support services, free meals for your child and educational materials to enhance at home learning. uHEAD START, Page A24
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Local workers are keeping American Dream alive on Main Street I have often said that small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and that could not be truer in Central Washington’s rural communities. The owners and employees of Main Street businesses are integral to the well-being of our communities, and the support for small businesses I have witnessed during my travels throughout our district is inspiring. We are in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, which has affected nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Unfortunately, our small and local businesses — from restaurants and clothing retailers to hardware stores and hair salons — have been hit hard, and many are struggling to survive. I have participated in Main Street tours over the past few years in towns like Ritzville, Prosser, and Zillah. These tours are an opportunity for me to visit the smaller rural communities, meet with local business owners and community leaders and hear firsthand about the challenges they face and what I can do to help. I recently traveled to Grant and Franklin counties, where I participated in tours of Quincy and Connell, two communities that have demonstrated great resilience and strength throughout these difficult times. In Quincy, we visited the site of the Woodinville Whiskey Distillery Co.,
which aims to open in December. This new distillery will not only add jobs to the local economy, but it will highlight the Dan Newhouse contributions of Congressman local agriculture GUEST COLUMN by making bourbon with rye and corn produced by Quincy farmers. This is just one example of job creation in the face of the economic challenges of a pandemic. Despite these challenges, Central Washington’s communities are growing. Quincy High School is working to help students meet the needs of existing and emerging job markets in our region. Quincy High, which focuses on preparing students for the workforce with strong programs from agriculture to STEM education, recently completed a $100 million expansion to accommodate for increasing populations. In Connell, I was greeted by a variety of local business owners who opened their doors to me and shared their experiences with state regulations and lockdowns. Each and every one of them was optimistic for brighter future. uNEWHOUSE, Page A24
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HEAD START, From page A23 These services are available to income eligible children and families throughout the Tri-Cities. Go to bfhs.net for more information and to fill out an interest letter. Many families throughout the Tri-Cities are experiencing hardship and loss — coping with financial challenges, grieving loved ones, or just enduring the struggle of daily life — because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s during times like these that neighbors turn to one another for support and end up stronger because of it, and this spirit of community solidarity
in the Tri-Cities is perhaps best embodied by the work being done by our members at Benton Franklin Head Start. If you have young children at home, apply today, because expanding preschool enrollment is imperative to quality of life in our community, both for the present and for the future. Russell Shjerven is the secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 839, which represents more than 80 Head Start teachers, family service workers, health and nutrition assistants and food service workers who provide high quality preschool and home visiting services that close the opportunity gap for children in the Tri-City area.
No paywall at tcjournal.biz
NEWHOUSE, From page A23 Restaurants like Pizza Station are surviving the pandemic through curbside pickup and by establishing a delivery service. Another local pizza joint, Papa Ray’s, has relied on family members pitching in to keep the business afloat. Both restaurants expressed gratitude toward the community of Connell for supporting them when they needed it most. I visited Imagination Station, Connell’s only licensed child care facility, where staff took voluntary pay cuts to continue providing services to children and families; Connell’s Small Mall, where local vendors have gathered to sell their goods for decades; and the Old Brick Store, a collectibles store with a rich local history.
It was clear to me at all of our stops that the people of Connell truly exhibit the value of community we cherish in Central Washington. If you ever wondered if the American Dream is alive and well, I encourage you to look toward Main Street. The small business owners, employees, educators, and families that inhabit our local cities and towns truly care about improving their communities and contributing to the greater good. It is an honor to represent our Main Street small businesses in Congress. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, represents Washington’s Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House. He was re-elected to a third term on Nov. 3.
Q&A Number of employees you oversee: 59
Brief background of your business: Sales, parts and service of new and preowned Audis and BMWs as well as selling of any other brand pre-owned as well. How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it? My family has been in the automotive business in the Northwest since 1985. I started back in 2003 when I turned 16 years old by washing cars. I started in management in June 2009 and from there continued to grow into the business. My current position started in April 2015 when my family and I acquired BMW of Tri-Cities.
Why should the Tri-Cities care about the automotive industry? This industry is one of the highest contributors to state and local taxes that go back into our community. It is also an essential service to help keep clients on the road whether it is maintaining their current vehicle or replacing it. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? Passion. You must be passionate about what you are trying to accomplish, and you need to pass it on to your staff to get them motivated to reach their goals. What is the biggest challenge facing business owners/managers today? Navigating a constantly changing environment. It is critical that we stay on top of changes and continually modernize the experience for the client and our staff.
If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your industry/field? I would love to change the perception that clients have about the automotive industry or automotive dealers. The industry
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CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ
Executive manager Audi/BMW of Tri-Cities
has changed drastically in the past few years, and there are lots of great dealers who are genuine and care about the client. We take pride in always trying to be the best versus the biggest. We would not be here today if we didn’t always put our clients first.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? Have patience. It can be overwhelming at first and learning how to cope with the added responsibility of guiding a team and having to make decisions that moves their agenda takes time. Who are your role models or mentors? My parents. They have always inspired me to be the best I can be no matter what I chose to do and have worked hard to give me the opportunities I have today.
How do you keep your team motivated? Reminding my team to always look at the glass as half full. My dad has always told me “so you think, so you travel.” Positive results come from a positive outlook. How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today? Since I was able to work, I spent time around my family’s dealerships as often as I could to work and learn the business. As I got older, my love for the business continued to grow and it pushed me to take on more responsibility and learn as much as I can from those around me. I have always loved being around cars as a kid and never lost that passion growing up. How do you measure success in your workplace? By setting realistic goals for the team and seeing where they end up but also by what kind of improvement they show. Sometimes, they may not get to where
they set their goal, however, they may have shown personal growth in other areas that can lead to them obtaining their goals easier in the future.
What do you consider your leadership style to be? Coaching style. It is important to help others see their own potential and what they can achieve. People are capable of more than they may realize at times and it is important to acknowledge the talent they have. How do you balance work and family life? It can be difficult. This position doesn’t always allow you to leave work for the next day and sometimes keeps you working late into the night. When it does not, being present for family is key, i.e. putting the phone away and spending quality time with family or doing some sort of activity with them. What do you like to do when you are not at work? Spend time with my wife or see family. I also play golf when time allows.
What’s your best time management strategy? Writing things down in my day planner and prioritizing them based on importance. Distractions and interruptions can come at you without notice and it makes it easier
Christopher Martinez
when I have something to refer back to and make sure I’m on pace to finish them within the time allowed.
Best tip to relieve stress? Doing some sort of physical activity, working out or doing something unrelated to what causes the stress. A puzzle or some sort of game to make the mind work on other things helps.
What’s your favorite website? I usually go to AutoWeek.com to see the latest car updates every week. It helps me learn what the competition is doing so we know what to expect when our clients are comparing brands.
Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use? “Nobody is perfect, but those who chase perfection will always have the best chance of being successful in whatever they do.”
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BUSINESS PROFILE
Epic Trust unites financial services under one roof By Laura Kostad
for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Three local financial professionals have launched a new business after merging their separate financial planning, investment management, insurance, tax accounting and bookkeeping companies. “We’re the only firm in town that has all of our disciplines together under one roof. There’s no competitor that we are aware of that can do everything we do, all with one phone call and one address,” said Jeffrey P. Lewis, owner and founder of one of the merging companies, Epic Trust Investment Advisors of Kennewick. Lewis, Nathan Burt of Kennewick’s Burt Tax & Accounting, and Tyson Reil of Real Insurance Solutions in Kennewick merged their businesses on July 1 to form Epic Trust Financial Group. The new company moved into HomeStreet Bank’s former commercial banking office at 1305 Fowler St., Suite 1D, in Richland. Minimal tenant improvements were required to ready the space. Epic Trust subsequently acquired four other businesses: Advisor Benefits Group of Kennewick; ALP Financial Planning of Richland, Precision Accounting Solutions of Kennewick, and Balanced Accounting & Bookkeeping of Kennewick, bringing on their full teams and increasing their total employment to 23. “You see some financial planning and some insurance services grouped together, but again, it’s the same guy doing your
Photo by Laura Kostad Epic Trust Financial Group has formed after merging local businesses, Epic Trust Investment Advisors, Real Insurance Solutions and Burt Tax & Accounting. Owners Jeffrey P. Lewis, from left, Tyson Reil and Nathan Burt said joining their expertise under one company flag, in one location will add value and simplify financial management for customers.
business insurance, home and auto insurance and some of your investments. So my argument is, if you’re doing all that, then what are you good at?” Reil said. “That’s why we are adamant about having true professionals siloed out into different departments but working collaboratively together.”
Earning client trust Instead of hiring an accountant for tax filing, payroll and bookkeeping, another
professional to get financial advice, and an agent—or sometimes multiple agents—to oversee insurance plans, Epic Trust offers a one-stop shop. Burt provided an example of how well it can work: he recently asked an accounting client, whose business insurance was handled by another office, if they would like Epic’s insurance team to look over their books to try and find them a better deal. “Tyson went through their books with me, and we had access to all of their details, and so we could tailor an insurance plan for that business that was cheaper than what they were paying for and just as good of coverage, just because we knew more detailed information than anybody else would,” Burt said. For less than the cost of one mid-level employee, businesses can hire Epic Trust’s professionals to manage all their financial
needs, Lewis said. “They get a CPA, a credentialed insurance agent, a certified financial planner. They get a paraplanner, they get a bookkeeper and an accountant … realistically, for way less money than they can afford to hire all of those disciplines in house,” he said. Lewis said one of the biggest reasons Epic Trust’s model makes sense and why it’s gained so much traction is clients’ sense of trust. “When it’s not just one financial advisor or one insurance agent or one tax person that they’re going to meet with and hope that they do a good job for them, now we’ve got multiple disciplines that all have to agree or are planning to talk to each other about what’s going on with our clients so that we can serve them. And that takes the trust level from where it is on an individual basis and puts us in a category that most other firms may not be able to achieve,” Lewis said.
Overcoming the hurdles It begs the question: if this model translates to such significant added value to clients and a potential uptick in business, why haven’t other financial professionals joined forces to offer similar experiences? “There’s always risk in partnering with someone,” Burt said. Despite the three having known each other for years, they admitted there were still hurdles to overcome. “The biggest one was probably just giving up that control of being the guy in charge,” Reil said. “We were all president of our own company prior to this and deciding to give up a certain level of control and profitability or how decisions are made, that’s a really tough decision for a lot of people to make,” Lewis agreed. He explained that a lot of people in the uEPIC TRUST, Page A28
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BUSINESS PROFILE
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Love cider? Options abound at new Richland cider house By Sarah McCauley
for Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
The owner of Richland’s new cider house pivoted from a pandemic layoff toward his dream. Instead of trying to find another job, Nate Steele decided to chase after what he’s long wanted to do: offer a welcoming place to sip a variety of the best ciders around. “It almost feels surrealistic,” he said. Cider enthusiasts can choose from a wide variety of options. Currently, there’s six on tap and about 30 varieties in cans. A recent tap list included Locust Vanilla Bean, Elemental LemonCello, Goose Ridge Cherry, Bad Granny Ginger Lime, 2 Towns Serious Scrump and Elemental Pomegranate. He hopes soon to have more than 20 ciders on tap. Steele also is excited to offer the option to build your own mix-and-match six-pack of cider. Guests can choose to sip their cider at the cider house, or take it home with them. They’ll fill growlers too. Situated on busy George Washington Way, next to the Homewood Suites by Hilton, TC Cider House opened Oct. 26. It features artwork created by local artists and has limited inside seating. Steele says the heaters will be on to keep guests cozy in the outdoor seating area as the winter weather creeps in. If cider isn’t your favorite, don’t worry there’s beer, wine and soft drinks to choose from. Alongside cider, there are small plates for pairing. The menu will evolve, but for now small snack options include chips and salsa and cheese plates. Steele plans to add more selections later. Steele envisions customers being able to sit down at TC Cider House with their
favorite cider in one hand and a gooey grilled-cheese sandwich in the other. Customers also are welcome to bring their own food or takeout from another local eatery. Porter’s Real Barbecue moved its Richland restaurant into the same strip mall earlier this year.
Cider house philosophy The idea of opening his cider house in the Tri-Cities was a no brainer for Steele, who has spent practically his whole life living and working in the community. “There’s a need for a cider house in the Tri-Cities. We have d’s (Wicked) Cider, great cider. We have Goose Ridge that makes their own cider, once again — amazing cider. Totally opposite ends of the spectrum. And there’s so much in between,” he said. While researching for his business, Steele said he realized that with more than 150 cider-producing companies in just the Pacific Northwest alone, there’s so much out there to share with people. He wants his cider house to be a way to educate the community about cider and the hundreds of varieties available. Opening a business is no simple task at any time but starting one during a pandemic came with its own challenges. But Steele wasn’t fazed by the obstacles. If you get a chance to meet him and hear the philosophy by which he lives his life, you’ll understand why. At TC Cider House, the core of the
Photos courtesy Nate Steele Nate Steele opened the new TC Cider House at 1082 George Washington Way in Richland in late October.
business is about more than cider. It’s about his philosophy that hinges on the idea of planting seeds of goodness in the world. He has a handy acronym for it: GIVE CIDER, which stands for: Gratitude, Integrity, Values, Empathy, and Caring, Intelligence, Diversity, Education, Respect. “We focus so much on the negative, and we need to focus on making positivity louder… I’m trying to GIVE CIDER to flip that up and I really hope we succeed. I know we will succeed,” he said. This year’s challenges turned into the launching pad Steele needed to take the
leap and achieve his dream. It wasn’t until he was laid off, as so many have been during the Covid-19 pandemic, that he looked at his dream as something slightly more tangible. Steele, with the encouragement and support of his father, saw an opportunity to dive into the unknown and see if he might be able to make his dream a reality. “Everything kind of fell into place as it needed to, even from getting laid off… it was just like, well, we’ll figure uCIDER HOUSE, Page A28
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EPIC TRUST, From page A26 financial fields want to just specialize in being a CPA or only handle investments or only sell insurance. “I think a lot of folks that are in our professions, they have a harder time seeing how these synergies working together really come into play,” Lewis said. Burt explained how offering multiple services from one office involved sorting out plenty of logistics, including “age, having the right bedside manner, having similar ambitions, a client base that’s willing to follow, and similar values. So, it had to take like 10 matching factors to make it work, and so I think that’s why nobody else does it.” The official merger came after nine months of strategic planning.
The Epic Trust team recommends that anyone interested in partnering or merging with another business to work through “The Partnership Charter: How to Start Out Right with Your New Business Partnership (or Fix the One You’re In)” by David Gage. The book offers guidance, questionnaires and scenarios prospective partners tackle together to make sure they align on critical points and that all logistical and legal questions are addressed and agreed upon—even those that are difficult to talk about, such as how different partners will be compensated. Lewis said understanding how the financial equation will work is one of the most important aspects. “One of the big reasons most businesses fail in the first several years is they don’t have enough
money.” “It’s going through that process and exploring, ‘What if…then what?’ ” Reil said. He added, “Legally, it’s hard. We spent a lot of money on attorneys to get our business plan hammered out and had a lot of conversations with our governing bodies to make sure we’re in compliance, so there are some severe compliance hurdles that need to be addressed to do this right.” After the merge was official, the Epic Trust team said the next challenge was blending company culture, an ongoing process. “That was one of my negotiating pieces coming into this, is this has to be a good place to work,” Reil said. Epic Trust Financial Group: 509-5910014; 1305 Fowler St Suite 1D, Richland WA 99352; Facebook; Instagram.
CIDER HOUSE, From page A27 it out… I think it would have happened regardless, but that was definitely the catalyst of, ‘Well, you can get a new job somewhere else… and know that it’s not what you want to do, or take the risk that most people don’t want to take and live your dream,” he said. Steele has devoted his career to the restaurant industry, having served in nearly every aspect of the culinary world from server to manager — everything except the owner of his own place. When you ask Steele why he was drawn to the idea of owning his own business, he’ll take you to the beginning of his story, when he and his sister played restaurant as kids, serving meals to their devoted clientele: mom and dad. “Our parents would cook dinner and everything, but we’d write up a menu and set the table then take them outside, and they’d knock on the door and we’d walk into the living room… trying act as much like a restaurant as we could… and something about that… I thought it would be so sweet to own my own restaurant café,” Steele said. He’s become a believer that dreams do come true. TC Cider House is open Monday-Thursday from 2-9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 2-9:30 p.m. TC Cider House: 1082 George Washington Way, Richland; Facebook; Instagram.
uAPPOINTMENTS • Trios Health has announced that Amy Sweetwood has been appointed the designated institutional officer (DIO) for the Graduate Medical Amy Sweetwood Education Residency Program. As DIO, she is tasked with the oversight and administration of Trios’ family and internal medicine residency programs and ensuring compliance with accreditation council for graduate medical education standards and requirements. She will work with the program directors of the family medicine and internal medicine residency programs, their respective program coordinators, core faculty, the graduate medical education committee, and residents of the respective programs in her role. She most recently was the program operations lead at Spokane Teaching Health Center and continues to consult with the organization. She was also previously the graduate medical education director from 2013-18 at Kadlec Regional Medical Center and was part of the team that built and implemented the residency program when it began in 2015. • Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Phillip Lemley of Richland to the Sentencing Guidelines Commission Board, and Castulo (Cus) Arteaga of Grandview to the Yakima Valley Community College Board of Trustees.
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 uNEW HIRES • Andre Hargunani, who served as principal of Leona Libby Middle School in West Richland since it opened, has been named the first principal of Richland Virtual School. He’ll provide support to this new program that has about 500 students and 30 staff. Hargunani is succeeded at Libby by Maren Benedict, who has most recently served as an assistant principal at Hanford High School. She brings 13 years of experience to the role, including her background as a science teacher and teaching science education at the post-secondary level. • Prosser Memorial Health has hired Becky Morris, a certified nurse midwife-women’s health nurse practitioner, to the team of providers at the Grandview Clinic, 1003 Wallace Way. Morris received her bachelor of science in nursing at the University of Utah School of Nursing and Health Sciences in Salt Lake City and her master’s at Georgetown University School of Nursing Health and Sciences in Washington, D.C. She is certified in ultrasound. Her professional associations include the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health and the American College of Nurse Midwives. • Tidewater Transportation and Terminals, the largest barge transportation and terminal network on the Columbia-Snake River system, recently named Aaron Degodny as its new vice president and chief commercial officer. Degodny will focus on establishing
strategic partnerships in new markets, expanding and strengthening client relationships, and extending the regional and global footprint of Tidewater. • STCU hired two new leaders. Chris Severin is vice president of retail. He most recently worked as a senior vice president at Columbia Bank, Chris Severin where he oversaw the Inland Northwest market. He brings nearly 20 years of banking leadership experience to the credit union, where he will steer branch operations at its 25 locations. He is a graduate of Leadership Spokane and the Pacific Coast Banking School. Joe Yetter has been named the new position of senior vice president of commercial and business services. He will oversee STCU’s growing business service and Joe Yetter lending offerings. With more than 30 years of commercial banking and lending experience, Yetter worked at Umpqua Bank in various lending leadership roles, and joins STCU from Banner Bank, where he was senior credit administrator. A Maryland native, he holds a bachelor’s from the University of Maryland College Park
and passed the Maryland CPA exam early in his career. • Cornerstone Wealth Strategies Inc., based in Kennewick, has hired Cameron Burch as a wealth advisor who also will assist with trading Cameron Burch and research. The Tri-City native has been working in the finance industry since 2008, earning his bachelor of science in economics from the University of Utah in 2008 and working in the banking field until he became a licensed financial advisor in 2012. • Community First Bank &HFG Trust, based in Kennewick, has announced two new hires. Cameron Stephens joined as the new commercial lending team Cameron Stephens leader, overseeing the commercial lending department’s day-to-day operations. He brings nearly 20 years of banking experience, beginning his career in retail banking and later transitioning into commercial lending in 2014. Originally from St. George, Utah, Stephens is an alumnus of Dixie State University, and later earned his master’s in business administration from Southern Utah University.
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Nicholas Haberling has been hired as a partnership advisor at Community First Bank &HFG Trust. In this role, he oversees the expansion Nicholas Haberling of the wealth management division through professional recruitment of certified financial advisors and firms outside the Tri-City area. His prior experience includes working with one of the nation’s largest broker-dealers. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gonzaga University in 2017 before going on to obtain his Series 7 and 63 licenses. He also serves as a 1st lieutenant in the Army Reserves. • Lourdes Health has named Kena Chase as its new chief nursing officer. With more than 23 years of experience in health care, Chase has been serving as Lourdes interim CNO since August 2020, and her previous role was the director of Lourdes ICU, Medical Surgical & Observation Units. Prior to her role at Lourdes, she spent nine years at WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital in Griffin, Georgia, where she served as director of Medical Surgical, Stroke & Pediatrics. Chase holds a master’s degree in nursing leadership and management from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a bachelor’s in nursing from South University in Savannah, Georgia.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
RACEWAY, From page A1 velopment. Eric Mendenhall, the city’s economic development director, confirmed there is interest in a warehouse. But there is no certainty anything will come together, even if the city spends the money to clear the site. On the other hand, he said, Friends of Red Mountain is “at home plate” and ready to go — an economic development win he likened to having a “bird in hand.” “To me, it’s a long shot that we’re going to get one of those warehouses,” he said. Friends of Red Mountain wants to lease the 35 acres that include the racetrack as well as existing amenities, including a concession stand and restrooms. The total property is about 92 acres. The nonprofit recently screened “Days of Thunder” and “Talladega Nights: The
Ballad of Ricky Bobby” during well-attended drive-in movie nights in mid-October. The one-off events generated a “few thousand dollars,” which is helping it press its vision for an event center. If approved, the city would set a market rate rent level for the property. Mayor Brent Gerry wants to earmark proceeds for park maintenance, which currently has a $1 million backlog. The nonprofit will pay the difference between the lease amount and what it spends on capital improvements such as fencing, sound and light systems and rebuilding the concession, restroom and grandstands to the city. So, if the lease rate works out to $80,000 a year, and Red Mountain spent $50,000 on capital upgrades and repairs, the city
would receive $30,000. Van Winkle is hoping for a five-year lease with an option to renew for five years. Red Mountain Event Center would preserve the existing track, but motorsports are a small part of the vision of corporate, social and industry events. It would host two to four racing events a year. Noise would be limited but traffic at the entrance on Van Giesen Street could be an issue. Van Winkle called the public-private partnership that oversees the Gesa Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick a useful model that could guide West Richland’s relationship with Friends of Red Mountain. The model unites the strength of the city with the ability of nonprofits to carry out philanthropic activities, such as ticket giveaways. Cities are prohibited from making gifts of public funds.
“We did that successfully at the carousel and it is a model for this,” he said. The carousel is a model in another way too. Like all event centers, the carousel has been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. It shut down in mid-March when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order to slow the spread of the virus. Parker Hodge, executive director, said it has reopened for limited use in Phase 2 but cannot fully reopen under the Safe Start program until Benton County reaches the end of Phase 4. The carousel laid off most staff and entered the pandemic with no debt and some cash. Today, it’s operating on donations and some revenue as well as a line of credit from its namesake sponsor, Gesa Credit Union. It has pitched a reopening plan to the governor’s office but received no response as of late October. A lingering pandemic will be a death knell for event centers, but Van Winkle said Red Mountain Event Center would not be ready for events until mid-2021 at the earliest. “We’re long-term thinkers. We are rebuilding. We won’t have events for six months,” he said. The city paid about $1.8 million for the raceway with a combination of $500,000 in cash when the deal closed and a promissory note for $1.3 million, payable via the city’s portion of Rural County Capital Funds held by Benton County. The port acquired the land in 2008 but had made no move to develop it beyond developing a master plan because it is focused on its Vista Field redevelopment and Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village projects. Track the project at redmountaineventcenter.com.
uGRANTS • The Arts Center Task Force recently awarded grants to support artists, performers, and arts organizations during the pandemic. Recipients are: Afrose Fatima Ahmed, a poet; Encanto Arts, a program that assists rural youth; Heather Hull Hart, a musician; and Courtney Jette, a photographer. • The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $33.8 million to 22 projects that collectively support 396 new beds and outpatient services for people with behavioral health and other challenges. Mid-Columbia recipients include: -Americare LLC, which provides specialized dementia care, received $2 million to support 40 beds in Pasco. -SHC Medical Center, Toppenish/ Astria Hospital received $2 million to support long-term civic confinement facilities in Toppenish. -Lutheran Community Services Northwest received $510,000 to support outpatient services in Kennewick. -Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital received $1.3 million to support outpatient services in Yakima. • The Mattawa Area Food Bank received a $10,000 Nation of Neighbors grant from Royal Neighbors of America, one of the first and largest women-led insurers in the U.S.
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 uDONATIONS • Baker Boyer, based in Walla Walla, has awarded several grants to support organizations and people affected by homelessness as a result of the pandemic, including shelter, clothing, food, health, and hygiene. It also has funded programs to address mental health and domestic violence. Tri-City area recipients are: -Union Gospel Mission, $5,000 to provide resources to meet increased demand for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. -Martha’s Cupboard, $4,000 to deliver basic household goods to people who may otherwise live without. Serves nearly 8,000 individuals in Tri-Cities annually through outreach/coordination dozens of local agencies. -SARC (Support, Advocacy & Resource Center) of Tri-Cities, $2,500 to provide advocacy, counseling, and support to survivors of domestic violence and other crime. -Kadlec Foundation, $1,000 for incremental Covid-related needs. -Kennewick Kiwanis, $1,000 for elementary school supplies, personal protection equipment and cleaning. -Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society, $1,000 for increased need for low-income legal services due to Covid. -Kennewick Police Foundation, $500 to support the Community Care Program which allows officers who see an immediate community need to be
able to take action and help people or resolve an issue. -Comprehensive Health, $4,282 raised by the “Miles for Charity” challenge to support mental health and substance use disorder treatments in Eastern Washington. Nonprofits in the Walla Walla Valley and Yakima area also received grants. Baker Boyer contributes about $200,000 annually in donations and sponsorships to support nonprofits and community organizations. This amount has nearly doubled this year in response to increased needs caused by the pandemic. • A $35,000 donation from the Albertsons and Safeway Foundation will be used to support Richland School District’s weekly distribution of free meals to all children in the community. The contribution will help defray additional costs from those efforts, such as food containers, sacks and thermal packaging. • Washington River Protection Solutions donated $20,000 to the Washington State STEM Education Foundation to advance career-connected learning programs, including STEM Like Me!, an initiative that promotes interaction between STEM professionals and students. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math, disciplines that represent the fastest areas of job growth in the 21st century. The foundation launched STEM Like Me! in 2014 with an initial $35,000 design grant from WRPS.
uAWARDS & HONORS • During its 95th annual conference, the League of Oregon Cities presented its 2020 good governance award to the city of Hermiston for its Capital Improvement Plan website. The award recognizes progressive and innovative city operations and services. Hermiston Projects Dot Com is an interactive website that keeps residents up to date and informed about the city of Hermiston’s long-term street, water and sewer upgrades and upkeep. Projects included in the city’s five-year plan can be sorted on the site by department, status or location to better understand how utility fees are being spent to maintain utilities and infrastructure. Each project page is updated with milestones and photos as work is underway, and final costs and descriptions are added when the job is done. By turning the 200page document into a user-friendly website, residents can learn about the unseen work of utility upgrades, expected timelines of major projects, and upcoming work that may close roads or affect utilities. • LifeCenter Northwest presented an Organ Donation Referral Achievement Award and a Collaboration Achievement Award to Kadlec Regional Medical Center on Oct. 19 in recognition of superior donation performance in 2019. LifeCenter recognizes Kadlec’s consistency in making
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timely referral calls and for reaching or exceeding a timely organ referral rate of 90%. With a 2019 timely organ referral rate of 92%, Kadlec is one of 15 hospitals in LifeCenter Northwest’s donation service area — comprising four states and 200-plus hospitals — to receive the referral achievement award. LifeCenter also recognized Kadlec’s ability to plan a collaborative family conversation with the LifeCenter staff to ensure the best possible family experience, and the collaborative award is reserved for those reaching or exceeding a collaborative request rate of 90%. With a 2019 collaborative request rate of 92%, Kadlec is one of 34 hospitals in the donation service area to receive the award. • Joe Walker, newly promoted director of airports for the Port of Benton, has earned the certified member credential from the American Joe Walker Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). The designation is the second highest level of achievement available from the AAAE. The designation attests to Walker’s proficiency and knowledge of airport operations and management.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION West Richland’s square ‘doughnut-shaped’ cop shop nears starting line
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Pacific Pasta & Grill heads for Richland as lease runs out
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November 2020 Volume 19 | Issue 11 | B1
Goodwill Industries secures future Pasco store site By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
Goodwill Industries of the Columbia will build a store in Pasco after securing a site next to Walmart. The store will mirror the newly built Kennewick Goodwill. However, it will not take shape for several years, said Ken Gosney, executive director for the nonprofit, which serves people with disabilities. Goodwill paid $1.17 million for a 4.54acre undeveloped site at Wrigley Drive and North Road 76 in a deal that closed shortly before Halloween. The property borders the Pasco Walmart, 4820 N. Road 68, to the north. Gosney said Goodwill was drawn by projections that Pasco will gain 50,000 residents in coming decades. “It made sense for us to have a location in that shopping corridor,” he said. It will take several years to move forward with actual construction. The Pasco store will mirror the $3.1 million Goodwill store and warehouse that opened in Kennewick in mid-2019. The 20,000-square-foot store at 345 S. Columbia Center Blvd. is evenly split between retail and warehouse space and employs between 30 and 35 workers. The Columbia Center store replaced Ken-
KGH on track to become recovery center By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
The former Kennewick General Hospital will become a recovery center serving clients with drug addiction and mental health issues under a plan approved in late October by the Kennewick Public Hospital District Board. The district’s board of commissioners accepted a two-part feasibility study that lays the foundation to convert the hospital on Auburn Street into what it calls the Two Rivers Rehabilitation Center during its Oct. 29 meeting. Benton and Franklin counties helped fund the $50,000 study. The Tri-Cities is the only community of size in Washington that lacks a recovery and detox center. uKGH, Page B2
newick and east Kennewick shops, both leased. Goodwill relies on a retail-based earned revenue strategy to support its service mission. It borrowed money to build the Kennewick store, repaying the loan with proceeds from retail sales. Gosney said it will employ a similar approach in Pasco. It has a strong preference to own rather than lease its buildings. Once the mortgages are paid off, proceeds go back into serving clients. “Long term, that’s a much better option,” he said. Gosney said it contemplated a fundraising campaign but prefers not to compete with its fellow nonprofits for capital donations. The community, he said, already supports it through donations of household goods and other items. Gosney conceded the nonprofit was nervous about committing so much money to the Pasco site during a pandemic that closed its stores for more than three months. He praised the seller, Kidwell Family LLC, for being patient while it worked through its due diligence and waited to see if the public would return to its stores when they reopened. “We didn’t want to pull the trigger dur-
Photo by Wendy Culverwell Goodwill Industries of the Columbia paid $1.17 million for a 4.54-acre undeveloped site at Wrigley Drive and North Road 76 in a deal that closed shortly before Halloween. The property borders the Pasco Walmart, 4820 N. Road 68, to the north. A future store is planned.
ing the shutdown,” he said. He notes it paid employees even when they were unable to work. Fortunately, customers returned. Gosney said donations were strong. “The better we do on the retail side, the better we do on the mission side,” he said. Goodwill Industries of the Columbia
reported $19.6 million in revenue and $16 million in expenses in its most recent 990 filing with the Internal Revenue Service. It employed 636 and valued net assets at $29.4 million. Its four top executives, including Gosney, earned a combined $530,000 in salary.
New in-patient facility to offer senior psychiatric care By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
The Tri-Cities isn’t often the second location for any growing chain. But it is for a Salt Lake City-based joint venture that is building psychiatric hospitals for seniors in the West. Sana Behavioral Health will open a $2.8 million, 16-bed hospital at 7319 W. Hood Place next spring. It will be the second of five Sana senior psychiatric hospitals being built in the West, said Ryan Eggleston, president of Sana Medical Group. The Kennewick hospital will employ 44, including medical and psychiatric physicians, an administrator, director of nursing and others. The 16,518-squarefoot, single-story building is just north of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in a cluster of medical facilities. The first Sana Behavioral Hospital opened in April in Prescott, Arizona. A third is planned in Hurricane, Utah, and the fourth and fifth will be built in 2021
in Arizona and Colorado, respectively. The Sana model targets underserved, tertiary markets, meaning rural areas. A Las Vegas-area edition operates under a different structure. The Kennewick hospital will be a twin to the newly opened Prescott Sana hospital. It’s no accident Sana selected the Tri-Cities for its second location. Eggleston said demographics, population size, Medicare data and existing access to psychiatric services contributed to its decision to invest in Kennewick. And it helps that Eggleston’s sister lives here, so he was already familiar with the area. Business leaders, he added, were very welcoming when he scouted potential locations. “We are really excited about the community. We think we can be a great enhancement to the health care scene,” he said. Sana is a joint venture with ERH Healthcare, a hospital developer, and FJ Management Inc., its capital partner.
The small facilities serve seniors 55 and older — aging baby boomers — with age-appropriate programming in an inpatient setting. The World Health Organization estimates that 15% of adults 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder. And demand is rising with the aging population. By 2050, there will be 2 billion people age 60 or over, accounting for 22% of the world’s population. “Older people face special physical and mental health challenges which need to be recognized,” the global health organization noted. At Sana, activities, education and therapy are tailored to the challenges faced by seniors. The vibe is homey and comforting, particularly for seniors with mental health challenges. “They look a lot more welcoming than most psychiatric units would look like,” he said. “Seniors struggling with psychiatric issues don’t have to ask, uSANA, Page B5
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
uBUSINESS BRIEFS Port hires new economic development director
Stephen McFadden, an economic development leader and an Adams County newspaper publisher, has joined the Port of Pasco as director of economic development and marketing. McFadden succeeds Gary Ballew, who left to join Greater Spokane Incorporated. McFadden comes to Pasco from Adams County, where he led economic development efforts for six years. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as pubKGH, From page B1 The Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition led by Michele Gerber has spent the last two years promoting the need to help people with substance abuse disorders and mental health issues in their own hometown. Accepting the study is the first step to converting the old KGH into a 76-bed recovery center and detoxification facility. The plan gives the hospital district a fresh mission following its 2017 bankruptcy. It lost most of its physical assets, including the hospital on Auburn Street, now known as Trios Women’s and Children’s Hospital, after being overwhelmed by more than $200 million in debt. The private company now called LifePoint acquired Trios and, separately, Lourdes Health in Pasco. The district remained in existence, with
lisher and owner of the Ritzville Adams County Journal. He served as chair of the Big Bend Community Board of Trustees, charter chairman and incorporating agent of the Adams County Development Council and with other civic groups. He worked closely with Ballew to lead the Eastern Washington Economic Development Alliance.
Real Estate & Construction IRS website guides closing businesses
Richland formally broke ground for two fire station projects in October. The two projects include Station 75, a new facility at 460 Battelle Blvd., and
the relocation of Station 73 to the Bypass Highway and Jadwin Avenue. Both will house fire and emergency personnel as well as police officers. The city awarded a contract to build both facilities to DGR Grant Construction Inc. of Richland in March. Architects West and Perlman Design are responsible for the designs. The two-station project budget is $10.2 million, including $9 million for design and construction and $1.2 million for equipment. The city said $7 million is financed with debt that will be repaid with property taxes over 20 years.
a mission to fill the local gap in health care services. A recovery center fits the bill, its commissioners said. “We can still make a real difference,” said Dr. Leonard Dreisbach, a member of the board. The stars behind the Two Rivers plan began to line up when LifePoint applied for a certificate of need to consolidate its Kennewick beds at the Trios Southridge Hospital, signaling its intent to move the birthing center out of downtown, with a decision due in early 2021. The move will free a 100,000-squarefoot hospital. The hospital will be repurposed with 60 in-patient beds and an 18-bed detox center with both secured and unsecured beds for law enforcement purposes. LifePoint has not commented on its plans, but Lee Kerr, the district’s superintendent, said it has a tentative purchase
and sale agreement to buy back the hospital on terms he described as “favorable.” The district expects to fund the down payment with proceeds from the Tri-Cities Cancer Center, which bought out the ownership interests of Trios and Lourdes when they were acquired by a for-profit company, now known as LifePoint, for $325,000 apiece. The Benton Franklin Recovery Center’s Gerber, who lost her son as a young adult after he became addicted to painkillers following an accident, has promoted the idea to civic and government agencies over the past two years. The feedback has been uniformly positive, she said. Two Rivers has the coalition’s “complete support,” she said. The public health district would own the facility but would not operate it. Instead, it would lease space to operators who would treat patients funded by a mix
of Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance and self-pay. Accepting the feasibility study sets the stage to raise the money it needs to convert the hospital. The health district receives about $1.5 million annually in property tax revenue. At the Oct. 29 meeting, the board agreed to raise its property tax rate by 1%, the amount allowed under state law. The added funds will support its recovery center vision. It also agreed to pursue grants and to request funds in the state’s capital projects budget. The hospital would have to be licensed by the state health department. An inspector toured the facility in July and gave feedback on the upgrades it needs. Kerr said the visit was encouraging, which district took as a sign the state will support the project.
Richland breaks ground on 2 fire stations
The Internal Revenue Service has created a webpage to help business owners navigate the federal tax steps to close. The page provides information about the forms that need to be filed, how to report revenue from the final year of business, how to report expense, how to file a final return, how to take care of employees, how to pay any taxes owed, how to cancel and EIN and other steps. Go to irs.gov/businesses/smallbusinesses-self-employed/closing-abusiness.
Real Estate & Construction
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
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West Richland’s square ‘doughnut-shaped’ cop shop nears starting line By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
West Richland expects to break ground on a new police station in January with the city’s police department tentatively set to move into its airy new building by the end of 2021. Chief Ben Majetich updated the city council on the project’s status at its virtual meeting Oct. 20. The 20,500-square-foot police station will be constructed at 7920 W. Van Giesen St. on a section of the former Tri-City Raceway. It will face Benton Fire District 4’s newest station, a move that transforms the western edge of town into an emergency services cluster. The police station will not encroach on the actual raceway, Majetich said. The city’s design-build team of Design West Architects and Chervenell Construction is finalizing the design and will shift to the construction phase in December, he said. The final design and price tag will be presented to the city’s elected leaders by mid-December. TeanorHL, a Midwest firm with experience designing municipal police stations, is advising the team on the design. The one-story building boasts glassy “storefront” details on three sides so that drivers approaching from any side will be greeted by a main façade. Soaring roof features give the impression of a twostory building. A courtyard leaves a small hole at the center, giving the station a doughnut-like shape, Majetich joked. The courtyard serves an important function. It allows designers to put windows in interior spaces to increase the amount of daylight coming into the squarish building. It also gives law enforcement a secured outdoor area for breaks and other business. The back half of the building is secured with perimeter fencing and internal features. The public entry includes space for administration, a lobby and a community room. The community room can be used for public gatherings as well as law enforcement raining. A separate 2,700-square-foot building contains a garage that doubles as a training room and five indoor/outdoor kennels for dogs that are held up to 24 hours before being turned over to Tri-Cities Animal Control. The kennel is not intended to serve as an animal shelter. The new police station will retire city’s outdated station at 3805 Van Giesen St., which at 3,000 square feet was far too small to support the needs of a fast-growing city. Voters agreed. In 2019, the city’s voters approved an annual tax of about $42
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per $100,000 in assessed value to support the $12.5 million bond needed to build the new facility. The approval rate was 61% of 3,473 ballots cast in the April 23 special election. The city’s original plan to site the station near Bombing Range fell apart soon after the election over local opposition. That sent Mayor Brent Gerry on an urgent site-finding mission. He landed on the former raceway, closed since 2004 and owned by the Port of Kennewick. The city paid $1.8 million for the property, a deal partly funded by West Richland’s share of the Benton County Rural Capital development fund, which is funded by an 0.09% sales tax rebate given to counties to support economic development. The police station is occupying a small part of the 92-acre property. The balance is contemplated for future economic development. The site is at Highway 224/Van Giesen Street and Keene Road, a few miles northwest of the city’s new municipal building on Beaumont Boulevard. A courtyard leaves a small hole at the center, giving the police station a doughnut-like shape. The courtyard serves an important function. It allows designers to put windows in interior spaces to increase the amount of daylight coming into the squarish building. It also gives law enforcement a secured outdoor area for breaks and other business.
The 20,500-square-foot police station will be constructed at 7920 W. Van Giesen St. on a section of the former Tri-City Raceway.
Renderings courtesy city of West Richland
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Real Estate & Construction uBUSINESS BRIEFS Paid Advertising
Member SIPC
Ideas for Thanking Your Family
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SHELLEY KENNEDY
(509) 946-7626 It’s almost Thanksgiving. And although 2020 may have been a difficult year for you, as it has been for many people, you can probably still find things for which you can be thankful – such as your family. How can you show your appreciation for your loved ones? Here are a few suggestions: • Invest in your children’s future. If you have young children – or even grandchildren – one of the greatest gifts you can give them is the gift of education. You may want to consider contributing to a higher education funding vehicle. • Be generous. Do you have older children, just starting out in life? If so, they could well use a financial gift to help pay
•
off student loans, buy a car or even make a down payment on a home. You can give up to $15,000 per year, per recipient, without incurring gift taxes. Of course, you don’t have to give cash – you might want to consider presenting your children with shares of stock in companies they like. Review your insurance coverage. If you weren’t around, it would leave some gaping holes – financial and otherwise – in the lives of your family members. That’s why it’s essential you maintain adequate life insurance. Your employer might offer a group plan, but it may not be sufficient to meet your needs. There’s no magic formula for determining the right amount of coverage, so you’ll have to consider a variety of factors: your age, spouse’s income, number of children and so on. Also, you may want to consider disability insurance – if you were unable to work for a while, it could cause a real problem for your family’s finances. Preserve your financial independence. When your children are young, you take care of them. But you certainly don’t want them to have to do the same for you – so it’s essential you maintain
your financial independence throughout your life. You can do this in at least a couple of ways. First, consider investing regularly in your 401(k), IRA and other retirement accounts. The greater your resources during your retirement years, the less you may ever need to count on your family. And second, you may want to protect yourself from the devastating costs of long-term care, such as an extended nursing home stay. A financial professional can suggest a strategy to help you cope with these expenses. • Create an estate plan. To leave a legacy to your family, you don’t have to be wealthy – but you do need a comprehensive estate plan. You’ll have to think through a lot of questions, such as: Have I named beneficiaries for all my assets? How much do I want to leave to each person? Do I need to go beyond a simple will to establish an arrangement such as a living trust? For help in answering all these issues, you’ll want to work with an attorney. By making these moves, you can show your loved ones, in a tangible way, how much you value them – and that can help you keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive all year long.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
JOY BEHEN
RYAN BRAULT CFP®
DUSTIN CLONTZ
JAY FREEMAN AAMS
SHELLEY KENNEDY
TERRY SLIGER
CFP®
New pathway completed between Edison, Union
The city of Kennewick recently completed a 0.6-mile pedestrian-bicycle path between Edison Street and Union Street. The city received $353,000 through the Community Development Block Grant Program to build a 12-foot wide paved pedestrian path. The project included a segment connecting Dawes Street and Edison Elementary to the path. IBEW Local Union #112 provided a 26-foot wide easement on the southernmost portion of its property, which allows public access to the pathway off Edison Street, and donated a drinking fountain with a dog bowl attachment, a nearly $10,000 investment. The Kennewick Irrigation District allowed access to its lowlift canal right of way from Edison Street to Union Street. The Kennewick School District granted a 20-foot access easement along the western-most property boundary of Edison Elementary. Central Washington Asphalt of Moses Lake was the contractor for the project.
Medical clinic breaks ground in Pasco
BMB Investments LLC broke ground Nov. 7 on a medical clinic to house the respective practices of its owners, Alliance Women’s Health and Tri-City Foot & Ankle Center in Pasco. BMB is jointly-owned by Dr. Bradley Logston, OB-GYN, Dr. Brent Thielges, DPM, and Mario Garriga. They will move their practices from Richland when the building opens in late 2021. Partners include Elite Construction, STCU Credit Union, Evergreen Business Capital and DKEI Architectural Services. Alliance Women’s Health consists of Logston and Deanna DiUlio. Logston partnered with Garriga to establish the practice in 2014. DiUlio joined as a nurse practitioner and nurse midwife in 2017. Tri-City Foot & Ankle is led by Thielges, a West Richland native, and Dr. Joshua Grimm, originally from New York.
US Cellular turns on 5G service in parts of Tri-Cities 6115 Burden Blvd., Ste. A, Pasco
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www.edwardjones.com HARRY VAN DYKEN
CARSON WILLINGHAM
T.J. WILLINGHAM
TARA WISWALL
JONATHAN D. SALMON
US Cellular has activated its 5G network in parts of the Tri-Cities. The initial deployment covers parts of Kennewick, Pasco, Prosser and Richland. The 5G service promises faster data speed and other benefits. The coverage map is posted at uscellular.com/coverage-map.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
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SANA, From page B1 ‘Where am I?’” Eggleston said Sana will open with 16 beds because Washington requires a certificate of need from the health department for larger facilities. It expects to expand by eight beds in the future. Patients are typically referred from emergency rooms that treat medical conditions and then look for places to send psychiatric patients. It also accepts patients from senior care facilities that are not set up to manage psychiatric issues. It accepts patients who also are experiencing dementia and direct referrals. Its focus is treating psychiatric issues and not dementia. The hospital can treat medical conditions such as diabetes. Costs are typically borne by Medicare and Medicaid because patients are seniors, but it also accepts commercial payment for patients who are still covered by private insurance. It won’t take patients under involuntary psychiatric holds until it secures the
uBUSINESS BRIEFS Piton Wealth acquires Montana firm
A Kennewick-based wealth management firm has acquired a new office in Kalispell, Montana. Piton Wealth recently announced that the Montana Thrivent office will be transitioning into the Thrivent Advisor Network, under the guidance and support of Piton’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Michelle Clary. Clary transitioned her Piton practice in 2018 to be the first independent financial practice in the Thrivent Advisor Network. The transition has provided greater autonomy while still under the umbrella of the Fortune 500 company, Thrivent Financial. Clary has ties in Montana; she was born in Bozeman, grew up in Whitefish and has a cabin in Eureka.
Boardman restaurant plans remodel, name change
River Lodge, Cabins & Grill in Boardman, Oregon, plans to renovate the exterior and interior of its restaurant in 2021. The renovation will start with interior updates including the construction of a new expanded bar, new craft beer tap system, updated flooring, casual bar gathering spaces and new lighting. The concept was inspired by vintage industrial design, including weathered wood, metal accents and concrete. Along with the new design comes a new name that will be rooted in the area’s history and community. Stay tuned, the owners haven’t announced it yet. Also coming is a new menu focused on savory American grill dishes, sourcing food and beverage ingredients from the region as often as possible. It also serves beer from Ordnance Brewing of Boardman. Other improvements planned include a new covered patio, gas fire pit, outdoor lounge seating, landscaping and outdoor games. New vertical doors will be installed in the restaurant to give easy access to the
proper licensing for that. Eggleston said the typical stay is 1014 days, the amount of time it takes for a patient to have medication prescribed or adjusted and to stabilize. Annual revenue for the Kennewick facility is projected to be $6 million. Chervenell Construction of Kennewick is the general contractor. outdoor patio, bring fresh air indoors and create an indoor/outdoor dining experience. The exterior upgrades are scheduled for completion May 31, 2021. Leading the restaurant renovation project is COHO Services, a Portland-based hospitality management company that has managed River Lodge, Cabins & Grill for the last 15 years. The restaurant will remain open during the renovation.
Courtesy Sana Behavioral Health Sana Behavioral Hospital, a 16-bed psychiatric facility for those 55 and over, will open in the spring at 7319 W. Hood Place, near the Tri-Cities Cancer Center, in Kennewick.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Real Estate & Construction
Paid Advertising
SunMarket and Firehouse Subs 2607 Kingsgate Way, Richland
Sun Pacific Energy has debuted its latest SunMarket convenience store, gas station and Firehouse Subs restaurant at 2607 Kingsgate Way in Richland. The 3,919-square-foot building includes a Shell gas station, 2,082-squarefoot convenience store and 1,837-squarefoot restaurant area on a two-acre site. Sun Pacific previously introduced the Firehouse Subs brand to the Tri-Cities when it opened its first in Burbank in December 2017. It followed that up with locations in Kennewick and Pasco. Richland architect Bruce Baker designed the Horn Rapids project. LCR Construction was the general contractor.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
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WIRING DESIGNED WITH YOU IN MIND
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KNUTZEN IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT! —PAUL & NATHAN
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Real Estate & Construction
Pacific Pasta & Grill heads for Richland as lease runs out By Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Pacific Pasta & Grill in Kennewick is moving to new quarters in Richland as its lease runs out at 7911 W. Grandridge Blvd. The pasta restaurant will reopen at 603 Goethals Drive after it closes its old location on Nov. 25. It announced the move on its Facebook page and a notice on the front door of the old location. The Goethals Drive building was once home to the co-op grocery Mid-Columbia Market at the Hub, which closed in 2017. Mary Sue Hsu, who owns the restaurant with her husband and daughter, Niki Young, said the family sought a smaller Paid Advertising
spot for the business after 16 years in Kennewick. Its current 120-seat configuration is too big, particularly in a pandemic. Even with occupancy limited to 25% by the state’s Safe Start program, it seldom reached that level, she said. The restaurant specializes in freshly made pastas, salads, burgers, wraps Asian entrees and more, catering to health-minded diners with a long list of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan meal options. In addition to dine-in eating, it offers take-out and delivery through Uber, Grubhub and Tri-City Food Dudes. The Grandridge Boulevard landlord,
Photo by TCAJOB Pacific Pasta & Grill plans to move to 603 Goethals Drive in Richland from its current location at 7911 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick.
Gerald & Spring Covington Living Trust, put its 3,425-square-foot building and 0.56acre site on the market in March. It is being marketed for $699,000 as either a restaurant or a potential office or retail space. The taxable value is $727,000. Fixtures, furnishings and equipment are not
part of the sale. It is being marketed by Professional Realty Associates. The restaurant was built in 2005 and opened as Nothing But Noodles before changing names in 2012. Follow on Facebook @PacificPastaandGrill.
JJA Properties LLC
2478 & 2494 Henderson Loop, Richland
JJA Properties LLC, a real estate investment firm, has completed two 9,600-square-foot light industrial buildings with office space at 2478 & 2494 Henderson Loop in Richland’s Horn Rapids Industrial Park. The $800,000 project includes 8,100 square feet of shop space and 1,500 square feet of office space. It can be divided in half if necessary. The one-acre site is fenced. Asking rent is 65 cents a square foot for warehouse space and $1.15 for office. Construction wrapped up in September. The new addition fills a need for light industrial space and can provide potential retail space at Horn Rapids. CRF Metal Works LLC designed the project, which was managed by Adam Hall. Contact Chris Thomas, 541-571-2644, for leasing information.
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(509) 430-7609 crfmetalworks.com 3120 Travel Plaza Way, Pasco CRFMEMW939PJ
• Packaging Lines • Conveying Systems • Mechanical Piping • Steel Buildings • Agricultural Facilities • Wine Production
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
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PUBLIC RECORD uBANKRUPTCIES Bankruptcies are filed under the following chapter headings: Chapter 7 — Straight Bankruptcy: debtor gives up non-exempt property and debt is discharged. Chapter 11 — Allows companies and individuals to restructure debts to repay them. Chapter 12 — Allows family farmers or fishermen to restructure finances to avoid liquidation for foreclosure. Chapter 13 — Plan is devised by the individual to pay a percentage of debt based on ability to pay. All disposable income must be used to pay debts. Information provided by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.
CHAPTER 13 Brian David & Kelly Kay Bartley, PO Box 5120, Benton City. David Christopher Murr, 822 S. Beech St., Kennewick. CHAPTER 7 Juan Ruben Mendoza, 616 N. 18th Ave., Pasco. Adan Ramos Mendoza, 233 W. Octave St., Pasco. Robert John, 6612 Comenski Drive, Pasco. Mark Christopher & Tamara Michelle Thompson, 5011 Truman Lane, Pasco. Michael W. Ogden, 1728 S. Sharp PRSE, Benton City. Alfredo Barrera & Luz Maria CanoJimenez, 4006 Montgomery Lane, Pasco. Zona Gale, 1603 Longfitt St., Richland. Dwayne Joseph Philp Jr. & Jennifer Renee Philp, 5501 W. Hildebrand Blvd.,
Apt. K140, Kennewick. Tanya Ponce, 728 W Shoshone St., Pasco. Allen Lufonzo & Rita Kay Smith, 1709 Darby Place, Richland. Jose Omar Ortega, 1107 W. Fifth Ave., Apt. D5, Kennewick. John Michael Mayer, 1520 Birch Ave., Richland. Erika Gonzalez Chavez, 3425 East A St., Apt. F101, Pasco. Sherrie Sue Young, 8180 W. Fourth Ave., Apt. H204, Kennewick. Shane T. Severson, 430 S. Tweedt Place, Kennewick. Elida Carrillo, 421 S. Douglas Ave., Pasco. Courtney Rebecca Rains, 31505 S. 2200 PRSE, Kennewick. James Leroy Wallace Jr., 6919 W. Victoria Ave., Kennewick. Danelle Dee Wallace, 250 Gage Blvd., Apt I-4066, Richland. Samantha Adams, 603 Manzanita Lane, Pasco.
uTOP PROPERTIES BENTON COUNTY 108133 217 PR SE, Kennewick, 3,782-square-foot single-family home. Price: $885,000. Buyer: Ryan S. & Amanda R. Renslow. Seller: Bruce & Tina Jensen. 2174 Legacy Lane, Richland, 2,876-square-foot single-family home. Price: $977,800. Buyer: Stephen R. & Elaine M. Matheson. Seller: Pahlisch Homes at Westcliffe Heights.
2045 & 2075 Hagen Road, Richland, 12,454-square-foot commercial warehouse. Price: $950,000. Buyer: Hiline Leasing LLC. Seller: William L. Bresina. 6600 W. Rio Grande Ave., Kennewick, 11,132-square-foot medical office. Price: $6.2 million. Buyer: Rivercrest Apartments Washington LLC. Seller: P & L Land Company LLC. 7072 W. 22nd Ave., Kennewick, 2,997-square-foot single-family home. Price: $790,400. Buyer: Ryan Lewis & Kathy A. Hibbs. Seller: Prodigy Homes
Inc. 1336 Paige St., Richland, 2,755-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Michael & Claudia Downey. Seller: Prodigy Homes Inc. 1638 Pisa Lane, Richland, 3,094-square-foot single-family home. Price: $775,000. Buyer: Michael A. & Kara J. Gracia. Seller: Mary J. Blanchard. 797 Summit St., Richland, 5,099-square-foot single-family home. Price: $1.3 million. Buyer: Juan Cordero
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Jr. Seller: Suzanne M. Monson. 97218 N. Northstar PR NE, West Richland, 2,338-square-foot singlefamily home. Price: $765,000. Buyer: Trustees Robert V. & Dolores Mancuso. Seller: David Allen & Marlene Joyce Owens. 12823 S. Paige Lane, Prosser, 4,984-square-foot single-family home. Price: $912,500. Buyer: Jeremiah & Monica Gannon. Seller: Gregory J. & Clydine R. Norell. 103714, 103308, 102904, 102502, 103209, 103615 Addison Ave., Kennewick, undeveloped land. Price: $960,000. Buyer: Michael O. & Tanis Detrick. Seller: Badger Properties Inc. 8770 W. 11th Ave., Kennewick, 2,745-square-foot single-family home. Buyer: Jeffrey S. & Lori A. Van Meighem. Seller: LaPierre Enterprises Inc. 3117, 3203, 3207 S. Fisher Ct., Kennewick, 6,485-square-foot, 3,101-square-foot and 3,101-square-foot assisted living facility buildings. Price: $1.3 million. Buyer: Lang Jones Patton Morris LLC. Seller: Hyatt H. & Karen S. Norman. 12904 Grandview Lane, Kennewick, 2,743-square-foot single-family home. Price: $816,000. Buyer: Gregory & Clydine Norell. Seller: Dennis & Judith Sawby. 3500 S. Morain St., Kennewick, 2,745-square-foot single-family home. Price: $865,000. Buyer: Deborah L. Meyers. Seller: Douglas J. & Ami R. Gunther Jr. 5215, 5211 W. Clearwater Ave. and 201 N. Edison St., Kennewick, 21,996-square-foot commercial shopping center, 452-square-foot retail building and 28,066-square-foot neighborhood shopping center. Price: $7 million. Buyer: Inland Ocean LLC. Seller: Clearwater Professional Suites LLC. 1042 Sagebluff Lane, Richland, 3,071-square-foot single-family home.
Price: $776,900. Buyer: Anthony G. & Amanda Tremi. Seller: Prodigy Homes Inc. FRANKLIN COUNTY
Corner of Wrigley Drive and Road 76, Pasco, 4.5 acres of undeveloped land. Price: $1.2 million. Buyer: Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Inc. Seller: Kidwell Family LLC. 6010, 6014, 6018, 6022, 6005, 6001, 5921 Tarsus Lane; 6041, 6037 Nauvoo Lane; 4517, 4513, 4509, 4505 Carthage St., Pasco, multiple parcels of undeveloped land. Price: $1 million. Buyer: Viking Builders LLC. Seller: EE Properties LLC. 12203 Scenic View Drive, Pasco, 3,464-square-foot single-family home. Price: $840,000. Buyer: Tadd Bowlsby & LaVonne Nellie. Seller: Johnny G. & Sally G. Martinez. 4011 Road 96, Pasco, 2,688-squarefoot single-family home. Price: $775,000. Buyer: Story Family Five LLC. Seller: Colette Steinwert. Two parcels at Coyan Road and Dilling Road, Coyan and Warehouse Road, Connell, 315 acres of agriculture land. Price: $789,400. Buyer: Candy Mountain Farms LLC. Seller: E E Krug LLC. 5351 W. Sagemoor Road, Pasco, 1,800-square-foot single-family home on 20 acres. Price: $850,000. Buyer: Christopher W. & Megan N. Butler. Seller: Douglas A. & Kimberly J. Lefebre. 7425 Sandifur Parkway, Pasco, 33,936-square-foot commercial shopping center. Price: $2.1 million. Buyer: Amaze-Investment LLC. Seller: Hogback Sandifur LLC.
uBUILDING PERMITS BENTON COUNTY
Lineage Logistics, 224905 Bowles Road, $20,000 for commercial addition.
Contractor: Elite Construction & Development. Washington State University, 64899 Bofer Canyon Road, $35,000 for antenna/tower. Contractor: Legacy Communications. FRANKLIN COUNTY
O’Neal Land Inc., 700 Muse Road, $1.2 million new commercial. Contractor: H&H Steel Buildings Inc. SBK Properties LLC, 1533 Dayton Drive, $58,900 for new commercial. Contractor: Owner. KENNEWICK
Tamara Sacket, 4305 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, $35,000 for commercial remodel, $8,200 for heat pump/ heating ventilation and air conditioning. Contractors: Owner, Jacobs & Rhodes Inc. Scot & Tyler LLC, 5800 W. 28th Ave., $36,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Rock Placing Co. Dick Hoch Libra Inc., 2600 S. Washington St., $180,000 for commercial remodel, $8,500 for plumbing. Contractors: Chervenell Construction, BNB Mechanical LLC. Kennewick Associates LTD Partnership, 7411 W. Canal Drive, $7,100 for light pole replacement. Contractor: Yesco LLC. GPS Properties LLC, 7319 W. Hood Place, $21,200 for sign. Contractor: Yesco LLC. Kennewick Associates LTD Partnership, 1310 N. Columbia Center Blvd., $7,800 for sign. Contractor: Quality Signs. Brinkley Investment Co., 6624 W. Brinkley Road, $50,000 for tenant improvements, $6,500 for heat pump/ HVAC, $6,000 for plumbing. Contractors: Owner, Bruce Mechanical Inc., Columbia Basin Plumbing.
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Two Dawgs LLC, 4528 W. 26th Ave., $10,000 for sign. Contractor: Mustang Sign Group. PASCO
Brantingham Enterprises LLC, 1417 E. St. Helens St., $2.1 million for new commercial. Contractor: CRF Metal Works LLC. Nicolas Zavala, 114 N. Fourth Ave., $95,750 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Owner. BDP Properties LLC, 6403 Burden Blvd., $68,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: L&R Construction Inc. Andrew Landram, 1124 W. Ainsworth Ave., $8,200 for commercial addition. Contractor: Owner. Balcom & Moe Inc., 1315 N. First Ave., $15,000 for new commercial. Contractor: Teton West of Washington. Port of Pasco, northern end of Tri-Cities Airport runway, $530,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: To be determined. ST Properties, 1865 N. Commercial Ave., $1.7 million for new commercial. Contractor: CRF Metal Works LLC. Brandon E. Esparza, 5202 Black Belle Court, $57,900 for pole building. Contractor: Triple J Construction. Pasco School District, 1102 N. 10th Ave., $70,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: To be determined. Upper Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 525 W. Marie St., $30,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: AGA Star + Construction. Great Basin Land, 1125 E. Spokane St., $178,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: To be determined. Numerica Credit Union, 4845 Broadmoor Blvd., $60,900 for commercial construction. Contractor: LCR Construction LLC. Weber Properties, 2404 W. Court St., $61,700 for sign. Contractor: Bentley Construction. Pasco School District, 9507 Burns Road, $172,800 for antenna/tower. Contractor: Day Wireless Systems. Planned Parenthood, 3901 W. Court St., $34,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: A W Roofing of Yakima LLC. CSP Pasco LLC, 1308 N. 20th Ave., $19,900 for sign. Contractor: Sign Crafters Inc. RICHLAND
Port of Benton, 2241 Airport Way, $331,900 for new commercial. Contractor: My Pro Contractor. Aaron Sullivan, 24485 Robertson Drive, $1.4 million for new commercial. Contractor: Titan Homes LLC. Carniceria La Cabana 3, 1305 Jadwin Ave., $100,000 for tenant improvements. Contractor: Owner. Henningsen Enterprise, 2025 Saint St., $594,000 for commercial reroof. Contractor: Flynn BEC LP.
uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B11
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 ATI Specialty Materials, 3101 Kingsgate Way, Building F, $1.4 million for new commercial. Contractor: Fisher Construction Group. Washington State University Tri-Cities, 2774 Q Ave., $3 million for commercial addition. Contractor: Fowler General Construction. Washington Plaza, 1825 George Washington Way, $6,000 for sign. Contractor: Taco Bell. Hayden Homes Inc., 2725 Steptoe St., $74,900 for grading. Contractor: Goodman & Mehlenbacher Enterprises Inc. EEC Construction LLC, 4801 Barbera St., $357,900 for multi-family. Contractor: Owner. City of Richland, 460 Battelle Blvd., $3.5 million for commercial construction for two public safety response stations. Contractor: DGR Grant Construction. Tri-Cities Arby’s, 1051 George Washington Way, $175,000 for commercial remodel. Contractor: Engineered Structures Inc.
uBUSINESS LICENSES KENNEWICK
GNB Global Inc., 941 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas. Nexvortex Inc., 510 Spring St., Ste. 250, Herndon, Virginia. North Cascades Heating & Air Conditioning Inc., 14531 Highway 97, A, Entiat. Romm Construction Inc., 731 S. Oregon Ave., Pasco. Horse Heaven Construction Inc., 34704 S. Hanon Road. Real Centric Solutions LLC, 2563 Tiger Lane, Richland. M2 Industrial Inc., 180 Hanson Road, Ellensburg. Fawcett Plumbing Inc., 5022 84th St. E., Tacoma. Coyote Bob’s Casino, 3014 W.
Kennewick Ave. JLH Group, 602 N. Colorado St. Wholesale Electric Supply Company of Houston Inc., 3769 S. McKinley St. K&R Carpentry, 2806 W. 46th Ave. Warrior Pallets, 1615 E. Chemical Drive. TSC Construction Inc., 213403 E. 194 PR SE. Gutter Girl, 6209 Robert Wayne Drive, Pasco. Donna Ilin Photo, 2451 N. Rhode Island Ct. Floor to Roof LLC, 11052 W. Highway 12, Walla Walla. Blushing Brows, 8019 W. Quinault Ave. Edgewater Pools LLC, 5716 Ochoco Lane, Pasco. M R Quality Services, 3912 Janet Road, Pasco. Hernandesign It!, 1863 W. 19th Ave. Anytime Repair & Service, 108 W. Columbia Drive. Dynamic Hardscaping LLC, 4508 Palo Verde Ct., Pasco. Chardan Builders LLC, 10405 W. Willow Way, Pasco. Five Star Factotum, 109 E. 14th Ave. AEI Electric LLC, 1999 Butler Loop Richland. General Handyman Services LLC, 1305 McPherson Ave., Richland. Expansion Home Flooring LLC, 914 S. Cleveland St. DB Home Repair, 10514 137th Ave. E., Puyallup. Columbia Building Services LLC, 4814 Seville Drive, Pasco. DLB General Contractor LLC, 3409 W. 42nd Ave. The Swanky Pear, 1819 W. 28th Ave. Noble J Construction LLC, 29106 S. 875 PR SE. Elite Landscaping & Fencing LLC, 700 W. 42nd Ave. VP Flooring, 2308 Wade Ct., Pasco. Star Work, 720 N. Arthur St. Social Work Link, Professional Limited Liability Company, 5025B W. Clearwater
Ave. Badder Ink, 7520 W. Clearwater Ave. Michael Mac Hair, 312 N. Neel St. Forgetbook, 8350 W. Grandridge Blvd. Mendoza General Construction LLC, 5310 Raleigh Drive, Pasco. Rise2shine Preschool, 3305 S. Conway Ct. Dusty Cleaning Services LLC, 4819 W. Canal Drive. Unwind, 300 W. Kennewick Ave. Study Guide LLC, 8900 W. Hood Ave. C&M Products LLC, 3700 S. Taft Place. Amber Care RN, 3571 W. 11th Place. Antireliant Enterprises LLC, 1601 S. Lincoln St. Triple J Concrete, 603 E. Third Ave. 3 Water Construction, 5220 Westminster Lane, Pasco. Aria Construction Company, 1105 W. 10th Ave. Jemima Real Estate LLC, 8836 W. Gage Blvd. Mister Car Wash, 5231 W. Okanogan Place. Integrity Landscaping LLC, 208 E. 23rd Ave. Prominent Title Agency LLC, 6113 W. 20th Ave. Hillman Company LLC, 2614 W. 32nd Ct. Imperial Gas LLC, 8611 Tottenham Ct., Pasco. KND Consulting PLLC, 16 S. Union St. FC Design, 4031 S. Kellogg St. Great Deals Real Estate LLC, 530 N. Edison St. TC Pool & Spa, 102 N. Conway St. The Babbling Crow, 4110 W. 34th Ave. Palmer Home Inspections LLC, 8524 W. Gage Blvd. Hair by Alexa, 5601 W. Clearwater Ave. Liya, Saidova, 10251 Ridgeline Drive. Adrian D Aeling, 701 S. Penn St. Kraft Floors LLC, 6503 W. Okanogan Ave. Exigence Adventures, 2708 W. Eighth Place.
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T-Mobile Dn69, 124 S. Ely St. Angelique Whiteside, 8804 W. Victoria Ave. Maria’s Blessed Boutique, 3007 W. 24th Ave. T-Mobile D310, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Canyon Ranch LLC, 1313 N. Young St. Supple Buns Bakery, 425 N. Columbia Center Blvd. Live or Dye Color Creations, 3311 W. Clearwater Ave. Total Impact Tsp, 3500 W. Clearwater Ave. E & L Ag Trucking, 7322 W. Bonnie Ave. B&T Plumbing & Mechanical, 86407 E. Badger Road. Interpath Laboratory Inc., 117 N. Ely St. The Script Shop, 10251 Ridgeline Drive. Southeastern Emergency Physicians LLC, 3730 Plaza Way. Colombian Detailing Company, 4711 W. Metaline Ave. RICHLAND Choice Foodservice Equipment, 2710 N. 350 W., Layton, Utah. Keith Francis and Son’s Construction LLC, 17074 Bird Dog Road, Audubon, Minnesota. Consolidated Construction Co. Inc., 4300 N. Richmond St., Appleton, Wisconsin. F P I Management Inc., 800 Iron Point Road, Folsom, California. Mccall Industrial Supply, 6372 W. Contractors St., Boise, Idaho. Mint Mobile LLC, 1550 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa, California. Nextiva Inc., 8125 N. 86th Place, Scottsdale, Arizona. Lost River Roofing & Construction LLC, 10671 W. Treeline Ct., Boise, Idaho. Elemental Energy, 1339 SE. Eighth Ave., Portland, Oregon. Sign Crafters Inc., 1006 16th Ave.,
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Lewiston, Idaho. Gabb Wireless Inc., 3101 Park Blvd., Palo Alto, California. Vast Homes Construction LLP, 210 Jadwin Ave. BR Operating LLC dba Solomons Mfg LLC, 19818 74th Ave NE, Arlington. Washington Medical Supplies, 1019 Wright Ave. Whalen Real Estate Company, 1201 Jadwin Ave. The Glass Door LLC, 2220 Goodman Road, Union Gap. Adams Carpet & Flooring, 5610 W. 57th Ave., Spokane. Treasure Valley Coffee Company of The Columbia Basin, 2009 Logston Blvd. Back Street Hair Design, 8236 W. Gage Blvd., Ste. B., Kennewick. Three River’s Sewing Company, 82 Wellsian Way. Anchor Hauling LLC, 8210 Selph Landing Road, Pasco.
Total Care Clinics, 1776 Fowler St. Roscoeboyz LLC, 2009 Logston Blvd. Epic Trust Investment Advisors LLC, 1305 Fowler St. Custom Carpeting LLC, 1621 George Washington Way. Columbia Basin Pain Management Institute PLLC, 1305 Fowler St. Marriott Construction, 4812 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick. Geophysical Survey LLC, 711 S. Tacoma St. Kennewick. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., 2701 Queensgate Drive. Carports of Washington Inc., 209 Pioneer Way E., South Prairie. Laurel Pettey, 731 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick. Indie Bros. LLC, 1628 Mesquite Ct. Nuclear Athletics LLC, 2801 Sawgrass Loop. Midvale Signal Inc., 550 Midvale Road Unit C., Sunnyside. MS Evans Construction, 104 Lesa
Marie Lane, Kennewick. Luke’s Carpet LLC, 8438 W. Gage Blvd. Kennewick. Butterfield Construction, 1104 Adams St. Osborn Construction & Design LLC, 1451 Highland Road, Grandview. Northwest Empire, 205 Whalen Loop Road, Woodland. Mimi + Ruby, 303 Davenport St. Social Media Church Labs, 553 Camy St. Gladwell Stump Grinding LLC, 521 Grosscup Blvd., West Richland. Hanging H Company LLC, 1912 S. Burlington Blvd., Burlington. Whalen Marine, 1407 Agnes St. Gardea Painting LLC, 227 N. Sycamore Ave., Pasco. Dundee Processing, 1294 Monrean Loop. Tru-design Construction LLC, 1406 Fries St. GRV Medical Property Management
Inc., 1305 Fowler St. Vl Construction, 2406 Camden St. TSC Construction Inc., 213403 E. 194 PR SE, Kennewick. Erik Johnson PR & Marketing LLC, 1628 Mesquite Ct. Pioneer Landscaping & Fencing Services LLC, 617 S. Elm Ave. Pasco. Gutter Girl, 6209 Robert Wayne Drive, Pasco. North Pacific Drywall LLC, 825 S. Huntington St., Kennewick. Clean Cut Construction Inc., 805 Wright Ave. Okanogan Construction LLC, 912 N. 10th Ave., Yakima. Armonia Photography, Business Club Coffee, 2513 Duportail St. Grace & Rose, 4508 W. Octave St. Pasco. CH Landscaping LLC, 402 E. 10th Ave., Kennewick. DSA Painting, 7801 Snoqualmie Drive, Pasco. Arc Professional Services LLC, 245 Torbett St. Stepping Stone Flooring and Tile LLC, 1419 Judson Ave. Twisters Espresso LLC, 212 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick. Elizabeth Ruiz, 3003 Queensgate Drive. Charming Cheek LLC, 2773 Chelan Loop. Boutique 2000, 2136 Skyview Loop. Bechtel National Inc., 450 Hills St. Custom Touch LLC, 30 Michelle Road, Pasco. Marvelous & Meticulous Flooring LLC, 5412 Pimlico Drive, Pasco. Grizzly Handyman LLC, 6101 W. First Ave., Kennewick. Berklee Cold Brew LLC, 5411 W. Livingston Road Pasco. SMI Group XXI LLC, 1030 Battelle Blvd. Extended Family Homes LLC, 1756 Silver Ct. Lavada Mundt, 1201 Jadwin Ave.
uPUBLIC RECORD, Page B13
TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 Kadlec Clinic Gastroenterology, 1270 Lee Blvd. High Five Motorsports, 668 Tanglewood Drive. Columbia Basin Chiropractic, 1305 Fowler St. Rick Folkman DC LLC, 1305 Fowler St. Two River Holding LLC of DE, 450 Hills St. JV Tools LLC, 900 Second Ave., Granger. Daniela’s Cleaning Service LLC, 3023 Bluffs Drive. Shakell Walker, 5210 Reagan Way, Pasco. C&D Prints, 1423 Arbor St. KLD Masonry and Flooring LLC, 1500 Mahan Ave. Ginger Parker Massage Therapy, 636 Jadwin Ave. Rachel Clawson LLC, 2842 Copperbutte St. Itsyouramor, 1016 Cedar Ave. Rogue Soul Project, 2645 Sandstone Lane. Built Right Inc., 17 Nuclear Lane. Formulary Chinese Medicine PLLC, 4849 Tillamook Drive. Highpoint Land LLC, 1846 Terminal Drive. Truly Free Commercial Cleaning LLC, 2066 George Washington Way. Ash Concepts, 614 Clermont Drive. Tri-Cities Microblading, 1775 Columbia Park Trail. Hall Drafting Design, 1908 Luther Place. Case by Case Services, 1917 Hoxie Ave. Thompson Engineering Inc., 541 Jordan Lane. Salvaged Hardwoods LLC, 1165 Hills West Way. Oak Industries LLC, 2231 Sevilla Ct. Care Bnb, 1773 Milan Lane. Spectrum Counseling, 1201 Jadwin Ave. Mario’s Construction LLC, 195 Geiger Drive, Pasco. Golden Eagle Construction, 2204 Road
48, Pasco. Double E Truck and Equipment Inc., 65205 E. Solar PR NE, Benton City. Western Refining Retail LLC, 1811 Leslie Road. Stars Technology Corporation, 2603 Harris Ave. Yolanda Garcia, 2560 Queensgate Drive. Lineage Logistics HCS LLC, 2025 Saint St. Chardan Builders LLC, 10405 W. Willow Way, Pasco. Jamal Osman Hamdan, 1201 Brentwood Ave. Quicksilver Constructs LLC, 10251 Ridgeline Drive, Kennewick. Pacific Northwest Soaps, 1931 McPherson Ave. Try-City Clean LLC, 2014 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick. Compass Support, 1067 Pattyton Lane. Tri-Cities Lawn Pros LLC, 629 Birch Ave. Maquis House Cleaning Services, 18 S. Rainier St. Aei Electric LLC, 1999 Butler Loop. Ecom LLC, 673 Sedgwick Place. Tri-Cities Tackle, 3817 Des Moines Lane, Pasco. 3 Point Auto-Detailing LLC, 4803 Galicia Ct., Pasco. General Handyman Services LLC, 1305 McPherson Ave. Hair by Andrea, 210 Tranquility Way, Selah. USA-home Inspections, 4104 W. 20th Ave., Kennewick. The Camera Luvs Me LLC, 411 Tieton St. Sos10 Services LLC, 2008 Trippe St. Master Sanitation LLC, 320 N. 10th Ave., Pasco. Tomorrow’s Health, 1908 George Washington Way. Business Psychology Solutions, 219909 E. Bowles Road, Kennewick. Absolute Perfection Mobile Detailing, 9335 Sandifur Parkway, Pasco.
Brad McCain Agency, 6201 Teak Lane, West Richland. Williams Pro-Clean, 221 Thayer Drive. BB Works LLC, 1041 Country Ct. Angela R. Pitman, 326 Rossell Ave. Pristine Home Organization & Cleaning, 1216 Sanford Ave. Zeferino Marketing LLC, 2694 Grayhawk Loop. Benson & Benson Consulting LLC, 2035 Sparrow Ct., West Richland. Lineage Logistics Services HCS LLC, 2025 Saint St. Pandion Strategy LLC, 2059 Hudson Ave. Royal Wealth Creations, 191 Riverwood St. Hopewell Watersports & Rentals, 451 Westcliffe Blvd. Y2 Hotshots, 2309 Humphreys St. Elite Landscaping & Fencing LLC, 700 W. 42nd Ave., Kennewick. Holber Floor Coverings LLC, 4950 Chukar Drive, West Richland. VP Flooring, 2308 Wade Ct., Pasco. Gordon’s Lawn Care, 67504 N. 82 PR NE, Benton City. TLD Group LLC, 39805 Sterling Valley Road N., Lincoln. D’s Pools, 1515 Jones Road. Happy Vista, 1004 S. Zillah Ct., Kennewick. C & M Nursery, 2517 Van Giesen St. Dominic Schlies Tutoring, 2667 Torrey Pines Way. Ecomaids of Tri-Cities-Yakima-Walla Walla, 6813 W. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. Mobile Equipment Repair LLC, 1823 W. 19th Ave., Kennewick. Leggett Construction, 2100 Bellerive Drive. Cornerstone Home Lending Inc., 490 Bradley Blvd. Hey Sugar, 513 Lee Blvd. Savvy Cosmetics, 118 Keene Road. Austral Gecko LLC, 908 Snow Ave. City View Mini-Storage, 3050 Queensgate Drive.
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Mendoza General Construction LLC, 5310 Raleigh Drive, Pasco. Super Shinning Cleaning, 1910 George Washington Way. Wave 7, 3100 George Washington Way. Harris Plumbing LLC, 8310 W. Bruneau Place, Kennewick. Twig and Pedal, 2433 George Washington Way. Brow Language, 303B Casey Ave. Jolianna Heights Homeowners Association, 1191 Plateau Drive. Dusty Cleaning Services LLC, 4819 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick. Tacos El Agavito, 5718 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick. Advantage Investments LLC, 389 Canyon Rim Ct. Affordable Painting LLC, 2226 S. Rainier St., Kennewick. Puri-T Mobile Welding and Fabrication LLC, 1002 Sanford Ave. 3 Water Construction, 5220 Westminster Lane, Pasco. Aria Construction Company, 1105 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick. Mister Car Wash, 1131 Aaron Drive. CSM Services LLC, 117 E. 19th Ave., Kennewick. American Institute of Mind Mastery LLC, 719 Jadwin Ave. KM Artistry, 1311 Mansfield St. Integrity Landscaping LLC, 208 E. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. Core Counseling and Consultation, 750 Swift Blvd. Imperial Gas LLC, 8611 Tottenham Ct., Pasco. Debra Brown, Mediation, 1321 Columbia Park Trail. SKW Assist, 256 Piper St. Happy Helpers, 4207 Sinai Ct., Pasco. Carrgo Industrial Supply, 2555 Bella Coola Lane. White Bluffs Counseling, 750 George Washington Way.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020
Natasha At Encore, 123 Gage Blvd. Karson Michelle Taylor, 1105 Van Giesen St. PASCO
Proof Kitchen and Bar, 6627 Burden Blvd., Ste. C. Carreon Trucking, 1122 W. Yakima St. Buena Vista Property Management LLC, 6112 W. Park St. ZMD Trucking LLC, 311 N. Charles Ave. PNW Empires, 7817 Coldwater Drive. Kingdom Logistics LLC, 2241 E. Ainsworth Ave. In Touch Therapeutic Massage, 316 N. 20th Ave. M. P. Environmental Services Inc., 4708 N. Capitol Ave. Zepeda-Ramirez Investments LLC, 1805 E. Spokane St. Willo Products Company Inc., 714 Willow Industrial Drive, Decatur, Alabama.
The Coffee Crush, 6615 Chapel Hill Blvd., A105. Amor A Mexico Restaurant LLC, 528 W. Clark St. Simplex Enterprise, 7808 White Bluffs Ct. Eva A Gonzalez, 936 N. Elm Ave. Pet Over-Population Prevention (POPP), 1506 Road 40. Blackbird Espresso, 3202 Swallow Ave. Pasco Aviation Museum, 4102 Stearman Ave., 2-01. J Rock Transportation, 427 N. Douglas Ave. BV Fash, 4907 Sonora Drive. Columbia Private Investigation LLC, 114 N. Fifth Ave. Columbia Basin Manufacturing LLC, 4310 Sahara Drive. X & J S Hauling and Rental, 512 Road 39. Tri-Cities Tackle, 3817 Des Moines Lane.
Rainbow Childcare, 3613 Road 80. Tony’s Fitness, 6311 Burden Blvd., A. Ama El Cuerpor En El Que Vives, 1108 W. Sylvester St. Marvelous & Meticulous Flooring LLC, 5412 Pimlico Drive. Zabdi Salon, 1608 W. Sylvester St., A. Pantoja’s Construction LLC, 720 W. Henry St. American Veteran Backflow, 1900 Stevens Drive, Apt. 811, Richland Blue Mountain Digital Marketing, 5811 Austin Ct. Od Car Audio, 208 W. Lewis St. West Pasco Pharmacy, 7505 Sandifur Parkway 102. Go Barbers, 5121 Pamplona Drive. DSA Painting LLC, 7801 Snoqualmie Drive. Cort Business Services Corp., 15000 Conference Center, Chantilly, Virginia. Desert Graphics, 1233 E. Wheeler Road, Moses Lake.
50 GUNNERS is a networking group of local, trusted industry leaders who provide outstanding services and quality products. Find out more at 50gunners.com SPOTLIGHT MEMBERS GEORGE HEFTER TCT Computer Solutions tctcs.com (509) 528-7074 IT services and information technology.
JENNIE OLDHAM
KIM PALMER
TOM STRIDE Perfection Tire
Tritan Plumbing
perfectiontire.com (509) 735-8330
(509) 438-2214 Plumbing services and repairs
Automotive and tire repair.
TIM ROSENTHAL
DAWN KING
Kennewick Flower Shop
Perfection Glass
Spectrum Reach
kennewickflowershop.net
perfectionglass.com (509) 586-1177
spectrumreach.com (509) 572-2922
(509) 582-5123 Fresh flowers and gifts.
Replacement windows, doors, skylights and glass installation.
Data driven audience targeted multiscreen marketing solutions.
MORE GUNNERS MEMBERS Jim Carey, Cruise Holidays Cindy Sams, AAA of Washington Shelly Barnes, The UPS Store (Pasco) Michael McKinney, Riverside Collision Joe Klein, McCurley Integrity Auto Dealerships Stephanie Brook, Body Compass Massage Justin Dodd, Dayco Heating and Air Jose Vasquez, Swanky Lawn Care LLC Cris King, 4 Kings Construction Tim Mether, Kestrel Home Inspection Services
Andrea Poulson, RAZR Restoration Joseph Coyne, Heartland Payment Systems Frank Prior, 1st Priority Detail Alan Keller, A&A Roofing Services Michael Thorn, Cliff Thorn Construction Sandy Lang, Olin Homes Jeff Sperline, Sperline Raekes Law Zane Lane, Smooth Moves, LLC Mike Duarte, Paint Master Services LLC Aaron Jorgensen, Northwest Injury Clinics
Allyson Rawlings, Rawlings Flooring America & Design Daniel Chavez, Crystal Clear Window Cleaning LLC Robert Burges, Burges Carpet Cleaning Kelli Flitton, Jacobs Radio Tonya Callies, Windermere Group One Tiffany Lundstrom, Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Ecomaids of Tri-Cities-Yakima-Walla Walla, 6813 W. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. Fusion, 155 Willowbrook Blvd., Wayne, New Jersey. M R Quality Services, 3912 Janet Road. Interstate Restoration LLC, 3401 Quorum Drive, Ste. 300., Fort Worth, Texas. Latin Business Association, 411 W. Clark St., Ste. F. Hernandez-Bruno Landscaping LLC, 1753 N. 22nd Ave. Ramos Viveros Aunaldo, 110 S. Fourth Ave. Elite Landscaping & Fencing LLC, 700 W. 42nd Ave., Kennewick. Hair by Jmonte, 316 N. 20th Ave. Gladwell Stump Grinding LLC, 521 Grosscup Blvd., West Richland. Roof Masters Construction LLC, 407 W. Sylvester St. Golden Eagle Construction, 2204 Road 48. Aei Electric LLC, 1999 Butler Loop, Richland. Reign Professional Services, 5302 Reagan Way. Landmark Grading & Landscape LLC, 109 N. Washington St., Kennewick. TSC Construction Inc., 213403 E. 194 PR SE, Kennewick. North Pacific Drywall LLC, 825 S. Huntington St., Apt. B, Kennewick. Thinking Phone Networks Inc., 2 Copley Place, Ste. 7000, Boston, Massachusetts. Envy Galore, 6615 Chapel Hill Blvd. American Institute of Mind Mastery LLC, 719 Jadwin Ave., #15, Richland. Happy Helpers, 4207 Sinai Ct. Steinberg Construction LLC, 17933 Road B NW, Ephrata. Capital Renovations LLC, 602 S. Wilson St., Kennewick. Spear Construction LLC, 2020 Garland St., 2202. M & G Concrete, 3141 Scoon Road, Sunnyside. Mister Car Wash, 3810 W. Court St. Mister Car Wash, 7200 Burden Blvd. All Pro Roofing Technologies, 1108 S. Kellogg St., #1108. Built Right Inc., 17 Nuclear Lane, Richland. CSM Services LLC, 117 E. 19th Ave., Kennewick. Advent Remodeling Company LLC, 2101 Steptoe St., Apt. 217, Richland. Mosqueda Contracting LLC, 7912 Snoqualmie Drive. Abasolo Kristen, 5242 Outlet Drive. Integrity Landscaping LLC, 208 E. 23rd Ave., Kennewick. Expansion Home Flooring LLC, 914 S. Cleveland St., Kennewick. Framin Jamin, 1634 Horn Ave., Richland. Holber Floor Covering LLC, 4950 Chukar Drive, West Richland. General Handyman Services LLC, 1305 McPherson Ave., Richland.
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020 Zhamo’s Beauty Salon, 518 W. Lewis St., Ste. 522. WEST RICHLAND
Advocare International, 2800 Telecom Parkway, Richardson, Texas. Sageland Enterprises Inc., 7513 W. Kennewick Ave., Ste. B, Kennewick. Tri-City Engineers, 3801 W. Van Giesen St. B and RB and R, 4208 W. Ruby St., Pasco. JLS Consulting and Contracting LLC, 8180 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick. Culture Shock Bistro LLC, 421 E. Columbia Drive. Tri-Cities Future Equalizers, 5414 Fern Loop. Columbia River Machinery LLC, 3802 S. Highlands Blvd. Westfall Enterprizes LLC, 3025 Charity Ct., Kennewick. Arya Designs, 6534 Cyprus Loop. Finn and Luna Designs, 2641 Royal Palm Ave. Remodels Plus, 1507 McPherson Ave., Richland. DBT Tri Cities, 6771 Whitestone St. H R Honey Do Boys, 1430 W. A St., Pasco. Chas. H. Beresford Co. Inc., 1829 10th Ave. W., Seattle. SB Trucking Inc., 603 Titan Ave. The Exterior Connection LLC, 8701 W. Skagit Ave., Kennewick. Fastsigns 280501, 1409 N. Pittsburgh St., Kennewick. JGen Cabinets, 6321 W. Brinkley Road., Kennewick. The Dream Team, 3030 W. Fourth Ave., Kennewick.
uJUDGMENTS The state can file lawsuits against people or businesses that do not pay taxes and then get a judgment against property that person or business owns. Judgments are filed in Benton-Franklin Superior Court. The following is from the Franklin County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.
Alex B. Najera, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Oct. 6. Daniel Alvarez, unpaid Employment Security Department taxes, filed Oct. 21. Luiz E. Perez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Oct. 21. Javier Diaz Martinez, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Oct. 29.
Insulation Management Services LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Oct. 29. A&C General Contractors LLC, unpaid Department of Labor and Industries taxes, filed Oct. 29.
uLIQUOR LICENSES BENTON COUNTY NEW APPLICATIONS Hacienda Benton City Family Restaurant, 1002 Grace Ave., Benton City. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant service bar. Application type: new. Carniceria La Cabana #3, 4311 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 110, Kennewick. License type: grocery store-beer/wine; direct shipment receiver-in/out WA; spirits retailer. Application type: added/ change of class/in lieu. Carniceria La Cabana #3 Richland, 1305 Jadwin Ave., Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver-in/out WA; combo grocery off premises spirits/beer/ wine. Application type: new application. Ara Sushi & Grill, 430 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: beer/wine restaurant – beer/wine. Application type: new application. APPROVED Ceili Winery, 5300 W. 18th Ave., Kennewick. License type: domestic winery, <250,000 liters. Application type: change of location. Sun Market, 2607 Kingsgate Way, Richland. License type: grocery storebeer/wine. Application type: new application. Four Feathers Wine Estates, 101 Benitz Road, Suites C&F, Prosser. License type: microbrewery. Application type: new. TC Cider House, 1082 George Washington Way, Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver in/out WA. Application type: new. Wine Social, 702 The Parkway, Suite B, Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver in WA only. Application type: new. MOD Super Fast Pizza, 2803 Queensgate Drive, Richland. License type: beer/wine restaurant. Application type: added/change of class/in lieu.
The Local, 8530 W. Gage Blvd., Suite E, Kennewick. License type: snack bar. Application type: discontinued. Circle K 6032, 590 Gage Blvd., Richland. License type: grocery store-beer/wine. Application type: discontinued. Barracuda Coffee Co., 2171 Van Giesen St., Richland. License type: snack bar. Application type: discontinued. Porter’s Real Barbecue, 705 The Parkway, Richland. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: discontinued. Ginkgo Forest Winery, 357 Port Ave., Suite D, Prosser. License type: domestic winery <250,000 liters. Application type: discontinued. FRANKLIN COUNTY
NEW APPLICATIONS
Las Lupitas, 720 W. Lewis St., Pasco. License type: beer/wine restaurant. Application type: new application. APPROVED
El Charrito Restaurant, 130 N. 10th Ave., Pasco. License type: beer/wine restaurant-beer. Application type: new application. Amor A Mexico Restaurant LLC, 528 W. Clark St., Pasco. License type: spirits/ beer/wine restaurant lounge. Application type: new application. Fondita Ilucion, 2125 E. Hillsboro St., Pasco. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: new application. DISCONTINUED
Fondita Ilucion, 2125 E. Hillsboro St., Pasco. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type: discontinued. Taqueria El Tacoyote, 1623 W. Lewis St., Pasco. License type: direct shipment receiver-in WA only. Application type:
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discontinued. Cousins Restaurant, 4605 Road 68, Pasco. License type: spirits/beer/wine restaurant, lounge+. Application type: discontinued.
uMARIJUANA LICENSES BENTON COUNTY APPROVED Three Rivers Cannabis LLC, 33907 S. Gerards Road, Suite A, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: added fees. Sweet Dream Gardens LLC, 234805 E. Straightbank Road, Suite G, Kennewick. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: added fees. Crusher Weed, 15505 N. Webber Canyon Road, Suite G, Benton City. License type: marijuana producer tier 2. Application type: change of corporate officer. BLF North, 46415 E. Badger Road, Suite B, Benton City. License type: marijuana producer tier 3. Application type: change of corporate officer.
uBUSINESS UPDATES MOVED Saddle Mountain Home has moved to 6001 W. Deschutes Ave., #605, Kennewick. Tri-City Engineers has moved to 3801 W. Van Giesen St., West Richland. CLOSED Cascade Sign & Apparel at 315 Wellsian Way in Richland has closed.
Retirement is a new beginning, it’s time to enjoy your golden years.
DISCONTINUED
Independent and assisted living. • Three delicious, well-balanced meals featuring a variety of menu choices and snacks available throughout the day. • Weekly housekeeping and linen services. • Trained assisted living staff available 24-hours a day. • Creative social distancing activities.
(509) 734-9773
7820 W. 6th Avenue • Kennewick, WA
www.Parkviewslc.com Independent/Assisted Living and Respite Care
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TRI-CITIES AREA JOURNAL OF BUSINESS | NOVEMBER 2020