Chicken Shack finds new home in Kennewick after another restaurant closes
An eatery focusing on fresh, never frozen chicken is opening another location in Tri-Cities.
The locally-owned Chicken Shack Tri-Cities is expanding to Kennewick with its third restaurant.
The chain has franchises throughout California, but outside of Tri-Cities the only other other nearby restaurants are at Salem and Klamath Falls in Oregon.
Signs show that Chicken Shack is moving into the Kennewick building of the recently closed Barley’s Brew Pub at 3320 W. Kennewick Ave.
Chicken Shack’s owner Tracy LeMarr told the Herald in 2018 that they had purchased a Kennewick building for its next Chicken Shack but had no immediate plans to open because it was leased to another business at the time.
Benton County records show that LeMarr and her husband Steve bought the property for $750,000 in December 2018.
Their other restaurants opened in 2015 at 4390 W. Van Giesen St. in West Richland and in 2018 on 8921 Sandifur Parkway in Pasco.
In January, Barley’s BrewHub announced plans to close by Feb. 1 after six years in business, citing continuing COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants.
Tom and Shari Floyd opened the tap house in 2014 and it was featured in 2019 on an episode of The Food Channel’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” Beef, Belly and Bratwurst episode with host Guy Fieri touting their gyro sausage and sharing the recipe.
Food delivery
The Chicken Shack’s Tracy LeMarr also created the first local food delivery service — Tri-City Food Dudes that recently changed its name to Tri-City Food Force.
It revealed a new logo with super hero capes with the saying, “We are using our powers to help our local community be a better place.”
After the COVID pandemic pushed demand for delivery, LeMarr wanted to find a cheaper solution to get her products to consumers other than using third-party delivery services. They have their own dispatch center as well as drivers.
Tri-City Food Force now delivers food from nearly 60 different restaurants, food trucks as well as grocery markets.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com.