Broken pipe sabotages Ray’s Golden Lion reopening at Richland’s Uptown
Ray’s Golden Lion, the beloved Richland music venue, will not reopen on Sept. 30.
The much anticipated opening was delayed by a burst pipe and plumbing issues that meant it went several days without water. No new date has been provided.
“We deeply apologize for the delay and it saddens us to have to wait to open our doors, but please know we are working tirelessly to get the issue fixed so we can be up and running as soon as possible,” it said on social media, including Instagram and Facebook.
Ray’s is being reopened by business partners Andrew McVay and Talon Yager, Tri-City natives who performed at the venue in their younger days.
Ray’s closed in 2015 when the business was evicted for unpaid rent. Wai Mon “Raymond” Chin opened Golden Lion in 1963 and ran it with his wife and son. He died crossing a street.
McVay and Yager spent about three years reviving the venue. They upgraded equipment and are retaining its club vibe. But they shifted the menu to gastropub instead of its traditional Chinese and Mongolian fare.
Follow its progress at bit.ly/45X0aNY.
This story was originally published September 27, 2023 at 3:57 PM.